Ryan Riess Wins 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event

A total of 6,352 players put up the $10,000 buy-in for the 2013 World Series of Poker main event, creating a $59,708,800 prize pool. After seven days of long hours on the felt, the final table was set, creating a 112-day break for the members of the November Nine.
With ESPN’s cameras capturing every hand for a two-day live broadcast of the action, it was 23-year-old poker pro Ryan Riess who emerged victorious, banking $8,361,570, his first gold bracelet, and the title of world champion.

Riess, the youngest member of the November Nine, defeated Las Vegas club promoter Jay Farber heads-up to take the title just one day after outlasting a final table that included notable pros David Benefield, Mark Newhouse, J.C. Tran, and Amir Lehavot.
Here is a look at how all of the action went down:

Mark Newhouse Eliminated In Ninth Place ($733,224)

It took 36 hands for the first casualty of the final table to be determined. Mark Newhouse survived for quite a while on the short stack, even doubling up when his pocket queens out flopped Marc-Etienne McLaughlin’s pocket kings.

About an hour later, he made his final push for his last ten big blinds with 9 9, only to get a call from Ryan Riess and his A K. The board ran out K 10 7 7 6 and Newhouse was sent to the rail in ninth place, earning $733,224.

The 28-year-old pro from Chapel Hill, North Carolina was gracious in his exit and received a nice round of applause from the crowd in the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas.

Newhouse, who also holds a World Poker Tour title, now resides in Las Vegas and has more than $2.7 million in career tournament earnings, though he primarily considers himself to be a cash-game player.

David Benefield Eliminated In Eighth Place ($944,650)

Just two hands after the elimination of Mark Newhouse, David Benefield found himself all in for 17 big blinds holding K 2. Jay Farber made the call with a dominating A K and it held when the board ran out Q 10 5 J 2.

Benefield, who had doubled up early on in the final table, was eliminated in eighth place, earning $944,650. The 27-year-old, who now resides in New York City, came into the final table in last place. Perhaps better known by his online name “Raptor,” Benefield increased his career live tournament earnings to nearly $2.2 million.

Michiel Brummelhuis Eliminated In Seventh Place ($1,225,356)

The first time Michiel Brummelhuis shoved his pocket nines all-in preflop, they survived a flip against Ryan Riess and his A-Q. The second time Brummelhuis shoved his pocket nines all-in preflop, Riess woke up with pocket aces, ending Michiel’s tournament run in seventh place.

Brummelhuis, a 32-year-old Dutch pro from Amsterdam, was the first player from the Netherlands to make the WSOP main event final table. For his efforts, he banked $1,225,356 for his seventh-place finish.

The seven-figure score was by far the largest of his poker career, bringing his live tournament earnings to $1.7 million.

Marc-Etienne McLaughlin Eliminated In Sixth Place ($1,601,024)

Marc-Etienne McLaughlin fought his way back from the short stack to third place, only to find himself in a huge preflop confrontation with the second-place stack of Jay Farber.
McLaughlin raised to 1,600,000 in the hijack, only to see Farber reraise to 3,800,000 from the button. McLaughlin reraised to 8,700,000 and Farber made it 19,400,000.

McLaughlin then went all in for 38,600,000 and Farber immediately called, tabling A A.

McLaughlin showed K K and couldn’t connect on a board reading 8 7 2 J J, ending his day in sixth place. For his efforts, McLaughlin banked $1,601,024, by far the biggest payday of his career. Amir Lehavot and J.C. Tran, the two shortest stacks at the table, must have been grateful for the unexpected pay jump.

J.C. Tran Eliminated In Fifth Place ($2,106,893)

At 11-to-5 odds, long-time tournament pro and chip leader J.C. Tran was the favorite coming into the main event final table, according to Caesars Entertainment.

Unfortunately for the 36-year-old Sacramento, California native, he never could quite solve the unstoppable force that was Jay Farber on his immediate left.

