$1,000/$10,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em (Event #47)

After 157 hands on the final day of the 2019 World Series of Poker Event #47: $1,000/$10,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship, South Korea's Jiyoung Kim won her first WSOP gold bracelet and a first-place prize of $167,308 by defeating Nancy Matson heads-up. The event attracted 968 entries due to a new format with an increased starting stack of 20,000 chips and the fact that players could reenter during the first eight levels of play.

It marked Kim's second time ever cashing a WSOP event but the latest result easily surpassed the $580 cash she had during a WSOP Circuit event in 2016 according to The Hendon Mob. Kim had recorded 17 different cashes before the win with her previous highest cash ever being $21,939 during an event in the Philippines in 2016.

The cash that comes with the bracelet is a big thing but Kim plans to give it all away: "I'm giving it to my mom. All of it. She is always worried about me going overseas to play poker tournaments. I feel for her that's why I will give it to her."

The 2019 WSOP Ladies Championship Final Table Results

When the players returned at noon local time on Sunday all six players were guaranteed at least $27,643 but they were all aiming to make their career-best cashes. Unfortunately, that wasn't meant to be for everyone. The well-liked and friendly Lexy Gavin was arguably the most recognizable name in the line-up. She got her last chips in from the small blind with pocket sixes after a raise by Matson, who held ace-queen. Matson flopped top two pair and Gavin couldn't find a six on the turn nor the river to stay alive.

Lyly Vo was next to go in fifth place for $37,564 when her last six big blinds went in with seven-six. She was up against Kim's ace-seven. The ace-four-trey flop gave Kim top pair but there was a glimmer of hope for Vo as she picked up a gutshot to a straight draw. The six on the turn gave Vo some more outs to stay alive but she bricked the river to be sent to the payout desk. France's Sandrine Phan was the next one to be named the short stack after Vo's elimination but she managed to double up with seven-five when she turned two pair.

The Day 2 and 3 chip leader, Tu Dao was bleeding chips throughout the day as none of the ladies held back with their aggressive plays. Dao ended up jamming with ace-jack suited for 18 big blinds after Matson had raised. Phan over-shoved with the bigger stack and Matson quickly got out of their way. Phan's pocket jacks held up for Dao to be sent away in fourth place for $52,007.

Three-handed play would take an hour before the curtains finally fell on Phan. Her king-nine couldn't beat the ace-deuce of Kim. Phan's first visit to the 50th Annual WSOP can immediately be called a success as she collected $72,821 for her efforts which means she's got a new personal best in regards to live tournament cashes. Heads-up play started with Kim holding a commanding lead which she never relinquished.

Matson managed to find a double-up once with ace-five against Kim's king-queen but in the final hand of the day, she pushed all her chips in with king-eight and was called by Kim who held ace-nine. They both walked to their own rails to watch the runout of the seven-seven-queen-ten-trey board. Kim's own rail kept chanting for a deuce but the trey was just as good as Kim celebrated with them when the final cards were dealt.

They hugged and congratulated each other on their results. Kim laid claim to the second-ever bracelet for South Korea after Sean Yu won the first back in 2017.

"I feel like I'm dreaming. It's a dream come true for me," Kim said after her victory. "It's my third year here at the WSOP. I've never cashed before (in Las Vegas). I own a small coffee shop in South Korea and I'm also a poker player. I've been playing live tournaments for about four years. I'm a semi-pro. I play part-time."

Kim added: "I said I would take it slow going into the final table even though there were female players. This is the home of poker so I didn't want to underestimate the players. I've played the Asian Circuit and the players here were way better. I think I got luckier than them. That's why I'm here right now."

Kim played the BIG 50 and the Millionaire Maker earlier this summer and made her third event her lucky one. She isn't sure if she'll play the Main Event yet: "I might try the satellites first and go from there."

PokerNews will be here throughout the rest of the summer to bring you all the latest WSOP updates, so if she's back in any of the other events, the live reporting team will make sure to let you know.

Hand #177: Nancy Matson called on the button and Jiyoung Kim opted to check. The flop came    , Kim check-called the 300,000 bet of Matson. The turn was the  , Kim checked again and Matson now led out for 600,000. Kim raised to 1,500,000 for Matson to fold.

Hand #178: Kim raised to 500,000 from the button and Matson folded.

Hand #179: A walk for Kim.

Hand#180: Kim called on the button and Matson opted to check. They both checked through the     flop and the   on the turn to the   on the river. Matson checked again and Kim led out for 350,000 which Matson called. Kim tabled    but was beat by the    of Matson who had a pair of treys.

Hand #181: Matson called on the button and Kim raised to 700,000 which was enough to make Matson fold.

Hand #182: Jiyoung Kim raised to 500,000 from the small blind and Nancy Matson called. The flop came     and Matson check-called a bet of 450,000 from Kim. The turn was the   and Matson check-called another bet of 700,000 from Kim. The   completed the board and Matson checked once more. Kim fired 1,200,000 and Matson tank-folded.

Jiyoung Kim	14,600,000	1,200,000
Nancy Matson	4,800,000	-1,200,000

Hand #167: Nancy Matson called on the button and Jiyoung Kim raised to 700,000. Matson folded.

