Event #1: $5,000 Champions Reunion
Day 3 Completed
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #1: $5,000 Champions Reunion
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2024 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$2,047,800
Entries
493
Level
33
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
10
Players Left
1
Level 33
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Asher Conniff battled back from a five-to-one chip disadvantage during heads-up play to claim his first WSOP bracelet in Event 1: $5,000 Champions Reunion and picked up the $408,468 winner's purse that came with it. Conniff defeated Halil Tasyurek in a heads-up duel that spanned three levels and saw the Turkish player bag $272,305 for his runner-up spot.
A total of 493 players turned out for the opening event of the 2024 WSOP, which created a prize pool of $2,047,800.
PokerNews had a chance to catch up with Conniff after his momentous victory.
"It's incredible, man, just to not have to think about trying to win one anymore is great, and obviously the money, the experience — it's awesome, I'm so happy," replied an elated Conniff when asked how he was feeling.
"I think one of the advantages that I have is that I've been in live streams and spots before where people can see my cards [on the stream], and there's bright lights, and it's stressful. I've been here before, so I know what to do," said Conniff in response to whether he felt that running deep in previous big tournaments had helped him.
2024 WSOP Event #1: $5,000 Champions Reunion Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asher Conniff | United States | $408,468 |
| 2 | Halil Tasyurek | Turkey | $272,305 |
| 3 | Yuzhou Yin | China | $188,342 |
| 4 | Jonathan Pastore | France | $132,545 |
| 5 | Terry Fleischer | United States | $94,936 |
| 6 | David Coleman | United States | $69,231 |
| 7 | Nenad Dukic | Serbia | $51,416 |
| 8 | Michael Acevedo | Costa Rica | $38,903 |
| 9 | Bryce Welker | United States | $29,999 |
The Champions Reunion attracted a wealth of poker talent and offered free entry into the tournament for any previous WSOP Main Event champion. However, the rest of the field were gunning for the champion's scalps as a $10,000 2024 WSOP Main Event seat would be awarded to whoever managed to eliminate one of the previous winners. Four of them managed to make the money with Greg Merson (67th), Daniel Weinman (52nd), Dan Harrington (37th), and Qui Nguyen (21st) all picking up a payday on Day 2.
Day 3 began with ten hopefuls all looking to get their hands on the coveted gold bracelet. Two former bracelet winners were in the field with Aram Zobian and Jonathan Pastore both looking to become two time champions. It was Zobian
who fell first during the opening level when his ace-jack didn't improve against the pocket jacks of Pastore which brought around the unofficial final table of nine.
Terry Fleischer topped the counts coming into the day and had maintained that lead entering the final table. The player that entered the day as the short stack, Bryce Welker, was the first man out of the final table after his king-queen didn't find any help against the ace-queen of the eventual champion and earned himself $29,999 for his efforts.
Michael Acevedo never managed to get anything going on the final day and eventually succumbed to David Coleman after three-bet shoving jack-ten and running into ace-king. The Costa Rican player bagged himself $38,903 for his eighth-place finish.
Serbia's Nenad Dukic came into the day fourth in the counts but was eliminated in seventh at the hands of Fleischer during Level 29. Dukic was all in with king-jack and couldn't catch up to the pocket nines of his opponent and he picked up $51,416.
Coleman's stack had dwindled to nothing more than dust, and he eventually got his chips in with ace-nine, but ran into the ace-jack of Conniff. No help arrived from the dealer which left Coleman on the rail in sixth for $69,231.
Fleischer's chip lead had evaporated, and his stack went in the direction of Halil Tasyurek after a bluff attempt went horribly awry which left the American player on the sidelines but $94,936 richer.
Pastore's stack had been on a rollercoaster journey throughout the day but when his chips were in the middle in a coinflip situation with pocket fours, the Frenchman's sailboats couldn't hold on against the overcards of Tasyurek. Pastore was ever-so-close to the second bracelet but the $132,545 payday for fourth will make the journey home a bittersweet one.
Yuzhou Yin had laddered up the payouts as best he could but eventually was eliminated at hands of Tasyurek after getting his ace-deuce in against the ace-nine of the Turkish player. No help arrived on the board which meant Yin took the first of the podium spots in third for $188,342.
Tasyurek entered heads-up play with an over five-to-one chip advantage, and it seemed to be only a matter of time before he closed out the tournament and got his hands on the bracelet. It could have been over within minutes of the restart after Conniff got his king-five all in against the ace-seven of Tasyurek but a five on the flop gave Conniff the lifeline he needed.
