2019 World Series of Poker

Event #53: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
Day: 3
Event Info

2019 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
j10
Prize
$371,203
Event Info
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$2,676,408
Entries
3,759
Level Info
Level
42
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
2,000,000

Event #53: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack

Day 3 Completed

Santiago Soriano Wins First Bracelet in Event #53: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack and $371,203

Level 42 : 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Santiago Soriano
Santiago Soriano

Santiago Soriano has won his first bracelet in Event #53: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack, seeing off tough final table opposition including bracelet holder and prior Main Event finalist Amir Lehavot and triple 2019 Deepstack finalist Ben Underwood, ending today the last man standing from a field of 3,759.

Professional poker player Soriano, no stranger to the WSOP, having finished 197th in the Main Event last year (a Day 5 run), said of his win, “It feels amazing. I started leading with ten left. I ran really good: I never lost an all-in. I felt comfortable, felt confident [and] didn’t see myself as an underdog.”

Soriano’s experience and assurance contributed to his win, but he noted that with such fierce opposition, “It came down to the luck of the all-ins.”

Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Santiago SorianoSpain$371,203
2Amir LehavotIsrael$229,410
3Ben UnderwoodCanada$168,960
4Nick BlackburnUnited States$125,432
5Joao ValliBrazil$93,866
6Samuel GagnonFrance$70,813
7Daniele D'AngeloItaly$53,858
8Ori HassonIsrael$41,300

Ten players returned for an originally unscheduled third day’s play as the interest in an $800 buy-in event awarding a total prizepool of $2,676,408 was understandably high. With the elimination in 10th ($31,933) of Gustavo Hess, the unofficial nine-handed final table was soon set, Soriano and Canadian Samuel Gagnon nearly neck and neck for the chip lead. Gagnon was pulled back down to the middle of the counts quickly, however, as he doubled Underwood (pocket kings overcoming pocket tens) to keep the deepstack phenomenon of the year in the running for a bracelet.

When Soriano busted Jeff Tahler in 9th ($31,933), having flopped a straight in the big blind with {7-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}, Tahler drawing to a non-appearing nut flush, he cemented his place at the top of the chip counts and wielded his stack for maximum pressure on his opponents.

It was not all one-way traffic, however. Nick Blackburn, bedecked in “Hillbilly Poker” gear, had a good level, taking chips in and out of position, his scooping of pots announced to the crowd with an idiosyncratic crowing noise and the exclamation, “Hillbilly wins another one!”

Nick Blackburn
Nick Blackburn

With Blackburn ascendant, Ori Hasson had dropped to ten big blinds, finding a spot to three-bet all-in with ace-ten over a preflop raise from Underwood. Behind him lurked Joao Valli with ace-queen, however, and with no outdraw on the cards, the young Israeli player busted in 8th ($41,300). Valli’s vocal Brazilian rail cheered their man, as they had done from the start of play today, as his first WSOP cash turned into the largest payday of his tournament career thus far.

Daniele D’Angelo busted in 7th place ($53,958) as, despite calling on his “one time,” he failed to spike, finding himself all in with king-queen vs. the ace-queen of Soriano. Samuel Gagnon, too, was eliminated by Soriano, his six big blind shove – with pocket aces, no less - given a spin by the chip leader with five four of clubs. Soriano flopped the nut straight, improving to a flush on the river, and Gagnon collected $70,813 for 6th place.

Five-handed, Valli, who had been picking spots to move all-in uncalled, or three-bet players off pots, finally ran into a willing caller in the form of Lehavot, whose jacks disposed of his ace-eight to hand him a payout ticket worth $93,866. This set Lehavot on what seemed a plausible path towards a second WSOP bracelet (his first awarded in 2011 for his victory in the $10,000 Pot Limit Hold’em Championship); even when he dropped in chips, he soon found a double through courtesy of Blackburn.

Four-handed it was Underwood in the driving seat, action-wise, overtaking both Lehavot and Soriano to secure the chip lead. A major boost to his stack came via his elimination of Blackburn (4th for $125,432) in a huge pot in which he flopped top pair top kicker when Blackburn decided to pull the trigger and check-raise all in with bottom pair. His reign was relatively short-lived, however, as he doubled Lehavot and found himself on the wrong side of several small pots with the blinds a stratospheric 1,000,000/2,000,000.

