Event #10: €25,500 Mixed Games Championship
Day 3 Completed
Event #10: €25,500 Mixed Games Championship
Day 3 Completed
A new World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner has been crowned at the 2019 World Series of Poker Europe and it was Besim Hot that has become the second-ever Swiss champion after taking down Event #10: €25,500 Mixed Games Championship. Hot had to defeat mixed game specialists and big names of the international poker scene on his road to victory and came out on top of a heads-up battle with none other than 15-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth.
The event drew a total of 45 entries to create a prize pool of €1,068,750 and Hot received a top prize of €385,911, while Hellmuth missed out on number 16 and had to settle for €238,509. It was the second 8-Game final table of the series at the King's Resort in Rozvadov for Hellmuth, who finished 3rd in Event #5: €2,500 8-Game Mix and narrowly missed out on further cementing his status in WSOP history and came runner-up for the 11th time.
Hot, who describes himself as his own boss, was born in Macedonia and moved to Switzerland at a young age where he currently resides in Zurich. It is the biggest live cash for Hot so far, who has now accumulated more than $2.1 million in live tournament earnings and taken over the number one spot on the Swiss all-time money list ahead of online crusher Linus "LLinusLLove" Loeliger.
He was one of many Day 2 entries and entered the final day with more than one-third of the chips in play as he dominated the late action with sheer relentless aggression. That would not change for the final table either, as he remained in the driver's seat and maintained the top spot for all but a few minutes. He was not intimidated by the big names he was facing and kept to his usual strategy.
"I played my game from the start, like always, and kept building pots. I didn't play my cards but the opponents. Most of my hands were bluffs as you could see, especially in the big pots, and I forced my opponents to fold. It didn't really matter who was sitting at my table, I just play my game against Phil Ivey, Isildur, and all the others."
When asked what the bracelet means to him, Hot had the following to say.
"It is actually a long story. Some six or seven years I was one of the best Swiss players and went to Las Vegas to win a bracelet for Switzerland. But because of my stupidity, I lost my entire bankroll on the first night and had to fly back home. They were all laughing at me."
Hot doesn't plan on flying to Las Vegas to win another WSOP bracelet and instead stick to tournaments in Europe where he is a well-known name in High Roller tournaments. It was also his final tournament at the 2019 WSOPE as he already had a family vacation in Dubai planned for the next few days no matter what the outcome of the final table.
"I don't really know yet what I will play next. If there is something interesting coming up, I always decide on short notice and based on gut feeling.
Daniel Negreanu also reached the final table and finished sixth to take over the lead in the 2019 WSOP Player of the Year race, notching up another cash in Event #11: €2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha as he multi-tabled his way to a 20th place. In the breaks and during long hands he was not involved in, Negreanu would jump out of his seat and play a few hands in the PLO tournament to reach the final three tables.
Dzmitry Urbanovich finished third in "his Main Event" as he specifically traveled to Europe's biggest poker arena at the King's Resort in Rozvadov for this tournament and cashed for €162,463, while the final table also featured three-time WSOP bracelet winner Benny Glaser, one-time WSOP bracelet winner Julien Martini and 2019 WSOP Main Event 3rd place finisher Alex Livingston.
Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in EUR) | Prize (in USD) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Besim Hot | Switzerland | €385,911 | $428,361 |
2 | Phil Hellmuth | United States | €238,509 | $264,745 |
3 | Dzmitry Urbanovich | Poland | €162,463 | $180,334 |
4 | Benny Glaser | United Kingdom | €111,689 | $123,975 |
5 | Julien Martini | France | €77,502 | $86,027 |
6 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | €54,287 | $60,259 |
7 | Alex Livingston | Canada | €38,389 | $42,612 |
When the final table kicked off, Besim Hot held more than one third of the chips in play and remained comfortably ahead of the six big names that were all eying for more WSOP glory. Daniel Negreanu needed at least sixth place to take over the 2019 WSOP Player of the Year top spot and he would get exactly that as the two Canadians on the final table were the first two to bust.
Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo hands provided spectacular showdowns and it would take more than two full levels before Alex Livingston was sent to the rail when his set of aces was no good against the ten-high straight of eventual champion Hot. All shorter stacks were at risk sooner or later but somehow escaped, and it was Negreanu that had to settle for sixth.
Phil Hellmuth had promised late on Day 2 to punish Negreanu and he would eventually be the one that dealt the final blow in a Razz hand after Negreanu had been left short and was drawing dead with a double pair against an eight.
With increasing limits and short-handed action it didn't take long to reduce the field further and Hellmuth was able to pull into a comfortable place, he even took over the lead for a brief period of time. Julien Martini saw his hopes of a second WSOP bracelet vanish against Dzmitry Urbanovich and Benny Glaser, who endured a roller coaster day, didn't get there with a gutshot against the pocket pair of Hot in No-Limit Hold'em.
Down to the final three, Hot immediately assumed control to take down big pots against Hellmuth and Urbanovich. Throughout the final table, Hellmuth had been winning a lot of chips during Razz and it came as no surprise that he would eliminate Urbanovich in Razz when he made an eighty-seven and entered heads-up with just a minor disadvantage.
However, it wouldn't take long for Hot to establish a commanding lead and Hellmuth was ready to throw in the virtual towel.
Before another round of Razz hands started and down 1-7 in chips, Hellmuth said "It this was a fight, I'd stop it," prompting a simple "running hot" from his Swiss opponent.
It would be all over in a PLO hand in which both flopped trips nines. Hot had a straight redraw and turned a full house to leave Hellmuth with yet another runner-up finish on the WSOP resume.
That wraps up the PokerNews updates from Event #10: €25,500 Mixed Games Championship, but another four gold bracelets are up for grabs at the 2019 World Series of Poker Europe throughout the next two weeks.
