2021 World Series of Poker

Event #50: $600 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack
Day: 2
Event Info

2021 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Darrin Wright
Winning Hand
q964
Prize
$127,219
Event Info
Buy-in
$600
Prize Pool
$800,190
Entries
1,569
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
61
Players Left
1

Event #50: $600 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack

Day 2 Completed

"I Felt it in My Gut": Darrin Wright Wins Event #50: $600 No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha

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

Darrin Wright had a premonition, and at the final table of Event #50: $600 No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha, it became a reality.

The recreational player from Chicago dominated the final table, knocking out five of his seven opponents on his way to earning the victory and $127,219 top prize. It was not only Wright’s first WSOP bracelet, it was his first WSOP cash. His only other result came in a Circuit event in his hometown in 2019.

He might seem like a surprise champion, but Wright had a hunch he would end up in this spot. “I just felt it. You know how sometimes you can feel something and you can feel it in your stomach, they say that’s your gut. I felt it in my gut,” Wright said.

“I was crashing them. If you had seen me, it was like, I knocked out so many players.”

Wright was in total control of the final table, playing nearly every pot and putting pressure on his opponents. He knocked out John Gilchrist in seventh place with a full house. He eliminated Ryan Colton with top pair. He flopped quads to send Hanan Braun home in fifth. And he eliminated Joshua Ray in third with a pair of eights.

The end came in a hand of Pot-Limit Omaha, when he called the all in of Victor Paredes with {j-Hearts}{6-Spades}{5-Hearts}{4-Clubs} on a board of {9-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}{2-Hearts}{q-Spades}. Paredes had top two pair, but this night belonged to Wright and he completed his flush on the {k-Hearts} river.

Final Table Results

PlacePlayerEarnings
1Darrin Wright$127,219
2Victor Paredes$78,604
3Joshua Ray$57,276
4Colten Yamagishi$42,192
5Hanan Braun$31,425
6Ryan Colton$23,668
7John Gilchrist$18,028
8Kyle Mclean$13,889

Wright is retired after working for the Chicago Sun-Times. He’s only been playing poker recreationally for a few years but wanted to take his shot at WSOP glory in 2021.

“I just said I wanted to come out and do it, because people say you can come out and play in some of the smaller games and stuff like that and win pretty big,” he said. “And lo and behold, here I am.”

The event attracted a field of 1,569 players, 61 of whom returned to play on Day 2. Along the way Dan Zack (57th), Daniel Buzgon (42nd), Mark Seif (31st), and Lee Watkinson (23rd) hit the payout line. Day 1 chip leader Eric Froehlich fell in 15th place.

In the end, it was Wright left standing. He took control of the final table and steamrolled his way to victory. Just as he thought he would.

There are more bracelets to be handed out tonight, so check out the WSOP live reporting hub for more live updates!

Tags: Colten YamagishiDarrin WrightHanan BraunJohn GilchristJoshua RayKyle McLeanRyan ColtonVictor paredes

Victor Paredes Eliminated in 2nd Place ($78,604)

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

Pot-Limit Omaha

On a limped pot, the flop read {9-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}{2-Hearts} when Darrin Wright quickly check-called a bet from Victor Paredes for 1,800,000.

Things heated on the {q-Spades} turn. Wright led out for 3,300,000 and Paredes tanked for some time before moving all in for a remaining stack around 11,500,000. Wright took a minute and made the call.

Victor Paredes: {q-Clubs}{9-Spades}{6-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}
Darrin Wright: {j-Hearts}{6-Spades}{5-Hearts}{4-Clubs}

Paredes was ahead with two pairs but the {k-Hearts} hit the river, giving a flush to Wright and eliminating Paredes in second place for $78,604.

Player Chips Progress
Darrin Wright us
Darrin Wright
47,000,000 14,500,000
Victor Paredes us
Victor Paredes
Busted

Paredes Doubles Again

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

Pot-Limit Omaha

Darrin Wright raised to 1,250,000 and Victor Paredes defended his big blind. The flop came {8-Diamonds}{10-Spades}{5-Diamonds}, Paredes checked, Wright bet 1,200,000, and Paredes went all in for 6,200,000. Wright called.