Soriano’s fabled all-in run-good continued when he put Underwood to the test, setting him in from the small blind when it folded to him. Underwood called and despite starting the hand ahead, with ace-nine of spades to Soriano’s king-four of diamonds, didn’t end it that way, as his opponent flopped a pair of fours and stayed ahead despite a spade flush sweat. Having already finished fourth for $135,959 in Event #9: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack and fifth for $74,435 in Event #37: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack this year alone, should he continue his trend, Underwood is on schedule for runner-up next, then a bracelet of his own.

Heads up play lasted just two hands. Both went Soriano’s way, the final hand in dramatic ace-cracking fashion. Amir Lehavot just flat called Soriano’s preflop raise with two black aces and stacks went in on a ten-high flop, Soriano holding jack-ten offsuit. A tournament-deciding third ten appeared for Soriano, and abruptly, this marathon Deepstack had come to an end, Lehavot collecting $229,410 for the runner up spot and Soriano his first bracelet and $371,203.

Of the crucial final hand, Soriano said, “It was surprising that he had that big of a hand. Top pair heads up is pretty strong, it was really amazing.”

Although a professional player, Soriano said that he had recently taken six or seven months off, deciding to return to the felt at the WSOP.

“I was ready to win,” he said. “I’ll play more events until the summer’s gone. I hope to win the Main Event next!”

Santiago Soriano in the WSOP Main Event 2018
Santiago Soriano in the WSOP Main Event 2018

Tags: Amir LehavotDaniele D’AngeloGustavo HessJoao ValliNick BlackburnOri HassonSamuel GagnonSantiago Soriano

Santiago Soriano Wins Event #53: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack and $371,203

Level 42 : 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Santiago Soriano
Santiago Soriano

Santiago Soriano, after a confident run through the final table, has emerged victorious, winning $371,203 and his first WSOP bracelet. He defeated Amir Lehavot of Israel heads-up, who was denied a second bracelet. Ben Underwood of Canada made his third deep run of the summer in a Deepstack event and finished in third place.

A full recap of the day will follow.

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Santiago SorianoSpain$371,203
2Amir LehavotIsrael$229,410
3Ben UnderwoodCanada$168,960
4Nick BlackburnUnited States$125,432
5Joao ValliBrazil$93,866
6Samuel GagnonFrance$70,813
7Daniele D'AngeloItaly$53,858
8Ori HassonIsrael$41,300
9Jeff TahlerUnited States$31,933

Tags: Amir LehavotBenjamin UnderwoodSantiago Soriano

Amir Lehavot Eliminated in 2nd Place ($229,410)

Level 42 : 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Amir Lehavot
Amir Lehavot

Hand #111: Santiago Soriano raised to 5,000,000 on the button and Amir Lehavot made the call. It all kicked off on a {3-Spades}{10-Clubs}{8-Diamonds} flop: Lehavot checked, Soriano bet 7,000,000, Lehavot check-raised to 17,000,000 and Soriano moved all in. Lehavot called all in for 22,700,000 total.

Lehavot: {a-Clubs}{a-Spades} for some slow-played aces.
Soriano: {j-Clubs}{10-Hearts} for top pair.

While Lehavot was ahead, the deck was to favor the big stack, bringing a third ten, the {10-Spades} on the turn to crack Lehavot's aces, which did not crack back on the {3-Hearts} river. The Israeli, who lives in the United States, saw a second attempt at a bracelet come up just short and he hit the rail in 2nd place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Santiago Soriano es
Santiago Soriano
150,300,000
46,300,000
46,300,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Amir Lehavot il
Amir Lehavot
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Amir LehavotSantiago Soriano

Hand #110: Big Pot for Soriano

Level 42 : 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante

Hand #110: Amir Lehavot raised to 4,500,000 on the button, called by Santiago Soriano in the big blind. The flop: {9-Clubs}{10-Hearts}{3-Hearts}. Check to the raiser, who checked right back. The turn was the {3-Diamonds}. Now Soriano bet 5,500,000 and was called. The river double-paired the board with the {9-Diamonds}. Soriano bet a hefty 18,500,000 and Lehavot made the call... and mucked when he saw the {j-}{9-} for nines full.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Santiago Soriano es
Santiago Soriano
104,000,000
28,500,000
28,500,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Amir Lehavot il
Amir Lehavot
54,000,000
-21,200,000
-21,200,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Amir LehavotSantiago Soriano

Ben Underwood Eliminated in 3rd Place ($168,960)

Level 42 : 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Benjamin Underwood
Benjamin Underwood

Hand #109: Santiago Soriano open-shoved from the small blind and Ben Underwood called all in for 22,800,000 in the big blind.

