Event #46: $50,000 Poker Players Championship

One of the most prestigious tournaments of the 2014 World Series of Poker—the $50,000 Poker Players' Championship – came to an end on Thursday. What began with 102 of the world's best players tested their mettle in an eight-game rotation, and after five days of play it was John Hennigan that emerged as the last man standing to capture the $1,517,767, a WSOP gold bracelet, and etch his name on the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy.

This marked Hennigan's third straight cash in the Poker Players' Championship, and his second consecutive final table after finishing third last year. It was an exciting moment for Hennigan, though after the win all he wanted to do was jump straight into the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship, which he promptly did after completing the obligatory winner's photo and post-game interviews. There's no rest for the wicked, nor is there for "Johnny World" even after winning his third gold bracelet.

Day 5 saw the final eight players return to action, and it didn't take long for the first two eliminations to occur, both of which happened in stud hi-low. The first to go was Allen Kessler, who claimed to have missed a flush draw against Abe Mosseri. Kessler was the short stack when play began, and he took home $134,101 for his eighth-place finish.

That meant the official final table of seven was set, and one player that was excited to be there was Melissa Burr, who became the first woman to ever cash in this event and by doing so won a $500 bet at 15-1 against Robert Mizrachi. As an added bonus, she became the first woman to ever final table this event, though her journey came to an end in seventh place when she ran into the quad aces of Hennigan.

Frank Kassela, the 2010 WSOP Player of the Year, was the next to go after he got his short stack all in on third street in stud. Hennigan ended up making a pair of tens on seventh, and that was enough to dispatch Kassela in sixth place for $212,829.

Not long after, Brandon Shack-Harris limped under the gun (he would later admit that he thought he was putting out the big blind), and that inspired three other players to do the same. The     flop saw three players checked to Hennigan, and he bet 80,000 from the button. Mosseri called from the small blind, and then online superstar Chun Lei "samorstan" Zhou check-raised to 160,000. Shack-Harris folded, the other two players called, and three players watched the dealer burn and turn the  .

Mosseri checked, Zhou bet all in for his last 160,000, and both Hennigan and Mosseri called. The two active players then checked the   river.

Mosseri:     
Hennigan:     
Zhou:     .

Zhou's two pair was no good as Mosseri had a flush for the high and Hennigan an 8-7-4-2-A low. The last of Zhou's chips were chopped up and he exited in fifth place for $286,122.

Mosseri, who finished 11th in this event back in 2010 for $129,957, bowed out in fourth place (not beforecleaning up in some side bets), and then three-handed play became an extended affair.

Hennigan was on the verge of elimination during this time, but managed a double in pot-limit Omaha. From there he seemed to do nothing but collect chips, and eventually Jesse Martin hit the rail in third place.

Hennigan began heads-up play with a big lead over Shack-Harris, who already had first, second, and third-place finishes at the 2014 WSOP prior to this event. Shack-Harris, who began the day as the chip leader, had high hopes of capturing his second bracelet of the summer, but he would have to settle for second place and a $937,975 consolation prize.

Congratulations to John Hennigan on capturing his third WSOP gold bracelet, the $1,517,767 first-place prize, and etching his name on the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy!

2-7 Triple Draw

Brandon Shack-Harris raised on the button, and John Hennigan called.

Hennigan led out on every street - betting dark after the second draw - and Shack-Harris picked up his cards off of the felt on seventh, sighing.

"I hit my gut-shot," he said, showing a straight.

Hennigan fanned an eighty-six, and dragged the pot.

John Hennigan	14,580,000	880,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	720,000	-880,000

Stud 8

John Hennigan:    /      /  
Brandon Shack-Harris:    /      /  

Hennigan brought it in, Shack-Harris completed, and Hennigan called. Hennigan led out on every subsequent street, Shack-Harris called him down, and Hennigan showed     for queens and threes.

Shack-Harris flashed    for a busted open-ended straight draw.

John Hennigan	11,440,000	1,140,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	3,860,000	-1,140,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

John Hennigan raised to 250,000 on the button, Brandon Shack-Harris defended his big blind, and the dealer fanned    . Shack-Harris check-called a bet of 250,000, and both players checked after the turn brought the  .

The river was the  , Shack-Harris checked a third and final time, and Hennigan tossed out five canary T100,000 chips. Shack-Harris folded.

Two hands later, Hennigan opened to 200,000 on the button. Shack-Harris called, the flop fell    , and both players checked. The turn was the  , Shack-Harris led out for 300,000, and Hennigan called.

The   completed the board, Shack-Harris fired out another 425,000, and Hennigan tank-called. Shack-Harris hesitated to show his hand, then mucked when Hennigan revealed      for just a pair of jacks.

"Nice hand," Shack-Harris told Hennigan.

John Hennigan	11,390,000	1,290,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	3,910,000	-1,290,000

Omaha 8

John Hennigan raised on the button, Brandon Shack-Harris defended, and the flop fell    . Shack-Harris check-called a bet, then check-raised on the turn ( ). Hennigan called.

The river was the  , Shack-Harris checked a third and final time, and Hennigan tossed out a bet. Shack-Harris called, then mucked when Hennigan showed      for a six-high straight and a six-five low.

The next hand, Shack-Harris raised on the button and Hennigan called. Hennigan proceeded to check-call bets on every street as the board rolled out      , and Shack-Harris scooped the pot with     .

John Hennigan	10,110,000	-190,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	5,190,000	190,000

No-Limit Hold'em

After getting three shoves through, Jesse Martin moved all in for around a million chips on the button. Brandon Shack-Harris snap-called in the big blind.

Martin:   
Shack-Harris:   

Martin failed to improve as the board came      , and he was eliminated in third place.

John Hennigan	11,530,000	530,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	3,770,000	930,000
Jesse Martin	0	-1,460,000

2-7 Triple Draw

John Hennigan raised to 300,000 from the button and then called when Brandon Shack-Harris three-bet to 450,000 from the small blind. Shack-Harris drew one and bet 150,000 after Hennigan drew two. Shack-Harris stood pat, Hennigan drew two, and then Shack-Harris bet 300,000. Hennigan called and drew one after Shack-Harris stood pat. Both players then checked.

Shack-Harris showed a nine-seven low, but it was no good as Hennigan had made an 8-7-6-5-3 low.

John Hennigan	10,650,000	650,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	3,200,000	-900,000

2-7 Triple Draw

John Hennigan raised on the button, and Jesse Martin defended his big blind.

Martin check-called Hennigan after every draw, then mucked when Hennigan tabled      .

The very next hand, Brandon Shack-Harris raised on the button and Hennigan defended.

Hennigan led out after every draw, and Shack-Harris called the first two bets before folding to the third.

John Hennigan	10,850,000	1,550,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	3,400,000	-400,000
Jesse Martin	1,050,000	-1,150,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Jesse Martin raised the pot out of the small blind, John Hennigan called, and the flop fell    . Martin checked, Hennigan bet 275,000, and Martin folded.

Limit Hold'em

Hennigan made it two bets on the button, Brandon Shack-Harris called in the small blind, and Martin defended his big blind. The flop fell    , both players in the blinds checked, and Hennigan bet. Only Shack-Harris called.

The turn was the  , and Shack-Harris check-folded to a bet.

John Hennigan	8,600,000	1,580,000
Brandon Shack-Harris	3,800,000	-700,000
Jesse Martin	2,900,000	-1,150,000