Event #51: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em

Carsten Joh outlasted a field of 2,781 players to take home a WSOP Bracelet and almost $650,000 in first place money. Joh has accumulated almost $300,000 in lifetime tournament earnings in Europe, but he made his first score in North America memorable by winning his first WSOP Bracelet. The German native came into the final table 7th in chips, one of only three players with under a million. However, with the chip leader going out in 8th place, it was truly anyone's tournament. Joh avoided conflict for much of the early goings of the final table, only eliminating one player until the table was three handed. An integral hand for Joh came in the second to last level when he was all in preflop with     facing the     of Steven Levy. The flop came pretty dry for Joh, but thanks to runner-runner diamond he was able to double up and stay alive. Outlasting Levy (4th place), Joh was able to knock out David Walasinski in third, enabling him to take a small chip lead going into heads-up action. He would extend that lead early, taking two large pots from Chen, gaining a 5:1 chip advantage. In the final hand, Cartsen Joh raised on the button and Chen moved all in for 18 big blinds. Joh instantly called and proudly displayed his pocket sixes on the felt. Chen was all in holding two suited overcards with     . Joh didn't have to sweat the flop when it came a harmless looking       . However, a   on the turn gave Chen nine flush outs along with his two overcards. The river put all of Joh's worry's to rest when he hit the perfect card to end the day - the   . Congratulations to Carsten Joh for earning his first WSOP Bracelet at Event 51.

Carsten Joh - 10,070,000 Andrew Chen - 2,455,000

Carsten Joh completes from the button and Chen checks his option. The flop comes       . Chen bets 140,000 and Joh makes the call. The turn brings the   and Chen bets again, this time for 325,000. Joh calls. The river is the   and Joh check calls a 660,000 bet from Chen. They both show     and chop the pot.

Andrew Chen raises to 255,000 from the button. Carsten Joh makes the call. The board comes           with both players checking the flop and turn. On the river Joh checks and Chen bets 300,000 to take the pot.

Carsten Joh is on the button and raises to take down the first pot of heads-up action.

David Walasinski moves all in from the button for 1,620,000. Carsten Joh makes the call from the big blind. Joh:     Walasinski:     The board comes          . Joh caught his ten on the flop and managed to avoid a spade or eight on the river, eliminating David Walasinski in 3rd place.

Carsten Joh limps in from the small blind and David Walasinski raises to 300,000 from the big blind. Carsten Joh then announces all in for an additional 1,710,000. Walasinski takes off his shades, shakes his head, and checks his hole cards one more time. He thinks with his hands to his face as he stares down Joh. After a minute of thought, he makes the call. Joh:     Walasinski:     The board comes           giving Joh two pair and the pot. He doubles up and is now at just over 4,000,000. Walasinski drops to 2,615,000.

Player have returned from their break to level 29 with blinds of 50,000 - 100,000.

Action folds around to Steven Levy in the small blind who raises to 220,000. David Walasinski announces all in and Levy snap calls. Walasinski:     Levy:     The board comes           eliminating Steven Levy from the tournament.

Andrew Chen raises from the button and Owen Crowe three bets from the small blind. Carsten Joh gets out of the way from the big blind and Chen announces all in. Crowe goes into the tank for several minutes before saying "I'm probably really going to hate myself." He calls. Crowe:     Chen:     The board coems           allowing Chen's pocket pair to hold up. Owen Crowe is eliminated in 5th place, earning $145,199