2021 World Series of Poker

Event #85: $50,000 High Roller
Day: 2
Event Info

2021 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a5
Prize
$1,462,043
Event Info
Buy-in
$50,000
Prize Pool
$5,409,875
Entries
113
Level Info
Level
26
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
300,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
113
Players Left
1

Event #85: $50,000 High Roller

Day 2 Completed

Mikita Badziakouski Claims First Gold Bracelet in Event #85: $50,000 High Roller ($1,462,043)

Level 26 : 300,000/600,000, 300,000 ante
Mikita Badziakouski
Mikita Badziakouski

After just two days of play out of the originally scheduled three days, Mikita Badziakouski has emerged victorious in Event #85: $50,000 High Roller. Badziakouski topped a 113-entry field to take home his first gold bracelet in addition to the $1,462,043 first-place prize.

The 29-year-old Belarusian has had a number of close calls prior to today's victory, including a second-place finish in a online WSOP short deck event on GGPoker back in July, and more recently, a fifth-place finish in the $25,000 heads-up event earlier in the series.

"Honestly, the bracelet is not as important for me as it is for many other players," Badziakouski said on how it felt to win his first. "I will just say it feels great to win a high roller."

Indeed, it was business as usual for Badziakouski, who said he relied on his experience toward his path to victory.

"I've played many final tables. You just try to perform your best — there's no special or unique ideas. You just do what you've learned before and that's it."

A regular attendee of high-roller events, Badziakouski had already racked up over $29 million in tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob prior to today's victory. Badziakouski's first-place prize following today's win marks an incredible eighth seven-figure score for him from tournaments.

2021 WSOP Event #85: $50,000 High Roller Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize (USD)
1Mikita BadziakouskiBelarus$1,462,043
2Ren LinUnited States$903,610
3Daniel NegreanuCanada$661,041
4Jason KoonUnited States$489,585
5Stephen ChidwickUnited States$367,153
6Ali ImsirovicBosnia$278,840
7Carlos VillamarinUnited States$214,496
8Joao VieiraPortugal$167,152
9Ryan LengUnited States$131,982

Day 2 Action

An additional 12 entries at the start of Day 2 brought the total number of players to start the day to 47. However, that number would be halved within the first three levels as the turbo-like structure ensured swift eliminations right from the get-go.

Among those to start the day but fall short of the money include Ole Schemion, Josh Arieh, Noah Schwartz, Michael Addamo, and Dan Smith – who lost the majority of his chips in a brutal pot wherein he and Jason Koon both held ace-king and Koon made a one-card flush.

The money bubble burst when Cary Katz called off his remaining stack with queen-jack suited and lost a race against Stephen Chidwick’s pocket fives.

Eliminations continued rapidly after the money bubble with Thomas Winters (17th - $84,486), Shaun Deeb (16th - $84,486), Christoph Vogelsang (12th - $92,407), and Elio Fox (10th - $105,607) all cashing but falling short of the final table.

Ren Lin
Ren Lin

Final Table Action

Ryan Leng entered the final table as the short stack and would bust almost immediately after running his pocket fives into the pocket kings of Ren Lin and failing to improve. Joao Vieira quickly followed suit to bust in eighth and, in a surprising turn of events, Carlos Villamarin, who entered the final table as the chip leader, ended up busting in seventh place after losing a race to Negreanu and then running ace-jack into Chidwick’s pocket aces all-in preflop.

The pace of knockouts steadied during six-handed play, but the rapidly increasing blinds ensured that many pots were played all-in or close to it preflop. Mikita Badziakouski was able to claim the chip lead after winning a massive pot against Chidwick and then Ali Imsirovic and Chidwick were eliminated shortly thereafter.

Daniel Negreanu, who entered the final table as one of the short stacks, managed to double up multiple times in his bid for a seventh career bracelet, but ultimately fell in third place to Lin after calling a shove by Lin and losing out to an ace on the river.

Heads-up play began with Badziakouski enjoying a nearly 4:1 chip advantage over Lin, however, Lin was quickly able to turn the tide through his aggressive play and at one point was even one card away from victory. However, Badziakouski managed to mount a comeback and secure his first gold bracelet after calling a shove by Lin with ace-five and holding up against king-seven.

Congratulations to Mikita Badziakouski, the winner of 2021 WSOP Event #85: $50,000 High Roller!

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Tags: Ali ImsirovicCarlos VillamarinChristoph VogelsangDaniel NegreanuElio FoxJosh AriehMikita BadziakouskiOle SchemionRyan LengShaun DeebStephen ChidwickThomas Winters

Ren Lin Eliminated in 2nd Place ($903,610)

Level 26 : 300,000/600,000, 300,000 ante
Ren Lin
Ren Lin

In what would be the last of the tournament, Ren Lin shoved for his last four million on the button and Mikita Badziakouski called to put Lin at risk.

