Event #17: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER No-Limit Hold'em
Day 5 Completed
Event #17: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER No-Limit Hold'em
Day 5 Completed
The 2021 World Series of Poker crowned a new gold bracelet winner at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on Wednesday in Event #17: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold'em, a tournament that attracted 5,330 players and offered up a $3,428,280 prize pool.
The PokerGO live-streamed final table contained two former bracelet winners, despite the huge field. In the end, it was Daniel Lazrus collecting his second WSOP bracelet this year, claiming victory for $1,000,000.
Lazrus won his first bracelet a few months ago online in the WSOP Event #28 $3,200 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller Championship ONLINE. For the new two-time champ, winning a live event at the WSOP was even better.
"This one feels much more special," said Lazrus after the win. "It feels more legitimized than online did, just because it was a different atmosphere. This makes me happy with the decision I’m making of putting a lot of time into poker. The first was an achievement, this feels like THE achievement. I didn’t realize it yet but this is a much greater feeling, I can’t even begin to describe it."
Lazrus, 31, really only started taking poker seriously two years ago.
"I only started playing about four and half years ago, at first just recreationally," he said. "I started winning, met the right guy, who put me in touch with the other right guys, just learned. Starting like two years ago I started raising stakes and studying very very aggressively almost as a priority."
Lazrus gave to credit to his support system for all of his success.
"It’s the greatest feeling in the world," said Lazrus. "I owe it all to some of the guys back there, friends that aren’t here that I’ve been playing poker with and talking hands with for years. It couldn’t be a better scenario. It would be nice if my wife could have come out but she is a teacher, so getting off wasn’t really an option. But this was a great experience, it was amazing."
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Daniel Lazrus | United States | $1,000,000 |
2 | Darryl Ronconi | United States | $500,125 |
3 | Jeffrey Gencarelli | United States | $377,125 |
4 | Michael Gathy | Belgium | $288,715 |
5 | Ignacio Moron | Spain | $222,430 |
6 | Kevin Palmer | United States | $172,455 |
7 | Todd Saffron | United States | $124,570 |
8 | Adam Sherman | United States | $105,690 |
9 | Sertac Turker | Turkey | $83,545 |
Others to cash on the final table were four-time bracelet winner Michael Gathy (4th for $288,715), Ignacio Moron (5th for $222,430), and Darryl Ronconi (2nd for $500,125).
At the start of the day, many eyes were on Gathy, looking for his fifth bracelet. But it was the other bracelet winner at the table Lazrus, who dominated the chip lead through much of the final day.
"Him (Gathy) and Ignacio are both really good players,” he said. “I kind of just play my game and just take it with what it is. I tried to stay out of their way but I also know they are going to make the folds that they need to with the ICM considerations, and when it’s right, I can take some of the spots."
Moron was the first one to fall when his ace-nine ran into the pocket kings of Lazrus. Next to go was Gathy, who was left short after a four-bet pot against Ronconi. He was eliminated shortly thereafter and exited in fourth. Jeffrey Gencarelli was the next to go when he shoved his ace-high on the turn into the top pair of Lazrus.
With a 3-1 chip lead going in, heads up became a shove fest. Ronconi managed to chop to survive on one all-in and spike the river to double on another. Lazrus kept his cool, however, and he managed to get it in good when Ronconi bluff-jammed ten-high into the ace-jack of Lazrus. The board came clean for Lazrus and he captured his second WSOP bracelet.
Congratulations to Daniel, winner of the 2021 WSOP Event #17: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold'em! He joins a club of two-time bracelet winners that includes Michael Addamo, Chance Kornuth, Fedor Holz, and Tony Dunst, to name a few.
Daniel Lazrus has conquered the massive field of 5,330 players to take down $1,000,000 and his second World Series of Poker gold bracelet in Event #17: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold'em.
Lazrus' first bracelet came in the 2021 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events when he won the $3,200 NLH High Roller Championship for $205,347.
Here's a look at how the final table stacked up:
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Daniel Lazrus | United States | $1,000,000 |
2 | Darryl Ronconi | United States | $500,125 |
3 | Jeffrey Gencarelli | United States | $377,125 |
4 | Michael Gathy | Belgium | $288,715 |
5 | Ignacio Moron | Spain | $222,430 |
6 | Kevin Palmer | United States | $172,455 |
7 | Todd Saffron | United States | $124,570 |
8 | Adam Sherman | United States | $105,690 |
9 | Sertac Turker | Turkey | $83,545 |
A full recap will be posted shortly.
Darryl Ronconi raised to 2.5 million and Daniel Lazrus three-bet to 8.5 million. Ronconi jammed for 42.6 million and Lazrus called.
Darryl Ronconi:
Daniel Lazrus:
The flop came to give Ronconi more outs with an open-ended straight draw. The turn was the , and with Lazrus one card away from victory, the board completed with the to officially confirm Lazrus’ second bracelet and one million dollar win.
Ronconi, meanwhile, will have to settle for the second-place prize of over half a million dollars for his efforts.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Lazrus |
133,600,000
44,100,000
|
44,100,000 |
|
||
Darryl Ronconi | Busted | |
|
Daniel Lazus opened to 2,500,000, Darryl Ronconi shoved for 22,800,000 and Lazrus called.
Darryl Ronconi:
Daniel Lazrus:
The board came giving Ronconi a straight on the river to survive.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Lazrus |
89,500,000
-20,300,000
|
-20,300,000 |
|
||
Darryl Ronconi |
46,000,000
22,700,000
|
22,700,000 |
|
Darryl Ronconi raised to 2.5 million and Daniel Lazrus jammed. Ronconi called for his remaining 20.8 million chips.
Darryl Ronconi:
Daniel Lazrus:
Lazrus was in a good position to possibly take down the tournament. The flop came to make a chop more likely. The turn and river confirmed the chop and the players took back their chips.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Lazrus |
109,800,000
5,500,000
|
5,500,000 |
|
||
Darryl Ronconi |
23,300,000
-6,000,000
|
-6,000,000 |
|
Jeffrey Gencarelli raised to 3 million in the small blind and Daniel Lazrus called in the big blind.
The flop was . Gencarelli bet 4 millon and Lazrus called.
The turn saw Gencarelli jam for his remaining 16.2 million chips and Lazrus called.
Jeffrey Gencarelli:
Daniel Lazrus:
Gencarelli needed an ace or king but the completed the board to eliminate him as the other two players get ready to start heads-up play.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Lazrus |
104,300,000
23,300,000
|
23,300,000 |
|
||
Darryl Ronconi | 29,300,000 | |
|
||
Jeffrey Gencarelli
|
Busted |
Daniel Lazrus raised to 3,200,000 and Darryl Ronconi called.
The flop came and both players checked to the turn.
Lazrus bet 4,000,000 and Ronconi laid it down.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Lazrus |
81,000,000
4,100,000
|
4,100,000 |
|
||
Darryl Ronconi |
29,300,000
-4,700,000
|
-4,700,000 |
|
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Daniel Lazrus |
76,900,000
-4,500,000
|
-4,500,000 |
|
||
Darryl Ronconi |
34,000,000
-3,000,000
|
-3,000,000 |
|
||
Jeffrey Gencarelli
|
22,700,000
7,500,000
|
7,500,000 |