Event #5: $25,000 Dealers Choice Championship Day 2 | 2024 WSOP Paradise

12-10-2024 18:03 UTC-5

Kupin Check-Raises Hellmuth in His Own Game

Connor Richards

Level 12

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion, 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

It was Phil Hellmuth's time to pick a game and he chose Limit 2-7 Triple Draw, a game he was earlier heard saying "no one knows how to play." A few hands in, Aaron Kupin raised in the small blind and Hellmuth defended his big blind. Kupin drew one and Hellmuth drew two.

Kupin bet after the first draw and Hellmuth called. Kupin drew one and Hellmuth stood pat. Kupin checked dark after the second draw and Hellmuth bet. Kupin check-raised and Hellmuth quickly folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aaron Kupin	400,000 30,000	30,000
Phil Hellmuth	170,000 60,000	60,000

Tags: Aaron Kupin Phil Hellmuth

12-10-2024 17:59 UTC-5

Kupin Takes from Hellmuth

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Brett Slezak

Level 12

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion, 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw

Aaron Kupin opened the button to 16,000 and Phil Hellmuth called in the small blind.

Both players took one and Hellmuth led out for 25,000. Kupin deliberated for a while before he put in a raise to 100,000. Hellmuth then went into the tank before he flicked in the call. Kupin tabled 8x7x5x4x3x for a monster to drag the pot as Hellmuth could only laugh.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aaron Kupin	370,000 260,000	260,000
Phil Hellmuth	230,000 190,000	190,000

Tags: Phil Hellmuth Aaron Kupin

12-10-2024 17:56 UTC-5

Racener Takes Out Moncek in Largest Pot of Tournament

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Brett Slezak

Level 12

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion, 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

Daniel Negreanu opened the button to 25,000 and John Racener called in the small blind. In the big blind, Michael Moncek potted to 100,000. Negreanu quickly folded before Racener went deep into the tank. He eventually decided to four-bet to 325,000, and Moncek called.

On the 7♥5♣3♠ flop, Racener jammed as the slightly covering stack and Moncek called off for 230,000.

Michael Moncek: A♦Q♠5♦2♦ All in
John Racener: A♥K♥K♦10♠

Moncek flopped a five but was behind the kings of Racener. The board ran out 8♥7♦ and Moncek was eliminated in a massive pot as Racener took the chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Racener	1,750,000 1,510,000	1,510,000

Michael Moncek	Busted

Tags: Daniel Negreanu John Racener Michael Moncek

12-10-2024 17:40 UTC-5

Arieh Over-Flushes Hellmuth

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Connor Richards

Level 12

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion, 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

Phil Hellmuth opened to 16,000 in the hijack and Josh Arieh and Aaron Kupin both called in the blinds.

Arieh led out for 22,000 on the flop of 5♣4♥J♣ and both opponents called. The 7♥ turn then checked through and all three players checked again on the Q♣ river.

Arieh showed a king-high flush with K♣10♦4♦2♣ to pip the Q♠J♥9♣8♣ of Hellmuth, who kept his composure after losing the minimum. "I thought I had the nuts," Hellmuth said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Arieh	700,000 10,000	10,000
Phil Hellmuth	420,000 215,000	215,000

Aaron Kupin	110,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Aaron Kupin Josh Arieh Phil Hellmuth

12-10-2024 17:38 UTC-5

Zack Doubles Through Barbero

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Brett Slezak

Level 12

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion, 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

No-Limit Hold'em

Jason Mercier opened the button to 16,000 before Nacho Barbero three-bet to 56,000 in the small blind. In the big blind, Daniel Zack jammed for 141,000. Mercier got out of the way before Barbero snap-called.

Daniel Zack: A♥6♥ All in
Nacho Barbero: A♦10♠

The K♣6♣5♦ flop paired Zack but Barbero picked up more outs on the Q♠ turn. However, the 8♥ completed the board and Zack got the full double.

"That might be the worst push I've ever seen in my life," bemoaned Barbero. "It's beyond terrible."

Player	Chips	Progress
Nacho Barbero	820,000 110,000	110,000

Daniel Zack	310,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Daniel Zack Jason Mercier Nacho Barbero

Level: 12

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion, 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

12-10-2024 17:16 UTC-5

Auzoux Doubles with Broadway

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Connor Richards

Level 11

Limit Flop/Draw: 6,000-12,000, 12,000-24,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 3,000 Bring-In, 12,000 Completion, 12,000-24,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 6,000/9,000 Ante, 3,000-6,000 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

In a heads-up pot on a board of Q♠8♥10♣, Gregoire Auzoux moved all in for 64,000 and Chris Klodnicki called.

Gregoire Auzoux: A♥J♠10♥6♠ All in
Chris Klodnicki: A♣9♥7♦5♣

The board finished out 4♥K♦ and Auzoux made Broadway to double through Klodnicki.

"How I end up with ace-high at the end?" asked Klodnicki.

"You called the flop with ace-high," replied Benny Glaser.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gregoire Auzoux	240,000 45,000	45,000
Chris Klodnicki	170,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Chris Klodnicki Gregoire Auzoux Benny Glaser

12-10-2024 17:15 UTC-5

Prize Pool Announced

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Brett Slezak

Level 11

Limit Flop/Draw: 6,000-12,000, 12,000-24,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 3,000 Bring-In, 12,000 Completion, 12,000-24,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 6,000/9,000 Ante, 3,000-6,000 Blinds

The top seven players will be paid, with a minimum cash of $60,040 and the eventual winner to receive $353,340.

There are currently 21 players remaining with an average stack of 350,000.

Place	Prize
1	$353,340
2	$262,090
3	$194,430
4	$144,230
5	$107,000
6	$79,370
7	$60,040

12-10-2024 17:09 UTC-5

Mercier Scoops Duek

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Brett Slezak

Level 11

Limit Flop/Draw: 6,000-12,000, 12,000-24,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 3,000 Bring-In, 12,000 Completion, 12,000-24,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 6,000/9,000 Ante, 3,000-6,000 Blinds

Stud Hi-Lo

Jason Mercier completed, Michael Duek raised, and Mercier called.

Jason Mercier: 5♥4♦2♣ / 6♦3♥J♣7♣
Michael Duek: XxXx / 6♣8♦10♦3♣ / Xx

Duek led on fourth, Mercier raised, and Duek called.

Mercier check-called a bet on fifth and led on sixth.

Mercier led for a final time on seventh and was quickly called. Mercier revealed his straight and six low to scoop a big one.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Mercier	395,000 100,000	100,000

Michael Duek	85,000 65,000	65,000

Tags: Jason Mercier Michael Duek

12-10-2024 17:06 UTC-5

"Best Player in the Tournament" Hits the Rail

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Connor Richards

Level 11

Limit Flop/Draw: 6,000-12,000, 12,000-24,000 Limit
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 3,000 Bring-In, 12,000 Completion, 12,000-24,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 6,000/9,000 Ante, 3,000-6,000 Blinds

Recently eliminated player Jared Bleznick walked around the tournament area speaking praise of reigning WSOP Player of the Year Scott Seiver, stating emphatically that he is the "best player in this tournament."

"Because I am," Seiver replied when he overheard the conversation.

But it was unfortunate timing as the praise came right as Seiver was eliminated, meaning the title of best player in the event is now up for grabs.