No Experience? No Problem: Dong Chen Conquers Poker Legends in $10K Limit Hold’em

Dong Chen’s poker resume is spectacular, however amongst the final seven of Occasion #38: $10,000 Restrict Maintain’em Championship, he appeared just like the forgotten man.

There was Benny Glaser, coming off three World Sequence of Poker bracelets final yr and eight in his future Corridor-of-Fame profession, sitting within the chip lead. Jeremy Ausmus was in search of his seventh bracelet to bolster his Corridor credentials. Gus Hansen, one of many faces of the poker increase, was making his first WSOP closing desk in 15 years. Jesse Lonis, the blossoming poker famous person, was chasing his third bracelet. And Jerry Wong and Dylan Smith, no strangers to robust mixed-game closing tables, rounded out the lineup.

Chen was straightforward to miss amidst that group. The Chinese language professional had greater than $4.1 million in dwell earnings, together with a WSOP bracelet within the $10,000 6-Handed Excessive Curler on the 2023 WSOP Paradise. However he was, in spite of everything, enjoying in simply his second Restrict Maintain’em occasion ever, his expertise dwarved by these of his six opponents.

None of that mattered, for Chen beat all of the legends at the moment on the closing desk and dominated Glaser in a brief heads-up match on his approach to his second bracelet and $285,200 prime prize. Chen admitted afterward that he didn’t really feel overmatched on the closing desk. He had skilled it loads of instances earlier than at occasions all over the world.

Occasion #38: $10,000 Restrict Maintain’em Championship Remaining Desk outcomes

Winner’s Response

“Poker-wise, this wasn’t my first rodeo. I’ve battled with legends in No-Restrict Maintain’em. However Restrict Maintain’em is one thing new that I only recently unlocked, so it feels actually good,” Chen stated by a translator.

Chen’s first expertise in Restrict Maintain’em got here just some days in the past, when he cashed in 52nd place within the $1,500 occasion. “That was my first Restrict Maintain’em match, and this was my second Restrict Maintain’em match,” he stated.

He discovered himself short-stacked and three-handed with Ausmus and Glaser, two gamers with a mixed 14 bracelets between them who will every wind up within the Poker Corridor of Fame at some point. Chen’s technique was easy: he was going to go on the assault and put the strain on them.

“Each Ausmus and Glaser are actually unimaginable gamers. My technique was to be extra aggressive, so I three-bet, four-bet loads. That’s my default, go-to technique,” he stated.

“When it comes to heads-up, it issues who hits the board. That’s the primary. And, second, I carried my aggressive model into heads-up, the place I three-bet loads. In order that received me various pots. However ultimately, it was only a matter of hitting the board greater than my opponent.”

Chen is simply the third participant from China to win a number of WSOP bracelets, becoming a member of Xixiang Luo and Renji Mao. He says the Chinese language poker neighborhood was behind him your entire method as he tried to make somewhat little bit of historical past.

“On the finish of yesterday, once I bagged for Day 2, everybody within the Chinese language poker neighborhood was rooting for me, wishing me good luck. So pursuing extra bracelets is one in all my poker objectives,” he stated.

Day 3 Motion

The remaining seven gamers returned to the Paris Las Vegas ballroom at 1 p.m. native time after making it by the 121-entry subject, every securing no less than $38,191 out of the $1,125,300 prize pool. Glaser was the chip chief with 2,255,000, whereas Chen was proper behind him with 2,185,000.

Wong, who yesterday needed to maintain enjoying till he busted or doubled up moderately than come again with a brief stack at the moment, earned an early double when his nines held up towards Lonis’ sixes. Lonis then doubled up with two queens towards Hansen. “Quick stacks are preventing at the moment,” Lonis stated.

Smith, although, had no such luck as he acquired in his remaining chips in with king-ten, and Lonis hit two pair with ace-nine to win the pot and ship Smith to the rail in seventh place.

