Event #64: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better

Kyle Bowker is the newest member of poker’s gold bracelet club.

For the 33-year-old poker pro, it was a long wait to get to this well-deserved moment of triumph.

The highly-respected poker veteran from Walton, NY won the $3,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha High-Low Split tournament, which was played over three days and nights and concluded on the ESPN main stage at the Rio in Las Vegas.  The final day was played in front of a big crowd and a festive atmosphere on the same day the 2016 Main Event Championship started inside the same venue.

“I had a really great rail,” Bowker said, referring to his many friends who showed up wearing specially-made t-shirts for the occasion.  “They had fun, that’s for sure.  And so did I.”

However, the Main Event didn’t overshadow what was happening on the big bright stage, where Bowker posed behind a mountain of chips and finally collected a much-anticipated gold bracelet after ten years of grinding cash games and tournaments, and coming close to victory many times before.

Bowker collected $294,960 in prize money, making this, if not the biggest win of his career in terms of the amount of cash won, certainly the most prestigious of all victories.  This was his 35th time to cash at the series, dating all the way back to 2006.  The win also puts him at close to $1.4 million in WSOP-related earnings.  Bowker previously won a WSOP Circuit gold ring at Harrah’s Philadelphia.  So, now he has two pieces of jewelry, courtesy of the WSOP.

Bowker won his victory by coming out on top at a final table which included a formidable lineup of foes, including a mix of relative unknowns as well as seasoned pros.  Scott Clements was perhaps the best known among the nine finalists, since he’d previously won two gold bracelets and was widely-acknowledged for his prowess in Omaha games.  However, Clements wasn’t much of a force in the finale and ended up busting out in eighth place.

“When Scott busted early, I thought then I was in a pretty good spot,” Bowker said.

After Jarred Graham exited in third place, the closing moment came when Bowker scooped the final pot of the tournament, against Kate Hoang who finished as the runner up.  Her consolation prize amounted to $182,281.  She barely missed becoming the third female to win an open event at this year’s series.

Pot-Limit Omaha High-Low Split was (and remains) primarily an online game, which isn’t played live much, except in rare instances such as at the WSOP.  Still, Bowker came in loaded with experience and confidence.

“This is a game not too many people play,” Bowker said.  “But I play it all the time online.  I’d rather be playing a final table in this game than any other.”

This tourney attracted 473 entrants which created a prize pool totaling $1,291,290.  The top 71 finishers collected prize money.

Aside from the winner, here’s a brief report of the other top finishers who made the final table:

Second Place:  Kate Hoang, from Federal Way, WA finished at the runner up.  She had the chip lead during part of the final table, but lost some big pots to Bowker and ended up in the second spot.  Nonetheless, Hoang received $182,281.  This was her third time to cash in a WSOP event.

Third Place:  Jarred Graham, who works in property management and is from Adelaide, Australia finished in third place.  He collected $124,360.  This was his fourth time to cash at the series.  He now has close to $500K in WSOP winnings.

Fourth Place:  Richard Ashby, from Watford, UK came in fourth.  He received $86,422.  Ashby a gold bracelet winner (2010 -- $1,500 Seven Card Stud) now has 27 cashes at the series – including ten final tables.  Seven of those appearances resulted in top-five finishes.

Fifth Place:  Chris Ruby, from San Diego, CA came in fifth, which paid $61,196.  This was his seventh time to cash and deepest run in a series event.

Sixth Place:  Noah Bronstein, a 29-year-old poker pro from Bellevue, WA took sixth place.  He earned $44,171.  This was his 36^th time to cash in a WSOP event, dating back to 2009.

Seventh Place:  Daniel Lowe, the Vice President of a security company from Conyers, GA earned $32,510 for his seventh-place finish.  

Eighth Place:  Scott Clements, from Mt. Vernon, WA was seeking his third WSOP gold bracelet, after two wins – in 2006 and 2007.  He received $24,409.  Clements now has 51 cashes at the series and more than $2.8 in career earnings.

After winning a couple of small pots that don't see the river, Kate Hoang calls from the button and Kyle Bowker checks. 

The flop comes     and both players check.

The turn is the  . Bowker bets 150,000. Hoang raises to 350,000. Bowker calls.

The river is the  . Both players check and Hoang shows      for the straight. Bowker shows    [x] and Kate Hoang takes it down.

Kyle Bowker - 4,200,000 (52 bb)
Kate Hoang - 2,900,000 (36 bb)

Kate Hoang calls on her button. Kyle Bowker raises 150,000 on top. Hoang calls.

The flop comes    . Both players check.

The turn is the  . Bowker bets 300,000 and Hoang pots it to 1,360,000. Bowker calls.

The river is the  . Bowker pushes all in for Hoang's last 400,000 or so. Hoang calls.

Bowker has     , which gives him a king-high flush and the nut low, but Hoang holds      for the boat and the high.

Kyle Bowker - 5,300,000 (66 bb)
Kate Hoang - 1,795,000 (22 bb)

Jarred Graham

Kyle Bowker walks away from the table to take the 15-minute break and Kate Hoang opens to 180,000. Jarred Graham defends the big blind.

The flop is     and Hoang checks. Graham bets 200,000 and Hoang calls after about 25 seconds.

The turn is the   and Hoang bets the pot and Graham calls all-in. He shows a set of kings with      and Hoang has     .

"Queen," says Hoang as the river is dealt.

The   hits the river and Hoang makes the straight. Graham is eliminated in third place.

Kate Hoang - 3,290,000 (55 bb)
Jarred Graham - Eliminated in 3rd place ($124,360)

Jarred Graham limps the small blind and Kyle Bowker checks his option.

The flop is     and Graham bets 80,000. Bowker calls.

The turn is the   and Graham checks. Bowker bets 225,000 and Graham calls.

The river is the   and Graham checks again. Bowker bets 400,000. Graham takes his time, but eventually calls.

"A set of fives," says Bowker.

He shows      for a set and Graham mucks his hand.

Kyle Bowker - 3,000,000 (50 bb)
Jarred Graham - 640,000 (10 bb)

Chris Ruby 

Chris Ruby opens to 160,000 under the gun. Action folds to Kate Hoang in the big blind, and she reraises enough to put Ruby all-in for his last 280,000 if he calls. Ruby chooses to do just that and he's at risk with     . Hoang holds     .

The flop comes     and brings two pair for Hoang.

The turn is the  , which is no help for Ruby.

The river is the   and Ruby is out.

Kate Hoang - 2,800,000 (46 bb)
Chris Ruby - Eliminated in 5th place ($61,196)

Kate Hoang bets the pot from the small blind and Chris Ruby calls all-in from the big blind.

Ruby has      against Hoang's     .

The board runs out       and Hoang and Ruby split the low, while Ruby makes a six-high straight for the high.

Chris Ruby - 445,000 (7 bb)
Kate Hoang - 1,720,000 (28 bb)