After a protracted and grueling heads-up battle to cap issues off, Joao Vieira rose to the highest to seize his fourth World Collection of Poker bracelet in Occasion #38: $100,000 Excessive Curler. Together with the coveted piece of bijou, Vieira additionally pocketed a cool $2,649,158 for his efforts after overcoming a subject of 103 entries within the largest buy-in occasion of the summer season to this point.
It was a protracted and prolonged heads-up match with runner-up Aram Oganyan, the place the tides shifted with each drop of the playing cards. The 2 gamers even engaged in some alternative phrases at one level however cooler heads prevailed, most predominantly that of the Portuguese poker professional.
“It is heads up. I do know issues can go up and down.” Vieira instructed PokerNews. “I simply attempt to maintain myself as levelheaded as potential. Do my finest, battle till the tip I did not have time to complain about having to battle.”
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Regardless of having three WSOP bracelets to his identify previous to this victory, Vieira got here so near profitable the $100,000 Excessive Curler at WSOP Paradise in September. He went dwelling with a second-place end however mentioned that by no means crossed his thoughts or affected how he performed in the present day. “It’s simply in the present day’s occasion. I am not desirous about what occurred six months in the past, or what is going on to occur within the subsequent six months. “
During the last half a 12 months, Vieira has put up quite a few huge outcomes together with his largest ever rating of $4.6 million only in the near past. Whereas that does assist with a few of the confidence, the professionalism in him made it clear that almost all of his self-belief comes from the entire laborious work he has put in 12 months after 12 months.
“The arrogance comes from simply waking up. Doing my finest for 13 or 14 years and simply displaying up. Exhibiting up, displaying up, grinding, being within the current, simply working actually laborious. That is the place confidence comes from. In fact, outcomes assist.”
Each gamers had a rising rail all through the heads-up match, however Vieira’s included a few of those that are additionally properly revered within the recreation on the highest of stakes. The likes of Adrian Mateos, Alex Kulev, and Ren Lin had been seen on the sidelines supporting their good friend because the match got here to an finish.
“No one walks this life alone. I am very joyful to have the spouse that I’ve, the mother and father, my sister raised me, my lovely nieces, and the help group of my mates. My base can also be very sturdy, and that helps me undergo the ups and downs with a humble head.”
Closing Desk Payouts
1Joao VieiraPortugal$2,649,158
2Aram OganyanUnited States$1,766,099
3Thomas BoivinBelgium$1,212,020
4Isaac HaxtonUnited States$857,253
5Ben HeathUnited Kingdom$625,491
6Andrew LichtenbergerUnited States$471,281
7Emilien PitavyFrance$367,069
8Vinny LinghamUnited States$295,883
The Two Large Stacks Take it to the Finish
There have been simply eight gamers who returned for the third and closing day, every having locked up almost $300,000. There have been two clear front-runners to start the day with Oganyan and Vieira holding almost 75% of the chips in play, whereas the opposite six gamers fought to ladder up.
Vinny Lingham was the one leisure coming into the day, and took a nasty beat to start out issues off. That left him on the quick stack and he took a spot from the large blind however ran straight into the pocket kings of Vieira. It was about 45 minutes later when Emilien Pitavy received his chips within the center towards the opposite powerhouse, Oganyan. Any likelihood of a chopped pot was ruined by Oganyan, who made a pair on the flop to ship the Frenchman dwelling in seventh place.
Below the highlight for the second time in just some days, Andrew Lichtenberger was seeking to higher his runner-up end within the $50,000 Excessive Curler the place he fell to Jason Koon. What seemed promising within the early going, turned bitter rapidly by the flip of a card. Lichtenberger flopped prime pair and turned two pair. Nevertheless, Thomas Boivin discovered a key river to make a straight and ship “Fortunate Chewy” to the payout desk.
Ben Heath additionally had a rollercoaster of a day with a few double-ups, and a few palms not going his means as properly. With simply 5 gamers remaining, Heath selected the ace-five suited to stay within the final of his eight huge blinds. Sadly for him, he ran useless into the ace-king of Oganyan. Heath flopped a flush draw and a few chop outs however was unable to search out any assistance on the runout.
Isaac Haxton got here into the day because the clear quick stack, and after being down to only 5 huge blinds late on Day 2, he managed to ladder all the best way as much as a fourth-place end. Haxton additionally seemed poised for a double-up together with his pocket queens however Oganyan was on a tear and spiked the lone over card he wanted for the knockout.
The ultimate three gamers battled for almost an hour however it was the 2 heavy hitters repeatedly touchdown blows on Boivin. After being dwindled down to only 15 huge blinds, Boivin picked up two face playing cards and his chips had been within the center. Nevertheless, Oganyan was as soon as once more ready with the perfect hand, holding a dominating ace that might not be defeated. Boivin bowed out in third place which arrange an epic heads-up duel between the 2 dominating gamers.
Vieira managed to land the primary punch with a rivered straight that earned him a double up. That was the primary of many as the 2 gamers continued to commerce glancing blows, the quick stack profitable each considered one of them. Vieira was lastly seeking to hoist the bracelet after taking the lead in a coin flip. Oganyan was down to only two outs however a roar from his rail was all that was wanted to know that considered one of them landed on the river.
There was some extra back-and-forth that resulted in Vieira taking the lead as soon as once more. Oganyan seemed to be annoyed at one level and his chips had been within the center as an enormous underdog once more. His ace-six seemed to be no match for the pocket sixes of Vieira, however an ace within the window led to a different double-up for the American. Over an hour later, with the stacks just about even, Vieira was the one to search out himself in danger however held to have a slight lead. Vieira’s ace-high was in a position to dangle on regardless of Oganyan holding two stay playing cards and a straight draw.
With Oganyan right down to just some huge blinds, the chips had been again within the center on the very subsequent hand. Vieira held the perfect hand all through this time and felt snug after flopping prime pair. Oganyan turned a flush draw and was on the lookout for one other miracle river card, however this time it was not meant to be. The Portuguese rail erupted in cheers and Vieira was in a position to have fun after securing his fourth WSOP gold bracelet.
On this Collection
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