Andrey Zhigalov Wheels In Second Bracelet in Event #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. ($197,923)

Seven years in the past, Andrey Zhigalov received his first-ever bracelet within the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Right now, after a twelve-hour day of restrict poker, Zhigalov captured his second bracelet within the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas by taking down the record-breaking version of the identical match on the 2025 World Sequence of Poker. Zhigalov conquered the 867-entrant area of Occasion #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. and added $197,923 to his match winnings, the most important share of the $1,150,943 prize pool.

Throughout a back-and-forth heads-up battle with Thomas Taylor, Zhigalov gained an enormous edge when he made the nuts in razz, a wheel. Taylor had made the second nuts within the large pot, inflicting the vast majority of the chips to go in. Not a lot later, Zhigalov closed issues out, leaving Taylor to make do with $131,916 and his second runner-up end in as a few years.

Occasion #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Remaining Desk Outcomes

Winner’s Response

“That is my favourite match, and I used to be so proud to play on this ultimate desk once more. I received the match in 2018 and tried to defend my title in 2019, however could not do it. It is a very particular match for me, and it is an excellent match with a really pleasant ambiance,” Zhigalov shared after his victory.

Attribute of the ambiance Zhigarov cherished a lot, each Zhigalov and Taylor had been cheered on by sizable crowds through the epic heads-up match that lasted a number of ranges. “I’ve had such good associates,” Zhigalov famous. “Truly, the man who was third in 2018, he was railing for me right here.”

Zhigalov is considerably of a poker anomaly, opting to focus solely on blended video games, stating that he finds no-limit maintain’em “boring” and likes the range that blended video games convey with them.

Poetically, Zhigalov received his favourite match in his favourite recreation: “I desire all stud video games, and really feel most protected in razz, I’ve obtained lots of expertise [in it].” Concerning the deciding hand, he famous: “In a money recreation, I’d’ve performed it in a different way. I feel I’ll elevate on fifth, however right here I made a decision to avoid wasting chips and see what is going on on on sixth. On sixth, we had the very same arms. Then we each caught excellent on seventh, and that is the cooler.”

Zhigalov’s Highway to Victory

Zhigalov began the day because the chipleader of the 18 returning gamers, however obtained off to a tough begin. After Blaz Zerjav (18th – $7,562) and Ari Engel (seventeenth – $7,562) had been eradicated, Zhigalov had dropped to fifth in chips on the two-table redraw. On the ultimate two tables, the place the sphere misplaced Alex Livingston (fifteenth – $9,260), and Corridor of Famer Linda Johnson (tenth – $11,561), Zhigalov chipped again up a bit, and he began the unofficial ultimate desk of 9 gamers third in chips.

With eight gamers remaining, Zhigalov grew to become the shortest stack on the desk; nonetheless, after leaving himself with two large bets after folding on sixth avenue in Razz. “I paired my seven, and I used to be too quick to pay,” Zhigalov shared concerning this very important second.

Shortly after, Zhigalov was all in and in danger, drawing to a unadorned gutshot. He hit his gin card, nonetheless, staying alive within the match and kickstarting a meteoric stand up the ranks. Zhigalov eradicated Joseph Santagata in sixth place, and former chipleader Tal Avivi in fourth.

In the course of the prolonged three-handed section of the match, Zhigalov misplaced his chip lead, and Taylor began dominating. After knocking out Marcel Vonk in third, Taylor began the heads-up with over three-quarters of the chips in play. Nonetheless, Zhigalov fought again, and the 2 exchanged the lead loads of occasions over the following two and a half hours.

Ultimately, as all different tournaments within the Horsehoe Occasion Heart had already wrapped up, Zhigalov made his fateful wheel. Taylor was left with the stack Zhigalov had began the heads-up with, however with the excessive limits, he couldn’t recuperate. A few arms after their ultimate break, Zhigalov eradicated the ultimate hurdle between him and his second bracelet, and instantly began celebrating his newest victory together with his rail.

What’s subsequent for Zhigalov? “Principally money video games, however I’ll play some extra tournaments for certain,” he answered. “Truly, I wished to play the $1,500 Razz right this moment, however ran too deep on this one so I couldn’t register anymore.”

No matter bracelet occasion is subsequent on Zhigalov’s schedule, PokerNews is assured to be on the ground to offer industry-leading stay reporting. So you’ll want to take a look at our WSOP hub to not miss any of the motion out of your favourite occasion on the 2025 World Sequence of Poker.