Hand #168: Kim raised to 400,000 from the button and that was enough to make Matson fold her hand.

Hand #169: Matson called on the button and Kim opted to check. The flop came    , Kim check-folded to the 300,000 bet of Matson.

Hand #170: Kim raised to 500,000 from the button and Matson shoved for 3,410,000. Kim asked for a count, looked at her own stack and her cards once more before she decided to fold.

Hand #171: Matson called on the button and Kim opted to check. The flop was the    , both players checked to see the   pair the board up on the turn. Kim bet 300,000 and Matson called. The river completed the board with the   for them both to check again. Matson tabled    for king-high and Kim showed she held    for two pair, eights and sevens.

Jiyoung Kim	15,800,000	200,000
Nancy Matson	3,600,000	-200,000

Hand #152: Jiyoung Kim raised to 375,000 from the small blind and Nancy Matson gave up her big blind.

Hand #153: Matson raised to 500,000 from the small blind and Kim folded.

Hand #154: Kim raised to 375,000 from the small blind and Matson three-bet to 1,000,000 from the big blind. Kim let it go.

Hand #155: Matson raised to 500,000 from the small blind and Kim called from the big blind. The flop came     and Kim checked. Matson bet 400,000 and Kim check-called. The turn brought the   and both players checked to the   river. Kim fired 600,000 and Matson called. Kim tabled    for top pair and Matson sent her hand to the muck.

Hand #156: Kim raised to 375,000 from the small blind and Matson called. The dealer fanned a flop of     and Matson checked. Kim bet 350,000 and Matson folded.

Jiyoung Kim	15,000,000	1,700,000
Nancy Matson	4,400,000	-1,600,000

Hand #140: Nancy Matson got a walk.

Hand #141: Matson limped from the small blind and Jiyoung Kim raised to 460,000 from the big blind. Matson folded.

Hand #142: Kim raised to 350,000 from the small blind and Matson folded.

Hand #143: Matson limped from the small blind and Kim raised to 460,000 from the big blind. Matson folded.

Hand #144: Kim limped from the small blind and Matson checked. The dealer spread a flop of     and was checked through to the   turn. Matson bet 225,000 and Kim raised to 650,000. Matson folded.

Hand #145: Matson raised to 450,000 from the small blind and Kim folded.

Hand #146: Kim raised to 400,000 from the small blind and Matson three-bet to 1,200,000 from the big blind. Kim went deep into the tank, then let it go.

Jiyoung Kim	11,900,000	300,000
Nancy Matson	7,400,000	-400,000

Hand #133: Jiyoung Kim got a walk.

Hand #134: Kim raised to 350,000 from the small blind and Nancy Matson called from the big blind. The flop was     and Kim bet 275,000. Matson folded.

Hand #135: Matson raised to 1,730,000 from the small blind and Sandrine Phan gave up her her big blind.

Hand #136: Phan moved all in from the small blind for 1,570,000 and Kim folded.

Hand #137: Phan moved all in on the button for 1,890,000 and Matson, in the big blind, took a few seconds of reflection but folded.

Hand #138: Kim raised to 350,000 from the button and Matson three-bet to 900,000 in the small blind. Phan quickly folded her big blind and Kim did the same.

Jiyoung Kim	10,000,000	200,000
Nancy Matson	7,100,000	-600,000
Sandrine Phan	2,200,000	200,000

Hand #117: Sandrine Phan got a walk.

Hand #118: Nancy Matson raised to 260,000 from the button and Jiyoung Kim defended her big blind. The flop came     for both players to check to the   on the turn. Kim check-folded to the 330,000 bet of Matson.

Hand #119: Kim raised to 260,000 from the small blind and Matson defended her big blind. The flop came    , Kim continued with a bet of 250,000 and Matson called. The turn was the  , Kim now decided to slow down and check. Matson led out for 350,000 and Kim let her hand go.

Hand #120: Kim raised to 260,000 from the button and Matson called in the small blind. The flop came    , Matson check-called the 250,000 bet of Matson. The turn was the  , they both checked to see the   complete the board. Matson checked again and Kim checked too. Matson tabled    for trip aces and that was enough to make Kim muck her hand.

Hand #121: Kim got a walk.

Nancy Matson	7,800,000	1,600,000
Jiyoung Kim	7,300,000	-1,300,000
Sandrine Phan	4,300,000	-300,000

Hand #111: Nancy Matson raised to 260,000 from the button and Tu Dao shoved from the small blind for 2,020,000. Sandrine Phan also shoved for 3,010,000 from the big blind and Matson quickly folded her hand to let them battle it out.

Tu Dao:   
Sandrine Phan:   

The flop came     for Phan to stay ahead.

The turn was the   for Dao to have two outs left as the   would give Phan a flush.

The river completed the board with the   for Phan to hold on and eliminate the Day 2 and Day 3 chip leader in fourth place for $52,007.

Jiyoung Kim	7,100,000	500,000
Nancy Matson	6,900,000	-600,000
Sandrine Phan	5,400,000	2,600,000
Tu Dao	0	-2,500,000