Today there were 12 players returning to take their shot at the bracelet and the $326,440 first prize. At the end of it all, it was Simeon Naydenov with his head held high and his country's flag draped around his shoulders as he held the World Series of Poker Bracelet for his winner's photo. Naydenov was making his second appearance at a shootout final table this year and while he finished tenth in that event, he was able to do today what he couldn't then.
It only took about seven hours to reach a winner here in Event #36, but play today began with 12 men all trying to reach the final table. With the 12 players beginning at two six handed tables, two had to fall for the players to reach the official final table. It looked as if Nacho Barbero would be one of the first to fall as he found himself on a short stack, but he was able to double up to save is tournament life. The first to fall today was Vladimir Kochelaevskiy, who showed up late and left first. Kochelaevskiy was crippled after his couldn't catch up to Salman Bebehani's and he was eliminated on the next hand. Next to fall was Kevin Vandersmissen who was eliminated when his ran into Mike Watson's .
Heads up play only lasted 10 hands. Just before the last hand of the match, both Naydenov and Schwartz took a shot of tequila. That shot may have proved to be Schwartz's downfall because on the next hand he ran his top two pair into Naydenov's nut flush. Naydenov faded Schwartz's outs and that was it, the match was over. Schwartz walked away with second place prize money for his efforts while Naydenov took down $326,440 and a World Series of Poker bracelet for his accomplishments.
Lynn Gilmartin spoke with Naydenov after his win:
That's it for us at PokerNews.com here in Event #36: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout. Be sure to stay tuned to all our coverage of the 2013 World Series of Poker.
Hand 157: Naydenov raised to 60,000 and Schwartz called. The two took to a flop of , Schwartz checked as did Naydenov. On the turn Schwartz checked to Naydenov who bet 65,000. Schwartz reraised to 160,000. Naydenov folded.
Hand #158: The players each took a shot of tequila before the hand.
Jake Schwartz raised to 60,000 before the flop on the button. He was called by Naydenov from the big blind. The two men took to a flop of . On that flop Naydenov checked to Schwartz who made a bet of 55,000. Naydenov reraised to 150,000. With action back on Schwartz he reraised to 455,000. Naydenov moved all in and Schwartz called.
Schwartz:
Naydenov:
Naydenov had flopped the nuts but he needed to avoid Schwartz pairing up on the last two cards to lock up the bracelet. The turn was the , keeping Naydenov in the lead. The river was a blank , securing the elimination and removing Jake Schwartz from the tournament in second place.
Hand #146: Jake Schawartz received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #147: Schwartz raised to 60,000 from the small blind and won the pot.
Hand #148: Schwartz raised to 60,000 from the button. From the small blind Simeon Naydenov reraised to 165,000. From the big blind, Andrew Kloc moved all in. Action folded back to Naydenov who snap called.
Naydenov:
Kloc:
The flop came down and that gave Kloc a little hop as he saw the nine fist, but the jack kept Naydenov in the lead. The turn was the giving both players two pair. The river was another giving both players a full house, but Naydenov the better full house. Just like that Kloc was eliminated from the tournament in third place.
Tobias Wenker, left, eliminated by Jake Scwartz, right.
Hand #130: Tobias Wenker received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #131: Action folded around to Wenker who moved all in from the small blind. Schwartz was still stacking some chips from his double up and as soon as he looked down at his cards he announced a call.
Wenker:
Schwartz:
The flop came out offering no extra help to Wenker. On the turn, Wenker was left drawing dead. The dealer put out the meaningless on the river and Wenker was eliminated from the tournament while Schwartz piled up the chips.
Hand #105: Nacho Barbero moved all in for 332,000 from the cutoff before Tobias Wenker iso-shoved from the button.
Barbero:
Wenker:
With Barbero trailing, the flop would put him further behind, and when the and fell on the turn and river, Barbero would exit in 5th place for a $67,732 payday as Wenker moved to 1,280,000 in chips.
