Event #12: $1,500 Limit Hold'em
Day 3 Completed
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #12: $1,500 Limit Hold'em
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2021 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$563,370
Entries
422
Level
33
Limits
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
0
Players Left
1
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Event #12: $1,500 Limit Hold'em at the 2021 World Series of Poker attracted 422 players and at the end of it, Israel’s Yuval Bronshtein was the only one remaining and claimed the top prize of $124,274 along with the gold bracelet.
Bronshtein defeated Kevin Erickson after a lengthy heads-up battle where he was trailing the majority of the time. He ultimately completed the comeback to enter the elusive club of two-time bracelet winners.
Bronshtein recently bubbled in Event #2: $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. and characterized this win as “redemption”.
Event #12: $1,500 Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuval Bronshtein | Israel | $124,374 |
| 2 | Kevin Erickson | United States | $76,868 |
| 3 | Tom McCormick | United States | $53,588 |
| 4 | John Bunch | United States | $38,011 |
| 5 | Ian Glycenfer | United States | $27,488 |
| 6 | Zachary Gruneberg | United States | $20,262 |
| 7 | Guy Cicconi | United States | $15,230 |
| 8 | Tony Nasr | United States | $11,677 |
| 9 | Anh Van Nguyen | Canada | $9,137 |
On the heads-up deficit that he was able to overcome, Bronshtein said: "I was very lucky to win this after I was down to so few chips so many times, repeatedly, and my opponent was a tough player."
"I don’t really believe in things that are meant to be. I feel like you gotta make everything and earn it yourself. If you play enough poker, like I have, it’s gonna happen where you get really unlucky on the bubble of the biggest tournament you’re playing. It’s just bound to happen at some point, so I’m okay with it.
I also know that if I play as well as I’m capable of playing that this will happen, hopefully quite frequently going forward,” he said with a laugh.
Final Table action
The final day started with 16 contenders and only a couple of hours later, only ten players remained and they moved to one unofficial final table.
Mike Lancaster was the first to go out in tenth when he ran into pocket aces. Anh Van Nguyen followed shortly after in ninth. Tony "TNT" Nasr then was eliminated in eighth after running his big slick into aces and the table was left a lot quieter without his presence and character.
Some time passed before three eliminations occurred in somewhat quick succession, with Guy Cicconi saying goodbye in seventh, Zachary Gruneberg getting his cowboys ousted in sixth, and Ian Glycenfer getting out in fifth.
John Bunch ended up exiting the tournament in fourth and Tom McCormick was gone in third after nursing a short stack and winning several at-risk hands to stay alive earlier at the final table.
Those events set up a heads-up showdown between Bronshtein and Erickson with Erickson starting with nearly a 3:1 chip lead. Erickson extended that lead and, at times, had close to a 20:1 lead over Bronshtein. At one point, Bronshtein was at risk and behind and drawing to the river, and was able to make a flush to stay alive. He jumped into the lead after a couple of sizable pots and never relinquished it.
Not too long after, he got Erickson all-in preflop and had a dominating lead with ace-king over king-queen. Erickson was behind but still alive after the turn, however, the river was a blank, and Bronshtein celebrated his second career bracelet victory with his rail.
“They’re a little similar,” Bronshtein said on comparing this win to his first bracelet win. “I didn’t think anything would top winning my first bracelet because it’s been my goal professionally for so long.”
“I can’t really say if one feeling is better than the other but all things considered, considering I’m at a final table playing heads-up for a bracelet, and I got down and almost out of the tournament so many times… maybe this is even a little bit more satisfying.”
“All things considered I can’t really imagine a better feeling winning a bracelet after… getting so short and so discouraged, to be able to come back from that, it’s a different level… It feels amazing. I’m very thankful."
Keep following along with live coverage of the 2021 World Series of Poker on PokerNews.
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Yuval Bronshtein raised and Kevin Erickson reraised. Bronshtein then put in another raise and Erickson put in one final reraise for the remainder of his chips. Bronshtein called and the hands were revealed.
Kevin Erickson: 
Yuval Bronshtein: 
Bronshtein found a great time to pick up a dominating hand and was looking to hold as the dealer fanned out the 
flop.
The 
came on the turn and Erickson now needed a nine or ace to stay alive. Both rails were on edge waiting for the river card.
The 
completed the board and Bronshtein sealed the come-from-behind victory after a lengthy heads-up battle.
Bronshtein jumped into his rail as he celebrated his victory and his second bracelet. Erickson had a great run, but will have to settle for second place.
A recap is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
10,550,000
2,150,000
|
2,150,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Kevin Erickson raised and was three-bet by Yuval Bronshtein. Erickson called to see a flop.
The flop came down
, Bronshtein bet and Erickson called.
The turn was the 
which Bronshtein bet and was raised by Erickson, who in turn got re-raised., Erickson called.
The river came down a 
which Bronshtein bet and Erickson called. Bronshtein turned over 
and got the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,400,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,150,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
On each street of a 
board, Yuval Bronshtein called bets from Kevin Erickson. Bronshtein showed 
and took the pot when Erickson showed 
.
In another hand soon after, Erickson raised preflop and was called.
The 
flop saw a check-raise by Bronshtein and a call.
The 
turn brought a lead by Bronshtein and a couple of raises followed by a call from Erickson.
The 
completed the board and Erickson folded to Bronshtein's bet, which helped propel Bronshtein in front for the first time in this heads-up battle.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,100,000
5,300,000
|
5,300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,450,000
-5,300,000
|
-5,300,000 |
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Kevin Erickson raised and Yuval Bronshtein called.
The flop came down 
which Erickson bet and Bronshtein raised. Erickson reraised and Bronshtein called all in.
Yuval Bronshtein: 
Kevin Erickson: 
The turn and river ran out 
and Bronshtein got the full double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,750,000
-750,000
|
-750,000 |
|
|
2,800,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Yuval Bronshtein lost some pots and had a short stack again before this hand.
In this hand, Kevin Erickson raised and was called by Bronshtein. The 
flop saw a check-call by Bronshtein.
On the turn, Bronshtein check-raised and Erickson reraised to put him all in. Bronshtein called and hands were revealed.
Yuval Bronshtein:
Kevin Erickson: 
Erickson was ahead with a pair and Bronshtein was looking for a river king or diamond to stay alive.
Bronshtein's rail was calling for a diamond as the dealer tapped the table and flipped over the to give Bronshtein a flush and keep his tournament life alive, and Erickson was left asking the dealer if he could get a different river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,500,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
2,050,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Yuval Bronshtein raised and Kevin Erickson called. Both players checked the flop. Erickson bet the turn and Bronshtein called.
The river was a where Erickson put Bronshtein all in and was called.
Yuval Bronshtein: 
Kevin Erickson:
Bronshtein's kicker was better and he doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,200,000
-1,250,000
|
-1,250,000 |
|
|
2,350,000
1,250,000
|
1,250,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Kevin Erickson raised and called when Yuval Bronshtein re-raised.
The flop was 
and Bronshtein bet, was raised, re-raised, and was called.
The turn saw Bronshtein bet and Erickson call and the river saw the same.
Erickson showed and raked in the pot as Bronshtein mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,450,000
1,450,000
|
1,450,000 |
|
|
1,100,000
-1,450,000
|
-1,450,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 33
Limits: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 0