Daniel Negreanu Wins WSOP Europe High Roller, Sixth Bracelet, and Player of the Year
Entering into Event #8: €25,600 High Roller of the 2013 World Series of Poker, Daniel Negreanu was worried about sneaking into the final table and winning the Player of the Year award. When the final river card was dealt, not only was he the 2013 POY, he had earned his sixth gold bracelet.
"I love drama!" Negreanu exclaimed after the win. "I love drama! What's better than bottom of the ninth, bases loaded...and you just got to win? I love it."
Negreanu defeated Brazilian Nicolau Villa-Lobos heads up. Villa-Lobos, who won his entry in a live satellite, was very pleased to take home €450,000.
“I have no complaints,” he said afterwards, grinning.
Event #8: €25,600 High Roller Results
| Finish | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | €725,000 |
| 2 | Nicolau Villa-Lobos | Brazil | €450,000 |
| 3 | Philipp Gruissem | Germany | €250,000 |
| 4 | David Peters | USA | €150,500 |
| 5 | Timothy Adams | Canada | €100,600 |
| 6 | Scott Seiver | USA | €74,600 |
| 7 | Jason Koon | USA | €63,500 |
| 8 | Erik Seidel | USA | €55,400 |
| 9 | Joni Jouhkimainen | Finland | €50,400 |
The final day of Event #8 began with 13 players, but only nine would reach the money. On the very first hand, Tom Bedell hit the rail, running Q♣10♦ into Scott Seiver’s A♥K♦, and Seiver made Broadway. Phil Laak exited right behind Bedell, losing a race with K♥Q♦ against Erik Seidel’s 6♦6♣, and Byron Kaverman busted when his A♥6♦ couldn’t hold against Villa-Lobos’ K♥Q♣ – the Brazilian made a full house.
The bubble lasted nearly two hours before November Niner Marc McLaughlin was ousted by fellow Canadian Timothy Adams. McLaughlin was crippled down to two big blinds before calling all-in from the big blind with J♠4♣, Adams turned over 8♣6♠ in the small blind, and Adams made a pair of sixes.
On one of the first hands at the unofficial final table, Joni Jouhkimainen was eliminated in ninth place by Philipp Gruissem. The Finn moved all in for less than four big blinds from under the gun with K♥5♥, the German isolated from the small blind with A♣J♥, and Gruissem’s hand held up.
Not only did a short-stacked Negreanu earn a seat at the official final table with the elimination of Jouhkimainen, he also earned the 2013 WSOP Player of the Year award.
At the start of the final table, the eight pros made a gentleman’s agreement not to obtain any information from the delayed live stream – all members of streamed final tables are forced to forfeit their phones and smart devices.
On the second hand of the official final table, Kid Poker was all in and at risk with 10♣9♠ against Jason Koon’s K♠Q♥. Luckily for Negreanu, the board came 8♠8♥6♥6♣8♦, and the two chopped the pot.
A few orbits later, Seidel exited in eighth place. The eight-time bracelet winner open-shoved from the cutoff with A♣J♦ against Seiver’s A♥7♦. Seiver flopped trips when the dealer fanned 7♥9♠7♠, and held as the turn and river came A♠, 4♥ respectively.
Negreanu won a big flip at the start of seven-handed play, doubling with A♣K♥ against David Peters’ 10♠10♦. The A♠ peaked its way through the window of the flop, and the four other community cards were all blanks.
More than five orbits after Seidel hit the rail, Koon was eliminated in seventh place. After Negreanu accidently limped into the pot, Koon moved all in for a little over 16 big blinds. Peters called from the small blind, Negreanu folded, and Koon discovered Peters’ A♣A♦ crushed his A♥K♣. Koon flopped a gutshot Broadway draw and a backdoor flush draw, but the turn and river both produced bricks.
Right before the dinner break, Villa-Lobos crippled Adams and then Negreanu eliminated him. The Brazilian doubled with A♥Q♠ against the Canadian’s K♣J♥ – Adams flopped a jack and Villa-Lobos rivered an ace – and Adams was all in two hands later with Q♣8♦. Negreanu called in the big blind with 9♥5♥, and hit a nine on the river.
Four-handed play lasted 30 hands before Peters four-bet all in from the big blind and Villa-Lobos, the three-bettor, called with A♠Q♣. He was racing against the American’s 10♠10♥, and took the lead when the flop produced a queen. Peters failed to hit a set on the turn or the river, and hit the rail in fourth place.
Gruissem entered the final day as the chip leader, and after maintaining the lead for most of the day, he fell to 20 big blinds during three-handed play. Gruissem three-bet all in from the big blind over an open from Negreanu, and Kid Poker, who folded AxJx to a four-bet shove from Gruissem a few hands earlier, called with A♠J♦. Gruissem rolled over A♣4♣, and Negreanu’s dominant ace held as the board came J♣9♦6♥6♦8♠.
Despite starting heads-up play as a two-to-one underdog, Villa-Lobos seized the lead when he made a full house and a flush. The Brazilian didn’t hold on to it for very long, however, and Kid Poker came storming back to take a commanding lead. On the final hand, Villa-Lobos limped in on the button then moved all in over a raise from Negreanu. Kid Poker called with J♦J♠, which dominated Villa-Lobos’ 5♦5♣, and Negreanu held as the board came Q♦9♥2♦K♦3♣.
Congratulations are in order for Negreanu, but the 2013 WSOPE isn’t over yet. The Main Event concludes on Friday, and PokerNews will be on hand for feature pieces and a recap of the final day.
Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+!
