Phil Hellmuth Just Misses 17th WSOP Bracelet

Phil Hellmuth had just won a Record 16th WSOP Bracelet on Monday. Only three days later the Poker Brat was heads-up for bracelet Number 17 in Event #31: $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship. Hellmuth has now also taken over the lead in the 2021 WSOP Player of the Year leaderboard.

Daniel Negreanu first one to hit the rail

The final day of Event #36 $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship was eagerly-awaited by poker fans around the globe as poker legends Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth and Mike Matusow were all among the final ten players.

Join the VIP-Grinders Telegram & Discord Channel and get passwords for exclusive high-value freerollsJoin the VIP-Grinders Telegram & Discord Channel and get passwords for exclusive high-value freerolls

Daniel Negreanu entered Day 3 in a promising 4th place, but couldn’t get anything going.

Phil Hellmuth Just Misses 17th WSOP Bracelet - Finishing Runner-Up in $10K Dealer's Choice

The day was going from bad to worse and then it all went completely wrong in a Stud Eight or Better hand against Andrew Kelsall.

The Canadian was left with only 75,000 chips (5 big blinds) and looked down to find 7♦6♦ in the cut-off, which was more than enough to jam. Matt Glantz obliged in the big blind and flipped over Ah2h.

The board came: A♦T♠Q♠9♥4♦, teasing Negreanu with a gutshot straight draw on the turn but no further help arrived.

Phil Hellmuth Plays Heads-Up against Adam Friedman, a Two-Time Winner of this Event

The action never let up for even a minute in this field. Phil Hellmuth was in a typically confident mood, but so was his fellow old-school poker legend Mike “The Mouth” Matusow.

Phil Hellmuth 17th WSOP Bracelet

Mike Matusow must have also have been fired up after his social media rant at a critical nomination for this year’s poker Hall of Fame entry.

A major news outlet claimed that he was past his best and no longer a top player—he must have been dying to prove the haters wrong.

By the time we were down the final six players, Jake Schwartz was the only player never to have won a WSOP bracelet. But he does have $3.4 million in live tournament winnings and eight cashes from this series already.

In the end it was Matusow’s friend Phil Hellmuth who sent him to the rail in a hand of 2-7 Triple Draw, and soon there would be only Adam Friedman between the “Poker Brat” and his 17th bracelet.

Adam Friedman is the defending champion and has actually won this event on two occasions—2018 and 2019. He also has another bracelet victory from 2012 in a Seven-Card-Stud event. Can he stop Phil Hellmuth’s charge?

Can Phil Hellmuth Pull off the Impossible?

Phil Hellmuth got off to a good start pulling out a comfortable chip lead, but it didn’t last for long.

Phil Hellmuth Just Misses 17th WSOP Bracelet - Finishing Runner-Up in $10K Dealer's Choice

The Wisconsin man tried double-barrelling on a monotone ace-high board only to give up on the river with Friedman flipping over A9s. It’s now looking like a tough ask but anything can still happen.

After being at a 4-1 chip disadvantage, Hellmuth’s pair of queens pulled some chips back in a hand of Stud Eight or Better, but it all went wrong only the very next hand in 2-7 No-Limit Single Draw.

Hellmuth was bluffing and Friedman made a good call to leave the chip stacks at 4,250,000 to 750,000.

Adam Friedman wins $10,000 Dealer’s Choice for the 3rd time in a row!

Adam Friedman continued to grind Phil Hellmuth down in epic fashion. He increased his chip lead further and further until 8 to 1.

In the final 2-7 No-Limit Single Draw Adam Friedman called Hellmuth’s All-In with a Jack-Nine low and was good.

Adam_Friedman_2018_World_Series_of_Poker_EV28_DAY03_DSC_4567

This settled the deal and made Adam Friedman the first-ever Three-Time Champion of the $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship!

Congratulations for this incredible achievement and also to Phil Hellmuth for reaching already his fifth WSOP final table this year as well as for another fantastic result.

Result $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship:

Phil Hellmuth Just Misses 17th WSOP Bracelet - Finishing Runner-Up in $10K Dealer's Choice

$600 Bonus OR
$100 in Free Rewards
60% RB | VG Freeroll
New Customers Only | 18+ | T&C Apply
Upon making your first deposit on GGpoker using bonus code ´VIPGRINDERS`, you can choose between a 100% up to $600 first deposit bonus OR $50 Free Play. Players from UK will get a Matched Bonus & £40 Free Play You will also get up to 60% rakeback via the Fish Buffet, our private freerolls, races and various other GGPoker promotions.

Terms and conditions apply. New customer offer and 18+ only. Should you require help regarding your betting pattern, please visit www.begambleaware.org

Professional Poker Journalist
An avid poker player, he dreams of one day playing the WSOP Main Event and has promised himself he will fold aces and kings if he gets them on the first hand to avoid front-page headlines.
Filed Under: Live Poker News Poker News

Categories

Brands
Date (UTC-0)
Prizes
 
15th Dec 18:30
$250
22nd Dec 18:30
$250
29th Dec 18:30
$250
5th Jan 18:30
$250
12th Jan 20:00
$250
19th Jan 18:30
$250
26th Jan 18:30
$250
31st Jan 18:30
$250