The final table of Event #2: $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) featured big bluffs, huge suck-outs and improbable runouts that made it the perfect way to kick off the summer.
The High Roller had $1,215,864 up top and featured a stacked final table that included Chance Kornuth, Sean Winter, Joey Weissman, Axel Hallay and Ren Lin.
But it was Switzerland's Alexandre Vuilleumier who walked away with a maiden bracelet and seven-figure top prize after defeating Kornuth heads-up to deny the Chip Leader Coaching founder a fourth bracelet.
Here's a look at the biggest hands from what will likely prove to be one of the most entertaining final tables of the series, as documented by the PokerNews live reporting team.
2023 World Series of Poker Hub
Bookmark this page! All you need to know about the 2023 WSOP is here.
With five players left, Chance Kornuth opened to 400,000 from the cutoff and called when Ren Lin jammed for 1,910,000 from the button.
Ren Lin: A♥10♥
Chance Kornuth: K♠K♣
Kornuth, who failed to eliminate Lin several times late last night, had the best of it. And he managed to finally down his opponent after making quads on the K♦7♦6♠K♥8♦ runout to send Lin out in fifth place for $259,220.
Chance Kornuth and Ren Lin
Vuilleumier Picks Off Bluff to Leave Winter with 1.5 Big Blinds
Sean Winter raised to 435,000 from the button with Q♥9♣, and Alexandre Vuilleumier defended his big blind with K♣Q♦.
Vuilleumier made top pair on the K♦8♠6♣ flop and check-called for 725,000.
On the 5♦ turn, the action checked through to the Q♣ river. Vuilleumier improved to top two pair while Winter rivered a pair of queens.
Vuilleumier led for 1,790,000, swelling the pot to 4,410,000. Winter thought over his options, and then fireworks began to ignite as he jammed as the bigger stack.
Vuilleumier, with 5,350,000 behind, called for his tournament life after some thinking time and scooped in the biggest pot of the tournament so far.
Winter Goes Runner-Runner for a Double, Then Doubles Again
After losing most of his stack, Sean Winter limped in to leave himself just 100,000 behind, then called all in when Axel Hallay on the button raised to 300,000.
Sean Winter: K♥Q♦
Axel Hallay: A♥10♣
The A♣7♠4♠ flop was a disaster for Winter as Hallay made top pair. Winter was already tapping the felt and getting up from his seat as the 10♦ on the turn gave him a small glimmer of hope to avoid going out in fifth place.
The J♦ fell on the river and Winter made his miracle runner-runner straight to stay alive.
Sean Winter
The next hand, Winter raised to 700,000 from under the gun, then called off his last 400,000 when Chance Kornuth reraised.
Sean Winter: J♠J♣
Chance Kornuth: A♣3♣
Winter was ahead this time and took an almost insurmountable lead in the hand as the 8♥J♥10♥ flop gave him top set. The K♣ fell on the turn and Kornuth now picked up a straight draw.
"It was nice playing with you. Lady Gaga," Kornuth said as Winter walked over to shake his hand.
"I forgot you could win," Winter said in disbelief.
The river, though, came the 6♥ and Winter doubled up yet again.
Lin Doubles With Set Over Set
On the second hand of the final table, Joey Weissman raised to 260,000 from under the gun as action folded to Ren Lin on the button. "All in. Let's go," he said as he moved all in for 1,420,000. Weissman called when action got back around to him.
Ren Lin: J♥J♦
Joey Weissman: 10♠10♣
"I think he has a bad feeling because he's not talking," a player at the table said as Lin uncharacteristically fell silent heading to the flop.
"Because he's my good friend," Lin replied.
The 2♣J♠5♦ flop was a disaster for Weissman as Lin made top set. The 10♦ on the turn gave Weissman a set and left him drawing to a miracle one-outer on the river, but he missed the 6♣ as he handed over most of his stack.
Vuilleumier Cracks Weissman's Cowboys
After the disastrous set-over-set, Joey Weissman moved all in for 460,000 from the small blind and was called by Alexandre Vuilleumier from the big blind.
Joey Weissman: K♠K♦
Alexandre Vuilleumier: J♣3♥
Weissman was the huge favorite but immediately became the underdog after Vuilleumier made trips on the 7♥3♣3♠ flop. The 8♠ turn and 8♦ river confirmed the bad beat and gave Vuilleumier a full house to secure Weissman's exit in sixth place for $188,219.
Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for three Global Poker Awards for his writing.
