Ching Da Wu Conquers The $1,500 Closer at the 2024 WSOP
Table Of Contents
Event $98: $1,500 The Closer has ended after an exciting day of play at the 2024 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Ching Da Wu has emerged as the champion of one of the last bracelet events of the summer series, capturing a bracelet and a cool $525,500 cash. The event drew in 3,215 players, who generated a prize pool of $1,086,690. Only 361 squeaked through to Day 2, and all returning players were guaranteed a $3,001 payday.
Event #98: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold'em Results
| Place | Player | County | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ching Da Wu | Taiwan | $525,500 |
| 2 | Mario Colavita | Italy | $350,370 |
| 3 | Bogdan Munteanu | Romania | $261,170 |
| 4 | John Racener | United States | $196,170 |
| 5 | Stanislav Zegal | Germany | $148,480 |
| 6 | Michael Baltierra | United States | $113,270 |
| 7 | David Cabrera Polop | Andorra | $87,080 |
| 8 | Chad Lipton | United States | $67,480 |
| 9 | Luis Yepez | Venezuela | $52,705 |
| 10 | Mike Matusow | United States | $41,500 |
The tournament's final day unfolded with rapid-fire action as players navigated through two intense table redraws. As the field dwindled to 17 players, the pace of play eased slightly.
One of the most popular players at the table Lexy Gavin-Mather took her leave in 17th place when her nine-ten ran into Ching Da Wu's queens. Everyone applauded Gavin-Mather as she exited. During the game, everyone was talking about strategy and requesting her opinion as an amazing coach and strategic player.
The final table bubble burst dramatically when Michael Baltierra pushed his stack all-in, only to be called by Aaron Mermelstein holding ace-eight in the small blind.
With the ten-handed table redrawn, the action moved to the Events Center's feature table. Mike Matusow, boasting four WSOP bracelets and over $10 million in earnings, was the first to depart, his tournament journey closely documented by filmmaker Frank Zarrillo since the 2021 WSOP.
Luis Yepez from Venezuela followed suit, making a bold move with his short stack by shoving with sevens, only to be bested by Chad Lipton.
Lipton's journey ended in eighth place, falling victim to Bogdan Munteanu in a raising battle that saw Munteanu hit the board hard.
David Cabrera Polop of Andorra faced a similar fate in seventh place, his hopes dashed when Munteanu found a lucky queen on the board.
The sixth-place finisher, Michael Baltierra, affectionately known as "Ballz" by his cheering poker club from Central Valley, California, exited the tournament with pocket sixes in a hand against Ching Da Wu. Post-elimination, Baltierra planned a well-deserved massage to unwind with his winnings from the night.
Stanislav Zegal from Germany was knocked out in fifth place. Zegal won the 2023 WSOP Paradise Event #10: $5,000 Main Event Championship for $2 million but couldn't capture his second piece of WSOP hardware in this event.
In fourth place was the 25K Fantasy Draft player John "Spikey" Racener, the runner-up in the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event, and a player with two bracelets. Racener had enjoyed a very successful summer at the 2024 WSOP, securing a bracelet in Event #19: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship (8-Handed) and making three additional final tables, the most recent being Event #91: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. (8-Handed), where he finished second.
There turned out to be no heads-up action as Wu managed to knock out both final opponents in one hand. He slow-played aces to encourage action, and it worked. He eliminated Munteanu from Romania in third place and Mario Colavita from Italy in second place.
Winner’s Interview
After his victory, Wu was still in shock and battling lingering nerves. He felt compelled to express his gratitude, starting with his steadfast wife, Jessie Chen, who had unwaveringly supported his decisions in poker and life. He also credited his parents for their encouragement in pursuing studies and work abroad. He extended heartfelt thanks to his poker comrades, particularly his mentor, Justin Chu.
The thrill of winning the bracelet and the prize money was heightened by Wu's strategic use of Hendon Mob Database during the game, during which he discovered his opponents' impressive credentials. Despite being relatively new to the poker scene, with only a few previous World Series of Poker (WSOP) appearances without notable results, Wu admitted to moments of self-doubt regarding his skills and abilities.
Originally from Taiwan, Wu was vacationing in Las Vegas to pursue more WSOP tournaments while navigating the complexities of obtaining a green card to reside permanently in the United States. Despite regulatory hurdles that briefly paused his plans, Wu dedicated himself to honing his game through intensive study, training videos, and collaborative sessions with his poker peers. His victory over 3,215 competitors was a testament to his perseverance, although he remained introspective about areas where he could improve.
Despite his success, Wu affirmed his commitment to his primary profession as a software engineer in California, ensuring that poker remained a cherished recreational pursuit rather than a full-time endeavor. Reflecting on his achievement, Wu described winning the bracelet as a profound honor and the entire experience as nothing short of exhilarating.
