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Stephen Hubbard's Hot Streak Continues After Victory in Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw
While he largely considers himself a Pot-Limit Omaha specialist, Stephen Hubbard proved he's no one-trick pony after taking down Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw for his first World Series of Poker bracelet and the $155,819 first-place prize.
Hubbard overcame a 626-player field and defeated Gabriel Paul heads-up after a back-and-forth battle to claim the title.
The victory comes just days after Hubbard finished fifth in Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for his second six-figure score of the series, further cementing his place as No. 2 on Utah's all-time money list, according to The Hendon Mob.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stephen Hubbard | United States | $155,819 |
| 2 | Gabriel Paul | United States | $102,957 |
| 3 | Dylan Smith | United States | $69,456 |
| 4 | Timothy Wong | United States | $47,846 |
| 5 | Anthony Lamps | United States | $33,672 |
| 6 | Philip Jaffe | United States | $24,219 |
| 7 | Per Hildebrand | Sweden | $17,814 |
Winner's Reaction
Fresh off a fifth-place finish in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event, Hubbard felt this win was "redemption," after coming so close to his first bracelet.
"I mean, that's crazy that (two deep runs) just happened so quickly back-to-back," Hubbard told PokerNews shortly after his victory. "I have a few other titles, but this one means a lot to me."
Hubbard's win is the latest in a string of strong results that includes two PokerGO Tour titles in PLO events.
"Yeah, Luck accumulation," a humble Hubbard replied when asked what has contributed to his recent success. "My last four Hendon scores are gonna be first, first, fifth, and first, which is absurd."
With the vast majority of his results coming in PLO, Hubbard explained that he intends to continue expanding into other formats.
"(Deuce to Seven) is a fun one, just to put people to the test, and, you know, put them in the spot before they put me in the spot. I think I would consider myself a PLO specialist, but I'm trying to become more well-versed in the other games over time and even maybe going back to no limit soon."
A consummate grinder, Hubbard wasted no time late-regging into the $1,500 Mixed: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo mixed event, but added he plans on playing a full summer schedule right up through the Main Event.
Action of the Day
Just six players returned to the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas for Day 3, all seeking their first WSOP gold bracelet, with Hubbard holding a significant chip lead as play got underway. It took less than a half hour for Philip Jaffe, who entered with the second-shortest stack, to commit his stack against Paul with a seven-draw. Paul held a pat ten and Jaffe caught an ace to become the first player to fall on Day 3.
Following a couple of orbits of slow action, Anthony Lamps followed Jaffe out the door after getting into a pre-draw raising war against Hubbard that ended with Lampis all in nearly 50 big blinds. Lampis held the lead with a pat ten, but Hubbard held a four-card eight and sent Lampis out in fifth after drawing to a nine.
Hubbard then took control of the table after winning a couple of significant pots, including one against Dylan Smith wherein he called with a pair of deuces facing an overbet to accumulate approximately half the chips in play.
Timothy Wong, meanwhile, was unable to gain any momentum and found himself in a three-way all in with the shortest stack against Smith and Paul. Smith was drawing live to score a double knockout, but Paul held with his pat nine to more than double up and eliminate Wong.
Hubbard's stack slipped a bit after getting caught bluffing in a couple of pots, but he quickly regained those chips and more after clashing with Smith in a massive pot. In the hand, Hubbard opened and called a jam for 25 big blinds against Smith. Both players drew one with low draws, but Hubbard made an eight while Smith drew to a ten to be eliminated in third.
Hubbard entered his heads-up battle against Paul with a 2:1 chip lead, but Paul proved he had plenty of fight left in him.
Paul got off to a good start after correctly calling against Hubbard with a pair early on and then hero-calling Hubbard with a king facing a massive bet to pull to nearly even.
Riding his momentum, Paul continued to win pots off of Hubbard and completed a reversal of fortune by pulling into a 2:1 chip lead himself.
"Yeah, I was feeling it, those first five big pots that didn't go my way, but I took a few deep breaths and tried to stay calm," Hubbard said on losing the chip lead.
Down but not out, Hubbard clawed his way back to nearly even before the pot of the tournament took place. Hubbard raised and then moved all in after being three-bet by Paul, who called with a slightly covering stack.
Paul found himself one card away from winning with a seven draw against Hubbard's pat jack, but Paul paired his hand, giving Hubbard a massive double-up and chip lead.
Just a few hands later, Paul committed his remaining chips facing a shove from Hubbard. Paul held a ten-draw while Hubbard held an eight-draw and agreed to show first. Paul got great news after Hubbard paired his three, but Paul ended up pairing his eight — leaving him second best in dramatic fashion to put an end to the tournament.