Ausmus confirmed down flopped quads to knock Hansen all the way down to a brief stack. Wong, in the meantime, continued his ascent when he flopped the nut straight to win a pot off Chen. Chen dropped all the way down to the brief stack after shedding back-to-back arms towards Lonis and Wong. Lonis then known as down Glaser with a rivered two pair, and Glaser flashed a king for prime pair as he mucked. Lonis additionally hit prime pair towards Wong to win one other pot and climb up close to 2,000,000.

Hansen lastly acquired in his final chips after flopping the nut flush draw towards Ausmus’ tens, however he couldn’t enhance and was eradicated in sixth place at his first WSOP closing desk since 2011. Wong dropped two pots earlier than transferring all in on the flip towards Chen and Glaser. Chen guess out Glaser on the river, after which confirmed ace-king for prime pair. Wong may solely present king-queen and busted in fifth place.

Ausmus took the chip lead four-handed after getting paid by Glaser on the river with a pair of jacks, after which betting out Lonis on the river. Glaser retook the lead when he caught Chen making a transfer with simply queen-high on the river, and Glaser confirmed down journeys to win the pot.

Chen was left brief, whereas Glaser constructed up his stack and started to separate from the remainder of the sphere. Chen received an enormous pot off Lonis proper earlier than a scheduled break, exhibiting down a set of sevens. He then check-raised on each the flip and river towards Lonis, and Lonis known as, just for Chen to disclose a rivered straight to win one other pot.

Ausmus once more hit quads to double off Lonis, and Lonis quickly after acquired in his final chips with ace-king. He had Glaser’s king-eight dominated, however Glaser spiked an eight on the flip to win the pot and ship Lonis to the rail in fourth place.

Chen and Ausmus tangled in an enormous pot the place Chen capped it at 5 bets earlier than the flop. He then guess on the flop and Ausmus known as, then each gamers checked the flip. Ausmus led out on the river, and Chen known as just for Ausmus to indicate him ace-king for prime pair. Chen was once more left because the brief stack, whereas Glaser led and Ausmus sat in second.

Chen climbed again over Ausmus when he known as him down with a pair of nines. Each Chen and Ausmus received pots off Glaser with two pair to slim the hole. Chen took over the chip lead after profitable a three-bet pot off Ausmus. Ausmus was left brief after he raised on the river. Glaser then reraised, and Ausmus folded to save lots of his match life.

On the final hand earlier than dinner break, Ausmus moved all in on the flip in a three-way pot. Chen then reraised, and Glaser folded. Chen confirmed a turned flush, and Ausmus was already drawing lifeless with a pair of kings as he was eradicated in third place.

Chen led at the beginning of heads-up. He shortly expanded his lead by taking a pot with a pair of fives, then confirmed down with prime pair of aces to win one other pot off Glaser. Chen known as a four-bet from Glaser with seven-five and check-called with fourth pair to win an enormous pot and go away Glaser brief.

Chen rivered a full home towards Glaser’s flush to go away Glaser even shorter. Glaser then raised the remainder of his stack with ten-eight, and Chen known as with ace-four. Glaser hit a pair of eights on the flop, then improved to 2 pair on the flip. The river, although, gave Chen a flush and the bracelet.

One of many first to come back over to rejoice with the brand new bracelet winner was Daniel Negreanu. Chen was drafted for $1 by Ren Lin in 2024 and 2025. Negreanu, although, acquired him for $4 this yr. Chen thinks his worth has gone up with this win.

“$5. Between $5 and $7,” he stated.

With sudden success in a recreation he had so little expertise in, Chen is already wanting ahead to persevering with his journey in Restrict Maintain’em. “So long as there are occasions. I actually like Restrict Maintain’em,” he stated.

That concludes PokerNews’ protection of the $10,000 Restrict Maintain’em Championship. Keep tuned for extra updates all through the 2026 WSOP.

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