After Marc-Etienne McLaughlin’s elimination in sixth place, Tran got the rest of his stack in just a few hands later holding A 7. Farber felt priced in with K Q in the small blind and connected as the board rolled out K J 9 5 6.

Tran was eliminated in fifth place, pocketing $2,106,893. Tran, who has two WSOP bracelets and a World Poker Tour title, moved into 15th place on the all-time tournament earnings list with nearly $10.9 million. The elimination left Farber with a massive chip lead, being the only player with over 100 million in chips.

Sylvain Loosli Eliminated In Fourth Place ($2,792,533)

After hours of six-handed play, it took less than a dozen hands to get down to the final three players. Sylvain Loosli, a 26-year-old poker pro from Toulon, France, was a short-stacked ninja for much of the final table. Unfortunately for him, he made his final push holding Q 7 and was caught by Ryan Reiss and his A 10.

The board fell K 9 8 9 A and the Frenchman was eliminated in fourth place, earning a life-changing sum of $2,792,533. It was only the third-ever cash for Loosli, who recently final tabled an event in Dublin for a modest $80,966.

Loosli’s elimination guaranteed that an American would win this year’s WSOP main event.

Amir Lehavot Eliminated In Third Place ($3,727,823)

For a while, it looked like Jay Farber would steamroll his way to the main event title. Instead, Ryan Riess made it a contest by claiming his fourth bounty at the final table.
On hand no. 171, Amir Lehavot moved all in with pocket sevens, only to be called by the pocket tens of Riess. The board rolled out cleanly for Riess, and Lehavot, who was the shortest stack for much of the final table, was finally eliminated in third place.

Lehavot, who has one WSOP bracelet, added $3,727,823 to his career tournament earnings, bringing his total to just over $5.3 million. The 38-year-old Israel-born poker pro came into the final table with the second-largest stack, but was never able to get things going like he wanted to. Instead, he put on an Independent Chip Model clinic, chipping his way up the pay ladder for an additional $2.1 million.

The Heads-Up Battle Begins

Moving into heads-up play, Jay Farber enjoyed a slight lead of 105 million to Ryan Riess’ 85.675 million. Though he entered heads-up play with a slight chip deficit, the man decked out in a Detroit Lions jersey quickly clawed his way back before dominating and ultimately putting away his overmatched opponent. The match lasted just 90 total hands.

After pulling even, Riess played a series of pots without showdown that gave him a 2-to-1 advantage. Farber came back to even things out once again, but it was short lived.
On hand no. 204, Farber raised to 2 million and Riess reraised to 5 million. Farber four-bet to 8.8 million and Riess called.

The flop came down 8 4 3 and Riess checked. Farber bet 6.7 million and Reiss called. The turn was the 2 and Riess checked again. Farber bet 13.6 million and Riess called. The river was the 7 and both players checked. Riess showed J J and Farber mucked. The pot gave Riess a dominating 134.375 million to Farber’s 56.3 million.

Farber managed to double up with an eight-outer to make a straight, but Riess never wavered and began to chip away again, building an immense 13-to-1 chip lead.

Farber Eliminated In Second Place ($5,174,357); Riess Wins 2013 WSOP Main Event ($8,361,570)

On hand no. 261, Farber, down to his last 14.2 million, shoved over a button raise of 2.5 million and Riess made the call with A K. Farber was drawing live with his Q 5, but a flop of J 10 4 took away some of his outs.

The turn was the 3 and a teary-eyed Riess moved closer to his rail before falling to a crouch awaiting the eventual river card. Farber needed one of the three remaining fives in the deck to stay alive, but the river was the 4, ending his tournament run in second place.

Riess and his supporters jumped in celebration, rushing the stage as an explosion of streamers and confetti littered the table and theater. For his runner-up finish, Farber, a 29-year-old from Santa Barbara, California, banked $5,174,357. Riess, who was overcome with emotion in victory, earned $8,361,570. ♠