Love Wins! Secures First WSOP Bracelet in The Closer Turbo Bounty
It might not be the last bracelet, but one of the last events of the WSOP Paradise festival is in the books, with Imari Love topping the 509-player field to win Event #15: $2,500 The Closer Turbo Bounty.
He defeated Blaz Zerjav heads-up, denying the Slovenian his third bracelet. Both of Zerjav's two bracelets came this summer in the $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Rollerand then the $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better a couple of weeks later.
For this result, Zerjav banked $95,400, with Love taking down the tournament for his first bracelet and $145,725 in prize money.
Event #15: $2,500 The Closer Turbo Bounty Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imari Love | United States | $145,725 |
| 2 | Blaz Zerjav | Slovenia | $95,400 |
| 3 | Sergi Reixach | Spain | $65,800 |
| 4 | Robert Pollmeier | Germany | $46,200 |
| 5 | Daniel Neilson | Australia | $33,100 |
| 6 | Theodore Doukas | Canada | $24,100 |
| 7 | Agustin Naranja | Argentina | $18,000 |
| 8 | David Orlando | United States | $13,700 |
Final Day Recap
After an early end to proceedings on Day 1, Darius Samual led the surviving 86 players into Day 2. Just 77 players made the money, with Aylar Lie (73rd - $3,200), Matas Cimbolas (65th - $3,200), Ebony Kenney (64th - $3,200), Monika Hrabec (54th - $3,200) and Corey Eyring (22nd - $4,800) among the notables.
As the field dwindled in this fast-paced turbo format, Zerjav rose to lead the final eight players ahead of Daniel Neilson in second place.
Love was in the middle of the pack, but trimmed Zerjav's lead and moved up to second place with the elimination of David Orlando in eighth place. However, Zerjav made short work of Theodore Doukas after Spaniard Sergi Reixach had eliminated Agustin Naranja.
The final table was spiced up by Run It Twice cards, won through the GGPoker bounty wheel earlier in the tournament. In one such hand, Reixach would double through Neilson, only for Zerjav to add another elimination with the Australian out in fifth.
Zerjav looked dominant, taking an almost 5:1 chip lead into heads-up play against Love. However, an early double and a picked-off bluff by Love set him on his way.
Heads-up was an entertaining affair, including one hand where Zerjav's shove with K♣2♥ was called by Love's A♥K♠
Zerjav still held a Run it Twice card, but opted not to use it, leaving his fate up to the cards. The 8♥8♠9♦J♥2♣ board saw him river a decue to stay alive. However, a rivered straight after Zerjav had turned top pair was enough to secure Love a maiden bracelet victory, and the all-important six-figure payout.
