Event #31: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-lo 8 or Better

When Day 3 of Event #31: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low 8-or-Better began, Jarred Graham was the short stack of the remaining 14 players. Seven levels and change later, Graham possessed all of the chips and the coveted World Series of Poker gold bracelet.

Graham wasted little time getting his chips in, doing so within the first 20 minutes of the day. He doubled through Grzegorz Derkowski, and Derkowski busted shortly thereafter. He was followed to the payout desk by Andy Seth, Mel Randolph, David Brooker, and Stephen Johnson before the official final table was set.

Three-time bracelet winner Perry Green began the day as the chip leader, but was eliminated in ninth place by Barry Greenstein. By the time Joao Simao exited in eighth place, Greenstein had nearly half the chips in play.

Graham took a backseat as he watched Eric Rodawig fall in seventh place, Loni Harwood depart in sixth place, and Gabriel Blumenthal hit the rail in fifth place. Graham got in on the action again when he eliminated Noomis Jones in fourth place.

The chip stacks at three-handed play were almost even, though Graham was the shortest. He took the chip lead when he doubled through Marco Johnson when both players had a full house. Johnson climbed back from the short stack, resulting in Greenstein falling in third place to Graham.

Already with two runner-up finishes at the WSOP, Johnson would finish second once again as Graham's 4-to-1 chip lead was too much to overcome.

Congratulations to Jarred Graham for winning his first WSOP bracelet and earning $255,942. Thanks for following our updates and until next time, good night from Las Vegas!

"I've taken second twice before, so this one wouldn't hurt as much," Johnson said to Graham before heads-up play began.

Johnson finished runner-up in a $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em event in 2008 for $491,273 and in a $2,500 No-Limit Six-Max event last summer for $112,525.

Jarred Graham	3,395,000	0
Marco Johnson	825,000	0

The play has continued to be tight three handed, but Jarred Graham has slowly been extending his lead one pot at a time. As for right now, both Marco Johnson and Barry Greenstein are under a million.

Jarred Graham	2,400,000	250,000
Marco Johnson	960,000	-140,000
Barry Greenstein	920,000	60,000

Marco Johnson has slowly worked his way back into this three way battle, as he just took down the first family pot of three handed play. Barry Greenstein made it 125,000 to go on the button, and both Johnson and Jarred Graham called. The flop came down    , and everyone checked. The   hit the turn, and Johnson bet out 150,000. Both players folded, and Johnson is suddenly back up to 1.1 million.

Marco Johnson

1,100,000

430,000

The three players have returned to their chairs, and they are playing again.

The players are on a 15-minute break.

Ever since Marco Johnson has gotten himself out of the danger zone, play has been relatively quiet, with very few pots getting to showdown, and most fo those getting chopped up.

Jarred Graham	2,000,000	200,000
Barry Greenstein	1,800,000	80,000
Marco Johnson	400,000	-360,000

Jarred Graham made it 100,000 on the button, and Barry Greenstein called from the small blind. The flop came down    , and Greenstein check called a bet of 150,000. Both players checked the   on the turn, and the river was the  . Greenstein fired out 325,000, and Graham thought for only about 20 seconds before calling.

Graham showed      for the second best low and a pair of eights. Greenstein showed      for the same low and a pair of queens for high, giving him 75% of the pot.

Jarred Graham	1,950,000	-350,000
Barry Greenstein	1,720,000	220,000

Marco Johnson bet pot from the small blind, and Jarred Graham moved all in. Johnson called.

Johnson:     
Graham:     

The flop came down    , which gave Johnson the nut straight, and Graham an ace-three low. From this point, the only thing that could change would be Graham getting counterfeited for the low, but that didn't happen, as the board completed   and  . Chop Chop.

After about 15 hands full of either walks, or simple raise and take the blinds, we just had a five minute hand that saw Jarred Graham score a huge double up. Here's ow it went down.

Jarred Graham raised to 80,000 from the button, and Marco Johnson called from the big blind. The flop came down    , and Johnson check called a bet of 120,000 from Graham. The turn brought the  , and both players checked. The fireworks were ready to go off when the   hit the river.

Johnson thought for about 15 seconds before he announced pot, a bet of 420,000 total. It was on Graham, and he thought for about 30 seconds before he cut out the calling chips. Graham counted his chips out, grabbed them, then as it looked like he was going to just call, he announced "all in." Johnson immediately grimaced, and said "why didn't I just check?!" Johnson spent about three minutes in the tank, all the while speaking softly to himself, trying to figure out what Graham had. He said "it has to be the case something," meaning that he thought Graham had the last of the cards in the deck that could help him.

Eventually, he tossed in the call, and Graham showed:      for aces full and a five-two low. Johnson let out a big sigh, then showed what many assumed he had:      for the third nuts.

Johnson shipped all the chips over to Graham, who is now our chip leader with 2.5 million, while Johnson is crippled to just 400,000.

Jarred Graham	2,500,000	1,300,000
Marco Johnson	400,000	-1,100,000