On this eve of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event, one of the most stacked final tables of all of this summer's preliminary events has come to a conclusion, with Eli Elezra topping a tough field, a talented final table, and coming back against a formidable heads-up opponent in Daniel Negreanu to claim his second WSOP bracelet in Event #59: $2,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball.
It has been six years since Elezra won his first bracelet. He also beat out another of poker's best heads-up back in 2007 when he outlasted Scotty Nguyen for the title in the $3,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better event. Having now become a multiple braclet winner, Elezra already has his sights on gathering more.
"I'm gonna try to get about five more… maybe catch Hellmuth, you know?" said Elezra while cracking his ever-present grin as he thanked the audience for their support of his win.
Today's final day saw just 10 players return from the starting field of 282, with six bracelet winners among them. After a short-stacked Mike Watson fell in 10th place early, three-time bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi (ninth), Alexander Condon (eighth), and Eric Wasserson (seventh) followed during the afternoon, setting up a six-handed final table at which five of the players had already won WSOP gold.
Three of those bracelet winners would fall first, as Scott Seiver (sixth), start-of-day-3 leader David "ODB" Baker (fifth), and David Chiu (fourth) all hit the rail prior to the dinner break. Negreanu had pushed into the lead by then, and after a short-stacked Brian Brubaker finally fell in third, it was five-time bracelet winner Negreanu versus Elezra with "Kid Poker" enjoying the advantage to start heads-up play.
But the 41 hands between the pair mostly went Elezra's way as he soon evened the score, then pushed ahead thanks in part to a big hand in which he made a wheel on the third draw. Soon all the chips were on Elezra's side of the table. Negreanu congratulated his friend with a handshake and hug before rushing off to join Event 61: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, and Elezra was soon delivering his thanks to the crowd.
Lynn Gilmartin was on hand to speak with Elezra straight after his win:
And with that we thank you for following our coverage of Event #59. Be sure to return to PokerNews tomorrow as the summer's excitement continues with Day 1a of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event!
Daniel Negreanu raised it up, and Eli Elezra folded his big blind. On the next hand, Negreanu got a walk.
Negreanu raised it up, and Elezra kicked his hand in. Elezra raised it up on the next hand, and Negreanu called. Negreanu drew three, and Elezra stood pat. Negreanu check called a bet from Elezra, and Negreanu drew two. Elezra bet dark again, and Negreanu folded this time around.
Elezra got a walk on the next hand. Elezra raised it up, and Negreanu folded. Negreanu raised it up, Elezra reraised, and Negreanu moved all in. Elezra drew one and Negreanu drew two. Elezra stood pat, and Negreanu drew one. Elezra stood pat again, and Negreanu drew one more.
Elezra:
Negreanu:
Elezra had a made nine, and Negreanu was looking for a nine, five, or deuce. Elezra and Negreanu sweated it together, and Negreanu said "that's not good." Elezra then let out a big woot, as Negreanu showed a . Negreanu will earn just over $100,000 for his efforts, while Elezra claims his second WSOP gold bracelet.
The big blind got a walk four hands in a row. On the fifth hand, Brian Brubaker raised from the small blind, and Daniel Negreanu three bet it. Brubaker made it four bets, Negreanu called, then Brubaker drew one. Negreanu drew two, then raised when Brubaker fired out. Brubaker moved all in, and Negreanu called it off. Brubaker drew one, as did Negreanu, and on the final draw, Brubaker drew one, as did Negreanu.
Brubaker:
Negreanu:
Negreanu had to draw first, and he got a great card: . Brubaker could only catch a seven for a wheel, but he got a to pair up. Brubaker survived many an all in today and yesterday, but his luck finally ran out, as he bowed out in 3rd.
Daniel Negreanu got a walk, then Eli Elezra won a pot off of Negreanu in a blind battle that ended with Elezra drawing to a .
The next hand began with Eli Elezra limping in from the small blind and David Chiu checking his option from the big blind. Elezra initially took three cards and Chiu two, then both checked. Elezra took one after that and Chiu two, and Elezra led with a bet. Chiu thought a moment and called, leaving himself but 79,000 — just under two big bets.
Both took one card on the last draw, and when Elezra bet, Chiu raised all in and Elezra quickly called.
Chiu had , but Elezra had drawn a number three — — and Chiu is out in fourth.
