It was just a matter of time before poker phenom Eugene Katchalov captured his first World Series of Poker bracelet. He did so late Saturday night at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, winning event no. 2 ($1,500 seven-card stud) after outlasting a tough field of 357.
Katchalov has been on a tear in 2011, opening up in January with a win in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure super high roller event for a massive $1.5 million. He followed up the performance with a second in the PCA no-limit hold’em turbo six-max high roller for a six-figure score, and then in April the New York native finished second in the North American Poker Tour Mohegan Sun no-limit hold’em high roller bounty shootout. The WSOP win of $123,000 brings his lifetime earnings to nearly $7 million.
Katchalov beat out anonymous in a tough heads-up battle in which began as the short stack — after getting through a final table that also included Eric Buchman, Kai Landry, and Ali Eslami.
Here is a look at the elimination hands as featured in Card Player’s live updates:
Vasili Lazarou Eliminated in 8th Place ($11,301)
Vasili Lazarou was eliminated by Eugene Katchalov in a two-part series, with Lazarou losing all of his chips except for one single bet on the hand right before his elimination.
Lazarou went all the way to seventh street with 10
J
2 8 against Katchalov’s A
5 J
A, but folded to a blind bet by Katchalov on the river.
On the very next hand, Lazarou got it all in on third street with the 4 against Katchalov’s A.
Lazarou ended up with a pair of threes 4 9 6 A (3 5 3) while Katchalov double-paired and made a flush on the river with A A 2 2 7 6 K. Katchalov secured the chip lead after these hands with over 500,000 while Vasili Lazarou was eliminated in 8th place.
Ali Eslami Eliminated in 7th Place ($14,723)
Third Street: Jonathan Spinks came in with the low card (3), Ali Eslami completed with the Q, Eugene Katchalov called with the 7 and Spinks called the raise.
Fourth Street: Eslami bet with Q J, Katchalov called with 7 6 and Spinks folded 3 2.
Fifth Street: Eslami bet Q J A, Katchalov raised 7 6 10 and Eslami called all in.
Eslami showed Q 5 for split queens and Katchalov showed 8 7 for split eights.
Sixth Street: Katchalov made two pair with the 8 and Eslami fell behind with the 7.
River: Katchalov makes a final board of 7 6 10 8 (8 7 5) for two pair while Eslami bricks with Q J A 7 (Q 5 K) for one pair. Ali Eslami is eliminated in 7th place.
Kai Landry Eliminated in 6th Place ($19,456)
Kai Landry survived a few all ins during the first level of the final table, managing to double up twice early on, but he finally ran out of luck after getting rivered here by Eric Buchman.
Landry was all in on fourth street with (K 6) A J against Buchman’s (K Q) 9 7. Landry paired his ace on fifth street while Buchman paired his nine on sixth. Landry bricked the river and Buchman caught a seven to make two pair. Kai Landry was eliminated in 6th place ($19,456).
Landry: (K 6) A J A 9 8
Buchman: (K Q) 9 7 9 8 7
Dennis Parker Eliminated in 5th Place ($26,083)
Dennis Parker and Eric Buchman have been tangling since Level 21 when Parker doubled through him to stay alive. Shortly before the dinner break, Parker and Buchman went at it again, this time Buchman getting the best of it. Parker was left with a short stack and found himself all in against Buchman once again.
Parker: K Q A 3 9 2 6
Buchman: 10 7 2 4 J J 6
Buchman rivered a flush and Dennis Parker was eliminated in 5th place ($26,083).
Jonathan Spinks Eliminated in 4th Place ($35,476)
Third Street: Eric Buchman opened with the 6, anonymous completed the bet with the 7, Jonathan Spinks raised with the K, Buchman reraised, Anonymous folded and Spinks called.
Fourth Street: Spinks checked K 4, Buchman bet 6 J and Spinks called.
Fifth Street: Spinks paired his king and and got it all in against Buchman’s jack-high.
Spinks: (10 10) K 4 K 9
Buchman: (8 6) 6 J 9 6
Spinks was ahead with two pair on fifth street when the money went in, but Buchman made trip sixes on sixth street. Spinks failed to improve on the river and was eliminated in 4th place ($35,476), while Buchman grabbed the chip lead with just under 900,000.
Eric Buchman Eliminated in 3rd Place ($48,961)
Eric Buchman and anonymous have been getting involved in a lot of big pots this past level. Early in the level Anonymous took the chip lead for just under one million after catching a straight on the river.
Buchman continued to lose some pretty big showdowns to Anonymous until finally getting the last of his chips in the middle on fifth street with (K Q) 4 5 8 against anonymous’ (Q J) 8 J 9.
Anonymous made a straight on sixth street and Eric Buchman was eliminated in 3rd place ($48,961).
The final hands were…
Buchman: (K Q) 4 5 8 7 10
Anonymous: (Q J) 8 J 9 10 Q
Eugene Katchalov Wins Event #5 ($122,909)
Anonymous started heads-up play with a huge chip advantage over Eugene Katchalov, but after slowly chipping and putting his way to the chip lead, Katchalov had eventually chiseled anonymous’ stack down to just 30,000 after winning a big pot with two pair against Anonymous’ smaller two pair.
On the final hand, anonymous was all in on third street with (K 8) J against Katchalov’s (A 3) 9.
The final cards were dealt and Katchalov rivered two pair to beat anonymous’ pair of kings and a bunch of missed draws.
Katchalov: A 3 9 8 5 9 A
Anonymous: K 8 J 10 K 9
Anonymous was eliminated in 2nd place ($75,911) while Eugene Katchalov clawed his was back from the short stack to win event no. 5 ($122,909) and his first gold bracelet.
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