Santiago Soriano: {k-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}
Ben Underwood: {a-Spades}{9-Spades}

The {7-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{4-Spades} flop brought something to sweat for both players. While Soriano paired up his four, he was still a mathematical dog against Underwood's flush draw with overcards. The {2-Diamonds} turn kept Soriano in the lead and the {8-Hearts} river wasn't what Underwood needed either, ending another deep run for him.

After finishing fourth for $135,959 in Event #9: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack and fifth for $74,435 in Event #37: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack, the Deepstack crusher now added a third place to his resumé, worth $168,960.

Benjamin Underwood
Ben Underwood (right) shakes Santiago Soriano's hand
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Santiago Soriano es
Santiago Soriano
75,500,000
23,100,000
23,100,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Amir Lehavot il
Amir Lehavot
75,200,000
18,700,000
18,700,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Benjamin Underwood ca
Benjamin Underwood
Busted

Tags: Benjamin UnderwoodSantiago Soriano

Hands #103-108: Underwood Put to the Test

Level 42 : 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Benjamin Underwood
Benjamin Underwood

Hand #103: Small blind Soriano jammed from the small blind and big blind Underwood passed.

Hand #104: Underwood completed his small blind and Lehavot checked. On the {10-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}{5-Clubs} flop, neither player elected to bet, but on the {9-Clubs} turn, Underwood led out for 2,500,000 and was called. The river brought the {8-Hearts}. Underwood now checked, Lehavot fired 7,500,000 after a short think. Underwood underwent his own period of reflection before folding his hand.

Hand #105: Button Underwood made it 4,200,000 to go, and small blind Lehavot made the call. Lehavot checked the {10-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{8-Clubs} flop and Underwood bet 6,000,000. Lehavot re-popped it to 28,800,000, asking the all-in question. It was answered in the negative.

Hand #106: Soriano opened to 20,800,000 small-to-big, setting Underwood to the test for his stack once more. Again, he declined.

Hand #107: A walk for Lehavot.

Hand #108: Ben Underwood shoved all in for 17,800,000 on the button and everyone folded.

Tags: Benjamin UnderwoodSantiago Soriano

Level: 42

Blinds: 1,000,000/2,000,000

Ante: 2,000,000

Hands #101-102: Soriano Takes From Lehavot; Break

Level 41 : 800,000/1,600,000, 1,600,000 ante

Hand #101: Santiago Soriano raised to 3,200,000 on the button and Amir Lehavot defended the big blind. The flop was {5-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds} and Lehavot checked. Soriano bet 4,500,000 and Lehavot called.

The turn was the {4-Hearts} and Lehavot led out for 5,000,000. Soriano came along with the call in position. The river was the {2-Clubs} and Lehavot checked. Soriano took a long time before betting 16,500,000 and Lehavot folded.

Hand #102: Lehavot limped in and Soriano checked. The flop was {a-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} and Lehavot bet 3,200,000. Soriano folded.

The players went on a 15-minute break after the hand.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Amir Lehavot il
Amir Lehavot
56,500,000
-11,100,000
-11,100,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Santiago Soriano es
Santiago Soriano
52,400,000
19,300,000
19,300,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Benjamin Underwood ca
Benjamin Underwood
42,200,000
-800,000
-800,000

Tags: Amir LehavotBenjamin UnderwoodSantiago Soriano

Levahot Doubles Through Underwood

Level 41 : 800,000/1,600,000, 1,600,000 ante
Amir Lehavot
Amir Lehavot

Hand #95: Button Soriano raised to 3,200,000 (a min-raise at this stratospheric blind level), picking up the pot uncontested.

Hand #96: Amir Lehavot made up the small blind; Soriano checked. On the {10-Hearts}{10-Clubs}{q-Hearts} flop, Lehavot led out for 2,000,000 and took it down.

Hand #97: Soriano called in the small blind, found Underwood raising to 5,000,000 in the big blind, and moved his whole stack over the line almost before the raising chips had come to a complete stop. Underwood folded.

Hand #98: Lehavot received a walk, and his forced bet and ante back.

Hand #99: Soriano received the same courtesy.

Hand #100: Lehavot raised to 3,800,000 on the button and big blind Underwood set him in. Lehavot snap-called and found himself in dominating shape, with {a-Diamonds}{k-Hearts} to Underwood's {a-Spades}{q-Diamonds}.

Though already ahead, his hand was bolstered by a king on the {k-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{7-Diamonds} flop, making him impervious to the {q-Hearts} on the river (the turn a harmless {4-Clubs}).

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Amir Lehavot il
Amir Lehavot
67,600,000
35,000,000
35,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Benjamin Underwood ca
Benjamin Underwood
43,000,000
-12,900,000
-12,900,000