Event #93: $777 Lucky 7's No-Limit Hold'em (7-Handed)
Day 3 Completed
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #93: $777 Lucky 7's No-Limit Hold'em (7-Handed)
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2024 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$777
Prize Pool
$4,302,218
Entries
6,292
Level
40
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
2,000,000
Entries
5
Players Left
1
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Action has concluded in Event #93: $777 Lucky 7's No-Limit Hold'em (7-Handed) here at the Horseshoe Las Vegas after three days of play. Michael Liang has emerged victorious, earning his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet, along with a massive payout of $777,777.
After entering heads-up play with a 9:1 chip deficit, Liang completed the ultimate comeback story by defeating his opponent Duc Nguyen, in a back and forth battle. Liang navigated through an enormous field of 6,292 runners on his path to capture a majority of the $4,303,728 prize pool.
PokerNews caught up with Liang after the win to ask him how he was feeling after winning his first piece of gold. "It feels amazing. I've had a few close calls in the past. I've had a second place, a third place and a fifth place, so it feels good to finally break through."
When asked what the bracelet means to him, Liang explained "It means a lot. It's one of those things that you dream about when you first start playing poker. And then coming so close in the past and not achieving it, it kind of makes you wonder if it's ever going to happen."
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Liang | United States | $777,777 |
| 2 | Duc Nguyen | United States | $300,777 |
| 3 | Rajesh Mehta | United States | $190,777 |
| 4 | Manoj Batavia | United States | $141,777 |
| 5 | Mitch Garshofsky | United States | $105,777 |
| 6 | Jorge Postigo | Peru | $80,777 |
| 7 | Lukas Hafner | Austria | $60,777 |
Day 3 Action
The final day saw only five players returning, all of whom were on the hunt for their first piece of WSOP hardware. The overwhelming chip leader entering the day was Nguyen with 119,200,000, sitting with more than double that of Liang in second with 52,500,000.
Mitch Garshofsky was Nguyen's first victim of the day. The three-time WSOP circuit ring winner was down to just five big blinds and got it all in with ace-four versus Nguyen's ace-jack. Garshofsky couldn't find a four and was sent to the rail in fifth place.
Nguyen continued his momentum early on when he got it all in against the short-stacked Manoj Batavia, who was in good shape to double up with his ace-ten against Nguyen's king-ten. That was until Nguyen spiked a king on the turn, eliminating Batavia in fourth place.
Nguyen didn't show any signs of slowing down when he knocked out Rajesh Mehta in third place shortly after. Mehta, who was short on chips, moved all in preflop with jack-six suited and was called by Nguyen, who had queen-ten. A queen came on the flop and Mehta couldn't catch up with his backdoor draws.
Heads-Up Play
After having eliminated all three opponents to start the day, it appeared that it was going to be the Nguyen show, who entered heads-up action with nearly a 9:1 chip lead over Liang.
Liang wasn't ready to exit without a fight, and found an early double up with (lucky) trip sevens, a fitting hand to begin his comeback story. From there, Nguyen and Liang traded small pots back and forth until Liang got his second double up of the match, when his top pair held against Nguyen's open-ended straight draw.
Shortly after, Liang won handful of small pots to propel himself back to even in the duel. He kept his foot on the pedal and eventually pulled ahead in the match in a three-bet pot where he put Nguyen to the test with an all-in bet on the turn.
Liang continued to extend his lead, stringing together a number of hands where Nguyen was put in a tough spot. Nguyen didn't go down without a fight however, and found a double up with ace-six, besting Liang's ace-queen to stay alive in the match. Nguyen then doubled up again later on, this time with pocket queens against Liang's ace-three.
Nguyen's rebound was short-lived, and he ultimately ran into the two-pair of Liang on the final hand of the tournament. All of the money went in on the turn and Nguyen saw the bad news that his pocket jacks had been cracked. Nguyen couldn't find the two-outer on the river and his impressive tournament run came to an end, finishing in second place.
