Event #6: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship Day 2 | 2024 World Series of Poker

May 31, 2024

Patrick Kennedy Eliminated in 8th Place ($86,000)

Dan O'Hair

Level 39 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 0 ante

Patrick Kennedy limped on the button and Artur Martirosian checked his option.

Martirosian then proceeded to check-call bets from Kennedy on every street. First for 10,000 on the 8♥J♠10♣ flop, then for 40,000 on the 4♥ turn, and finally for his remaining stack for a bit over 100,000 on the 8♠ river.

Kennedy could only show 9♥5♦ for a whiffed straight draw and Martirosian turned over J♦10♠ for two pair to earn his spot in the semifinals tomorrow.

Tags: Artur Martirosian Patrick Kennedy

May 31, 2024

Martirosian Soaring; Kennedy on Fumes

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Dan O'Hair

Level 39 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 0 ante

With a sizable pot already brewing on a board of K♥7♠2♥10♥, Patrick Kennedy check-called a 55,000 bet from Artur Martirosian.

The 6♦ completed the board and Kennedy checked a final time. Martirosian fired 150,000 into the middle and Kennedy called after a bit of thought.

Martirosian tabled 10♦7♣ for two pair, which got a muck from Kennedy, who is now down to his last 250,000.

Tags: Artur Martirosian Patrick Kennedy

May 31, 2024

Curse of the Commentator: Messere on Fumes

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Calum Grant

Level 39 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 0 ante

After just waxing lyrical about Owen Messere, the old curse of the commentator struck as Faraz Jaka reduced the Brit to fumes in a massive pot.

Action was caught on the river, with around 720,000 in the pot on the 5♠7♣3♠J♦5♣ board. Messere, the bigger stack, jammed. Jaka, who had 736,000 behind, quickly counted his chips and wasted little time in calling.

Messere audibly exhaled as he tabled 4♠2♠, which missed its huge combo draw. Jaka tabled K♦7♥ to take in the likely match-deciding pot.

PokerNews will get the full action of the hand and will report back to fill in the gaps.

Messere was visibly shaken, with his hand trembling as he stacked up his remaining chips.

UPDATE @ 19:02: Jaka recapped the hand to PokerNews after his victory.

jaka opened to 25,000 from the button and saw Messere call.

Messere check-raised to 80,000 over a bet of 25,000 on the 5♠7♣3♠ flop. Jaka called.

Messere overbet to 240,000 on the J♦ turn and was called once more.

Messere jammed on the 5♣ river. Jaka made a quick call for his stack of 736,000.

Jaka's K♦7♥ bested Messere's 4♠2♠.

Tags: Faraz Jake Owen Messere

May 31, 2024

Martirosian Cracks Aces

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Tyler Boyer

Level 39 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 0 ante

Patrick Kennedy raised to 20,000, and Artur Martirosian defended the big blind.

The flop came out J♦3♥K♦, Martirosian checked over to Kennedy who fired out a continuation bet of 14,000. Martirosian decided to make the call and see a turn.

On the turn was the K♣, which both players choose to check, and see a river.

The 8♣ on the river completed the board, and Martirosian bet 78,000, which was snapped off by Kennedy, who then flipped over AxAx. However, he was given the bad news when Martirosian tabled K♥9♦ for trip Kings, and Martirosian scoops another sizable pot to extend his lead.

May 31, 2024

Owen Messere: A Chess Prodigy Turned Poker Wizard

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Calum Grant

Level 39 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 0 ante

Faraz Jaka and Owen Messere are all square in the early goings of their heads-up duel, with each player trading pots.

Recently, Jaka took in a 160,000 pot after his turn bet of 80,000 on the 5♣5♠9♣6♣ board folded out Messere, the following hand, Jaka raised to 20,000 from the button before folding to Messere's 88,000 three-bet.

Many poker fans will be familiar with Jaka, a notable name in the poker world but many would be forgiven if they hadn't heard of Messere before, so here's some info about the upcoming star.

A poker player known for his expertise in heads-up cash games, Messere was originally a young chess prodigy competing internationally. He transitioned to poker, where he quickly climbed from micro stakes to high-stakes games, playing up to $5,000 No-Limit Heads-Up (5KNL HU). His screen name, "pr0digy," reflects his swift rise in the poker world.

One memorable moment in Messere's career was during a heads-up match against poker star Doug Polk at The Lodge. In a hand where Owen mistakenly thought he had a flush, Polk kindly returned his share of the pot.

https://twitter.com/DougPolkVids/status/1682558924526870528

Tags: Doug Polk Faraz Jaka Owen Messere

Level: 39

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 0

May 31, 2024

Martirosian Extends His Lead

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Dan O'Hair

Level 38 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante

Patrick Kennedy opened to 20,000 on the button and Artur Martirosian defended his big blind.

Martirosian check-called a 14,000 bet from Kennedy on the K♦5♦Q♥ flop and Martirosian checked again on the 6♠ turn.

This time, Kennedy sized up for an overbet of 102,000, which Martirosian called after a bit of thought.

Both players checked down on the 4♠ river and Kennedy tabled K♥10♠ for a pair of kings.

Martirosian turned over Q♠6♦ for a turned two pair and was sent the sizable pot.

Tags: Artur Martirosian Patrick Kennedy

May 31, 2024

Grujic Chipping Up

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Nick Becker

Level 38 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante

With 40,000 in the middle on a flop of 9♠J♦Q♥, Nikolai Mamut check-called a bet of 15,000 from Marko Grujic.

The turn 8♠ went check-check, and Mamut led out for 35,000 on the 7♦ river.

Grujic called and showed J♥8♥ for two-pair and Mamut tabled A♥6♥ for ace-high, asking where the hearts were.

Tags: Nikolai Mamut Marko Grujic

May 31, 2024

Lots of Small Pots Early for Smith and Samual

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Tyler Boyer

Level 38 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 0 ante

Lots of small pots being played in this Quarterfinal Match between John Smith and Darius Samual. Smith has a slight advantage as level 10 is coming to a close.

Level: 38

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 0