The 2018 World Series of Poker

With the first seven days of the 2018 World Series of Poker now in the books, seven players have claimed the most prestigious prize in the game – a gold WSOP bracelet.

And like always, the WSOP has awarded bracelets to players of all caliber, from a former Main Event World Champion to a local poker dealer who parlayed his one time into a life-changing score.

To keep you up to date on all of the final tables and bracelet wins from the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas – home of the WSOP – check out the tournament capsules below for a full rundown of results. You’ll find winner’s info, the final table finishing order, prizes paid, superstars in the mix, and the most enduring storylines from the events that have concluded thus far.

Event #1: $565 Casino Employees No Limit Holdem (May 30 – June 1)

Winner: Jordan Hufty
Prize: $61,109
Field: 566 entries

The opening event at every WSOP is a special tournament open only to casino employees.

This extends far beyond the Rio’s walls though, so anybody who is gainfully employed within the wider gaming industry is eligible to enter the Casino Employees event.

That was good news for Jordan Hufty, a Las Vegas local who works as a poker dealer and floorman at the Aria – a casino resort located on the nearby Strip. Before firing the $565 buy-in needed to secure a stack, Hufty had recorded just two live tournament cashes ever – good for just over $1,900 in total.

Two days after taking his seat, however, and Hufty had increased his bankroll by leaps and bounds. Following two days of play, Hufty claimed the last chip in play, emerging from a field of 566 entries to win his first WSOP gold bracelet.

Having begun Day 1 with 5,000 chips to work with, Hufty managed to build his stack up to 399,000 by day’s end. He received about 150,000 of those bullets near the very end of the night, eliminating the 15^th and 14^th place players from the field in two straight hands.

With that, the final 13 were set, and Hufty held a second-place chip stack entering the last day of play. The only player with more chips in their arsenal at that point was Jodie Sanders, which was only fitting, as Hufty and Sanders wound up facing off heads-up for the bracelet.

When that duel began, Hufty held 1.83 million chips to Sanders’ 1.02 million, but a back and forth battle ensured over the next four hours, with both players exchanging the lead.

Finally, on the 190^th hand of the final table, a short-stacked Sanders shoved his last 700,000 or so into the middle holding pocket 3s. Hufty woke up with K-Q offsuit and made the call, but he bricked through the turn on a 10-9-2-7 board.

The river rained down a King, however, sending the match – and the gold bracelet – to a grateful Hufty.

Speaking to the assembled poker media after the final card hit the felt, Hufty was overcome with emotions:

“I’ve thought about this every day for the last 15 years and for it to actually happen is just unbelievable.
I have a passion for poker, it’s just something you can’t explain.
It’s nice that this happened so early in the Series so I will probably fire a few more events here and there.”

Check out how the rest of the final table fared below:

Final Table Results:

1^st place: Jordan Hufty $61,909
2^nd place: Jodie Sanders $38,246
3^rd place: Katie Kopp $26,250
4^th place: Zachary Seymour $18,332
5^th place: Won Kim $13,031
6^th place: Tom Booker $9,432
7^th place: Thomas Yenowine $6,953
8^th place: Skyler Yeaton $5,222
9^th place: Jason Pepper $3,998
10^th place: Brad Helm $3,120

Event #2: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Holdem (May 30)

Winner: Elio Fox (2^nd bracelet)
Prize: $393,693
Field: 243 entries

As a new addition to the WSOP schedule (can link here to previous post on new events), the $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Holdem event had a lot of working parts for players to sort through.

In exchange for the big $10K buy-in, the starting stacks were increased to 50,000 chips. But as the “Super Turbo” caveat suggests, the pace was fast and furious with blind levels shortened to just 20 minutes.

Finally, eliminating any player from the field was enough to earn a $3,000 bounty.

With all of those features combined, Event #2 of this year’s WSOP proved to be a smashing success. A total of 243 players showed up, including many of the brightest stars in poker.

Twitch streaming sensation Jason Somerville, high-roller extraordinaire Fedor Holz, Stephen Chidwick, and Steffen Sontheimer, and 2016 WSOP Main Event champ Joe McKeehen were among the early casualties. The all-time winningest WSOP player, 14-time bracelet holder Phil Hellmuth, also took a shot and missed the mark.