Hand #98: Simeon Naydenov opened to 50,000 only to have Mike Watson three-bet to 125,000 next to act. Naydenov moved all in and Watson immediately made the call for his 730,000-chip stack.
Watson:
Naydenov:
With Watson in great shape to double, the flop kept him in the lead until the dealer delivered the pain-staking on the turn for Watson to be left drawing to just two outs.
Watson would be unable to strike gold on the river as the rolled off to send him home in 6th place for a $50,774 payday.
Hand #78: Tobias Wenker opened to 40,000. Action folded to Jan Kropacek in the cutoff who moved all in. Andrew Kloc moved all in over the top when action was on him. Wenker quickly folded and the two men went to showdown.
Kloc:
Kropacek:
The board ran out and Kropacek never improved, thus he was eliminated from the tournament in 7th place, but not without collecting $38,621 for his efforts.
Hand #73: Jake Schwartz opened with a raise to 40,000 only to have Salman Behbehani move all in for 327,000 with Schwartz making the call.
Schwartz:
Behbehani:
With Behbehani in the lead, the flop kept it that way, but when the landed on the turn, Schwartz's rail exploded with cheers before the completed the board on the river.
For Behbehani's efforts, he takes home $29,771 for his 8th place finish
Hand #48: Simeon Naydenov raised to 35,000 from the cutoff only to have Noah Bronstein move all in for his last 63,000. Naydenov instantly made the call and the cards were tabled.
Bronstein:
Naydenov:
The flop changed little apart from giving Bronstein outs to a backdoor straight. The furthered his disadvantage, and when the fell on the river, Bronstein was out in 9th place for a $23,259 payday.
Hand #28: Sumanth Reddy moved all in for 108,000 when action was folded to him. Action folded to Mike Watson who made the call. In the next seat over, Andrew Kloc reraised all in for 340,000. Action folded back around to Mike Watson who went into the tank for several minutes before folding his hand leaving Reddy and Kloc heads up going to a showdown
Kloc:
Reddy:
The flop came down giving Kloc the lead with two pair. The and on the river did not help Reddy catch back up and he was eliminated from the tournament in 10th place, giving the final nine players a pay jump.
ran into Mike Watson's 
s against Naydenov's 
s, but a nine on the turn ended Watson's tournament and he left in sixth place. Falling after Watson was Nacho Barbero, who moved all in with 
and was instantly called by Tobias Wenker's 
. Barbero couldn't catch up and he was sent to the rail in fifth place.
and was snap called by Jake Schwartz's aces. The board didn't improve Wenker at all and he was sent home with fourth place prize money. The third to last man to drop was Andrew Kloc. Kloc four bet shoved all in with 
turn Schwartz checked to Naydenov who bet 65,000. Schwartz reraised to 160,000. Naydenov folded.
. On that flop Naydenov checked to Schwartz who made a bet of 55,000. Naydenov reraised to 150,000. With action back on Schwartz he reraised to 455,000. Naydenov moved all in and Schwartz called.
, keeping Naydenov in the lead. The river was a blank 
, securing the elimination and removing Jake Schwartz from the tournament in second place.
and that gave Kloc a little hop as he saw the nine fist, but the jack kept Naydenov in the lead. The turn was the 
offering no extra help to Wenker. On the 
on the river and Wenker was eliminated from the tournament while Schwartz piled up the chips.
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and 
fell on the turn and river, Barbero would exit in 5th place for a $67,732 payday as Wenker moved to 1,280,000 in chips.
flop kept him in the lead until the dealer delivered the pain-staking 
on the turn for Watson to be left drawing to just two outs.
rolled off to send him home in 6th place for a $50,774 payday.
flop kept it that way, but when the 
completed the board on the river.
flop changed little apart from giving Bronstein outs to a backdoor straight. The 
giving Kloc the lead with two pair. The 