WSOP Europe: Niall Farrell Wins €25K HR, Completes Triple Crown
Over the course of his career, Niall Farrell has had a couple of close calls at the World Series of Poker. A second in 2013, another second in 2016. Two other final tables. But he’s never been able to close one. He’s won a World Poker Tour and a European Poker Tour title. Thursday night at WSOP Europe though, Farrell finally broke through on the WSOP stage.
Farrell won the €25,000 High Roller event and became the first Scottish player to win a WSOP bracelet, completing the live poker Triple Crown. To do so he beat out a final table that included a former WSOP Main Event champion, three other Main Event final tablists, and two talented Germans.
Antoine Saout found himself on the losing end of a battle with one of the other Frenchman at the table, Benjamin Pollak. Saout moved all in from UTG for 2,570,000 and Pollak called from the button. The blinds folded and Saout revealed and Pollak showed . The board ran out to give Pollak the pot and eliminate Saout in eighth place.
A little over an hour later, Pollak found another victim. Action folded to Pollak in the small blind and he completed only to have Stefan Schillhabel move all in for 7,125,000 from the big blind. Pollak snap-called and tabled while Schillhabel needed lots of help after showing . The flop was no help for Schillabel and the turn ended his run in seventh place. The meaningless river was the to give the German star a needle on his way out.
Another blind-vs-blind battle resulted in the next elimination. Sylvain Loosli moved all in from the small blind and Andrew Leathem called all in. Loosli showed and Leathem was barely ahead with . The changed that though and neither the turn or river were able to save Leathem and he was out in sixth.
Despite picking up that pot, Loosli only hung around another half hour. Claas Segebrecht raised to 1,200,000 from the button and Loosli moved all in for 4,125,000 from the small blind. Segebrecht called and was behind with against Loosli’s . The flop changed nothing, but the turn put Segebrecht ahead and when the river hit the felt, Loosli was forced to settle for a fifth place result.
Down to just seven big blinds, Ryan Riess was in need of a double or two and felt like he found a good spot when he shoved for 5,100,000 from the small blind and Pollak called from the big blind. Riess tabled which put him ahead of Pollak’s . The flop gave Pollak a pair and left Riess drawing thin before the final two cards. The turn actually gave Riess extra outs but the river was not one of them and he was done in fourth place. After his bustout, Riess admitted to making a mistake at the final table.
Finished 4th. Made a tragic ICM mistake but I’ll learn from it and get better. Thanks for all the love. One Drop tomorrow
— Ryan Riess (@RyanRiess1) November 3, 2017
Just 11 hands later the final German player was sent packing. Having already lost a significant chunk of his stack to Farrell, it seemed only fitting that the Scotsman claim the rest of Segebrecht’s chips. After Pollak folded his button, Farrell moved all in from the small blind and Segebrecht called off his last 2,750,000. Farrell was slightly ahead with to Segebrecht’s . The board ran out to send Segebrecht packing and send Farrell to heads-up with a 3-2 lead over Pollak.
It took just 30 minutes for Farrell to grab his first career bracelet. Farrell opened to 2,200,000 and Pollak moved all in for 23,275,000 and got bad news after Farrell called and tabled which had Pollak’s dominated. The changed nothing and neither did the turn or river and Pollak was eliminated in second, giving Farrell his first career bracelet.
Final Table Payouts
- Niall Farrell – €745,287
- Benjamin Pollak – €460,622
- Claas Segebrecht – €321,863
- Ryan Riess – €230,071
- Sylvain Loosli – €168,323
- Andre Leathem – €126,113
- Stefan Schillhabel – €98,819
- Antoine Saout – €96,209