WSOP 2021: Jim Collopy Outlasts Negreanu, Ho to Win $3K H.O.R.S.E. for $172K
WSOP 2021: Jim Collopy Outlasts Negreanu, Ho to Win $3K H.O.R.S.E. for $172K

Jim Collopy won his second career WSOP bracelet after triumphing against a final table featuring Eli Elezra, Maria Ho, and Daniel Negreanu as ‘Kid Poker’ crashed out in eighth place as his bid for a WSOP bracelet on American soil goes on.

Collopy Crowned Champion for Second Time

Just 20 players began the final day as players such as Barbara Enright (16th for $8,200), Brandon Shack-Harris (14th for $8,200), and David Williams (9th for $13,989) all fell short of glory before the final table was reached. When it did, GGPoker Ambassador Daniel Negreanu was the first to exit as Kid Poker saw his dreams of winning his first WSOP since 2008 in Las Vegas – and first of any kind since 2013 ended as he was the first player to depart for $17,526.

After Negreanu’s quest ended, Qinghai Pan (seventh for $22,462) and Michael Trivett (sixth for $29,436) busted before the business end of proceedings. In fifth place, Maria Ho busted in a hand of Razz going against the popular pro to see her head to the rail for $39,423. She tweeted about the different atmosphere at the table this year.

It wasn’t long before Ho was joined on the rail by a four-time WSOP winner in Eli Elezra, who was flushed out by the eventual winner for $53,986.

With Paramjit Gill busting in third place for $74,346, the heads-up duel was set, with Ahmed Mohamed eliminated in second place for $107,428 after Collopy, who previously won the 2013 WSOP-Asia Pacific title in Pot Limit Omaha for $72,903, sealed the deal in a hand of Razz.

WSOP 2021 Event #32 $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. Final Table Results:

  1. Jim Collopy – $172,823
  2. Ahmed Mohamed – $107,428
  3. Paramjit Gill – $74,346
  4. Eli Elezra – $53,986
  5. Maria Ho – $39,423
  6. Michael Trivett – $29,436
  7. Qinghai Pan – $22,462
  8. Daniel Negreanu – $17,526

Koller the King in $800 NLHE Finale

Ran Koller became the latest WSOP champion as he took down Event #33, the $800 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold’em tournament. With eight players remaining, it was Donald Maloney who busted first, his AhTd unable to hold when committed pre-flop against Florian Guimond’s QsJd. The flop of AdQd3d looked good for Maloney to double-up, as did the Kh turn, but the Qc river condemned him to the door and a cash of $32,845.

Two players called Ran were making the moves as Ran Ilani – also of Israel – was chip leader at this stage. Oleg Titov claimed the next knockout, however, when he called Jorge Hou’s all-in pre-flop. Hou held KhQh in the hijack, but Titov’s call with Ac6d in the big blind proved correct as the board of 7c6s2c5sAs saw the Russian rule, eliminating Hou in seventh place for $42,231.

It wasn’t long before just five players remained, as Alex Outhred busted in sixth place for $54,722. Outhred was all-in for just six big blinds with AhTc and started the hand well ahead of his caller Ilani who held Ac8s. But while the Ts9s8c looked likely to seal victory for the American, after the 3s turn gave Ilani a flush draw it was the 8h river that doomed Outhred and saw Ilani further grow a powerful chip lead. It marked the first time this series that the final five places were taken by non-American players.

Ilani had a massive lead with nearly double the nearest stack to him of Guimond’s, but the next session after a break was to prove pivotal. Kris Steinbach was sent home in fifth place for $71,457 when his Ks5c was crushed by Koller’s AcQd. With all the chips in the middle pre-flop, the board of Ts4h8h8d3h saw Koller grow his stack at the Canadian player’s expense.

It was the turn of Oleg Titov to bust in fourth place as the Russian earned $94,028 for his efforts, his Ah9d unable to catch Koller’s AsJs when all-in pre-flop. Titov’s few remaining chips went in the next hand to Ilani.

French player Guimond busted in third place for $124,671 to miss out on the heads-up action. Guimond moved all-in with 3c3s pre-flop and it was Ilani who made the call with Ac9h. The flop of Jd4d4c kept Guimond in front, but the 9d turn changed everything and on the 2h river, Ilani had the chips and Guimond was on the rail.

That hand might have looked crucial to Ilani’s success as it gave him the lead going into heads-up, where he held around 60% of the chips. But instead, Koller used his underdog status to great effect, playing fearless poker. He ground himself into the lead around the time both men agreed to play just two more levels and having done so, suddenly emerged the winner after a massive hand decided the title.

Both men limped to a flop of Ah4d2d where Koller bet out and Ilani check-called. On the turn of Kh, all the chips went in after a raising war. Ilani had 7h2h for bottom pair and a flush draw, but Koller had flopped the nut wheel straight with 5d3c. All he had to do was fade a flush on the river and when the 9d fell, he was the champion.

