After three days of intense poker action, a winner has been crowned in the Event 23: $2,500 Seven Card Stud event with David Chiu capturing his fifth WSOP gold bracelet.
Three days ago 246 players took to the felt to play the only seven card stud tournament of the series; and thus technically the Stud Championship. Although there was controversy over the diminishing amount of stud tournaments at the WSOP and the decrease in buy-in from $10,000 to $5,000 to $2,500, a plethora of pros came out to play - some of which make this stud event their only appearance at the WSOP.
As the tournament progressed through the first two days there would be ten individuals remaining eyeing the prestigious bracelet, and once the final table was reached, the eight remaining players were mixed game specialists with eight of the 12 bracelets on the table coming in a form of Seven Card Stud. Young guns Adam Friedman and Matthew Ashton would fall first before Gary Benson's pursuit to claim bracelets 17 years apart ended in 6th. 2010 Player of the Year Frank Kassela fell next before three-time bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi exited in 3rd to leave a battle between 2009 winner Freddie Ellis, David Chiu and Scott Seiver. Unfortunately for the 78-year old Ellis, his run would end in 3rd place to see Chiu and Seiver enter heads-up play fairly even in play after 138 hands of final table play so far.
In a battle of youth versus experience, Chiu and Seiver swapped chips back-and-forth before Chiu slowly began to claw his way into the lead eventually holding a near four-to-one advantage only to see Seiver claim a double to give him some hope. However the match would end after 89 intense hands of heads-up play when Chiu spiked a bigger two pair on seventh to send Seiver out in 2nd.
For Chiu the $145,520 first prize sees him extend his $7.4 million in lifetime earnings, but more importantly it puts him into a club of five-time bracelet winners that include Daniel Negreanu, John Juanda, Jeffrey Lisandro and Stu Unger. For Chiu though, he decided early in this tournament that he would play this event in honor of the late Jerry Buss who was blessed with a touching tribute at the beginning of this tournament. Chiu not only honored Buss with playing his best game, but dedicated this win to a man that has been a part of the WSOP for so many years and will surely be one that is missed.
Congratulations to David Chiu for capturing his fifth gold bracelet and etching his name in the record books as one of the all-time greats whose long list of accomplishments are matched by his positive attitude and approach to the game that has earned him the respect of fellow pros, poker fans and everyone that has come across Chiu's path.
Scott Seiver had the bring-in with the and David Chiu completed for 25,000. Seiver made the call before betting out after Chiu checked on fourth. Chiu responded by check-raising to 50,000 and Seiver made the call before calling a bet on fifth.
On sixth street we found Chiu firing out 50,000 only to have Seiver raise all in for his last 60,000. Chiu made the call and the cards were tabled.
Chiu: /
Seiver: /
With Seiver in the lead holding two-pair, Chiu had outs to a bigger two pair, trips or a gutshot straight, and after Seiver squeezed out the on seventh, all those outs remained. Chiu grabbed his last card and quickly turned it over to reveal the to see him spike a bigger two pair and eliminate Seiver in 2nd place for a $89,980 payday.
Scott Seiver completed and David Chiu made it two bets. Seiver called and both players checked fourth before Seiver check-raised all in on sixth for his last 99,000 with Chiu making the call.
Seiver: /
Chiu: /
Seiver caught a on sixth to take the lead as Chiu found the . Seiver improved further with the on seventh and Chiu mucked.
Scott Seiver completed to 25,000 and David Chiu made the call before calling a bet on fourth. Chiu then took the lead of fifth with Seiver making the call before both players checked sixth street.
Seiver: / /
Chiu: / /
On seventh Seiver checked and Chiu bet out 50,000 which Seiver called. Chiu tabled his for a set and Seiver announced aces-up and folded.
On the Friday edition of the PokerNews Podcast, the crew breaks down the latest news from the World Series of Poker, including David Diaz being banned from Caesars properties, Martin Finger winning his first gold bracelet, Matthew Ashton approaching another final table, and an update from the Ivey and the Misfits fantasy team. They then talk with Jay Rosenkrantz about the premiere of Bet Raise Fold: The Story of Online Poker.
David Chiu completed and Freddie Ellis made the call along with Scott Seiver. The action was checked round to see Ellis bet out 40,000 on fifth only to have Chiu raise it up to force Seiver out. Ellis made the call and then called all in for his last 25,000.
Chiu: /
Ellis: /
Chiu tabled his for a full house to have Ellis and his drawing dead. Chiu caught a meaningless on seventh as Ellis found the to be bundled to the rail in 3rd place for a $59,127 payday.
Scott Seiver completed and David Chiu made it two bets. Seiver made the call before both players checked fourth street before Seiver bet fifth and Chiu called.
On sixth Seiver fired out 30,000 and Chiu raised to 60,000. Seiver made it 90,000 and Chiu called all in for 76,000.
Seiver: /
Chiu: /
With Chiu spiking broadway, he caught the meaningless on seventh while Seiver failed to spike his three-outer when he caught the to double Chiu up to 255,000 in chips.
Michael Mizrachi completed and both David Chiu and Freddie Ellis made the call before Mizrachi bet fourth with both players calling. Ellis fired out 30,000 and both Mizrachi and Chui folded leaving Mizrachi with just 26,000 in chips.
Mizrachi: / (folded on fifth)
Ellis: /
Chiu: / (folded on fifth}
Two hands later Mizrachi would complete and then call all-in for his last 18,000 against Scott Seiver as both player's boards ran out as follows.
Mizrachi: / /
Seiver: / /
With Mizrachi needing a king to stay alive, he would catch the and be headed to the rail in 4th place for a $43,188 payday.
Frank Kassela completed to 12,000 and Scott Seiver two-bet next to speak. Kassela made the call before check-calling on fourth before he led out for 24,000 on fifth. Seiver made the call and then called Kassela's 13,000 all in bet on sixth.
Kassela: /
Seiver: /
Kassela tabled his in the hole to be trailing Seiver's for two pair. Unfortunately for the 2010 Player of the Year, he could only find the on seventh as Seiver found the to send Kassela to the rail in 5th place as he moved to 930,000 in chips.
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and David Chiu completed for 25,000. Seiver made the call before betting out after Chiu checked on fourth. Chiu responded by check-raising to 50,000 and Seiver made the call before calling a bet on fifth.
/ 
/ 
on seventh, all those outs remained. Chiu grabbed his last card and quickly turned it over to reveal the 
to see him spike a bigger two pair and eliminate Seiver in 2nd place for a $89,980 payday.
/ 
/ 
on sixth to take the lead as Chiu found the 
. Seiver improved further with the 
on seventh and Chiu mucked.
/ 
for a set and Seiver announced aces-up and folded.
for a full house to have Ellis and his 
/ 
on seventh while Seiver failed to spike his three-outer when he caught the 
to double Chiu up to 255,000 in chips.
(folded on fifth}
/ 
