2021 World Series of Poker

Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 3
Event Info

2021 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
107
Prize
$364,589
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$1,993,600
Entries
896
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
8
Players Left
1

Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em

Day 3 Completed

"Hobby Player" Carlos Chang Wins First Bracelet in Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout for $364,589

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Carlos Chang
Carlos Chang

Carlos Chang has taken down the 2021 World Series of Poker Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout for $364,589 after a 3.5-hour heads-up battle against Brady Osterman, . His maiden bracelet is the third for Taiwan and the second in 2021. The tournament attracted 896 players during the registration period which yielded a total prize pool of $1,993,600 with the biggest prize going to Chang in the end.

After reaching the final tables of the 2015 Little One for One Drop here in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, the Monster Stack of the 2015 World Series of Europe, and The Closer in 2019, Chang finally managed to grab that elusive title.

"I think this is my biggest cash, yes, this is my fourth final table. I told myself, this year if I make a final table, I will win the bracelet. And it happened! I am pretty excited. I was focused all day and yesterday."

Chang joins the ranks of Pete Chen who won an online bracelet earlier on WSOP.com and James Chen. "I don't know if I can count myself to the greats of Taiwan, I am a hobby player, I'm probably the better non-pro out there." he said with a smile. Pete Chen was actually on his rail together with John Reading who finished in fourth place in the Little One for One Drop back in 2015, one spot higher than Chang but captured a bracelet later on.

Carlos Chang
Carlos Chang with John Reading and Pete Chen

Chang and Osterman were joined by familiar names and faces like Adrien Delmas, Sergi Reixach, Arthur Conan, and Sung Joo Hyun on the final table today while Christopher Basile and Uri Reichenstein busted the night before to make it one of the most international final tables of the series up till now.

Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Carlos ChangTaiwan$364,589
2Brady OstermanUnited States$225,333
3Adrien DelmasFrance$161,731
4Sergi ReixachSpain$117,650
5Arthur ConanFrance$86,757
6Sung Joo HyunSouth Korea$64,864
7Gerald CunniffUnited States$49,179
8Quang NgoUnited States$37,820
9Christopher BasileUnited States$29,506
10Uri ReichensteinIsrael$23,358

From Eight Players to the Heads-Up Battle

Chang came into the final table with the chip lead and had a clear strategy: "At the beginning, I was trying to attack the middle and short stack. I lost a three-bet the first two hands, that got me down to 6 million, lost two flips, down to 2.8 million, the shortest and then I slowly came back. I got lucky when I hit the straight flush draw against the kings. I got lucky on Day 2 too, I started with 8.5 big blinds, won three flips in a row. The strategy I employed this time, just play one hand at a time. That's the key I suppose instead of trying to win immediately. When you know you're losing, it's time to give up, don't try to force any plays that might get you into trouble. If you're losing, just wait for the next hand. That's what I was trying to do, my goal was to win one hand at a time."

It would take almost two hours before Quang Ngo busted to Conan and another two before Gerald Cunniff fell to Reixach. Hyun was the only bracelet winner on the final table but fell to Conan too in sixth place. Just twenty minutes later, Conan ran his lower pocket pair of sevens into the nines of his fellow countryman Delmas.

Adrien Delmas
Adrien Delmas finished in third place for $161,731

Four-handed play lasted an hour before Reixach fell victim to Chang who had flopped a straight. Delmas had the biggest and loudest rail of all the players, singing songs from one side to the other but to no avail. Delmas had shoved on the flop with an overpair but Chang had flopped the flush and improved to a straight flush on the turn to get Delmas down to less than a big blind. Chang claimed those chips too to get to the heads-up stage of the tournament.

Hobby Player Wins the Heads-Up Battle

The heads-up battle was a long one with the chips going back and forth for a while.

"I had to pick out some spots. Brady was pretty aggressive and I wasn't getting any cards. He was taking a lot of chips from me. We flipped once with eights versus his ace-king. I doubled up, from there it went back and forth. And finally, the flush helped me. He called. I knew he calls a lot, so I figured out, I'll just go all-in, he'll call. And he really called, because he never folds actually." Chang said while laughing.

