Event #84: The Closer - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day 2 Completed
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #84: The Closer - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2019 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$3,780,000
Entries
2,800
Level
36
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
![[user358178]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
After two days of action-packed play, one man was left standing after the dust had settled and that was Abhinav Iyer. With unlimited re-entries across all three starting flights, 2,800 entries were registered in total, generating a tasty $3,780,000 prizepool here at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. That prizepool meant a top prize of $565,346 and the WSOP bracelet were Iyer's at the end of a mammoth final day effort.
Iyer not only nets more than half a million dollars for his victory and his first bracelet, importantly, he brings home the fourth bracelet of the series for his home country, India. Speaking to PokerNews after his win, Iyer explained that poker “is a booming market” back home. “Now more and more people are getting into poker. It’s growing and I hope this [win] can enhance that growth.”
He certainly had a lot of support. “The Indian rail was pretty great … I feel really proud.” They were there cheering him on every step of the way on the final table. It was a hand much earlier, however that set Iyer on track. The tournament-defining hand took place when Iyer eliminated Jeff Gross (32nd) after finding pocket-queens in the hole when Gross had moved all in with ace-ten in front of him. Following that hand, Iyer found himself with a big stack that he managed to hold onto for the duration of the tournament.
Event #84: The Closer - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Payout
| Place | Player | Coountry | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abhinav Iyer | India | $565,346 |
| 2 | Sammy Lafleur | Canada | $349,417 |
| 3 | Sergio Aguilar | United States | $256,298 |
| 4 | Carlos Chang | Taiwan | $189,584 |
| 5 | Patrick Eskandar | United States | $141,432 |
| 6 | Adam Johnson | United States | $106,418 |
| 7 | Shaun Deeb | United States | $80,766 |
| 8 | Steve Yea | South Korea | $61,834 |
| 9 | Jason Reels | United States | $47,758 |
There were numerous stars of the poker world in contention at the start of the day when 196 survivors returned at noon. Over the course of the first few hours, many of them fell by the wayside, including last year’s champion, Joe Cada. Phil Hellmuth, Michel Mizrachi, Jack Salter, Erik Cajelais, Manig Loeser, Justin Young, Mike Sexton, Kristen Bicknell, and Bertrand Grospellier were a few of the others who were unable to convert their stack into a deep run. Daniel Neilson (24th), Ryan Leng (18th), Rex Clinkscales (15th) and JC Tran (10th) fared better but still missed out on a place at the final table.
Once Tran was eliminated on the final table bubble, players took a scheduled dinner break. They returned with blinds putting pressure on many of them and the first to fall was Jason Reels who lost with ace-three suited against Iyer’s king-ten, leaving him to collect a $47,758 payday for 9th place. Next up was Steve Yea who lost a flip with ace-king suited vs Adam Johnson's pocket tens, netting him $61,834 for 8th place.
The most well-known player at the table, four-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb was out in 7th for $80,766, despite making a huge stack after rivering an ace with ace-queen suited against ace-nine suited and pocket queens, when there were two tables left. His run didn’t last and he busted after losing back to back hands against Sergio Aguilar. First it was with pocket-jacks to ace-king and then when he was left short two hands later, he called with king-four in the big blind when Aguilar set him in from the small blind. Aguilar’s ace-three suited held.
Adam Johnson was the next to fall, taking home $106,418 for his 6th place result. Johnson lost a race with pocket-nines against Sammy Lafleur who had ace-queen suited. Patrick Eskandar was not far behind him, finishing in 5th after three-betting all in from the small blind over Lafleur’s button open. Unfortunately for him he ran king-queen into ace-queen and had to console himself with his $141,432 in winnings.
Then there were four left and it was Carlos Chang’s turn to leave next. He raised a significant part of his stack with jack-ten and reluctantly called the rest when Lafleur set him in. He couldn’t find any help against the Canadian’s ace-king but goes home $189,584 better off. Twenty-five minutes later, he was joined at the rail by Sergio Aguilar. Aguilar had lost most of his chips in the previous hand to Iyer after calling his all in on the river. Iyer turned over a straight and Aguilar was left with four big blinds and couldn’t spin them up. He netted $256,298 for his result.
Then Iyer and Lafleur were heads up but Iyer had more than a 2:1 chip lead. Over the course of the next 40 minutes, he steadily chipped away at the stack of the last person who stood in his way. His concentration remained almost unbroken, even with the enthusiastic support of his rail. He did steal a quick glance at the bracelet when it was brought out and placed on the table next to him. In the end, with only around 20 big blinds left, Lafleur limp-called when Iyer set him all in and it was a flip with pocket-sevens to Iyer’s queen-ten suited. By the river Iyer had made a pair and it signalled the end of an incredible run for the runner up, who takes $349,417 with him for his fantastic result.
With the work out of the way, Iyer celebrated with his friends. Some of them were impatient to head out and party once the winner photos and interviews had concluded. For Iyer though, he seems to have a very sensible head on his 25-year old shoulders. Though he may well celebrate his win, looking forward, there is only one thing he wants to do with his winnings. He told PokerNews “I just want to put it in the bank. I don’t want to be a huge spender. Just keep playing, keep grinding, go to the next stop.” That’s dedication for you.
Stay with us here at PokerNews for all the remaining bracelet wins of this fantastic 50th annual World Series of Poker.
