Event #7: $1,500 Seven Card Stud

He finally did it! Andy Bloch has been playing at the World Series of Poker for more than a quarter of a century, and after reaching nine WSOP final tables and finishing runner-up twice, he is finally the owner of a shiny gold bracelet.

The day began with David Williams in the lead and three players with less than six big bets. Joseph Ranciato, Scott Abrams and Caroline Hermesh exited quickly, while Huu Vinh — who started the day with just two big bets — battled back into contention. Vinh won a very large pot during the first level of play where he got four streets of value off of two players, which allowed him to sit back and climb the money ladder.

Lee Goldman was the next victim. He made a pair of queens on fifth, but Williams had made two pair on fifth, and grabbed the lead. Williams was dealt a third five on sixth street, giving him a full house and Goldman bricked.

At that point, Williams had a commanding chip lead, and it was almost his tournament to lose. He made a full house against Bloch a few hands later and reached his peak chip count of 650,000. Williams started to slip however, and a level after taking a commanding chip lead, he only had 191,000 chips.

Vinh, who had been treading water since Goldman's elimination, eventually bowed out with three pair against Bloch's aces up and Williams, who tried to make a comeback, fell short as well. Stephen Su sent him to the rail, and it was his turn to take the chip lead.

Su, Greenstein and Bloch traded pots for the better part of two levels, until Bloch put the pedal to the metal. The former MIT black jack player soared to over 900,000 chips and eliminated Su. Su was ahead in his final hand with a pair of sevens on fifth street, but Bloch pulled a second ten, making a pair of tens and held.

Bloch entered heads-up play with nearly a four-to-one chip lead and eventually extended it to ten-to-one. On the final hand, Bloch had buried queens and made queens and tens on fifth street. Greenstein had made an eight-high straight, though, and was in prime position to double up. The   on sixth and the   on seventh gave Bloch Broadway, however, and he was finally a champion.

After winning, he said to himself, "Now nobody is going to talk about me."

Final Table Payouts

The next time you're making a list of great players who have yet to win a bracelet, make sure you omit Mr. Andy Bloch. It took him more than 26 years, but today's win was better late than never.

Barry Greenstein brought it in with the  . Andy Bloch raised with the  , Greenstein re-raised, and Bloch called. Both players checked on fourth street, and Bloch led out on fifth when he paired. Greenstein raised, and Bloch tank-called.

On sixth street, Bloch checked, and Greenstein quickly bet. Bloch tanked for over 30 seconds before check-raising, and Greenstein called. Bloch opted to lead once again on seventh, and Greenstein tanked for well over a minute before finally folding.

Bloch is now over 1.5 million chips, while Greenstein has only 140,000.

Andy Bloch	1,513,000	235,000
Barry Greenstein	140,000	-235,000

After making quads on fifth street in a previous hand, Andy Bloch completed with the  . Stephen Su raised with the  , and Barry Greenstein, who brought it in with the  , folded. Bloch called.

Bloch check-called a bet on fourth street, and then led out on fifth. Su raised, putting himself all in, and Bloch called.

Bloch - (  ) /    
Su - (  ) /    

Both players were dealt a ten on sixth street, and Bloch's pair of tens gave him the lead. Seventh street was dealt face-down, and Bloch immediately turned over the  . Su needed a jack, seven, three, four, or ten to survive, but the   was no help.

Su receives $50,332 for his third-place finish, while Bloch is now heads up, looking for his first WSOP bracelet.

Barry Greenstein and Stephen Su just did some battling on two hands. On the first one, Su won the hand on sixth street. On the second one, Greenstein won the hand at showdown. Here's how they went down.

We picked up the action on fourth street as Greenstein checked and Su bet. Greenstein called and then led on fifth when he paired up with kings. Su made the call. On sixth street, Su picked up a fourth club on board. Greenstein checked, Su bet and Greenstein folded.

Stephen Su

On this hand, we picked up the action on fifth street where Greenstein bet and Su called. The action swapped on sixth street as Su bet and Greenstein called. On seventh, Su bet and Greenstein called.

"You're probably good," said Su after Greenstein called his last bet.

Greenstein turned over the     for two pair, queens and jacks, and Su mucked his hand.

Barry Greenstein

Andy Bloch brought in and Barry Greenstein completed. Bloch called and then raised on fourth after Greenstein led with a bet. Greenstein called.

Both players slowed things down with a check on fifth before Bloch paired with jacks on sixth and bet. Greenstein folded and Bloch won the pot.

We caught up with the action on fifth street, where Andy Bloch called a bet from Stephen Su. Both players checked on sixth, and Bloch led out on seventh. Su called.

Bloch turned over     for two-pair, and Su mucked his hand.

Two hands later, Su brought it in with the  , Barry Greenstein completed, and Bloch called. Bloch led out on fourth street, Greenstein called, and then Bloch check-called bets on both fifth and sixth street. Bloch led out on seventh, and Greenstein tank-called.

Bloch tabled     for two-pair again, and scooped up the pot.

"Good dinner break," Bloch said with a smile.

The remaining three players are now on a one-hour dinner break. We'll see you back here at approximately 7:35 PM, but in the meantime check out an interview our very own Sarah Grant did with one of the three finalists Barry Greenstein. She caught up with him on the last break.

Barry Greenstein brought in with the   up and then Andy Bloch completed the bet. Stephen Su raised and then Greenstein reraised. Bloch folded and Su made the call.

On fourth street, both Su and Greenstein checked. Su then bet fifth street when he picked up a pair of tens on board and Greenstein called. Su bet sixth as well and got called, but then both players checked seventh street.

"Two pair," announced Su as he showed the    . Greenstein mucked.