Victor Paredes: {k-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{3-Hearts}
Darrin Wright: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}

Paredes had flopped two pair to outdraw the aces of Wright and stayed ahead on the {q-Spades}{9-Clubs} turn and river to earn another double up.

Player Chips Progress
Darrin Wright us
Darrin Wright
32,500,000 8,000,000
Victor Paredes us
Victor Paredes
14,500,000 -8,000,000

Tags: Victor paredesDarrin Wright

Paredes Doubles Up With Pocket Pair

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

No-Limit Hold'em

Darren Wright limped and Victor Paredes shoved all-in from the big blind, Wright called covering him.

Victor Paredes: {k-Hearts}{10-Hearts}
Darrin Wright: {3-Spades}{3-Clubs}

The board ran out {4-Diamonds}{q-Spades}{2-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{8-Clubs} and Paredes doubled with a pair of threes.

Player Chips Progress
Darrin Wright us
Darrin Wright
38,870,000 14,370,000
Victor Paredes us
Victor Paredes
8,200,000 -14,300,000

Tags: Darrin WrightVictor paredes

First Pot for Paredes

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

Pot-Limit Omaha

Darrin Wright called and Victor Paredes checked to see a flop {7-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{6-Spades}. Paredes quickly check-called Wright's bet for 1,000,000. The turn was the {5-Hearts} and the same action happened, this time for 3,300,000.

A {10-Hearts} hit the river and both players opted to check. Wright flipped over {10-Spades}{4-Spades}{3-Diamonds}{3-Clubs} for a pair of tens and Paredes looked at his cards one more time and sent them into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Darrin Wright us
Darrin Wright
24,500,000 -4,900,000
Victor Paredes us
Victor Paredes
22,500,000 4,900,000

Joshua Ray Eliminated in 3rd Place ($57,276)

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

Pot-Limit Omaha

Darrin Wright limped from the button, Victor Paredes folded his small blind, and Joshua Ray checked. The flop came {5-Spades}{2-Hearts}{8-Spades} and Wright bet, Ray raised all in, and Wright snap-called.

Joshua Ray: {q-Spades}{j-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}
Darrin Wright: {k-Spades}{8-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{3-Spades}

Ray had a pair of deuces and a flush draw, while Wright had eights and a higher flush draw. The board ran out {a-Hearts}{5-Hearts} and Wright's pair stayed in front, eliminating Ray in third place.

Wright and Paredes are now preparing for heads-up play.

Player Chips Progress
Darrin Wright us
Darrin Wright
29,400,000 5,900,000
Joshua Ray us
Joshua Ray
Busted

Tags: Darrin WrightJoshua RayVictor paredes

Paredes Doubles Through Ray

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

Pot-Limit Omaha

All three players limped in and saw a flop of {10-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}. They checked through to the {6-Clubs} turn, when Victor Paredes bet 2,000,000.

Joshua Ray then raised to 8,000,000, Darrin Wright folded, and Paredes went all in for 9,150,000. Ray called.

Victor Paredes: {k-Spades}{9-Spades}{8-Diamonds}{6-Spades}
Joshua Ray: {a-Clubs}{j-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}

Ray had two pair with a flush draw, but Paredes had the lead with a straight. The {9-Hearts} came on the river to secure the double up for Paredes.

Player Chips Progress
Victor Paredes us
Victor Paredes
18,200,000 11,800,000
Joshua Ray us
Joshua Ray
8,600,000 -8,700,000

Tags: Joshua RayVictor paredes

Paredes Forces a Fold from Wright

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

Pot-Limit Omaha

Darrin Wright called for 500,000 on the button and it was completed by Victore Paredes and checked by Joshua Ray in the blinds.

The flop revealed {9-Spades}{4-Clubs}{7-Hearts} and Paredes and Ray checked. Wright sent a bet worth 1,200,000 in the middle and Paredes tanked for a minute before announcing a raise to 5,600,000. Ray and Wright quickly folded.

Player Chips Progress
Darrin Wright us
Darrin Wright
23,500,000 -850,000
Joshua Ray us
Joshua Ray
17,300,000 -500,000
Victor Paredes us
Victor Paredes
6,400,000 1,600,000