When asked about the turning point in the tournament where he felt like he was going to win, he was proud of the last hand where he coaxed one of the opponents into moving all in after he flat called the other opponent's all-in and he held pocket aces.
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In this Series
- 1 Dong Meng Wins Second Bracelet & $200,000 in WSOP Tournament of Champions
- 2 Jose Garcia Wins Event #2: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em for $79,134
- 3 Asher Conniff Wins First Bracelet in Event 1: $5,000 Champions Reunion for $408,468
- 4 Daniel Willis Wins First WSOP Bracelet in Event #3: $500 Kickoff NLHE
- 5 James Chen Wins WSOP Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo ($209,350)
- 6 Darius Samual's 50% Bankroll Risk Pays Off in WSOP $25K Heads-Up Championship
- 7 Mixed Game Legend John Hennigan Wins Seventh Bracelet at 2024 WSOP
- 8 Bryce Yockey BLASTS 25K Fantasy Draft Price After $5K PLO Bracelet Win
- 9 "I'm Only Here to Win Bracelets," says Nick Guagenti as He Captures His Second
- 10 Malcolm Trayner Made a Millionaire in WSOP Mystery Millions
- 11 Great Scott! Seiver Adds to Legacy with Fifth WSOP Bracelet
- 12 David Prociak Conquers The $1,500 Badugi for His Second Bracelet and $129,676
- 13 Simeon Spasov Wins $1,500 6-Max to Claim Second Bracelet for $439,815!
- 14 Robert Mizrachi Joins Brother on Five WSOP Bracelets After $10,000 Dealer's Choice Victory
- 15 20 Years in the Making: TJ Murphy Becomes a WSOP Champion
- 16 Caleb Furth Captures Maiden Bracelet in Event #15: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better for $265,361
- 17 Dylan Weisman Wins Second WSOP Bracelet in Event #18: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
- 18 Brent Hart Rises From Pack to Win Event #16: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em
- 19 John Racener Spins Shortest Stack Up to WSOP Gold in LHE Championship
- 20 Aaron Cummings Wins His First Bracelet In Lowball Triple Draw Event
- 21 "Feeling Vindicated": Brek Schutten Wins WSOP $25,000 High Roller for $1,405,641
- 22 Sean Troha Completes Hat Trick in $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
- 23 Huge Comeback Inspires Daniel Sepiol to First Bracelet in $1,500 Shootout
- 24 Daniel Vampan Claims First Bracelet and $148,635 in $3,000 Limit Hold'em 6-Max
- 25 Stephen Winters Defeats 20,647 Players to Win $300 Gladiators of Poker ($401,210)
- 26 Nick Schulman Wins Fifth WSOP Bracelet in $25K High Roller ($1,667,842)
- 27 Gruneberg & Bonnacci Capture First WSOP Pennsylvania Online Bracelets of the Summer
- 28 Evan Benton Goes From Poker Beginner to WSOP Bracelet Winner
- 29 Michael Christ "Gets Lucky" On His Way to Winning Event #27: $1,500 Big O
- 30 Alen Bakovic Laughs His Way to the WSOP Event #30 $600 PLO/NLH Mix Title
- 31 Nicholas Seward Wins His First WSOP Bracelet in $3,000 6-Handed for $516,135
- 32 Phil Ivey Wins His 11th WSOP Bracelet in $10K 2-7 Triple Draw Championship
- 33 Richard Ashby Wins Second WSOP Bracelet in Same Stud Event
- 34 Alex Manzano Ascends to Win Event #33: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha DeepStack
- 35 Antonio Galiana’s Big Bluff Propels Him To First Bracelet in Event #34
- 36 Another Comeback, Another Bracelet For Phillip Hui In $1.5k H.O.R.S.E.
- 37 Timur Margolin Wins Third Bracelet in Event #36: $800 NLHE Deepstack for $342,551
- 38 John Fauver Wins The First Ever $10k Big O Championship For $681,998
- 39 Sergio Aido Wins 2024 WSOP $50,000 NLHE High Roller ($2,026,506)
- 40 Two Bracelets in Two Weeks: Scott Seiver Wins Sixth WSOP Gold in $1,500 Razz
- 41 James Obst Captures Second WSOP Bracelet in $10K Stud
- 42 Xixiang Luo Wins First-Ever WSOP NLHE/PLO Bomb Pot Mix Event
- 43 Magnus Edengren Gets His Crowning Moment in $1,500 Mixed Omaha
- 44 Kingery's Ransom: Longshoreman Ships $2K No-Limit Hold’em for $410,359
- 45 "It Was My Time": Chris Hunichen Captures First Bracelet & $2.8M in $100K High Roller
- 46 Peter Park Wins First Bracelet and $240,724 in Event #51: $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty!