With so many stars when the early level fireworks reached their finale, the final table lineup was stacked to say the least. Joe Cada – winner of the 2009 WSOP Main Event and a two-time bracelet winner to that point – was in the house, along with two-time bracelet holder Paul Volpe, and 2011 WSOP Europe Main Event champ Elio Fox.

Cada hit the rail first with a 9^th place finish, while Volpe dominated the final table’s early going.

But with six players remaining, Fox sprung into action by calling two all-in bets with his A-K offsuit. He was out in front of Danny Wong’s A-10 of clubs, but Charles Johanin’s J-J created a classic coin flip confrontation.

The flop came down all baby cards with three hearts, and with the Ace of hearts in hand, Fox saw his outs increase from five to 14. He found one of them on the turn with the Ace of spades, and a brick on the river sent the massive pot of 7 million chips his way – while consigning Johanin and Wong to 5^th and 4^th place finishes, respectively.

Shortly thereafter, Fox dispatched Volpe in 3^rd place when A-J held over A-8 in a preflop all-in situation. That gave him a big 7 to 1 lead against Adam Adler heads-up, and while Adler acquitted himself nicely by fighting back to double up, Fox won another big flip with 2-2 over A-10 to clinch his second gold bracelet.

Here’s how he described the unique Super Turbo Bounty structure during his winner’s interview:

“There was such a big field. And I think there was a good mixture of pros and recreational players.
I think doing turbos is great because it’s good for non-professional players who can finish an event quickly.
“Bounty turbo formats appear a lot online, so I’ve definitely played it a lot, but I think it’s a great addition to the WSOP schedule.”

Check below to see where the rest of the final table wound up, and how much they took home:

Final Table Results:

1^st place: Elio Fox $393,693
2^nd place: Adam Adler $253,343
3^rd place: Paul Volpe $169,195
4^th place: Danny Wong $119,659
5^th place: Charles Johanin $86,096
6^th place: Alex Foxen $63,042
7^th place: David Eldridge $46,993
8^th place: Taylor Black $35,671
9^th place: Joe Cada $27,582

Event #3: $3,000 No Limit Holdem Shootout (May 31 – June 3)

Winner: Joe Cada (3^rd bracelet)
Prize: $226,218
Field: 363 entries

Back in 2009, when Joe Cada took down poker’s most prestigious title, the 21-year old WSOP Main Event champion was dubbed the “The Kid.”

Fast forward nearly a decade later, and an older, wiser Cada hasn’t lost his winning ways. After final tabling, the previous $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty, the Michigan-based pro went to work in Event #3: $3,000 No Limit Holdem Shootout.

Unlike the majority of WSOP bracelet events, which are played out as multi-table tournaments, the Shootout uses a single-table structure. On the first day of play, the 363 entrants were divided into 50 tables, and the action played out either seven- or eight-handed.

These sit-and-go tables were a one-and-done affair, so players needed only to win their table to advance to Day 2. Among those to do so were the “Poker Brat” himself, Phil Hellmuth, along with multiple bracelet winners like Eli Elezra, Chris Moorman, Joe McKeehen, and of course, Cada.

Day 2 saw the remaining 50 players divided into 10 five-handed tables, and when it was all said and done, both Cada and McKeehen made their way to the final 10-handed table. That pitted two former WSOP Main Event World Champions against one another, with both looking to claim their third career bracelet.

Eventually, the pair played their way down to three-handed play, with Sam Phillips standing in their way. Phillips found himself crippled down to 100,000, or less than two big blinds, but he managed to triple up and survive.

McKeehen, meanwhile, had dominated through much of the final table, but he ultimately fell in 3^rd place after making a bold play to go for the win. With 6-6 in the hole, McKeehen watched Cada three-bet big, so he responded with an all-in shove.

Cada had him covered in chips, and with a better pocket pair in K-K, he made the easy call. A flop of K-Q-J seemed to leave McKeehen dead in the water, but he found the 6 of hearts on the turn for the sweat. Alas, the case 6 failed to materialize for the miracle comeback, and McKeehen was ousted in his second major 3^rd place run – having almost won the World Poker Tour Bobby Baldwin Classic just before the WSOP kicked off.