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Hand #81: Just like that it's all over and it came down to a flip. Sammy Lafleur limped the button and Abhinav Iyer set him all in. Lafleur couldn't get it in fast enough and they tabled their cards.
Abhinav Iyer: 
Sammy Lafleur: 
Iyer picked up a gutshot on the 
flop, though Lafleur was now a slight favorite. The 
turn changed all that, and despite calls for a seven from Lafleur's rail, the river bricked a 
. It is still a fantastic end to the summer for the Canadian.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
70,000,000
18,975,000
|
18,975,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Hand #75: Sammy Lafleur raised it up and took it down.
Hand #76: Abhinav Iyer raised to 2.2 million and Lafleur made the call. After Lafleur checked the 
flop, Iyer continued for 600,000 and Lafleur folded.
Hand #77: Lafleur called, Iyer moved all in, and Lafleur folded.
Hand #78: Iyer moved all in and Lafleur called all in.
Sammy Lafleur: 
Abhinav Iyer: 
The board ran out 
and gave Lafleur the full house and a much-needed double-up.
Hand #79: Lafleur raised to 2.3 million, Iyer three-bet all in and Lafleur folded.
Hand #80: Iyer wins small pot after it's checked down to the river. He had 
for one pair on a 
board.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
53,700,000
2,675,000
|
2,675,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
11,800,000
4,400,000
|
4,400,000 |
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Hand #71: Sammy Lafleur folded the button and Abhinav Iyer received a walk.
Hand #72: Ayer limped, Lafleur checked his option, and the flop came down 
. Both players checked and the 
peeled off on the turn. Lafleur bet 1 million and then called when Ayer raised to 2.1 million. On the 
river, Lafleur checked and folded when Ayer bet 2.025 million.
Hand #73: Lafleur limped, Ayer checked his option, and the flop fell 
. Both players checked and the dealer burned and turned the 
. Ayer checked, Lafleur bet 700,000, and Ayer woke up with a check-raise to 1.8 million. Lafleur called and then checked the river. Ayer moved all in and Lafleur thought for a bit before calling off his last 3.3 million.
Lafleur:
Ayer:
Both players held nines and sevens with a queen kicker, which meant it was a chopped pot.
Hand #74: Ayer raised the button to 1.1 million and Lafleur called to see a 
flop. Lafleur checked, Ayer bet 500,000, and Lafleur check-raised all in. Ayer folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
51,025,000
-6,725,000
|
-6,725,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
7,400,000
3,400,000
|
3,400,000 |
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Hand #66: Abhinav Iyer opened to 1,200,000 in the small blind and took it down.
Hand #67: Sammy Lafleur limped in and Iyer checked his option. On a flop, Iyer check-folded to a 500,000 bet.
Hand #68: Iyer limped and Lafleur checked. The flop fell 
and Lafleur check-called 500,000. The turn was the and Iyer bet 2,525,000 in position this time and took it down.
Hand #69: LaFleur limped and Iyer set him all in and he folded.
Hand #70: Iyer limped and Lafleur checked. On the flop, Lafleur check-called 1,200,000. On the turn, he check-folded to a 2,600,000 barrel.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
57,750,000
3,750,000
|
3,750,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
8,500,000
-2,600,000
|
-2,600,000 |
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Hand #59: Sammy Lafleur called and Abhinav Iyer checked his option. Lafleur checked the 
flop, Iyer bet 500,000, Lafleur folded and Iyer took the first pot of headsup play.
Hand #60: Iyer raised to 1.2 million and took down the pot.
Hand #61: Lafleur called, Iyer made it 2.1 million to go and Lafleur folded.
Hand #62: Iyer called and Lafleur checked his option. on the flop Lafleur checked, Iyer bet 500,000 and Lafleur check-called. Both players checked the 
turn and after Lafleur checked again on the 
river, Iyer bet 1 million and Lafleur again check-called but folded after Iyer tabled .
Hand #63: Lafleur called and Iyer checked. After Lafleur checked the 
flop Iyer bet 500,000 and Lafleur folded.
Hand #64: Iyer raised it to 2.2 million and Lafleur called. After the Lafleur checked the flop, Iyer continued for 1 million and Lafleur folded.
Hand #65: Lafleur called, Iyer made it 2.1 million to go and Lafleur called. Iyer bet 1.8 million on the flop and Lafleur called again. Iyer then continued for 6.2 million on the turn and Lafleur folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
54,000,000
5,000,000
|
5,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
11,100,000
-9,100,000
|
-9,100,000 |
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Hand #58: After losing to a straight for most of his chips in the last hand, Sergio Aguilar opened blind on blind for the last 2,175,000 and was called.
Sammy Lafleur:
Sergio Aguilar: 
Neither player connected with the 
flop or 
turn so Aguilar was looking to find something to keep him alive on the river. It wasn't to be though and he will have to settle for a fantastic result, finishing in third.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,200,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Hand #57: After the level went up, Abhinav Iyer limped and then called when Sergio Aguilar raised to 1.7 million from the big blind.
Iyer proceeded to check-called a bet of 2.6 million on the 
flop and then check-called one of 4.1 million on the turn.
When the completed the board on the river, Iyer opted to move all in for 16.275 million and Aguilar hit the tank for a couple of minutes before making the call.
Iyer rolled over the 
for a straight and Aguilar sent his cards to the muck. Iyer doubled huge while Aguilar was left with just 3 million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
49,000,000
16,325,000
|
16,325,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 36
Blinds: 250,000/500,000
Ante: 500,000