David Chiu raised it up from the button, and David "ODB" Baker reraised from the small blind. Chiu called, then drew two, while Baker drew one. Baker bet out, and Chiu called, then drew two, while Baker drew one. Baker bet out again, and this time, Chiu shot back with a raise. Baker called, then drew one, while Chiu stood pat. Baker checked, and Chiu fired out a bet. Baker tanked for about 30 seconds before committing the rest of his chips. Chiu snap called, and showed .
Baker showed , and shook everyone's hand before heading to the payout desk.
Scott Seiver was able to notch a couple of double-ups, but his luck ran out, as he was crippled by Brian Brubaker, then eliminated by David Chiu, the same player who beat him heads up for a bracelet just three weeks ago.
In the first hand, Brubaker raised from the cutoff, and Seiver called from the small blind. Seiver drew two, while Brubaker drew one. Seiver check called a bet, then he drew one, while Brubaker patted. Seiver check called another bet, and the same drawing action occurred. This time, Seiver check folded to a bet from Brubaker.
On the next hand, Daniel Negreanu raised from the cutoff, and Seiver reraised from the button. Chiu called from the big blind, and Negreanu called as well. Seiver and Negreanu drew two, while Chiu drew one. Chiu bet out, and both players called, with Seiver calling off his last 7,000. Chiu stood pat, while Seiver drew one, and Negreanu two. Chiu bet, Negreanu called, then Chiu patted again. Both Seiver and Negreanu drew one, and Chiu bet out again.
"That good?" asked Negreanu, as he kicked his hand in, and Chiu showed . Seiver just showed the , and he got up from the table, wished everyone luck, then took off for the payout desk.
It took less than one orbit at the seven-handed table for the next elimination to come, with Eric Wasserson being the player knocked out.
Wasserson's final hand began with him raising from middle position, then Scott Seiver three-bet from the button and when it folded back to Wasserson he thought a moment then called. Wasserson then drew one card and Seiver two, and when Wasserson led with a bet, Seiver quickly called.
Both took a single card on the next draw, with Seiver again calling a bet from Wasserson. Wasserson stood pat, Seiver took one card one last time, and when Wasserson tossed out his last 12,000, Seiver called right away.
Seiver quickly tabled his number three — — and Wasserson showed his before departing in seventh.
The final six players are taking a break now as preparations are made for the official final table.
Alexander Condon found himself having slipped back down to about 50,000 and was in the small blind when Eli Elezra raised the button. It folded to Condon who looked down at his hand and had to fold — he'd been dealt aces full.
On the next orbit, Condon was raising from under the gun and it folded to David Chiu in the big blind who three-bet and Condon called. Condon took two and Chiu one, then Chiu check-called a Condon bet. Chiu took two again while Condon stood pat, and again Chiu check-called after Condon bet his last 4,000 chips.
Chiu took one card on the third draw, and Condon tabled his .
Chiu was drawing live with his , and after picking up a for his last card, Condon was eliminated.
There will be a short break while the remaining seven players redraw for seats around the not-quite-final final table.
Michael Mizrachi just found himself in a three-way battle with David "ODB" Baker and Daniel Negreanu in which he had position on the other two, but was playing with a short stack.
They reached the first draw with Baker and Mizrachi each taking two cards and Negreanu one. Baker checked, Negreanu bet, and both Mizrachi and Baker called. Baker and Negreanu took one each on the second draw while Mizrachi took two, and again it checked to Negreanu who bet. This time Mizrachi committed his last 15,000 with his call, and Baker called as well.
The third draw saw Baker taking one, Negreanu standing pat, and Mizrachi tanking for a while before discarding two. Baker then check-folded to Negreanu's bet, with the latter quickly saying "Ten!" as he tabled .
Mizrachi checked his cards, then shook his head when he saw he'd failed to draw a better hand and mucked.
After starting the day with one of the short stacks, Negreanu is now going to be taking the chip lead to the first break.
After doubling up through Eli Elezra not long ago, Mike Watson lost a couple of hands in quick succession, including one to Brian Brubaker, to find himself back down to less than 30,000.
Then a hand arose in which Brubaker raised from under the gun and it folded back around to Mike Watson in the big blind who called. Watston drew three and Brubaker two, then Watson check-called Brubaker's bet, leaving himself but a few orange (1,000 chips) behind. Watson then took two and Brubaker one, and again Watson check-called, this time putting himself all in.
On the third draw both players took one. Brubaker picked up a to go with his . But Watson had and drew another to be eliminated.
. Negreanu will earn just over $100,000 for his efforts, while Elezra claims his second WSOP gold bracelet.
, and he got up from the table, wished everyone luck, then took off for the payout desk.
