Erick Lindgren Wins Event #32: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed ($606,317)

Mickey Doft

Level 30 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante

Erick Lindgren was arguably the best poker player in the world in 2008. He had just won his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet, cashed five times, made three final tables, and earned more than $1.3 million. Since then, Lindgren cashed only 12 times over the next four years at the WSOP. While his personal troubles have been well documented around the poker world in the last year or so, Lindgren is on the rebound both personally (In addition to getting married in 2011 to fellow poker pro Erica Schoenberg, the couple had a son later that year) and professionally. Entering Event #32, the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em (Six-Handed), Lindgren already had four cashes in the 2013 WSOP. After his dominating performance today, Lindgren earned his second gold bracelet.

Day 3 began with 14 players remaining from the starting field of 516. Lindgren began the day seventh in chips and doubled up immediately through Jonathan Little. From there, Lindgren was relentless and when the final table of six was reached, he was on top of the chip counts.

Ryan D'Angelo exited in sixth place and he was followed to the payout desk by Vasile Buboi, who departed in fifth place. Both were eliminated by Connor Drinan, but after he doubled up Lee Markholt for a second time, Drinan was sent to the rail in fourth place.

Jonathan Little was eliminated by Lindgren in third place, setting up a heads-up duel between Lindgren and Markholt. Though he began with almost a 4-to-1 chip lead, Markholt battled back. Over the course of the 70-hand heads-up battle, Lindgren surrendered the chip lead briefly on a few occasions. However, he battled back and sealed the deal with none other than pocket aces on the final hand.

This marks Lindgren's second six-figure score in the last month, having finished second place at the WPT Championship in May for $650,275. If there were any doubts whether Lindgren was back as one of poker's most elite then, there certainly aren't now. Congratulations to Erick Lindgren on his second WSOP gold bracelet win, and thank you for following our hand-for-hand coverage and until next time, good night from Las Vegas!