Despite entering heads-up play with a huge chip deficit, Liang relayed to PokerNews that he never counted himself out. "I feel confident in my heads-up game, so I know that anything can happen. I've been heads-up in a few different scenarios and you never really know, there's so much variance."
When asked about his plans for after the WSOP now that it's wrapping up, Liang mentioned "I'm going to go to California, and just relax, take a few weeks off."
That wraps up coverage of Event #93: $777 Lucky 7's. Be sure to follow PokerNews as the final few events of the 2024 WSOP come to an end, including the Main Event.
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Michael Liang has won his first bracelet and a whopping $777,777 grand prize.
A full recap of the final day of action and a winner's reaction will be posted momentarily.
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Duc Nguyen raised to 11,000,000 from the big blind after Michael Liang had limped and Liang called.
The flop came 10♥4♣6♥. Nguyen led for 11,000,000, Liang called.
The turn was the K♦. Nguyen fired out 20,000,0000. Liang waited a few moments before he jammed all in, Nguyen snap called.
Duc Nguyen: J♣J♠ 
Michael Liang: K♠4♠
Liang was one card away from the bracelet as the 2♣ came on the river to confirm victory and eliminate Nguyen in second place as he collects the massive cash for the runner-up finish.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
251,600,000
84,600,000
|
84,600,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Michael Liang moved all in on the button and Duc Nguyen made the call from the big blind, putting himself at risk.
Duc Nguyen: Q♣Q♦
Michael Liang: A♦3♣
The board ran out 7♦10♥6♣9♠4♠ and Nguyen's pair of queens held to earn him the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
167,000,000
-28,000,000
|
-28,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
84,000,000
28,000,000
|
28,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
A limped pot saw the flop come 7♥A♥4♦. Michael Liang fired 3,000,000, Duc Nguyen came with the call.
The turn card was the 8♥. It went check-check to the river which was the 5♥. Liang bet 5,000,0000. Nguyen called.
Liang tabled the 7♦3♣, Nguyen had that beat with the 3♠2♣ wheel.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
195,000,000
-11,000,000
|
-11,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
56,000,000
11,000,000
|
11,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
After a limped pot, the flop came Q♣9♥10♥. Both players checked. The turn was the 3♦. Michael Liang fired 3,500,000 from the big blind and was called by Duc Nguyen.
The river was the 2♣. Liang bet 14,000,000, Nguyen called. Liang tabled the Q♦9♣ to shave Nguyen down further.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
206,000,000
22,000,000
|
22,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
45,000,000
-22,000,000
|
-22,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Duc Nguyen limped on the button and Michael Liang checked, bringing the 6♥4♦7♠ flop.
Liang check-called a bet of 3,000,000 and turn landed the 9♦, which went check-check.
On the 8♣ river, Liang led out for 3,200,000 and Nguyen folded.
The next hand, Liang raised to 6,500,000 on the button and Nguyen defended in the big blind.
The flop came 5♣7♥7♦ and Nguyen check-called a bet of 5,000,000. On the Q♦ turn, Nguyen check-folded to a bet of 15,000,000 and the pot was pushed Liang's way.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
184,000,000
15,000,000
|
15,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
67,000,000
-15,000,000
|
-15,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Duc Nguyen raised to 7,300,000, Michael Liang three-bet jammed and Nguyen called.
Duc Nguyen: A♥6♣
Michael Liang: A♣Q♣
Liang had a dominating lead to win his first bracelet as the flop came 3♦5♠3♥. But the turn was the 6♠ and the river the 6♥ to deny Liang the bracelet this time and give Nguyen a big double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
169,000,000
-46,000,000
|
-46,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
82,000,000
46,000,000
|
46,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Duc Nguyen made it 8,500,000 from the big blind, Michael Liang called.
The flop came 10♥5♥9♥. Nguyen led for 11,000,000. Liang jammed all in and Nguyen quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
215,000,000
12,400,000
|
12,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
36,000,000
-13,000,000
|
-13,000,000 |
|
|
||