Carlos Chang
Carlos Chang and Brady Osterman shake hands

Despite many jeers from some of the guys from Osterman's rail, Chang got it done eventually when he doubled with the aforementioned rivered flush and then took the rest when he hit the straight on the final card of the final hand. Chang got up, shook Osterman's hand, and then walked over to Chen and Reading to celebrate. Chen and Chang are planning their bracelet ceremony together at some point during the Main Event when more of their friends have come over to Las Vegas.

This concludes the PokerNews coverage of another Freezeout tournament, but make sure to follow all the ongoing WSOP action on the live reporting hub.

Carlos Chang
Carlos Chang

Check out our 2021 WSOP Hub here!

Tags: Adrien DelmasArthur ConanBrady OstermanCarlos ChangChristopher BasileGerald CunniffJames ChenJohn ReadingPete ChenQuang NgoSergi ReixachSung Joo HyunUri Reichenstein

Carlos Chang Wins His First Bracelet for $364,589 in Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout NLHE

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Carlos Chang
Carlos Chang

Carlos Chang has just won his first bracelet and the third for Taiwan in Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout for $364,589 by defeating Brady Osterman after a 3.5 hour long heads-up battle. This is his biggest live cash ever after reaching his fourth WSOP final table.

A recap is to follow.

Event #41: $2,500 Freezeout Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Carlos ChangTaiwan$364,589
2Brady OstermanUnited States$225,333
3Adrien DelmasFrance$161,731
4Sergi ReixachSpain$117,650
5Arthur ConanFrance$86,757
6Sung Joo HyunSouth Korea$64,864
7Gerald CunniffUnited States$49,179
8Quang NgoUnited States$37,820
9Christopher BasileUnited States$29,506
10Uri ReichensteinIsrael$23,358

Tags: Brady OstermanCarlos Chang

Brady Osterman Eliminated in 2nd Place ($225,333)

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Brady Osterman
Brady Osterman

Carlos Chang shoved from the button and Brady Osterman called for the 4,550,000 he had behind.

Brady Osterman: {a-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}
Carlos Chang: {10-Clubs}{7-Clubs}

Osterman was ahead but the flop came with the {6-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{8-Hearts} for Chang to pick up the gutshot to a straight.

The turn was the {6-Hearts} to keep Osterman ahead but the {9-Hearts} on the river gave Chang the straight for him to win his first bracelet and $364,589.

Osterman finished as the runner-up for $225,333.

Player Chips Progress
Carlos Chang tw
Carlos Chang
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
31,350,000 3,550,000
Brady Osterman us
Brady Osterman
Busted

Tags: Brady OstermanCarlos Chang

Chang Crushes Osterman

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Carlos Chang limped on the button and Brady Osterman checked.

The flop came {8-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{3-Hearts}. Osterman checked and Chang bet 500,000. Osterman called.

The turn card was the {10-Spades}. Osterman checked and Chang bet 1,300,000. Osterman then three-bet to 4,100,000 and Chang called.

The river was the {4-Hearts}. This time Osterman led for a bet of 2,600,000. Chang counted out calling chips and went into the tank. After a few second he moved all-in for 5,950,000.

"I don't think you are ever bluffing in this spot," said Osterman with a smirk. He talked himself into calling and was shown bad news.

Carlos Chang: {7-Hearts}{6-Hearts}
Brady Osterman: {10-Hearts}{3-Clubs}

Osterman had flopped a pair of threes then turned two pair but got rivered by Chang's flush. Osterman was left with just seven big blinds.

Player Chips Progress
Carlos Chang tw
Carlos Chang
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
27,800,000 13,425,000
Brady Osterman us
Brady Osterman
3,550,000 -13,425,000

Tags: Brady OstermanCarlos Chang

Osterman Takes Chip Lead

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Brady Osterman
Brady Osterman

Brady Osterman raised to 1,000,000 from the button and Carlos Chang called. The flop came {8-Hearts}{2-Hearts}{a-Spades} for Chang to check-fold to the 500,000 continuation-bet of Osterman. Osterman's rail cheered loudly while one of his supporters was less friendly towards Chang.