- 47 Dominant Performance: Pedro Neves Crushes On Way to WSOP Monster Stack Bracelet
- 48 Extra Special Day for Christopher Vitch As He Wins Event #48: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
- 49 Mostafa Haidary Tears Through the Final Four to Win Event #52: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
- 50 Third Time's the Charm: Patrick Moulder Captures First Bracelet and $177,045 in $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw
- 51 Frank Funaro Wins Second WSOP Bracelet in $10k Super Turbo Bounty
- 52 Dario Sammartino Wins First Bracelet in Event #61: $2,500 Stud 8/Omaha 8 for $222,703
- 53 Sean Jazayeri Claims First Bracelet in Event #59: $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em
- 54 We Want the Funk! David Funkhouser Wins First Bracelet in $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball
- 55 Paolo Boi Stages Impressive Comeback to Win Event #60: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($676,900)
- 56 Daniel Negreanu Wins 7th WSOP Bracelet in $50,000 Poker Players Championship
- 57 Ben Collins' All Ins Were Unbeatable in Event #67: $500 Salute to Warriors
- 58 Heads-Up Masterclass Propels Elie Nakache to $10K PLO Championship Title
- 59 Determined Scott Seiver Captures 3rd 2024 Bracelet by Winning $10k No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw
- 60 Runner-Up No More: Shiina Okamoto Wins Ladies' Event With Fierce Determination and Confidence
- 61 WPT Announcer Tony Dunst Wins Third World Series of Poker Bracelet
- 62 David Eldridge Overcomes the Odds to Claim Second Bracelet in $25k PLO High Roller ($2,246,728)
- 63 VAMOS! Martin Alcaide Claims First Bracelet and $501,250 in Event #70: $400 Colossus
- 64 Matthew Lambrecht Wins $10,000 Mystery Bounty for First WSOP Bracelet
- 65 Team Setna is "On Cloud 9" as the Duo Take Down Event #75: $1,000 Tag Team No Limit Hold’em
- 66 Wing Po Liu Flies High To Win Second Bracelet for $209,942
- 67 Nine Years After Near Tragedy, Arash Ghaneian Wins Second Bracelet in $10,000 Stud Hi-Lo Championship
- 68 First Cash, First Bracelet as Daniel Perkusic Dominates $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha
- 69 Georgios Skarparis Wins Mini Main Event After a Promise to His Student ($554,925)
- 70 Francis Anderson Wins 2024 WSOP $800 Independence Day Celebration ($501,040)
- 71 Dominating Final Table Performance Sees Aditya Agarwal Take Down Event #82: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($189,661)
- 72 Chance Kornuth Flips His Way to Fourth Bracelet in Event #85: $1,000 Flip & Go No-Limit Hold'em
- 73 Matthew Alsante Triumphs Over the Pros in $5K 8-Handed No Limit Hold'em ($785,486)
- 74 It’s a Poker Fairytale For Carsten Heidemann, Winner of Event #84: $600 Ultra Stack No-Limit Hold’em
- 75 2024 WSOP Online: Watson Becomes Poker's 10th Triple Crown Winner; Prociak Claims Third Bracelet
- 76 Sascha Wilhelm Scores Biggest Career Win in $1k Mystery Bounty PLO
- 77 “This Bracelet is Worth Three”: Calvin Anderson Joins Five-Timer Club
- 78 Joseph Sanders Claims First Bracelet and $269,530 in $1.5k 6-Max PLO
- 79 Jared Bleznick Captures First Bracelet in $50k No-Limit Hold'em High Roller
- 80 Career-Best Score and First WSOP Bracelet for $3K HORSE Winner Gary Bolden
- 81 Inaugural $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship A Huge Success as Clement Richez Wins $1,041,989
- 82 Michael Rocco Caps Off Career Summer by Capturing First Bracelet
- 83 Xixiang Luo Doubles Up with Second Bracelet of the Summer in Event #96: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.
- 84 Michael Liang Turns the Tables in Heads-Up to Win $777 Lucky 7's for $777,777
- 85 Summer Saved! Alex Livingston Claims Second Bracelet and $390,621 in Event #97: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed!
- 86 Jonathan Tamayo Wins Record-Breaking 2024 WSOP Main Event ($10,000,000)
- 87 Aneris Adomkevicius Wins First WSOP Bracelet in Event #99: $1,000 Super Turbo No-Limit Hold'em
- 88 Ching Da Wu Conquers The $1,500 Closer at the 2024 WSOP
- 89 Kyle “BluffNTuff” Lorenz & William “mortyc137” Nunley Win Final WSOP Pennsylvania Online Bracelets