WSOP 2021 Event #33 $800 Eight-Handed Final Table Results:

  1. Ran Koller – $269,478
  2. Ran Ilani – $166,552
  3. Florian Guimond – $124,671
  4. Oleg Titov – $94,028
  5. Kris Steinbach – $71,457
  6. Alex Outhred – $54,722
  7. Jorge Hou – $42,231
  8. Donald Maloney – $32,845

Just 24 Remain In Monster Stack

In Event #30, the $1,500 Monster Stack played down to just 24 players from the 148 who started Day 3 in pursuit of the $610,347 top prize. In a truly continental top 10, there are six different countries represented by terrific players, with two Americans in Jaesh Balachandran (17,600,000) and three-time bracelet winner Ryan Leng (16,500,000) leading the way.

Other big names are right there in contention, with Michael Noori (7,850,000), Dannah Kamp (5,125,000) and Ivan Deyra (4,725,000) all hoping that they can get off to a winning start on the penultimate or final day of the event when it kicks off tomorrow, depending on how fast the exits come.

WSOP 2021 Event #30 $1,500 Monster Stack Top 10 Chipcounts:

  1. Jaesh Balachandran – 17,600,000
  2. Ryan Leng – 16,500,000
  3. Anthony Ortega – 15,775,000
  4. Rafael Reis – 10,975,000
  5. Santiago Plante – 10,775,000
  6. Mordechai Hazan – 9,850,000
  7. Johan Schumacher – 9,625,000
  8. Christopher Andler – 8,300,000
  9. Jeffrey Vertes Canada – 8,050,000
  10. Michael Noori – 7,850,000

Phil Hellmuth’s WSOP bracelet ceremony saw the Poker Brat win his 16th gold amid an emotional rendition of the American national anthem.

Lynn Leads Event #34 Final Table

In the next 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw event, the $1,500-entry Event #34, Peter Lynn will go into the final table with the chip lead as David ‘Bakes’ Baker hopes to overcome a chip deficit early to claim what would be his third WSOP bracelet to add to wins in 2-7 Single Draw and H.O.R.S.E. over the years.

With players such as Frankie O’Dell (20th for $3,691), Andrew Yeh (14th for $4,578) and Adam Owen (8th for $7,518) all making the money without reaching the final half dozen, there will be plenty on the line when the lights are on the final table tomorrow.

WSOP 2021 Event #34 $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Final Table Chipcounts:

  1. Peter Lynn – 1,680,000
  2. Kristijonas Andrulis – 1,665,000
  3. Mark Fraser – 1,355,000
  4. Stephen Deutsch – 985,000
  5. David ‘Bakes’ Baker – 815,000
  6. Marc Booth – 620,000

Big Field for $500 Freezeout

In Event #35, Denys Chufarin bagged the chip lead as 2,930 players took on the $500 Turbo Freezeout event with 132 making Day 2 and 440 cashing. Chufarin’s stack of 1,500,000 is ahead, but not by too many three-bets from Patrick Chong (1,335,000) and Blair Morscheck (1,300,000), both of whom will be hoping to outlast several others on the likely final day of the event, such as Kyna England (585,000), Mike Takayama (410,000) and Joey Weissman (260,000) all still in the hunt for the WSOP bracelet and $167,272 top prize.

WSOP 2021 Event #35 $500 Turbo Freezeout Top 10 Chipcounts:

  1. Denys Chufarin – 1,500,000
  2. Patrick Chong – 1,335,000
  3. Blair Morscheck – 1,300,000
  4. Nipun Java – 1,295,000
  5. Cody Wells – 1,250,000
  6. Dongsheng Zhang – 1,199,000
  7. John Clancy – 1,155,000
  8. Bong Yang – 1,100,000
  9. David Larson – 1,060,000
  10. Philip Newell – 1,020,000

Barbero, Vieira Leads $10K Dealers Choice

Finally, the $10,000-entry Dealers Choice event saw players such as chip leader Nacho Barbero (425,500), Joao Vieira (250,000), Mike Gorodinsky (211,500), Nathan Gamble (206,500), and Chris Vitch (184,000) all making the top 10 chip counts with an above-average stack.

Others such as Daniel Negreanu (153,500), Benny Glaser (147,000), Robert Mizrachi (137,000), and Anthony Zinno (130,000) all remain of the 25 players who made the Day 2 cut from 86 entries, with stars of the felt such as Scotty Nguyen, Frank Kassela, John Racener, John Monnette, and Greg Mueller all busting before the next day and, perhaps more crucially, the money bubble.

WSOP 2021 Event #36 $10,000 Dealers Choice Top 10 Chipcounts:

  1. Nacho Barbero – 425,500
  2. Joao Vieira – 250,000
  3. Christopher Claassen – 224,000
  4. Mike Gorodinsky – 221,500
  5. David Benyamine – 217,000
  6. Nathan Gamble – 206,500
  7. Ray Henson – 185,500
  8. Chris Vitch – 184,000
  9. Chip Jett – 171,000
  10. Brett Richey – 164,000

Meanwhile, Allen ‘Chainsaw’ Kessler spoke of his first experience of an ‘angle’ shot at the 2021 World Series of Poker.