Event #15: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship
Day 3 Completed
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #15: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,598,000
Entries
170
Level
28
Blinds
0 / 0
Ante
0
Congratulations to Frank Kassela, Event #15 ($10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo) Champion!
![[user25067]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
At around this time last night, Frank Kassela ended Day 2 with the chip lead, as play was paused two spots before the money. Today, those 18 players returned to whittle their way down to a winner and Kassela was able to ride that lead all the way to his first WSOP bracelet.
Kassela is truly a self-made man. After getting out of the army, he borrowed $7,000 from his parents to start a business. Now he's a multi-millionaire. Kassela made a WSOP final table before, back in 2005 when he was four-handed in the $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em event. He picked up pocket aces and got his money in against Johnny Chan, who spiked a queen to take him out. Chan went on to win his tenth bracelet that night while Kassela would have a five-year wait to earn his first.
Kassela also noted in his post-game interview that while this event was starting, he was still playing in Event #12, $1,500 Limit Hold'em. He bubbled off the final table in 10th place and had he not busted then and there, he would not have played this tournament.
Tonight's final table was one of the 2010 WSOP's toughest. Kassela had to get past Dario Minieri, POY points leader Vladimir Schmelev, Kirill Rabstov, John Juanda, Steve Zolotow, Jennifer Harman and runner-up Allen Kessler in order to claim the $447,446 first-place prize. That's nine WSOP bracelets right there, and now Kassela is proud to call himself a member of that fraternity.
Congratulations to Frank Kassela, truly one of the good guys of poker, on his first WSOP bracelet. It's been a long time coming and is certainly well-deserved.
Frank Kassela Winner Photos
Allen Kessler Eliminated in 2nd Place ($276,486)
Allen Kessler: (
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Frank Kassela: (
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Kessler brought in before Kassela completed. Kessler then raised and Kassela reraised. Kessler called off the last of his chips and we were off to the races on third street. Kassela started ahead with a buried pair of sevens, but Kessler took the lead with eights on fourth. On fifth street, Kassela pulled back ahead with two pair and from there his hand held up.
Kessler finished in second place and earned $276,486. It wasn't the bracelet win he was hoping for, but Kessler did score his largest-ever cash. A hand shake and a hug from Kassela officially ended it and Kessler left the building to collect his payout.
Cheering for Chainsaw
Despite the late hour, Allen Kessler has a small but vocal contingent of young players sweating him on the rail. We've never seen anyone get the cheers Kessler gets for simply winning the antes!
"C'mon SAW!!!" screamed one.
"RRRRRRRRRRRAWWWR!" cried another as he imitated a chainsaw.
Their man is fighting hard, but still has only a bit more than two bets left in his stack.
Chainsaw Doubles
Frank Kassela 
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Allen Kessler 
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Kessler had the bring-in, Kassela completed, and Kessler bet all-in for his last 200,000. Kassela called.
Kassela's pair of fours led until the river, when Kessler spiked a queen to make two pair and double up to 440,000.
Updated Chip Counts
Frank Kassela - 4,435,000
Allen Kessler - 665,000
Kessler Smacks a Double
Allen Kessler: ()(
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Frank Kassela: (
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Kessler brought in, Kassela completed, Kessler raised and then Kassela called. On fourth street, Kessler bet, Kassela raised, Kessler moved all in for 10,000 more on a reraise and Kassela called.
On fifth street, Kassela picked up a 
and Kessler a 
. On sixth, Kassela added the and made a low while Kessler picked up the . It was now time for seventh. Kassela picked up the 
and only had the low at the current moment. Kessler could still pull a low and was already freerolling with the high. Everyone in the room chanted for him to hit his card and then Kessler squeezed and squeezed hard. He slammed over the and never showed as much emotion as just then, making his low and scooping the entire pot.
Kessler's now got 840,000 chips while Kassela dropped to 4.26 million.
Photos from the Heads-Up Final Table
Chainsaw Nearing the Felt
Frank Kassela (X)(X) / 
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Allen Kessler (X)(X) / 
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Kassela had the bring-in and called Kessler's completion. Kessler check-called on fourth street, then called Kassela's bets on fifth and sixth. Both players checked the river.
Kessler showed for a pair of jacks, but Kassela had him with for a pair of kings. Kassela scooped the pot, leaving Kessler with only 395,000 in chips.