With a massive chip lead now secured, Cada looked to have things wrapped up, but Phillips pushed back with two straight doubles to even the score.

Finally, with their stacks essentially even, Cada called with 6-6 after Phillips shoved his A-4 offsuit. Phillips found a 4 on the flop, but no more help would arrive, sending the bracelet and the cash over to “The Kid.”

With two final tables under his belt in the first two events, Cada was clearly confident in his game while talking to reporters after the win:

“I’m feeling great, it’s tough to win any No-Limit tournament. It means a lot to win my third bracelet.
I have loved the WSOP ever since being a kid, I watched it all the time on TV. Winning these bracelets, it’s unreal.
You’ve got to just run good and I’m lucky to run better than everyone else.”

Complete final table placement and payouts can be found below:

Final Table Results:

1^st place: Joe Cada $226,218
2^nd place: Sam Phillips $139,804
3^rd place: Joe McKeehen $101,766
4^th place: Jack Maskill $74,782
5^th place: Harry Lodge $55,480
6^th place: IharSoika $41,559
7^th place: Anthony Reategui $31,435
8^th place: Taylor Wilson $24,013
9^th place: Joshua Turner $18,526
10^th place: Jeffrey Trudeau $14,437

Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better (May 31 – June 3)

Winner: Julien Martini
Prize: $239,771
Field: 911 entries

The first event of the series to feature a poker variant other than No Limit Texas Holdem, the four-card game of Omaha Hi Lo 8 or Better is, appropriately enough, found fourth on the schedule.

For Holdem fans who aren’t aware, Omaha simply puts four hole cards in your starting hand, rather than two. From there, the game plays out similarly, with players sharing a flop, turn, and river on the community card board. At showdown, players table their best two-card combination, and in conjunction with three board cards, form their best possible hand.

Pot Limit Omaha uses only high hands, while the Omaha Hi Lo 8 or Better version offers two ways to win.

Whenever a player can table a five-card low – or a run of cards all under 8 – they’re eligible to claim half the pot.

With a relatively low buy-in of $1,500, Event #4 attracted 911 entries, including well-known multiple bracelet winners like Mike “The Mouth” Matusow and Layne “Back to Back” Flack.

While several stars made deep runs, the final table was largely occupied by up and coming grinders and outright amateurs.

The most recognizable name for poker fans was probably Kate Hoang, a recreational player who happens to be one of the best in the world at Omaha Hi Lo 8 or Better. Of her seven career cashes at the WSOP, Hoang has made the money in this variant every time out – including an 8th place run at last year’s $10,000 World Championship of the game.

Hoang very nearly won her first bracelet this time around, putting on a show for the ages during a nearly four-hour heads-up match against Julien Martini.

In the end, however, Hoang fell just short and had to settle for 2^nd place.

As for Martini, the Frenchmen told media members that winning his first gold bracelet was literally a dream come true:

“It was a dream when I was 14 years old.
What kind of guy can win a $1,500 tournament or a $10,000? I was dreaming about this for seven years, and it is one of the best things in my life.
I am very proud and super happy.”

See below for a full rundown of the eight-handed final table:

Final Table Results:

1^st place: Julien Martini $239,771
2^nd place: Kate Hoang $148,150
3^rd place: Mack Lee $104,016
4^th place: William Kopp $74,058
5^th place: Brandon Ageloff $53,482
6^th place: Chad Eveslage $39,182
7^th place: Rafael Concepcion $29,128
8^th place: Denny Axel $21,977

Event #5: $100,000 No Limit Holdem High Roller (June 1 – 4)

Winner: Nick Petrangelo (2^nd bracelet)
Prize: $2,910,227
Field: 105 entries

Over the last few years, poker has been transformed by the rise of the high-rollers.

Whereas the biggest tournaments in the world used to cost $10,000 to enter, maybe $25,000 for a special event – today’s top players routinely pony up six-figures to play against their elite peers.

Just before the WSOP got underway in fact, the Aria hosted an exclusive $300,000 event known as the Super High Roller Bowl.

