Event #46: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
Day 2 Completed
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #46: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
Day: 2
Chad Norton Wins First Bracelet in Event #46: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack ($214,830)
Level 37
: 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
The final day of Event #46: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack has been played to its conclusion. Day 2 started with 120 players that returned to action from a 2,053-entry field and after eight hours of play, it was Chad Norton who came out victorious to win his first WSOP bracelet, along with $214,830 in his first ever WSOP event.
"This is surreal," Norton stated after his win. "It was a quick tournament with a lot of ups and downs like always but it was a lot of fun and I'm just really grateful to come out with the win."
The win wasn't an easy one for Norton, as he had an uphill battle coming into the final day with just over ten big blinds.
"In one of the final hands of Day 1 I lost pocket kings against ace-queen for 1.2 million," Norton continued, "It would have been nice coming into today with a nice chip stack but instead I came in with 380k and fought my way back somehow."
Norton, an ex-cars salesman turned online poker player hasn't played many live tournaments and told PokerNews that this in-fact was his first ever live WSOP tournament.
"To be honest I've only played in one WPT event and this was my first ever live WSOP tournament," said Norton. "I play mostly online but I came in on such a down swing so to be able to come in and win my first ever WSOP tournament feels amazing."
Event #46 Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize Money |
| 1 | Chad Norton | United States | $214,830 |
| 2 | Steve Lemma | United States | $132,802 |
| 3 | Andres Jeckeln | Argentina | $98,269 |
| 4 | Narimaan Ahmadi | United States | $73,271 |
| 5 | Ivan Uzunov | Bulgaria | $55,279 |
| 6 | Kevin Wang | United States | $42,031 |
| 7 | Jordyn Miller | United States | $32,254 |
| 8 | William Blais | Canada | $24,982 |
| 9 | Joshua Herman | Canada | $19,533 |
Day 2 Action
There were 120 players that returned to the felt for the final day with each of them looking to walk away a WSOP bracelet winner. With each of them already having $1,956 locked up, players started tossing their chips into the middle in hopes of amassing a nice lead.
That was the case for some but not all as a hectic start of play all-in fest began and the march to the final table was on. Among those to fall along the way, albeit with a payday, were Marc Masino (10th - $15,417), Day 1 chip leader Alejandro Andión (36th - $5,463), two-time WSOP bracelet winners Eric Baldwin (62nd - $3,305) & James Moore (70th - $2,853), and all-time WSOPC ring winner Maurice Hawkins (115th - $1,956).
Norton's Hot Final Table Run
Norton started the unofficial final table third in chips but it only took one hand for him to climb to the top after he turned a full house to double through Kevin Wang.
From there Norton continued to add to his chip lead after he eliminated Joshua Herman with ace-high in ninth place, and then coolered William Blais, who was second in chips, in an aces-versus-kings hand to take a commanding chip lead.
Norton took a break from tossing players from the final table for a brief moment after Jordyn Miller's made hand of tens were rivered by Andres Jeckeln's ace-eight offsuit.
Shortly after Miller's departure, Norton climbed back aboard the elimination train to knockout Wang holding a dominating ace, and then he finished off Narimaan Ahmadi in similar fashion.
From there, Norton held over half of the chips in play with only three players remaining, and it quickly got to heads-up after Jeckeln departed in third place after failing to win a race against Steve Lemma.
Norton held a 3:1 chip lead to start the heads-up battle, and it didn't take long for Lemma to take his exit after his queen-nine off came up short against the dead mans hand of Norton.
This concludes the PokerNews coverage of this event but check out the WSOP Live Reporting Hub to follow all the exciting action here at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.
Chad Norton Wins Event #46: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack ($214,830)
Level 37
: 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Chad Norton has won his first WSOP Bracelet and $214,830 in Event #46 after a masterful and dominant big stack final table performance.
Full recap of action and winner's interview story to follow shortly.
Steve Lemma Eliminated in 2nd Place ($132,802)
Level 37
: 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
From the button, Chad Norton raised, Steve Lemma jammed from the big blind and Norton called.
Steve Lemma: 
Chad Norton: 
The flop came 
to pair Norton and make things dire for Lemma. The turn was the 
and the river the 
and Lemma was eliminated in second place as Norton was mobbed and enveloped by his rail in celebration.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
82,120,000 | 22,020,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Current Final Table Chip Counts
Level 37
: 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
60,100,000 | -3,900,000 |
|
|
22,000,000 | 3,800,000 |
Level: 37
Blinds: 400,000/800,000
Ante: 800,000
Andres Jeckeln Eliminated in 3rd Place ($98,269)
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
On the very next hand after the previous elimination, Andres Jeckeln moved all in under the gun and was called from the big blind by Steve Lemma.
Andres Jeckeln: 
Steve Lemma: 
It was a coin flip battle of the short stacks as the flop came 
to give Lemma a set but Jeckeln picked up a flush draw. The turn was the 
and the river came the 
as Lemma gave a fist pump as he was secured at least second place money and a chance at the bracelet while Jeckeln had to settle for third.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
64,000,000 | -1,445,000 |
|
|
18,200,000 | 8,725,000 |
|
Busted |
Narimaan Ahmadi Eliminated in 4th Place ($73,371)
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Narimaan Ahmadi moved all in from the small blind, Chad Norton was in the big blind and checked his cards before casually calling.
"Sure why not" Norton said and flipping over the 
with a chance to take out Ahmadi who held the 
and was dominated.
The board ran out 
with a slight bit of drama on the turn with a flush draw but it was to no avail as Ahmadi was gone in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
65,445,000 | 17,145,000 |
|
|
9,475,000 | -5,425,000 |
|
|
7,200,000 | -1,875,000 |
|
Busted |
Ivan Uzunov Eliminated in 5th Place ($55,279)
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Ivan Uzunov open-jammed for 2,600,000 and action folded to Andres Jeckeln who snap-called from the big blind.
Ivan Uzunov: 
Andres Jeckeln: 
Uzunov was dominated needing some help but none came on the 
runout and he was eliminated in fifth place for $55,279.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,075,000 | 5,675,000 |
|
Busted |
Lemma Doubles Through Uzunov
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Steve Lemma raised all-in from early position and was called by Ivan Uzunov out of the small blind.
The cards were tabled and it was a flip as Uzunov had 
versus the held by Lemma.
The dealer flopped the 
and Lemma took the lead.
The turn card was a and changed nothing.
The river was a blank 
and Lemma secured a double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,900,000 | 9,900,000 |
|
|
3,500,000 | -7,500,000 |