Ren Lin: {k-Diamonds}{7-Spades}
Mikita Badziakouski: {a-Spades}{5-Hearts}

The final board ran out {8-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}{8-Spades}{9-Clubs} — leaving Badziakouski best with his ace and eliminating Lin in second place.

Player Chips Progress
Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
33,900,000
4,225,000
4,225,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
Busted

Tags: Mikita BadziakouskiRen Lin

Lin Loses Raising War, Badziakouski on the Verge

Level 26 : 300,000/600,000, 300,000 ante

In a limped pot with a flop of {k-Spades}{a-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}, Ren Lin checked to Mikita Badziakouski who bet one million.

Then things got fun.

Lin check-raised to two million, then Badziakouski raised again to three million.

The raising wasn't done, as Lin came back with four million. At this point, Badziakouski just called.

The duo then saw a turn of the {2-Diamonds} and Lin checked. Badziakouski then bet one million.

Lin shook his head slightly, then pushed his cards forward into the muck, leaving himself with under five million chips.

Player Chips Progress
Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
29,675,000
5,475,000
5,475,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
4,325,000
-5,375,000
-5,375,000

Tags: Mikita BadziakouskiRen Lin

Level: 26

Blinds: 300,000/600,000

Ante: 300,000

Badziakouski Extends Chip Lead

Level 25 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Mikita Badziakouski
Mikita Badziakouski

Mikita Badziakouski raised to 1.1 million chips from the button pre-flop and was called by Ren Lin.

The flop came {8-Clubs}{4-Spades}{4-Diamonds} and Lin checked and called the 650,000 chip bet by Badziakouski.

The turn card was the {7-Spades} and this time Lin led for 1.3 million and Badziakouski called.

The river card was the {q-Clubs} and Lin fired 3.1 million more and Mikita opted to call.

Lin tabled {3-Hearts}{2-Diamonds} for a bluff and Badziakouski tabled {7-Clubs}{2-Clubs} for one pair of sevens, and the latter was awarded the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
24,200,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
9,700,000
-5,600,000
-5,600,000

Tags: Mikita BadziakouskiRen Lin

Badziakouski Regains Chip Lead

Level 25 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

The back and forth heads-up match has just seen Mikita Badziakouski climb back into the chip lead with several small pots including the following hand.

Badziakouski limped from the small blind/button and Ren Lin checked his option.

On the {j-Diamonds}{10-Spades}{8-Diamonds} flop, Lin checked and Badziakouski sprinkled out a bet of 400,000, which Lin called.

On the {3-Clubs} turn, Lin checked again, and this time Badziakouski sized up to 1.7 million.

Lin folded and has ceded the chip lead back to Badziakouski.

Player Chips Progress
Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
18,700,000
7,200,000
7,200,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
15,300,000
-7,200,000
-7,200,000

Tags: Mikita BadziakouskiRen Lin

Badziakouski Doubles Through Lin

Level 25 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Mikita Badziakouski
Mikita Badziakouski

Ren Lin shoved on the button and Mikita Badziakouski tanked for a bit before committing his remaining 5.6 million into the middle.

Mikita Badziakouski: {k-Clubs}{6-Spades}
Ren Lin: {10-Hearts}{4-Hearts}

The {j-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}{4-Diamonds} flop vaulted Lin into the lead and the {7-Clubs} turn nearly sealed his victory, however, the {6-Clubs} river paired Badziakouski's six and he doubled up through Lin.

Player Chips Progress
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
22,500,000
-4,500,000
-4,500,000
Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
11,500,000
4,600,000
4,600,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Mikita BadziakouskiRen Lin

Lin Takes a Big One from Badziakouski

Level 25 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Ren Lin
Ren Lin

On a flop of {6-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{6-Spades}, Ren Lin checked and called the 500,000 chip bet by his opponent, Mikita Badziakouski.

The dealer burned and turned the {4-Clubs} and this time Lin checked and called 1.7 million.

The river card was the {6-Hearts} and Lin checked one last time. Next, Badziakouski checked back and mucked after Lin tabled {5-Spades}{2-Spades} for a full house, sixes full of fives, and was awarded the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
27,000,000
8,300,000
8,300,000
Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
6,900,000
-8,400,000
-8,400,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Mikita BadziakouskiRen Lin

Lin Takes the Chip Lead

Level 25 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Ren Lin
Ren Lin

Mikita Badziakouski limped on the button/small blind, and Ren Lin raised to 1.5 million in the big blind.

Badziakouski called to see the {j-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{7-Hearts} fall on the flop.

Lin checked and Badziakouski bet 800,000, which Lin called.

On the {q-Clubs} turn, Lin checked again, and Badziakouski sized up to 3.3 million.

Lin then uttered the now famous words, "no gamble, no future", and pushed the rest of his chips forward, for approximately 9 million total.

Badziakouski quickly folded, and with the win, Lin has now taken over the chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
18,700,000
5,700,000
5,700,000
Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
15,300,000
-5,600,000
-5,600,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Mikita BadziakouskiRen Lin