Event #16: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

It has been a wild, action packed three days here at the Rio, and the sun has set on Event #16: $1,500 No-Limit Six-Handed. An incredible 1,604 players brought in for this tournament, but there could only be one victor. That man is Matt Matros. He took home his third gold bracelet in as many years, and oh yeah, also won $454,835 to boot.

We started Day 3 with just nine players, and we quickly got down to our final table within the first level. The first victim of the day was Jonathan Currle. He got caught four bet shoving with    . He ran into the     of Matros, and he wasn't able to catch any miracles.

Mike Matusow entered today with high hopes, starting off today third in chips. Matusow was looking for bracelet #4, but those chances took a big hit early when his queens lost to the ace-king of Ramey Shaio. He was eliminated a few hands later, when his     could not beat Robert Muzzatti's    . Matusow's elimination got us down to our unofficial final table, and this is how the stacks looked as we entered it.

It took just one hand for us to lose our first player, and that was arguably the most notable player left in the field, Matt Glantz. It was another race that decided this huge pot, as Glantz held     against the     of Ramey Shaio. A queen on the flop virtually ended the hand, and Glantz went home in a disappointing 7th.

We played six handed for about two hours without losing anybody, or even coming close really. The action was very slow, with the hands rarely getting to showdown. Then, in a flash, we lost three players in six hands!

On the first hand, Matt Matros four bet shoved on Mark Darner, who made the call with    . Matros had him dominated with   . It stayed that way on the     flop, but Darner shot ahead when the   hit the turn. It wasn't meant to be for Darner though, as the   hit the river, giving Matros a winning straight. On the very next hand, Matros played executioner again. This time his victim was Robert Muzzatti, who held   . Matros showed   , and the board ran down      , giving Matros the knockout.

Just a few hands later, Gordon Vayo too met his end. He got it in preflop holding   , and it looked like it would be a chop, as he was up against Mark Radoja's   . However, the flop came down    , giving Radoja a freeroll for the win. The   on the turn was a blank, but the   on the river was anything but that, giving Radoja the win, brutally knocking out Vayo.

Another hour passed before we lost Ramey Shaio. He was all in with    and he was in a race with Radoja, who held   . Radoja flopped a ten, and despite hitting a four outer earlier to survive, Shaio couldn't find a miracle three to come back.

The two remaining players were bracelet winners: Matt Matros and Mark Radoja. These two players started today with the second and third shortest stacks, so they both had quite an impressive journey to heads up play. Matros was looking to become just the third player in the last 30 years to win a WSOP bracelet in three consecutive years, while Radoja was looking to make it two years in a row with a WSOP win. It turned out that the former would be making history today.

The two were dead even as we started heads up play, but Radoja took a big lead early. However, it took about an hour for Matros to climb back, and the tide turned when Matros turned two pair, and got paid off after a big bet on the river after Radoja tanked for five minutes. About twenty minutes later, the bracelet belonged to Matros. He shoved on the turn of a      board, and was snap called by Radoja, who had a straight. Matros held just   , but destiny was on his side, as the   hit the river, completing his flush, and giving Matros his third bracelet.

That wraps it up for us here! We hope you enjoyed the coverage all day! Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews, as we are bringing you action from all over the Rio! For now, good night from Las Vegas!

Matt Matros raised to 100,000, and Mark Radoja three bet to 230,000. Matros called, and the flop came down    . Radoja continuation bet to 225,000, and Matros raised to 500,000. Radoja folded, and he dropped to under two million after the hand.

Matt Matros	5,500,000	400,000
Mark Radoja	1,700,000	-400,000

Mark Radoja min-raised on the button, and Matt Matros called. The dealer laid down the     on the flop, and Matros check called a bet of 100,000. The   hit the turn, and this time, Matros check called a bet of 225,000. The   paired the board on the river, and Matros checked a third time. This time, Radoja checked, and Matros grimaced as he tabled    for a full house.

Mark Radoja	4,400,000	-300,000
Matt Matros	2,800,000	300,000

Matt Matros was on the button, and he raised it up to 100,000. Mark Radoja called, and the dealer laid out a flop of    . Radoja checked to Matros, who fired out 100,000. Radoja check raised to 250,000, and Matros made the call. The   hit the turn, and Radoja checked again. Matros was not scared by the check raise on the flop, and led out again, this time for 300,000. It was enough to do the job, as Radoja released his hand.

Mark Radoja	3,800,000	-600,000
Matt Matros	3,400,000	600,000

Matt Matros raised it up to 80,000m and Mark Radoja reraised to 210,000. Matros called, and the flop ran down    . Radoja continuation bet for 250,000, and Matros called. They both checked the   on the turn, and the river brought the  . Radoja fired out 360,000, and Matros simply shook his head as he folded his hand.

Mark Radoja	5,200,000	200,000
Matt Matros	2,000,000	-200,000

Mark Radoja raised it to 80,000 on the button, and Matt Matros called. The flop came down    , and Matros check called a bet of 80,000. On the turn, the  , Matros check called again, this time for 130,000. The   hit the river, and Matros checked a third time. Radoja took about 10 seconds to bet 300,000, and Matros beat him into the pot. Radoja tabled   , but it was no good, as Matros showed    for a better two pair.

Mark Radoja	5,000,000	-200,000
Matt Matros	2,200,000	200,000

Matt Matros raised it to 80,000 on the button, and Mark Radoja called. The flop came    , and Radoja check called a bet of 80,000. Both players checked the   on the turn, and the river came the  . Radoja checked a third time, and this time, Matros fired 155,000 into the middle. Radoja looked him up, but mucked when Matros tabled   .

Mark Radoja	4,100,000	-300,000
Matt Matros	3,100,000	300,000

Matt Matros came in for a raise to 80,000, and Mark Radoja reraised to 205,000. Matros called, and the flop came    . Radoja led out for 200,000, and Matros tanked for about a minute. Eventually, he flicked one green T25,000 chip off his twenty stack, and slid it into the middle, a raise to 475,000. Radoja folded, and Matros took the hand down.

Matt Matros	4,100,000	500,000
Mark Radoja	3,400,000	-100,000

Action started with Mark Radoja on the button, and he raised to 80,000. It folded to Ramey Shaio in the big blind, and he went all in. Radoja made the call, and the cards were tabled.

Radoja:   
Shaio:   

It was a monster flop for Radoja, coming    . Radoja gave a huge fist pump, and a big yell of excitiment as he jumped to the lead. The turn was the  , and we were down to the river. Shaio would need a three and a three only to take the pot, but it was close but no cigar, coming the  . Shaio hit the rail, earning over $180,000 for his efforts.

Ramey Shaio

0

-875,000

The three remaining players are taking a 20 minute breather.