Nick Schulman has won two World Poker Tour titles. He regularly crushes high-stakes cash games, both live and online. He has over $3.8 million in career tournament earnings and at age 24 is already a veteran on the felt. But until just moments ago, he didn't have a WSOP bracelet.
Schulman was a quiet, steady presence in this tournament, which drew a stacked field and some of poker's biggest personalities. Schulman entered the final table fourth in chips, but surged into the lead when he eliminated Steve Sung in third place, his T-7-5-4-3 just outrunning Sung's T-8-5-4-3. Schulman ended up heads-up with Ville Wahlbeck at a 2-1 chip advantage and never lost the lead.
Major, major props go out to runner-up Ville Wahlbeck, the Finnish sensation that is simply tearing up the WSOP. Now the leader in the Player of the Year Race, Wahlbeck has cashed four times in four $10,000 buy-in events, making three final tables and winning his first bracelet in the $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event.
Congratulations to Nick Schulman on his first WSOP bracelet and a tournament well-played.
What an end to this tournament! Nick Schulman opened from the button for the standard 75,000 chips, then called a reraise from Ville Wahlbeck to 250,000. On the draw, both players took one card.
With the draw completed, Wahlbeck had first action. He moved all in and was double-fist-pump-snap-called by Schulman, who turned over Number One (7-5-4-3-2)! It was overkill, as a deflated Wahlbeck opened a stone bluff, 9-9-8-5-2.
Wahlbeck's quest for his second bracelet of the 2009 WSOP comes up just a bit short. He will earn $172,864 for second place.
..and just like that the 200,000 chips go back to Ville Wahlbeck. He made the standard 75,000-chip open, then drew one after Nick Schulman called and drew two. After the draw, Schulan checked to Wahlbeck, who bet 140,000.
So far in heads-up, when Wahlbeck has bet after the draw he hasn't had anything less than a 10. The same held true here, with Schulman tank-calling and muck upon being shown Wahlbeck's 9-8-7-3-2.
Ville Wahlbeck can ill afford any 200,000-chip swings. He gave up another one to Nick Schulman. It was a 75,000-chip pre-draw raise by Wahlbeck that was called by Schulman. Schulman drew one card before Wahlbeck took two.
After the draw, Schulman made it 120,000 to go. Wahlbeck called and mucked when Schulman turned over a ten perfect, 10-5-4-3-2.
The players are passing 75,000 chips back and forth. It was Schulman's turn to collect them, calling a raies from Ville Wahlbeck and drawing 2 to Wahlbeck's 1. After the draw, Schulman led out for 150,000 and induced a fold.
It's another 75,000 chips for Ville Wahlbeck. That was his pre-draw raise that Nick Schulman called. Both players drew one then checked. Wahlbeck won the pot with J-9-6-3-2.