For many years, Steve Gross was better known by his online poker handle — "gboro780" — than by his actual name, his successes at the online tables earning him copious notice as he consistently ranked as one of the best players on the virtual felt. He'd added some live scores to those successes, too, over the years, but the one breakthrough win had eluded him. Until today, that is, as Gross has become the latest WSOP bracelet winner after topping a field of exactly 400 to win Event #41: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Six-Handed).
Gross entered today's third and final day of play as the chip leader, although he'd relinquish that lead early on as the field was quickly whittled from 22 down to 12 within the first two hours of play. Roland Israelashvili (21st), Sorel Mizzi (16th), and Event #2: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em (Eight-Handed) winner Trevor Pope (13th) were among the fallen during the afternoon on Monday,
Down to two tables, play slowed as players dropped one-by-one, with Timo Pfutzenreuter ultimately grabbing the chip lead away from Lee Goldman and maintaining it as the reached the dinner break with seven left. Then on the first hand back from the break Yevgeniy Timoshenko was eliminated in seventh to bubble the final table, and just six remained with Pfutzenreuter still in front.
But by the time Nader Arfai (6th), Lee Goldman (5th), and Joseph Leung (4th) had been eliminated, Gross had pulled back into the top spot three-handed. That battle saw Salman Behbehani come back from a short stack to take the lead briefly, but then Gross took out Pfutzenreuter in third to take a chip advantage to heads-up play. Behbehani battled gamely against Gross for more than 40 hands, but could never grab the lead away, then down to a short stack lost his first all-in to finish runner-up.
Congratulations to Steve Gross for adding an impressive live achievement to his long list of online scores by winning his first WSOP gold bracelet and a $488,817 payday. Thanks as well for following our coverage of Event #41: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Six-Handed) here at PokerNews.
Hand #123: Steve Gross raised to 180,000 from the button, and after looking over his cards and contemplating a bit, Salman Behbehani exhaled and said he was raising all in for his last 380,000. Gross called the raise.
Behbehani:
Gross:
The flop came , missing Behbehani and hitting Gross's seven. The turn was the , still no good for Behbehani. The dealer then burned a card and delivered the river… the .
The sevens were still good, but Gross's boisterous rail hesitated for a moment to make sure that their man had indeed won. Soon it was apparent, though, and an excited roar erupted as Behbehani stood and the pair met to shake hands. It was a great run for Behbehani, ending in second for a $300K-plus prize.
Hand #80: Steve Gross raised to 100,000 from the button and Timo Pfutzenreuter called from the big blind. The flop came and both players checked. The turn was the . Pfutzenreuter bet 150,000 and Gross called.
The river brought the . Pfutzenreuter bet again, this time for 175,000, and Gross raised to 800,000. Pfutzenreuter shook his head and took off his glasses as he contemplated what to do. He had but a little more than 800,000 left, and after thinking for a while he finally set them forward and Gross called the remainder.
Gross turned over for the straight, while Pfutzenreuter had for a second-best set. Pfutzenreuter is out in third and heads-up play is about to commence.
Hand #60: On the very next hand after Goldman's elimination — and the last of Level 26 — Joseph Leung open-raised the pot from the small blind, Steve Gross repotted from the big blind, and Leung called all in for about 200,000.
Leung had and was in need of help versus Gross's . But the board gave Gross trip queens, sending Leung out in fourth.
Hand #59: Steve Gross opened for 85,000 from under the gun, then Lee Goldman reraised pot to 315,000 from the cutoff. It folded back to Gross who reraised pot again, and Goldman called all in for about 800,000.
Gross:
Goldman:
The flop came to pair Gross's jack, but Goldman's aces were still in front and he'd also picked up a flush draw. But the turn gave Gross a second pair, and after the river, Goldman was eliminated.
Hand #11: Nader Arfai limped in from the button, Steve Gross also called from the small blind, and Lee Goldman checked from the big blind. The flop came and Gross led for 50,000. Goldman folded, but Arfai raised to 150,000 and Gross called.
The turn was the . Gross checked, then Arfai pushed all in for his last 385,000 and Gross called.
Arfai had for a set of fives while Gross had for a six-high straight. The river was the , and Arfai was eliminated.
On the very first hand after the dinner break, Timo Pfutzenreuter open-raised to 60,000 from under the gun and it folded around to Yevgeniy Timoshenko who reraised to 210,000 from the small blind. Pfutzenreuter called the reraise, and when the flop came , Timonshenko pushed all in for 265,000 and Pfutzenreuter called.
Timoshenko had while Pfutzenreuter had flopped Broadway with his . The turn and river both brought sevens, coming , then , improving Pfutzenreuter to a full house and knocking Timoshenko out in seventh.
There will be a brief delay as the chips are counted and other preparations are made for the official final table to begin.
Gary Bolden has been knocked out following two hands in which he lost first to Steve Gross, then to Nader Arfai.
In the first, Bolden raised to 50,000 from the button and Steve Gross called from the big blind. They checked the flop, then Gross bet 35,000 on the turn and Bolden called. The river then brought the and a bet of 61,000, and after tanking for three minutes Bolden called.
Gross showed for aces and kings, and Bolden mucked, leaving himself about 170,000 behind.
Soon after Bolden was all in before the flop with against Nader's , and when the board ran out , Nader's trip tens sent Bolden out in eighth.
There will be a short delay as they redraw for the seven-handed not-quite-final final table.
Lee Goldman raised to 35,000, Tony Gargano reraised to 125,000, Goldman four-bet-raised the pot, and Gargano called all in for 315,000 total.
Gargano was putting his tourney life on the line with while Goldman had . The board rolled out , giving Gargano two pair but Goldman a club flush, and Gargano is out in ninth.
With eight players left, they'll continue playing four-handed at the last two tables until the next elimination, then the final seven will redraw to sit around the not-quite-final final table.
After a Ville Mattila open from the button and a big blind defense by Steve Gross, the flop came and Gross led with a bet of 65,000. Mattila raised all in for his last 147,000, and Gross called the raise.
Gross:
Mattila:
The turn was the and river the , that river six filling a nine-high straight for Gross and sending Mattila railward in 10th.
, missing Behbehani and hitting Gross's seven. The turn was the 
, still no good for Behbehani. The dealer then burned a card and delivered the river… the 
.
. Pfutzenreuter bet 150,000 and Gross called.
. Pfutzenreuter bet again, this time for 175,000, and Gross raised to 800,000. Pfutzenreuter shook his head and took off his glasses as he contemplated what to do. He had but a little more than 800,000 left, and after thinking for a while he finally set them forward and Gross called the remainder.
for the straight, while Pfutzenreuter had 
for a second-best set. Pfutzenreuter is out in third and heads-up play is about to commence.
river, Goldman was eliminated.
and Gross led for 50,000. Goldman folded, but Arfai raised to 150,000 and Gross called.
, and when the board ran out 