Pictures courtesy of Katerina Lukina / King's Resort
Pot Limit Omaha
Besim Hot raised the pot to 750,000 on the button and Phil Hellmuth called out of the big blind. The flop came and Hellmuth checked to Hot who bet 500,000. Hellmuth check-raised to 2,000,000 and Hot shoved all in. Hellmuth committed his entire stack of just under 7,000,000.
Besim Hot:
Phil Hellmuth:
Hellmuth was currently in the lead with an ace-kicker but Hot still had plenty of outs. The on the turn was one of them as Hot improved to a full house. Hellmuth was left drawing to an ace and the on the river was not going to cut it. Hellmuth was forced to settle for his 11th runner-up finish while Hot will celebrate his first WSOP gold bracelet.
A full tournament recap along with a winner's interview will follow shortly.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
45,000,000
7,000,000
|
7,000,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth | Busted | |
|
Razz
Before the Razz hands started, Phil Hellmuth said "It this was a fight, I'd stop it," and Besim Hot replied with a simple "running hot."
Hellmuth then won the last hand of Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better and Razz kicked off.
Besim Hot: / /
Phil Hellmuth: / /
Both completed and checked fourth. Hot bet fifth and Hellmuth called, then had the lead on sixth and bet, Hot called. After seventh, Hellmuth bet again and had very few chips behind.
Hot studied his cards carefully and made the call, he showed a nine and Hellmuth had for a seven to nearly double.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
38,000,000
-4,750,000
|
-4,750,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth |
7,000,000
4,750,000
|
4,750,000 |
|
Seven Card Stud
Besim Hot: / /
Phil Hellmuth: / /
Besim Hot completed with an ace and Phil Hellmuth called with a five. Hot held the betting lead throughout and continued to bet on fourth, fifth, and sixth. Hellmuth called each time.
On seventh, Hot threw in a bet without even looking at his last card and Hellmuth wasted little time before making the call. Hot turned over for aces up and Hellmuth went into turmoil.
"How is this even fucking possible?! What is going on?"
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
42,750,000
6,750,000
|
6,750,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth |
2,250,000
-6,750,000
|
-6,750,000 |
|
No Limit Hold'em
The game type switched, Besim Hot glanced at the card and said "oh, I think we will get it all in now."
Phil Hellmuth then limped and Hot raised to 1,050,000, which Hellmuth called. The flop brought and Hot continued for 900,000, Hellmuth folded and was shown the .
"Ten and six, so many draws," Hot shrugged. Half a minute later he got a reaction.
"I am Phil Hellmuth, No Limit is my game."
The next hand was dealt and a limped pot resulted in the flop that was checked. Hellmuth bet 400,000 in the dark before the came and Hot raised to 1,200,000, Hellmuth called.
After the river, Hellmuth check-called a bet of 2,500,000 and Hot rolled over for a flopped full house.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
36,000,000
3,850,000
|
3,850,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth |
9,000,000
-3,850,000
|
-3,850,000 |
|
2-7 Lowball Triple Draw
Besim Hot limped in on the button and Phil Hellmuth checked his option as they each discarded three from their hand. Hellmuth bet and Hot quickly called. Hellmuth drew one and Hot took two this time.
Hellmuth fired in another bet and Hot deliberated for a moment before making the call. Hellmuth stood pat and Hot opted for one new card. Hellmuth checked this time and Hot knuckled as well. Hellmuth flipped over and Hot couldn't beat it with his queen.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
32,150,000
-6,050,000
|
-6,050,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth |
12,850,000
6,050,000
|
6,050,000 |
|
Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Besim Hot: / /
Phil Hellmuth: / /
Besim Hot completed and Phil Hellmuth raised, Hot called. Hellmuth bet each street and Hot called quickly from fourth to sixth. After seventh, he took off his sunglasses and carefully studied Hellmuth's cards, shook his head and eventually tossed in a call.
"Just the threes," Hellmuth said and mashed his cards together, Hot turned over for a pair of queens and Hellmuth shot out of his chair.
Besim Hot: / /
Phil Hellmuth: / /
The next big pot was brewing when Hellmuth raised a bet by Hot on sixth, who called and checked in the dark. Hellmuth gave up the pot and announced "just the nines" by tabling . Hot turned over for a set of fours and raked in the next big pot.
"This might be the fastest tournament ever, you win every hand," Hellmuth said and dropped to a major disadvantage.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
38,200,000
7,550,000
|
7,550,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth |
6,800,000
-7,550,000
|
-7,550,000 |
|
Limit Hold'em
Phil Hellmuth limped in from the button and Besim Hot raised it up in the big blind. Hellmuth called and the flop came . Hot bet and Hellmuth quickly raised which Hot called.
The turn brought the and Hot check-called another bet from Hellmuth. The completed the board and Hot led out this time. Hellmuth snap-called and Hot flipped over for a set of kings to win the pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
30,650,000
4,150,000
|
4,150,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth |
14,350,000
-4,150,000
|
-4,150,000 |
|
Pot-Limit Omaha
In a limped pot to the flop Phil Hellmuth and Besim Hot checked and headed to the turn. Hellmuth checked and called a bet of 500,000 before check-folding the river to a bet of 1 million.
"Show the bluff," Hellmuth said and Hot obliged, tabling .
"I had ace-king-queen nut clubs," Hellmuth added in table chat.
Limit Hold'em
Hot scooped another pot in PLO and the game type switched to Limit Hold'em. Hot raised and Hellmuth called to see the flop. Hellmuth check-called a bet and check-folded the turn to a second barrel.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Besim Hot |
26,500,000
2,425,000
|
2,425,000 |
|
||
Phil Hellmuth |
18,500,000
-2,425,000
|
-2,425,000 |
|