Seven players got together on Day 4 of Event #16: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em for a chance at a WSOP bracelet.
But when the last card appeared on the river, it was Brent Hart who emerged victorious after defeating Eddie Ochana in heads-up play.
Hart takes home a first-place prize of $660,284 and a nice shiny WSOP gold bracelet, the first of his poker career. Hart’s win becomes his largest tournament payout, according to Hendon Mob. Ochana takes home $440,202 for his second-place finish.
For the victor, who has been playing poker for more than 15 years, the win proved a special moment for him.
“It’s truly surreal,” Hart said with a smile. “I’m like floating right now.”
Hart’s journey to his first WSOP bracelet had roadblocks at the final table, as he had to wade through a competitive field consisting of Ochana, Kartik Ved, Daniyal Gheba, Shant Marashlian, Alexander Queen and Taylor Black. Marashlian, in particular, used his Day 2 run as the chip leader to make the final table before finishing in fifth place, which paid $159,517.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brent Hart | United States | $660,284 |
| 2 | Eddie Ochana | United States | $440,202 |
| 3 | Alexander Queen | United States | $309,128 |
| 4 | Kartik Ved | India | $220,373 |
| 5 | Shant Marashlian | United States | $159,517 |
| 6 | Daniyal Gheba | United States | $117,271 |
| 7 | Taylor Black | United States | $87,582 |
The WSOP’s newest bracelet winner also had to overcome being one of the short stacks at the table before taking the chip lead from Ochana in Level 34.
Hart picked spots and incorporated timed aggression throughout the tournament en route to the win. Hart further pointed out playing with so many great players over the past four days provided him an opportunity to take away lessons.
“Sick field,” Hart said. “Every table, I was like, ‘Wait a minute.’ And it was great because I was able to learn something every day. I was able to sit with seasoned players and pick up small nuances here and there, so it was a win-win.
“I was playing with house money because at the bare minimum, I was going to get some game from these seasoned vets, these multi-bracelet winners, and it just worked out. Today was my time. Man, it’s been a long time coming.”
Hart applied the experience gained from years as a poker player to help him get through the four-day grind of Event 16, and he didn’t have to worry about enduring it alone.
Whenever he needed energy at the final table, Hart turned around to absorb cheers from members of his rail, which included Tyronn Lue, a three-time NBA champion – two as a player, one as a head coach – and current head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Hart gave credit to his supporters for helping him get through the day.
“These are my dogs,” Hart said, pointing to his friends. “I’ve been playing poker with these guys since I started playing poker, so it feels good to do it in front of them. It feels good to do this with them here because they’re all great poker players. I might be the worst one out of the group.”
With a WSOP bracelet secured, Hart’s time in Las Vegas isn’t finished.
He said his wife and daughter are on the way to help him celebrate, but he especially wants to call his parents and extended family to let them know he is a WSOP bracelet winner.
“I’m looking forward to telling my mom, my sister, my aunts, my uncles,” Hart said. “I got a big family. We actually have a family reunion this weekend on Sunday. Maybe I’ll be there to show off my bracelet."
Final Table Recap
Hart started the final day third in chips, with Edward Ochana in the lead. Guaranteed $87,582, the sights of the remaining seven players were set on the pay jumps and of course the first-prize of $660,284.
Taylor Black fell early at the hands of Shant Marashlian, before Daniyal Gheba and Marashlian secured doubles. Ochana still led, but Hart was finding his feet in the contest.
Alexander Queen picked up pocket aces to eliminate Gheba, before Ochana padded his lead further to eliminate the short stack Marashlian.
By this stage, Ochana had four times the chips of second-place Kartik Ved, with Queen behind him and Hart bringing up the rear. Hart then stayed alive in spectacular fashion.
Getting king-jack in against the pocket eights of Ved, Hart went runner-runner to make a straight and stay alive. Ved headed in the other direction, eliminated by Ochana. And he was soon joined by Queen who Ochana also sent to the rail, entering heads-up with more than a 4:1 chip lead.
Hart would double twice, taking the chip lead with the second, and never looked back. In the final hand, Ochana flopped a pair of threes with king-three, with Hart spiking a jack holding king-jack to win the hand, the tournament and with it the bracelet.
This concludes the live coverage from Event #16, be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for all of the action from rest of the 2024 World Series of Poker.
