Nick Schulman Joins Poker’s Immortals With Bracelet No. 7 in the $10K 2-7 Championship

Nick Schulman crossed an necessary milestone final September, and it has nothing to do along with his play at a poker desk: he turned 40 years previous.

With the passing of that threshold, Schulman grew to become eligible for the Poker Corridor of Fame. His credentials had been already glowing, with six World Sequence of Poker bracelets, a World Poker Tour title, greater than $20 million in stay earnings, and a status as one of many most interesting poker commentators.

However then he outdid himself at the moment, including one other checkmark on his legacy that may quickly put him amongst poker’s all-time legends. Schulman survived a virtually eight-hour heads-up match with Darren Elias to win his seventh bracelet and $497,356 high prize within the occasion that’s turn into his private playground, the $10,000 No-Restrict 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship.

“To begin with, Darren Elias, with whom I heads-up, is definitely, most likely the hardest No-Restrict Deuce participant I’ve ever performed with. Massive shoutout to him. It was a crap shoot on the finish and I made arms. It’s a little bit foolish. He simply hung in there the entire time and performed so nice,” Schulman stated after surviving the warfare, providing nothing however compliments to his opponent. “It’s a little bit emotional as a result of I used to be content material to lose to him as a result of he deserved it. I wished to win. It feels wonderful. I’m a little bit bit overwhelmed with this one.”

Closing Desk Outcomes

Schulman grew to become the thirteenth participant in WSOP historical past to win seven bracelets, an inventory that Benny Glaser already joined earlier this 12 months but additionally contains names like Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Erik Seidel, Billy Baxter, John Hennigan, Daniel Negreanu, and Scott Seiver. It’s a membership of gamers who’ve devoted their lives to the sport, and Schulman now belongs amongst them.

“It means loads. Anyone on that checklist has spent most of their time on the card desk, or a minimum of an actual proportion of their life. Lots of people drop off and cease taking part in and do different issues. There’s a whole lot of proficient gamers through the years who simply don’t need to be right here for six weeks each summer season. It’s a sacrifice, and I simply need to play my finest and do proper on my own and all that, as a result of I began so younger. It means loads. It’s very particular,” Schulman stated.

It’s the final identify on that checklist, Seiver, that Schulman will now be linked with. Seiver additionally simply turned 40, with seven bracelets, a WPT title, and a WSOP Participant of the 12 months award on his resume. He and Schulman haven’t solely survived poker’s pitfalls over the many years however have thrived. Whereas each will sooner or later find yourself within the Corridor, only one could make it this 12 months, and Schulman admits he’ll be joyful both manner.

“It’s simply inconceivable not to consider. Seiver—and there are others from earlier than who’re worthy—however lots of people are saying it’s me or Scott. That’s one other man that, when he busted, I used to be so relieved and that was with 70 gamers left. That’s how good this f**king man performs. Not due to the Corridor, as a result of he’s simply transcendentally nice at this sport. In order that one I’m at peace with. If he obtained in, or if he goes and wins a pair, cool. However to get into the Corridor of Fame in something, it means loads. It’s profound, and I’m very grateful,” Schulman stated.

Day 4 Motion

The ultimate day started with six gamers remaining out of a record-setting area of 233. Elias was the chip chief with 3,475,000, whereas Schulman sat in third place with 2,670,000 behind Oscar Johansson (2,910,000).

Dan Smith, bringing out his cowboy hat for the event, started because the brief stack and raised to 920,000, forsaking one 5,000 chip. Schulman known as and made a 7-6 to depart Smith on fumes. Smith was all within the subsequent hand towards Schulman who stood pat, whereas Smith drew one. “You gotta beat an eight, cowboy,” Schulman informed Smith as he confirmed an 8-7, however Smith turned over a 9-6 and was already drawing lifeless earlier than receiving his final card and headed to the rail in sixth place.

Ben Yu then known as off his final 1,660,000 towards Chad Eveslage and stood pat with 10-9, however Eveslage had a 10-8 to bust Yu in fifth place. Schulman picked off an enormous bluff from Johansson to depart the Swede as a brief stack, and Johansson was then eradicated in fourth place after Elias made a J-9-5 towards his J-9-6.

Schulman climbed as much as close to 9,000,000 three-handed as Eveslage slid all the way down to lower than 1,000,000. Eveslage then moved all in for 915,000 and Schulman known as, drawing one with a 9-7 draw. Eveslage took one with 10-6 as Schulman caught an eight to depart Eveslage drawing lifeless and out in third.