Conniff found himself all in and behind once again with king-ten against the ace-ten of his opponent. Just as it seemed the curtains were closing on Conniff's chances of a bracelet, a king on the flop sent his rail into a frenzy and almost evened out the chip stacks.
The pair continued to battle it out, and Conniff eventually took the chip lead for the first time in the heads-up match during Level 32 with an epic ace-high hero call that really swung the pendulum in his direction.
In the final hand of the night, Tasyurek shoved all in with jack-nine and ran into the pocket tens of Conniff. As the rail watched on, a clean runout secured the victory for Conniff which meant Tasyurek had to settle for the runner-up prize of $272,305.
That concludes the coverage for this tournament but PokerNews will be reporting on all 99 bracelet events throughout the series so be sure to stay tuned to keep up to date with the latest bracelet action.
Level 33
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Halil Tasyurek moved all in for 5,000,000 on the button, and Asher Conniff snap-called in the big blind.
Halil Tasyurek: J♦9♦ 
Asher Conniff: 10♥10♣
Two years ago, Conniff also had two tens on the Main Event final table bubble only to lose to flopped quads. No such fate awaited him today, however, as the board ran out 7♠4♣K♠5♦8♣ to secure him the pot and his first WSOP bracelet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
24,650,000
5,800,000
|
5,800,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level: 33
Blinds: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 400,000
Level 32
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Halil Tasyurek limped in with A♣6♥ and Asher Conniff checked J♣7♦.
The flop came Q♠7♣7♦ to give Conniff trips as both players checked to the A♠ turn. Conniff checked again and Tasyurek bet 300,000 with his two pair.
Conniff called and the 9♥ fell on the river. Tasyurek bet another 1,200,000 and Conniff this time raised to 7,000,000, enough to put Tasyurek all in.
Tasyurek tanked for a few minutes before giving up his ace as Conniff took down another big pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,850,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,800,000
-1,800,000
|
-1,800,000 |
Level 32
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
In a limped pot, Asher Conniff bet 300,000 from the small blind on a flop of 10♦J♦3♦ and Halil Tasyurek called.
The J♣ turn was checked and the 4♦ fell on the river. Conniff then bet 1,000,000.
Tasyurek called with 10♥9♠ for two pair, but Conniff had K♠9♦ for a flush to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,050,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
7,600,000
-1,900,000
|
-1,900,000 |
Level 32
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Halil Tasyurek limped in, Asher Conniff raised to 1,050,000, and Tasyurek called.
Conniff bet 600,000 on the 10♠5♥2♠ flop, and Tasyurek called. Both players then checked the 6♥ turn.
Conniff also checked the 3♦ river, and Tasyurek bet 1,800,000. Conniff tanked for several minutes before calling.
Tasyurek showed 8♠7♠ for missed flush and straight draws, while Conniff turned over A♠J♦ and won the pot with ace-high to take the chip lead for the first time in the heads-up match.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,150,000
3,450,000
|
3,450,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,500,000
-3,450,000
|
-3,450,000 |
Level 32
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Asher Conniff limped in and Halil Tasyurek checked his option.
Conniff bet 300,000 on the 8♠4♣3♦ flop and Tasyurek raised to 900,000. Conniff called.
Both players checked the 3♥ turn. The river was the 9♦, and Tasyurek checked again as Conniff checked back with 5♦5♣. Tasyurek mucked 6♠2♠ for a missed straight draw.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,950,000
-1,500,000
|
-1,500,000 |
|
|
11,700,000
1,500,000
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
||
Level 32
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Halik Tasyurek limped in from the button with 8♥3♦ and Asher Conniff checked with Q♦7♣.
A flop of A♦5♣3♠ saw Conniff check-call a bet of 300,000 by Tasyurek.
Both players checked the J♠ turn to see the Q♠ fall on the river. Conniff led for 750,000 and Tasyurek folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,450,000
-1,500,000
|
-1,500,000 |
|
|
10,200,000
1,500,000
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
||
Level 32
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Asher Conniff raised to 700,000 on the button and Halil Tasyurek called.
The flop came J♣8♠7♥ and Conniff bet 425,000. Tasyurek called.
Both players checked the 3♥ turn and Tasyurek also checked the 7♠ river.
Conniff checked back and Tasyurek took the pot with Q♦10♥ for queen-high as Conniff mucked 6♠4♦.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,950,000
1,725,000
|
1,725,000 |
|
|
8,700,000
-1,725,000
|
-1,725,000 |
|
|
||