There, veteran pro Nick Petrangelo weaved his way to a 6th place result, good enough for a $900,000 cash. He used a portion of those winnings to enter Event #5: $100,000 No Limit Holdem High Roller – appearing on the WSOP schedule for the first time ever.

Once again squaring off with the best players in the world, Petrangelo proved he belonged in that group by playing his way to heads-up. There, he faced none other than Elio Fox, winner of the $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty event a few days earlier.

Unfortunately for poker fans watching the live stream from home, Petrangelo and Fox elected to strike a deal, “chopping” the last $4.7 million up for grabs evenly among themselves. From there, a series of blind bets and raises finished off the on-felt action, and Petrangelo was lucky enough to “win” his second career bracelet.

Here’s how he described the last week of high-stakes, high-roller action to assembled media after the win:

“Last week I played the Super High Roller Bowl. Then the very next day I jumped right into this.
So after a super intense week, it feels like a relief to be done more than anything. There’s a lot of pressure playing against really tough players for huge buy-ins, especially with the stream.
This kind of event is super tough, but they’re really fun, and it’s what I love to do.”

Look below for the full final table lineup:

Final Table Results:

1^st place: Nick Petrangelo $2,910,227
2^nd place: Elio Fox $1,798658
3^rd place: AymonHata $1,247,230
4^th place: Andreas Eiler $886,793
5^th place: Bryn Kenney $646,927
6^th place: Stephen Chidwick $484,551
7^th place: Jason Koon $372,894
8^th place: Adrian Mateos $295,066

Event #8: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball (June 2 – 5)

Winner: Johannes Becker
Prize: $180,455
Field:321 entries

The majority of recreational players don’t know much about Lowball games like Ace-to-Five or Deuce-to-Seven, but these variants are classics. Along with Badugi, a draw game based on landing four low cards featuring all four suits, those games comprise Event #8: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw lowball.

Johannes Becker of Germany outlasted the 321-player field to win his first career bracelet, and to hear him tell the tale, the three-game mix was right up his alley:

“I was kind of wondering whether I should play or not.
But given that I’ve been looking forward to this specific tournament and it’s kind of my mix, I decided to give it a shot anyway.”
I didn’t expect to win. I started catching cards and that worked out great.”

Info on the entire six-handed final table can be found below:

Final Table Results:

1^st place: Johannes Becker $180,455
2^nd place: Scott Seiver $111,516
3^rd place: Jesse Hampton $71,547
4^th place: Chris Vitch $47,166
5^th place: George Trigeorgis $31,873
6^th place: Luis Velador $22,304

Event #10: $365 WSOP.com Online No Limit Holdem (June 3)

Winner: William ‘Twooopair’ Reymond
Prize: $154,996
Field: 2,972 entries

Online bracelet events debuted in 2015, courtesy of the legal and regulated WSOP.com online poker platform.

Pro player Anthony Spinella took that inaugural tournament down, and he made the final table in this one, the first of four online events on the summer.

But Spinella bowed out in 7^th place, leaving William ‘Twooopair’ Reymond to battle it out heads-up against Shawn ‘sHaDySTeeM’ Stroke.

The tournament played out entirely on WSOP.com within one day’s time, and when it was all said and done, Reymond turned his first recorded tournament cash into his first gold bracelet.

To see how the rest of the final table stacked up, see below:

Final Table Results:

1^st place: William ‘Twooopair’ Reymond $154,996
2^nd place: Shawn ‘sHaDySTeeM’ Stroke $94,265
3^rd place: Stephen ‘SteveSpuell’ Buell $69,017
4^th place: Ryan ‘LoveMy11Cats’ Belz $50,593
5^th place: Elliott ‘Ekampen05’ Kampen $37,530
6^th place: Josh ‘YoelRomero’ King $27,977
7^th place: Anthony ‘nowb3athat’ Spinella $21,251
8^th place: Michael ‘myapologies’ Hauptman $16,279
9^th place: Jennifer ‘moistymire’ Miller $12,478

Conclusion

The first week of the WSOP is in the books, and we have several more before the big main event gets underway. While the series isn’t as popular as it was a few years back, it still draws thousands of players from all over the world to compete for fame, money, and a gold bracelet.