David Diaz appeared to be headed out the door with 14 players remaining on Day 7 of the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event early Thursday morning. But he made a fold for the ages with a full house to remain in contention (momentarily).
Life-changing money is on the line as the final table approaches, along with the most coveted piece of jewelry in poker. When this article was published, the current minimum guaranteed payout was at $525,000, but another six-figure pay jump was at stake deep in poker's world championship event well into Thursday morning.
The Hand in Question
Diaz, who came into the Main Event with over $2.1 million in live tournament cashes according to Hendon Mob, was backed into a corner in a hand against Jeffrey Farnes with the blinds at 400,000/800,000.
Farnes raised to 2,300,000 from an early position with K♠K♦, and Diaz called with A♠Q♥ from the small blind. The flop was K♥Q♦2♦, hitting both players. The preflop raiser bet 2,700,000 and was check-called.
After the Q♠ landed on the turn, Diaz led out this time for 4,000,000, and his demise seemed inevitable up against kings-full. Farnes just called and then saw a 2♠ on the river. Diaz again took the initiative to bet out, wagering 7,000,000. His opponent would then force Diaz to play for his remaining 11,800,000 stack with queens-full.
Most players would snap-call in that spot. Or, at the very least, pause for a moment before putting the chips in the middle. Diaz, however, went into a six-minute tank before somehow, some way, finding the discipline to fold a monster hand in such a high-pressure situation.
For poker players, the Main Event is truly a test of skill and endurance.
— PokerGO (@PokerGO)
Had he made the call, he would have been out in 14th place for $410,000. Instead, he gave himself an opportunity to make a run at the final table and potentially the $10 million first place prize. Unfortunately, for the American poker player, he didn't last much longer and was eliminated in 13th place for $525,000.
Folding that full house earned him an extra $115,000. Tom Kunze, who ended up busting in 14th place, in a sense, took a bad beat in the hand despite not technically being a part of the action.
At the time of publishing, 12 players still remained in the hunt for the 2022 WSOP Main Event gold bracelet.
