Event #40: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
Day 4 Completed
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #40: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
2021 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,389,425
Entries
149
Level
26
Limits
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
0
Players Left
1
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
A new three-time WSOP bracelet winner has been crowned in Event #40: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship. American mixed game specialist Kevin Gerhart went wire-to-wire and converted his lead at the start of the final day after defeating Marco Johnson in heads-up.
Out of a field of 149 entries, Gerhart outlasted some of the biggest names in the world of poker and claimed the biggest slice of the $1,389,425 prize pool. For his efforts, he earned a top prize of $361,124 while runner-up Johnson had to settle for a consolation prize of $223,194.
While today's victory is the biggest in terms of money earned, he considers the first bracelet in Event #54: $1,500 Razz back in 2019 as the most important one. "I would consider the first one, the Razz one, the most important just because it opened the doors for me for bigger and better things. I just started playing 10ks this year so it's something new to me and I haven't experienced this field very much but I have played against all these guys in the $1,500's. I am just so happy to have all my friends that support me through everything."
It was a tough battle throughout the last four days and Gerhart praised not only the four opponents on the final day but also those who busted earlier in the money. "If you look at just the final nine or even the last 16, there are so many names, so many bracelets, so many top level players. I am so happy that I get to proof myself year after year after year with three bracelets and be hopefully considered among the top in the world right now."
Final Table Result Event #40: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Gerhart | United States | $361,124 |
| 2 | Marco Johnson | United States | $223,194 |
| 3 | Eddie Blumenthal | United States | $155,971 |
| 4 | Bryce Yockey | United States | $111,701 |
| 5 | Brandon Shack-Harris | United States | $82,033 |
| 6 | Chris Vitch | United States | $61,819 |
| 7 | Jake Schwartz | United States | $47,835 |
| 8 | David Benyamine | France | $38,035 |
Gerhart headed into the final day as the chip leader after a long session at the tables on the previous day, where the field was whittled down from 16 contenders. That included a long spell with just one elimination on the nine-handed unofficial final table.
"It was so difficult. Playing nine-handed, anything is difficult, the hand ranges you have to play, tighten up so much and the short stacks kept doubling and doubling. By the end of the day I got home, I had no energy to think about anything and went straight to sleep for twelve hours," the eventual champion admitted.
Gerhart considered runner-up Johnson as a tough competitor. He described one especially difficult Stud Hi-Lo hand in which Johnson's raise caused him to "almost throw up" as it was difficult to fold. However, once they headed into the next Limit Hold'em round, Gerhart went on a heater in which he "just had it over and over. I kept getting value bet after value bet in and he just called off."
That short spell sent Gerhart into an overwhelming lead and he eventually finished the job in an Omaha Hi-Lo hand in which he flopped an unbeatable full house.
During the final table, Gerhart had a large rail going and which created a familiar boisterous atmosphere in the Thunderdome while three WSOP events played down to a winner at nearly the same time.
"It is unbelievable to have 30 people cheering for you at the same time, just the energy I felt from the crowd. The only rail I had the last few days were my girlfriend and my girlfriend's parents who just came into town Thursday night," Gerhart said in the interview after his victory.
The victory also comes at a special time as he celebrates his birthday next week and received the "best present I could have asked for." It was the fifth cash of the ongoing series in Las Vegas but Gerhart will be skipping the $50,000 Poker Players Championship to go back to his usual $1,500 Events and add a "couple of 10k buy-ins, play the Main Event and call it a year."
After the 2021 WSOP has wrapped up, Gerhart said he will certainly take a break from poker and promised his girlfriend a trip anywhere in December and January to spend some time together.
Action of the Final Day
Only five players returned to their seats on the main feature table in the Amazon Room and Gerhart was the chip leader ahead of Eddie Blumenthal while Marco Johnson was in third place. Another two WSOP bracelet winners were in contention including Bryce Yockey and Brandon Shack-Harris with the latter as the distinct short stack.
