The $5,000 no-limit hold’em shootout champion is Canada’s Mark Radoja, who topped a field of 387 players to earn his first career bracelet.
The 25-year-old pro specializes in sit-n-gos and basically had to win three of them on consecutive days to earn the $436,568 first-place prize. On the final day, he had to overcome a final table that included Dan Smith, Sean Getzwiller, Todd Terry, Tom Marchese, Adam Junglen and eventual runner-up Jeff Gross.
“You will not find a tougher $5,000 or lower buy-in field for the World Series or anywhere else in the world than this one,” Radoja said. “This was the best field ever assembled for a tournament like this. You can ask anyone in it. I was fortunate, because two of the best players went out early. You have to catch cards at the right time. Looking back, I have no regrets about decisions I made. But you have to get lucky too, along the way. I played my best, got lucky at times, and here I am.”
Incredibly, this was the first event Radoja had played at this year’s WSOP after deciding to get a late start to avoid burnout. Radoja is now the second Canadian to win a bracelet this summer, following Tyler Bonkowski.
Here’s a look at the action according to Card Player’s live updates page.
Dan Smith Eliminated in 10th Place ($28,447)
Dan Smith opened for 60,000, Todd Terry reraised to 160,000 from the small blind, Adam Junglen four-bet to 380,000 from the big blind, Smith moved all in for about 1,000,000, Terry folded and Junglen called.
Smith turned over Q
Q
for the lead while Junglen showed A
K for the draw.
The board came 7 7 4 K
8, giving Junglen a pair of kings on the turn. Junglen took a sizeable chip lead this hand with about 3.3 million while Dan Smith was eliminated in 10th place ($28,447).
Sean Getzwiller Eliminated in 9th Place ($36,669)
Sean Getzwiller started the level as the short stack and moved all in over the top of from the small blind after Adam Junglen button-raised to 60,000 before the flop.
Junglen called and turned over 2 2 for the lead against Getzwiller’s A 8.
The board came Q 9 6 6 K, no help for Sean Getzwiller who was eliminated in 9th place ($36,669). Getzwiller was denied what could have been his second bracelet of the summer while Junglen secured the chip lead with over 4 million.
Thomas Marchese Eliminated in 8th Place ($47,636)
Thomas Marchese came into the level as the short stack and was eliminated shortly after it began.
Adam Junglen opened for 80,000, Mark Radoja reraised to 190,000, Thomas Marchese moved all in, Junglen folded and Radoja called.
Radjoa turned over A K and was ahead of Marchese’s A Q.
The board came K 9 3 4 K, giving Radoja trip kings. Thomas Marchese was eliminated in 8th place ($47,636) while Mark Radoja moved up to about 2 million in chips.
Todd Terry Eliminated in 7th Place ($62,370)
Todd Terry started the level as the short stack and wasted no time getting it in. On the first hand of Level 5, Todd Terry open-shoved for 440,000 before the flop, Adam Junglen called, Mark Radoja re-shoved for about 2.2 million and Junglen called.
Radoja was in the lead with K K against Junglen’s 10 10 and Terry’s Q 9.
The board came A J J 7 3, no help for any one as Radoja more than doubled up while Todd Terry was eliminated in 7th place ($62,370).
Nikita Lebedev Eliminated in 6th Place ($82,287)
After Todd Terry was eliminated at the beginning of Level 5, Nikita Lebedev inherited the role of the short stack and was eliminated right towards the end of the level.
Adam Junglen opened the pot for 140,000 from under the gun, Nikita Lebedev moved all in for about 1,100,000 and Junglen called.
Junglen was ahead with K K against Lebedev’s Q 9.
The board came J J 5 8 8, no help for Nikita Lebedev who was eliminated in 6th place ($82,287).
Adam Junglen Eliminated in 5th Place ($109,406)
Nicolas Fierrogottner open-shoved the small blind and Adam Junglen called all in from the big blind.
Fierrogottner turned over 9 9 for the lead against Junglen’s A 4.
The board came K 5 2 6 2, no help to either player as Adam Junglen was eliminated in 5th place ($109,406).
Scott Baumstein Eliminated in 4th Place ($146,639)
Scott Baumstein open-shoved the small blind and Jeffrey Gross called from the big blind.
Gross turned over A Q for the lead against Baumstein’s A 7.
The board came Q 9 7 8 K, giving both players a pair on the flop. Jeffrey Gross won the pot with a higher pair of queens while Scott Baumstein was eliminated in 4th place ($146,639).
Nicolas Fierrogottner Eliminated in 3rd Place ($198,096)
Nicolas Fierrogottner came into the level as a serious short stack and got it all in shortly after.
Mark Radoja button-raised to 450,000, Nicolas Fierrogttner moved all in and Radoja called.
Radoja had A Q for the lead against Fierrogottner’s A 5.
The board came A 10 2 4 K, giving both players top pair on the flop but Radoja had the higher kicker. Nicolas Fierrogottner was eliminated in 3rd place ($198,096) while Radoja took nearly a 3:1 chip lead against Jeffrey Gross going into heads-up play.
Jeffrey Gross Eliminated in 2nd Place ($269,742) Mark Radoja Wins Event No. 24 ($436,568)
Jeffrey Gross button-raised to 500,000, Mark Radoja shoved and Gross called all in.
Gross lead with A J against Radoja’s K 10.
The board came Q 10 2 10 A, giving Radoja middle pair on the flop and trips on the turn. Jeffrey Gross was eliminated in 2nd place ($269,742), while Mark Radoja won the gold bracelet in event #24 and the $436,568 grand prize.
