Event #20: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha

The third time's a charm for John "Tex" Barch. At this, his third WSOP final table, he has won his first bracelet.

Barch entered the day second in chips and was never afraid to butt heads with his neighbor and chip leader Nenad Medic. Tex quickly took the chip lead, was the first and only player to hit 2,000,000 chips and never looked back.

Once play was four-handed, Barch jockeyed himself in position to win the tournament. After a long, tumultuous battle he eliminated Medic, Trai Dang and Klinghammer Thibaut in three consecutive hands. The $256,919 first place prize pushes Barch's career earnings over $3,000,000 and he is now closer to his 2010 WSOP goal; two bracelets.

Many players who have made WSOP Main Event final tables have faded away after their five minutes of fame, but Barch has again proved today that he is indeed one of the elite poker players in the world.

Event #20 started just two days ago and attracted 885 runners dreaming of World Series gold. Today, after three days of grueling play, Barch is the only player standing.

Congratulations to John "Tex" Barch for winning Event #20: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha and shipping $256,919!

Despite being short throughout the entire day, Klinghammer Thibaut has found a way to get heads up for the bracelet. The only problem is John "Tex" Barch has a massive chip lead:

Barch - 3,570,000 chips

Thibaut - 410,000 chips

Our chip leader entering the day and the only remaining bracelet winner has been eliminated.

Nenad Medic opened to 140,000 on the button leaving a little under 200,000 behind. John "Tex" Barch potted from the small blind, Klinghammer Thibaut got out of the way and Medic called all in.

Showdown

Barch:     

Medic:     

The dealer flopped    , giving Medic numerous straight outs. The   on the turn was no help and neither was the   on the river however and Medic was eliminated in 4th place.

Barch is now a massive chip lead with 2,800,000 chips and with Medic's elimination we will have a first-time bracelet winner.

Action folded to John "Tex" Barch who completed from the small blind. Klinghammer Thibaut checked his option and the flop fell    . Both players checked.

The turn brought the   and Barch led for 80,000. Thibaut called.

The river was the   bringing a flush possibility. Barch led for 225,000 and Thibaut thought for a bit before sliding nine green T25,000 chips forward.

Barch opened      for a flopped full house, and Thibaut mucked.

Tex is now up to 2,350,000 chips and Thibaut is short again with 250,000

In a four-way pot, the flop was reading     when Nenad Medic opened the pot with a 105,000-chip bet. Only John Barch made the call. The turn card was a   and Medic check-folded to a 300,000-chip bet from Barch.

With the board reading      Klinghammer Thibaut moved all in after a bet from John Barch, and Barch tanked and eventually called.

Showdown

Thibaut:     

Barch:     

The river card was a   and Thibaut is now up to 775,000 chips.

John Barch called under the gun and both blinds, Trai Dang and Nenad Medic, checked. The flop ran out     and Barch took the pot with a bet after the blinds checked.

Klinghammer Thibaut has potted preflop two of the last three hands. He took them both down preflop and is now nearing 400,000 chips.

Nenad Medic opened the pot with a 60,000-chip raise under the gun and John Barch called on the button. The blinds released.

The flop came out     and Nenad check-called a 125,000-chip bet from Barch.

The turn was a   and Barch made a 414,000-chip bet after Medic checked. Medic eventually called. The river card was   and both players checked.

Barch tabled      for kings full of jacks and Medic mucked his hand.

Barch is now up to 2,025,000 and Medic slipped to 765,000.

Nenad Medic opened the pot with a 64,000-chip raise on the button and Klinghammer Thibaut called in the big blind.

Both players checked every street, and the board was      . The players opened their hands, and Medic took the pot showing pocket aces.