There would be no third victory for Shack-Harris as he fell in the opening stages, and Yockey's stack was decimated before he bowed out in a three-way Razz hand against Blumenthal and Gerhart. Throughout the entire 124 hands on the final day, which was live-streamed on the PokerGO platform, Gerhart remained in the lead and was only temporarily threatened by Johnson during heads-up play.
Blumenthal's fate was sealed in a Limit Hold'em hand in which Johnson made trips queens and the heads-up action commenced with a near two-to-one lead for Gerhart. After nearly closing the gap at one point, Johnson dropped to a severe short stack and was unable to mount a comeback to claim his own third WSOP gold bracelet.
This concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event but the live reporting team is providing exclusive updates throughout the entire 2021 WSOP in Las Vegas from start to finish.
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Marco Johnson doubled his severe short stack to 410,000 and he got it in again right after.
Marco Johnson: 
Kevin Gerhart: 
The 
flop left Johnson drawing dead as the 
turn and 
river only improved Kevin Gerhart to quads. Johnson's run ends in second place and he takes home $223,194.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
8,900,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Marco Johnson: 
Kevin Gerhart: 
Marco Johnson was all-in preflop and Kevin Gerhart looked him up for 205,000 total. The board ran out 
and Johnson rivered a full house for the chop.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,700,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
205,000
-360,000
|
-360,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Limit Hold'em
Kevin Gerhart raised on the button and Marco Johnson called. On a flop of 
, Johnson check-called a bet and the 
turn was checked through. Johnson then bet the 
river and Gerhart raised, sending his opponent into a very long tank. Johnson called after nearly two and a half minutes and mucked when Gerhart showed the 
for queens and sixes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,400,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
565,000
-935,000
|
-935,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Limit Hold'em
Kevin Gerhart raised from the button and was called by Marco Johnson from the big blind.
The dealer spread out a flop of 
and Johnson check-called the bet of Gerhart's.
The turn brought a 
and the action was the same.
The river was a and Johnson checked one last time and Gerhart bet, which sent Johnson deep into the tank. After a couple of minutes, he called and mucked after Gerhart tabled 
for one pair tens and was pushed the pot.
The very next hand Gerhart three-bet preflop and Johnson called.
The dealer dealt a flop of 
and Johnson folded after Gerhart led out.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,400,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,500,000
-1,200,000
|
-1,200,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Limit Hold'em
Marco Johnson raised and then called a three-bet by Kevin Gerhart. The flop brought and Gerhart bet for the win.
Johnson received a walk the next hand and he then raised the next button for Gerhart to defend. The flop came 
and Gerhart check-called a bet. They checked it down on the turn and river. Gerhart tabled 
for a pair of sevens and that won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,200,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,700,000
-900,000
|
-900,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Stud Hi-Lo
Marco Johnson: 
/
Kevin Gerhart: /
Kevin Gerhart brought it in and called after Johnson completed the bet.
On fourth street Johnson fired out a bet and Gerhart called.
On fifth street Johnson slowed down and check-called the bet by Gerhart.
On sixth street Johnson checked again but opted to fold this time after Gerhart tossed out a bet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,400,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,600,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Stud Hi-Lo
Marco Johnson: / 
/
Kevin Gerhart: / /
Marco Johnson was the bring-in and Kevin Gerhart completed for Johnson to raise and Gerhart to call. Johnson bet his lead on fourth and Gerhart then opted to check-call fifth. Both checked sixth and Johnson bet once more on seventh. Gerhart called but mucked when he was shown the for fours and treys by Johnson.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,800,000
-900,000
|
-900,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,100,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Stud Hi-Lo
Marco Johnson: /
Kevin Gerhart: /
Kevin Gerhart brought it in and Johnson completed the bet and Gerhart called.
Fourth street Gerhart check-called a bet.
Fifth street Gerhart checked once again, then folded to the bet by Johnson.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,700,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,200,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||