Norbert Szecsi has conquered a starting field of 2,100 entrants to win Event #42 $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em, taking home $345,037 and the coveted World Series of Poker gold bracelet. Szecsi more than doubled his career live tournament cash tally of $137,207 with his win at one of the quickest final tables of the summer, which ended in just 132 hands and less than five hours.
The Hungarian brought the third-biggest stack into Day 3, but he was the shortest stack with six players remaining. A run of good fortune vaulted him to the top of the counts, starting with this flip. Shortly thereafter, he got it all in with nines against aces and hit quads. His rush peaked when he called off on the turn against aces up and rivered a flush to eliminate Kirby Martin.
Szecsi had half of the chips in play at that point, and he cruised into heads-up play with about a three-to-two lead. Heads-up play lasted a mere seven hands, and Szecsi's aggressive play and a lucky flop bounced Denis Gnidash in second.
Two of the most accomplished players of the 11 who survived to Day 3 were ousted early: Dan Murariu in 11th and Daniel Neilson in 10th. After that, the final table proceeded quickly, with Rory Mathews, who started the day with the chip lead, busting in fifth and Chris DeMaci, who had the most accomplished WSOP resume of today's contenders, busting in third.
Hand #130: Norbert Szecsi raised to 80,000, and Denis Gnidash folded.
Hand #131: Gnidash raised to 80,000, and Szecsi three-bet to 220,000. Gnidash folded.
Hand #132: Szecsi raised to 80,000. Gnidash made it 205,000. Szecsi made the call. The flopped, and Gnidash came out with 225,000. Szecsi called. A arrived on the turn, and Gnidash slowed down with a check. Szecsi fired 340,000. and Gnidash called. A hit the river, and Gnidash checked again. Szecsi put Gnidash all in.
Szecsi:
Gnidash:
Szecsi's two pair was good, and he claimed the bracelet.
Hand #121: All three players saw the flop of , and it got checked to Norbert Szecsi on the button. He bet 90,000, and Chris DeMaci jammed. Szecsi folded.
Hand #122: Gnidash raised to 80,000. Szecsi reraised to 230,000, and Gnidash folded.
Hand #123: Szecsi raised to 100,000. Gnidash called. Szecsi checked, and Gnidash checked on the flop. A came on the turn, and two more checks ensued. An hit the river, and two more checks happened. Gnidash took the pot with .
Hand #124: Gnidash completed the blind, and DeMaci checked. Gnidash check-called 45,000 on . Both players checked the , and a hit the river. Gnidash bet 75,000, and DeMaci folded.
Hand #125: Gnidash folded, and DeMaci moved in. Szecsi called.
DeMaci:
Szecsi:
The kings held up, and DeMaci, the most accomplished player remaining, was done in third.
Hand #88: Norbert Szecsi received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #89: Kirby Martin opened with a raise under the gun and collected the blinds and antes.
Hand #90: Norbert Szecsi raised to 60,000 on the button and Kirby Martin called from the big blind to see a flop fall. Martin checked and Szecsi bet out 70,000 to prompt a fold from Martin.
Hand #91: Denis Gnidash raised to 60,000 only to have Kirby Martin three-bet to 130,000. Gnidash folded and Martin won the hand.
Hand #92: Norbert Szecsi received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #93: Kirby Martin opened to 75,000 and Norbert Szecsi made the call from the small blind to see a flop fall. Szecsi checked and Kirby bet out 85,000 which was called by Szecsi as the landed on the turn.
Szecsi checked and Martin moved all in for 860,000 to put Szecsi in the tank for over two minutes before making the call.
Szecsi:
Martin:
With Szecsi trailing and needing any club or jack to win, the river would strike the to send Martin to the rail in 4th place for $107,512.
Hand #85: Norbert Szecsi raised to 60,000 from the button, and Denis Gnidash made the call, as did Rory Mathews. The flop came , and both callers checked to Szecsi, who bet 80,000. Only Mathews called. The turn was an , and Szecsi fired 185,000 this time. Mathews called without delay, and a arrived on the river. Szecsi tanked for a minute before announcing he was all in for 680,000. Mathews called, and he was shown for a flush. Mathews is now crippled, having just 80,000 to his name.
Hand #86: Denis Gnidash limped the button, and Kirby Martin checked his option. They checked the pot down, and Gnidash took down the pot with ace-high.
Hand #87: Rory Mathews jammed for 85,000 from the button. Chris DeMaci called.
Mathews:
DeMaci:
The board ran out , and Mathews was done in fifth.
Hand #84: From under the gun Denis Gnidash made it 60,000 only to have Bryce Landier three-bet to 215,000 from the small blind. The action returned to Gnidash and he made the call as the dealer dropped a flop.
Landier led out for 275,000 and Gnidash made the call as the landed on the turn. Landier shoved all in for 475,000 and Gnidash instantly made the call.
Lander:
Gnidash:
In yet another cooler hand, Lander would need to spike a two-outer, but when the landed on the river, he was out the door in 6th place for a $58,126 payday.
Chris DeMaci, currently sitting in last place of the six remaining players, has certainly come much further in this tournament than he expected. He tried busting out of the tournament on this amusing hand from Day 1, but fate kept him in the tournament. He's certainly capitalized on the opportunity.
Hand #53: Bryce Landier receives a walk in the big blind.
Hand #54: From the cutoff Chris DeMaci moved all in for 336,000 and he collected the blinds and antes.
Hand #55: Ariel Celestino moved all in from the cutoff for 234,000 and Bryce Landier made the call from the button
Celestino:
Landier:
The Brazilian rail rose to their feet as the dealer spread a flop before the landed on the turn and then on the river to send Celestino to the rail in 7th place.
Hand #28: Bryce Landier opened to 55,000 only to have Dana Buck move all in from the button for 283,000. Landier made the call and the cards were tabled.
Landier:
Buck:
The flop was spread to keep Landier out in the lead, and when the landed on the turn, Buck was drawing to just a ten. The river landed the and Buck was sent to the rail in 8th place.
flopped, and Gnidash came out with 225,000. Szecsi called. A 
arrived on the turn, and Gnidash slowed down with a check. Szecsi fired 340,000. and Gnidash called. A 
hit the river, and Gnidash checked again. Szecsi put Gnidash all in.
, and it got checked to Norbert Szecsi on the button. He bet 90,000, and Chris DeMaci jammed. Szecsi folded.
flop. A 
came on the turn, and two more checks ensued. An 
hit the river, and two more checks happened. Gnidash took the pot with 
.
. Both players checked the 
, and a 
flop fall. Martin checked and Szecsi bet out 70,000 to prompt a fold from Martin.
landed on the turn.
to send Martin to the rail in 4th place for $107,512.
arrived on the river. Szecsi tanked for a minute before announcing he was all in for 680,000. Mathews called, and he was shown 
flop.
landed on the river, he was out the door in 6th place for a $58,126 payday.
flop before the 
landed on the turn and then 
on the river to send Celestino to the rail in 7th place.
landed on the turn, Buck was drawing to just a ten. The river landed the 
