Event #14: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.

There were 18 players to start the day in Event #14: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. and it was a star-studded field that returned. Multiple bracelet winners Max Pescatori, Brandon Shack-Harris, Ian Johns, Richard Ashby, James Richburg and David "Bakes" Baker were all looking to add another to their wrist. At the end of the day it was David Singer, another bracelet winner, who walked away with the bracelet and the $203,709 first place prize after a nearly six-hour heads-up battle.

Singer and Kevin LaMonica traded blows throughout the entire day, starting from the first level. It got to the point where LaMonica began calling Singer his nemesis because of how often they were involved, and how often Singer beat him in a pot. And Singer was able to survive mostly thanks to LaMonica. He doubled up through him multiple times, including once at the beginning of the final table where Singer made a straight and a low to scoop and survive. All of this culminated in one of the longest heads-up matches of the summer so far.

The day started fast and furious with players falling left and right very quickly. Jan Stein, Adam Crawford and Jon Seaman all dropped very quickly. Yuval Bronshtein and Richard Ashby hit the rail not long after, both eliminated by LaMonica during the razz round. "Razz has been my best friend this week," LaMonica said during heads up play, and it was during the Razz rounds that he built the most of his stack. It got to the point where LaMonica challenged Singer to play Razz against him. "Yeah, you play," he said. "But you don't gamble."

Ian Johns fell next, also to LaMonica in a hand of limit hold'em, where LaMonica's aces held up against Johns'   . LaMonica used his good fortune and monstrous chip stack to apply extreme pressure on his opponents. At the final table he was raising without looking at his cards, completing with tens, jacks, and kings up in Razz, calling with any four cards in Omaha. This relentless aggression would be the down fall of several players, including Shack-Harris and Pescatori.

It was Singer on the other side of the table who acted as the silent assassin. He spoke very little, but after doubling up through LaMonica he managed to take out four players. Between LaMonica and Singer, they eliminated every other player at the final table, almost as if they were destined to come to a showdown. Singer and LaMonica's heads-up match lasted for hours. LaMonica was so tired he asked to be comped a room, but he was told they couldn't accommodate him at the hotel. "I guess it's Circus Circus for me tonight," he said.

Eventually, Singer was able to wear down LaMonica, frustrating him with his slow, methodical, and tight play. LaMonica admitted to a friend going on break that Singer had put him on tilt and he was playing bad. Singer never let up though, he stayed steady with his play for the entire final table, and finally, in the final hand, took LaMonica down by making a boat in Omaha Hi-Lo.

"It was frustrating to play against that," Singer said about LaMonica's unorthodox playing style. "Every time he would do something like that I would have a big hand. Most of the time I played well, but I was getting unlucky in the big hands. It went back and forth for a while."

Singer's perseverance paid off. After being down to just one and a half big bets at one point he was able to come back and close out the tournament. "I was kind of frustrated," Singer said. "But I always think I have a chance to come back." And that he did. He was able to change the momentum of the heads up match and take home his second WSOP gold bracelet, after winning his first in 2008 in a $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em event.

Final Table Results

Omaha Hi-Lo

Kevin LaMonica raised and David Singer called. The two saw a flop of     and Singer checked to LaMonica who bet. Singer called.

The turn was the   and Singer checked again. LaMonica moved all in and Singer called.

LaMonica:     
Singer:     

The river was the   and LaMonica, thinking Singer had won tapped the table. "Good game," he said. "You win." But he was wrong. His pair of kings kept him in the lead and he scooped the pot, allowing him to double up.

David Singer	4,220,000	-250,000
Kevin LaMonica	1,000,000	250,000

Seven-Card Stud

LaMonica:   /    
Singer:   /    

LaMonica completed with the   and Singer called. On fourth, LaMonica bet, Singer raised, and LaMonica called. On fifth, LaMonica check-called a bet from Singer. On sixth, upon seeing Singers pair of threes, LaMonica folded before Singer could bet.

Kevin LaMonica	2,825,000	-645,000
David Singer	2,395,000	645,000

Players are on a 15-minute break and will return shortly.

Before the hand started, Kevin LaMonica had inquired about if there was a complimentary room he could have at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino for the night. The floor man told him that it wasn't possible and suggested Bally's and LaMonica said "I guess Circus Circus here we come".

Omaha Hi-Lo

David Singer limp-called Kevin LaMonica's raise.

On the     flop LaMonica led out and was called.

On the   turn LaMonica led again but this time Singer raised and was called.

Both players checked the   river and LaMonica turned over      for aces and jacks and Singer mucked.

Kevin LaMonica	2,870,000	-330,000
David Singer	2,350,000	330,000

Omaha Hi-Lo

David Singer just called from the button. Kevin LaMonica announced a call, but before he announced the call, he put chips into the pot thinking he was just calling. Floor staff ruled that it would be counted as a raise. Singer called the raise.

The flop came     and LaMonica checked. Singer bet and LaMonica called.

The turn was the   and both players checked. On the   river, LaMonica led out. Singer thought for a while, then called.

"Nines full," LaMonica said, showing his      for a full house. Singer took one look then mucked his hand.

David Singer	3,100,000	-100,000
Kevin LaMonica	2,420,000	420,000

Limit Hold'em

David Singer opened from the button. Kevin LaMonica reraised from the big blind. Singer called. The flop came     and LaMonica bet. Singer called.

On the   turn, LaMonica checked. Singer bet and LaMonica called. The river was the   and LaMonica check-called one more bet from Singer. Singer showed    and his full house was good to take down the pot. LaMonica showed    to Singer to show he had been outdrawn.

David Singer	2,970,000	1,370,000
Kevin LaMonica	2,550,000	-1,370,000

Razz

LaMonica:   /    / 
Singer:   /    / 

Kevin LaMonica opened by completing with the  . Singer called. On fourth street LaMonica bet and Singer called. On fifth street LaMonica checked then called a bet from singer. On sixth street, LaMonica decided to bet. Singer called. LaMonica bet again on seventh and Singer called again.

LaMonica showed     for a seven-six low and that was good to take down the pot. Singer is now dangerously short stacked.

Kevin LaMonica	5,170,000	750,000
David Singer	350,000	-750,000