Event #49: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day 4 Completed
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #49: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
2022 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$2,000
Prize Pool
$3,519,060
Entries
1,977
Level
36
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
7
Players Left
1
Simeon Spasov Completes Come-From-Behind Win in Event #49: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($527,944)
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
It took an extra day to find a winner in Event #49: $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em and Bulgaria’s Simeon Spasov emerged as the newest champion at the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) after defeating Mike Watson in heads-up play for $527,944.
The event, which ran for the first time at the 2022 WSOP, drew 1,977 runners and generated a prize pool of $3,519,060.
Spasov, who began the day as one of the short stacks, completed the improbable victory over Watson after cracking aces to survive Day 3 before spinning it up on Day 4. It marked Spasov’s first gold bracelet and his best finish after previously running to 19th in the 2021 WSOP $800 Deepstack event.
Event #49: $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em Day 4 Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simeon Spasov | Bulgaria | $527,944 |
| 2 | Mike Watson | Canada | $326,296 |
| 3 | Daniel Custodio | Portugal | $239,679 |
| 4 | Ioannis Angelous Konstas | Greece | $177,761 |
| 5 | Walter Ripper | Brazil | $133,129 |
| 6 | Christopher Frank | Germany | $100,688 |
| 7 | Evan Sandberg | United States | $76,912 |
Day 4 Action
Watson came into the day as the chip leader, but he fell behind early when Spasov found a double with ace-queen. A short time later, Evan Sandberg got his short stack into the middle, but Daniel Custodio made a pair of aces on the river to eliminate him in seventh place.
Christopher Frank wasn’t far behind in sixth place after Spasov’s ace-queen outdrew his pocket nines. A short time later, Watson doubled through Custodio with pocket queens and he was back near the top of the leaderboard.
Brazil's Walter Ripper was aggressive throughout the final two days, but his run came up short when Ioannis Angelou Konstas left him short with pocket kings. Ripper was eliminated a few moments later as Spasov continued his hot final table run with the knockout.
Angelou Konstas went on a late run and started to build chips by doubling through the bigger stacks, but he was out in fourth place when he picked up pocket queens only to have Spasov spiked a straight on the river with pocket tens.
Three-handed play continued until Custodio got it all in with ace-deuce suited but Watson made a straight with king-queen to send him home with third-place money.
Watson and Spasov faced off for more than an hour after both dominated the final table throughout the afternoon. Spasov built his lead and kept Watson at bay until the big moment came when Watson got it in with ace-nine and lost to Spasov’s ace-queen. It was the third big hand of the day he won with ace-queen after cracking pocket aces with the same hand to keep his tournament alive on Day 3.
Congratulations to Simeon Spasov for winning Event #49: $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em at the 2022 World Series of Poker!
Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews live reporting team for live updates from the floor throughout the 2022 WSOP in its new home at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.
Mike Watson Eliminated in 2nd Place ($326,296)
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
The cards were on their backs as Simeon Spasov moved all in and Mike Watson called for his tournament life.
Simeon Spasov: 
Mike Watson: 
The board ran out 
and Watson hit the rail finishing runner-up for $326,296.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
59,000,000 | 21,000,000 |
|
Busted |
Time for a Break
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
The final two players are now on a 15-minute break.
Chip Count Update
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
38,000,000 | -2,000,000 |
|
|
21,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
Spasov Pulling Away
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
After much back and forth action, Simeon Spasov started to pull away in this heads-up match. On a board showing 
in a pot of just over 15,000,000 in the middle, Simeon Spasov shoved the river for 25,000,000 into the shorter stack of Mike Watson.
Watson went deep in the tank, thinking for several minutes before painfully letting his hand go and the large pot was awarded to Spasov.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
40,000,000 | 500,000 |
|
|
19,000,000 | -2,300,000 |
Daniel Custodio Eliminated in 3rd Place ($239,679)
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Action folded to Daniel Custodio in the small blind who jammed for roughly 6,000,000 and Mike Watson quickly called from the big blind.
Daniel Custodio:
Mike Watson: 
On the flop of 
Custodio paired his ace and looked good to find a double up, but when the 
turn and river fell it was the straight of Watson that took the pot and eliminated Custodio in 3rd place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,300,000 | 8,300,000 |
|
Busted |
Spasov Climbs Even Higher
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Action was heads up with around 8,000,000 in the pot and 
on the board when Simeon Spasov bet 4,600,000 and Daniel Custodio called.
Spasov turned over 
to take the pot with tens and sevens.
A short time later, Mike Watson went back and forth with Spasov before the flop. Spasov raised to 2,100,000 and Watson made it 7,100,000 before Spasov pushed in 30,000,000. Watson got away from it and Spasov's run picked up more steam.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
39,500,000 | 19,500,000 |
|
|
13,000,000 | -9,000,000 |
|
|
6,200,000 | -10,500,000 |
Spasov Scores Another Pot
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Action was picked up in a pot of roughly 3,500,000 on a flop of 
. Simeon Spasov bet out 2,900,000 in the big blind and Daniel Custodio made the call on the button.
On the turn both players checked. The 
completed the board and Spasov bet 10,200,000. Custodio thought for a moment but eventually folded and another pot was slid to Spasov.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,000,000 | -1,000,000 |
|
|
16,700,000 | 6,300,000 |
Spasov Takes From Watson
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
The action was picked up in a pot of 1,800,000 on a flop of 
. Mike Watson bet 600,000 from the small blind and Simeon Spasov made the call from the big blind.
On the 
turn both players checked their option. The hit the river and Watson bet 800,000. Spasov put little thought before raising to 3,600,000 and Watson quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,000,000 | -9,000,000 |
|
|
21,000,000 | 4,000,000 |