On the next hand, Chang limped in on the button but folded to the 1,675,000 raise of Osterman.

A few hands later, Osterman raised to 1,000,000 again and Chang came along to the {k-Spades}{8-Hearts}{q-Spades} flop. They both checked to see the {3-Spades} on the turn. Chang bet 800,000 and Osterman called. The river completed the board with the {5-Spades} and they both checked. Osterman tabled the {k-Hearts}{2-Diamonds} for top pair and that would earn him the chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Brady Osterman us
Brady Osterman
16,975,000 6,475,000
Carlos Chang tw
Carlos Chang
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
14,375,000 -6,475,000

Tags: Brady OstermanCarlos Chang

Small Pot For Chang

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Carlos Chang limped on the button and Brady Osterman checked.

The flop was {a-Clubs}{a-Spades}{k-Spades}. Osterman checked to Chang who bet 500,000. Osterman Called.

The turn card was the {j-Hearts} and the action checked through.

On the {6-Clubs} river card action went check, check. Both players tabled their hands.

Brady Osterman: {10-Spades}{9-Spades}
Carlos Chang: {q-Spades}{j-Spades}

Osterman flopped a flush draw, but Chang flopped a royal flush draw then turned a pair of jacks to scoop the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Carlos Chang tw
Carlos Chang
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
20,850,000 2,150,000
Brady Osterman us
Brady Osterman
10,500,000 -2,150,000

Tags: Brady OstermanCarlos Chang

Two for Osterman

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Carlos Chang limped in on the button and Brady Osterman checked. They both checked through the {5-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}{9-Diamonds} flop to the {q-Hearts} on the turn. Osterman bet 1,500,000 for Chang to fold.

In another hand, Chang limped in again on the button and Osterman opted to check. The flop came {k-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}, Osterman bet 500,000 for Chang to call after thinking about it for a few seconds. They both checked through the {2-Spades} on the turn to the {10-Diamonds} on the river. Action went check-check again. Osterman tabled the {k-Diamonds}{10-Spades} for the rivered two pair to scoop the pot as Chang got up from his chair and started stretching without any attempt to show his hand.

Player Chips Progress
Carlos Chang tw
Carlos Chang
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
18,700,000 -6,150,000
Brady Osterman us
Brady Osterman
12,650,000 6,150,000

Tags: Brady OstermanCarlos Chang

Chang Gets Value On The River

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Carlos Chang limped on the button and Brady Osterman checked.

The flop came {3-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{j-Hearts}. Osterman checked and Chang bet 500,000 or one big blind. Osterman called.

The turn card brought the {j-Diamonds} and the action when check, check.

The river card was the {6-Hearts}. Osterman checked for the third time and Chang bet 1,200,000. Osterman made the call.

Chang tabled {j-Spades}{6-Spades}. He turned a full house and then rivered a better one. Osterman mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Carlos Chang tw
Carlos Chang
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
24,850,000 1,950,000
Brady Osterman us
Brady Osterman
6,500,000 -1,950,000

Tags: Carlos ChangBrady Osterman

Chang Has the Higher Two Pair

Level 35 : 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Carlos Chang limped in on the button and Brady Osterman opted to check.

The flop came {2-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{4-Diamonds} and Osterman check-raised a 500,000 bet from Chang to 1,575,000 and was called.

The turn was the {4-Clubs} and Osterman barreled a bet of 1,400,000 over the line. Chang called again.

The {3-Spades} completed the board and they both checked. Osterman tabled the {10-Hearts}{9-Clubs} for two pair but Chang held the {j-Clubs}{j-Diamonds} for the higher ones to claim the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Carlos Chang tw
Carlos Chang
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
22,900,000 3,050,000
Brady Osterman us
Brady Osterman
8,450,000 -3,050,000

Tags: Brady OstermanCarlos Chang