With 4 speedy eliminations, it appeared like Day 4 could be a brief one. Schulman and Elias, although, had different plans and proceeded to wage probably the most epic, back-and-forth heads-up duels in current WSOP historical past.

Schulman led Elias 9,640,000 to 4,340,000 in the beginning of heads-up. It was virtually over early, as Elias four-bet to 2,000,000 on the button and Schulman known as, every participant drawing one. Schulman then moved all in and Elias snap-called for two,970,000. Schulman confirmed a 10-7, however Elias had made an 8-7 to double up into the chip lead.

The chip counts remained nearly the identical for 2 hours till Elias tried a bluff with a pair of sixes, elevating after the draw to 1,100,000. Schulman known as with 10-9 to win the pot and transfer again in entrance. Schulman prolonged his lead when he known as a three-bet of 1,255,000 and drew one towards Elias’ pat hand. Schulmen then guess 3,500,000 after the draw and Elias mucked.

Elias started to attract even once more earlier than retaking the lead when he guess 575,000 and confirmed a 10-9 after Schulman known as. Elias picked off a bluff with A-J to maneuver as much as 9,600,000, however Schulman started to crawl again because the stacks evened out as soon as extra.

Elias was dealt a pat eight, and his guess of 600,000 was known as by Schulman as Elias reopened a spot, however Schulman was then all in for five,300,000 and drawing to an 8-5 as Elias drew one with 7-4. Elias paired a 3 on the draw, whereas Schulman pulled an ace to win the pot and double up.

Schulman’s new lead proved short-lived, as he tried a bluff with a pair of sixes and Elias known as him down with a Q-J. Quickly after, Elias drew one and Schulman two. Elias guess 900,000, and Schulman tanked for a couple of minutes earlier than elevating to three,000,000. Elias known as,d and Schulman tabled a 9-6 to win the huge pot and transfer up previous 10,000,000 as soon as extra.

Elias, the WPT’s all-time winningest participant however nonetheless in search of his first bracelet, doubled up once more when he was all in for 3,775,000 with a pat J-10, and Schulman missed a draw to a 7-6. Schulman had chipped again up previous 8,000,000 as the 2 gamers took what proved to be the final break of the day.

Quickly after returning, Schulman raised to 600,000 on the button and Elias moved all in for 4,000,000. Schulman known as with a pat 10-8, whereas Elias took one however was already drawing lifeless with 10-9. Lastly, practically eight hours after heads-up started, Schulman was the champion.

The victory was nothing new for Schulman. It was his third on this occasion, first capturing it in 2009 and once more in 2012. He’s established himself because the premier 2-7 participant within the poker world, however he provides all of the credit score to the gamers who got here earlier than him and paved the way in which.

“2-7 Single Draw, it truly is a stupendous sport. Plenty of occasions, there’s a second in a hand the place, you already know, possibly you bought him a little bit bit. You may guess skinny for worth, however typically occasions it’s you’ve got it otherwise you don’t. I performed with a number of the finest gamers ever. Relaxation in peace, Doyle Brunson. Billy Baxter, I performed a ton of money with him. These old-fashioned guys. It’s a reasonably easy sport, but it surely’s not. A few of these guys from again within the day would nonetheless be a number of the finest gamers at the moment,” Schulman stated.

Practically 20 years in the past, Schulman was a 21-year-old child when he gained his first WPT title. He’s spent practically half of his life within the poker highlight, attempting to adapt to all of the modifications which have taken place within the sport during the last 20 years. It hasn’t all been a easy experience, however Schulman continues to be right here and nonetheless successful.

“Plenty of reinventing the wheel and a whole lot of rock bottoms. Plenty of you guys wouldn’t need to be in right here. I really feel prefer it’s most likely what you’d suppose it’s. I’m grateful to be right here, and I do like to play. That’s one among my large secrets and techniques, I like to play,” Schulman stated.

With this star-studded closing desk that featured a mixed 14 WSOP bracelets and greater than $117 million in profession earnings, poker followers had been promised a deal with at the moment. They obtained a lot extra as Schulman crossed over into one other pantheon of poker immortality.

That concludes PokerNews’ protection of Occasion #30: $10,000 2-7 Single Draw Championship. Keep tuned for extra protection all through the 2025 WSOP.