$10,000 Seven Card Stud (Event #41)

A champion has been crowned.

John Hennigan, regarded as one of the best Seven Card Stud players on the planet is the most recent 2019 World Series of Poker bracelet winner, having just topped a field of 88 of the world's best in Event #41: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship to earn a first place prize of $245,451.

When asked what this bracelet meant to him, Hennigan said it was a little more special than the other ones as he's always fancied himself to be a very good stud player. However, Hennigan wasn't the only world class player at what proved to be a star-studded final table; only one of the eight players to make the final table entered the day without a bracelet.

Final Table Results

Final Table Recap

The tournament found itself down to the final table of eight players nearing the end of Day 2 in what was supposed to be a four-day tournament. At the very end of the day, Frankie O'Dell was eliminated and the final seven players returned today for Day 3 to compete for nearly a quarter-million dollars, a WSOP bracelet, and the title of being Seven Card Stud World Champion.

Hennigan entered the day fourth in chips, with eventual runner up Daniel Negreanu coming into the day as chip leader and starting fast. Third place finisher David "ODB" Baker also got off to a hot start, taking over the chip lead during the first level of play. Baker secured the first two knockouts of the day, making queens up to best the sevens up of Frank Kassela (seventh place) and later making queens up again to send Chris Tryba (sixth place) to the rail.

Two-time bracelet winner David Singer (fifth place) was next to go, getting eliminated less than ten minutes after Tryba after hanging around with a short stack for around an hour before finally succumbing to elimination.

It was over two hours later that the next elimination occurred. Mikhail Semin, who was the sixth-place finisher of Event #29: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship for $71,505, continued his run of short-stacked survival, winning numerous all ins over the two-plus hours it took before his luck ran out and he finished in fourth place. Much like Singer and Tryba being eliminated in rapid succession, Baker was eliminated just four minutes after Semin when his pair of fours was unable to improve beyond Negreanu's sixes.

Then the battle began. Hennigan entered heads-up play with a stack of 1.5 million, roughly 40 percent of Negreanu's 3.7 million. Within 20 minutes, Hennigan had won several pots and stacks were even. The next 15 minutes saw Hennigan extend his chip lead and to that point, it seemed like he could run away with the tournament. However, Negreanu battled back and over the next two-plus hours, the two went back and forth, taking turns as chip leader without either player getting too far ahead of the other before stacks were all of a sudden even, again.

With about ten minutes left in what would be the penultimate level of the night, the momentum started to swing in Hennigan's favor and he would never look back. He won a big pot with two pair, aces up, and proceeded to win several pots afterward. After a match that never saw a commanding chip lead, Hennigan found himself eclipse the four-million chip mark and it wasn't much longer before Negreanu was under one million.

The final two hands of the night put an exclamation mark on the tournament. Hennigan found himself in a hand where he was able to get two bets in on both fifth and sixth streets before betting on seventh street and forcing Negreanu to fold, leaving himself with under two big bets in his stack. A couple of hands later, Negreanu was all in and ended up with a pair of fours that was no match to Hennigan's aces up.

After the tournament, Hennigan gave all the credit in the world to Negreanu. "It was a very tough duel, especially for me," Hennigan said in an interview. "He played so well, he really did not get what he deserved there. He made every right decision and it was just bad luck for him there at the end." Hennigan said he felt like he played a great tournament up until the end but that he really needed luck when the tournament reached heads-up play.

Fortunately for Hennigan, luck was on his side. However, Hennigan is far more focused on the meaning of this victory. Having already won five bracelets prior, he had already felt happy with what he had accomplished in his career. "This is just a sentimental thing, (winning) the stud (bracelet). I'm happier with this than I would be with any other, to be honest with you."

John Hennigan was the bring in. Daniel Negreanu completed and Hennigan made it two bets to go. Negreanu called. On fourth street, Negreanu check-called a bet from Hennigan. He then check-raised on fifth street and Hennigan called.

On sixth street, Negreanu continued with another bet and was met with a raise by Hennigan. He made the call and then checked to Hennigan on seventh street, who bet. After a couple minutes in the tank, Negreanu relinquished his hand, leaving himself with under two big bets in his stack.

John Hennigan:    /      /  
Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  

John Hennigan	5,045,000	645,000
Daniel Negreanu	235,000	-665,000

Daniel Negreanu was the bring in. John Hennigan completed and Negreanu defended. Hennigan then bet out on fourth and fifth with Negreanu calling both streets before action checked through sixth- and seventh streets to showdown.

Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  
John Hennigan:    /      /  

Hennigan tabled     for aces up and won the pot, bringing his stack to more than four million chips.

John Hennigan	4,100,000	300,000
Daniel Negreanu	1,200,000	-300,000

John Hennigan was the bring in and Daniel Negreanu completed. Hennigan reraised and Negreanu called. Negreanu then check-called Hennigan's bet on fourth street before check-folding to another bet on fifth.

John Hennigan:    /    
Daniel Negreanu:    /     (folded on fifth)

A couple of hands later, Hennigan again was the bring in and Negreanu completed. Hennigan reraised again and Negreanu called. On fourth street, Negreanu check-called a bet from Hennigan. Both players then checked all the way to showdown.

John Hennigan:    /      /  
Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  

Hennigan tabled     and Negreanu was unable to beat his pair of nines as he took down the pot.

John Hennigan	3,800,000	400,000
Daniel Negreanu	1,500,000	-400,000

Daniel Negreanu was the bring in with a ten. John Hennigan completed with a jack and Negreanu called. Hennigan bet on fourth street and Negreanu called. Negreanu then bet on fifth and sixth street with Hennigan calling before he put in a bet in the dark on seventh. Hennigan received his final card and checked it before putting in a raise that Negreanu called.

Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  
John Hennigan:    /      /  

Hennigan tabled     for aces up and Negreanu mucked. For the time being, Hennigan has regained the chip lead.

John Hennigan	3,100,000	500,000
Daniel Negreanu	2,200,000	-500,000

John Hennigan was the bring in. Daniel Negreanu completed and Hennigan called. Negreanu check-called a bet from Hennigan on fourth street. He then bet on fifth and was called by Hennigan. On sixth, he bet again and Hennigan raised. Negreanu made the call and then check-called a bet on seventh street.

Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  
John Hennigan:     /     

Hennigan's straight took down the pot as he took his turn regaining the chip lead.

John Hennigan	2,900,000	700,000
Daniel Negreanu	2,400,000	-700,000

John Hennigan was the bring in with a deuce. Daniel Negreanu completed and Hennigan defended. Hennigan bet on fourth street and Negreanu called. He bet on fifth again and Negreanu raised. Hennigan called the raise and called Negreanu's bet on sixth street. Negreanu then bet in the dark on seventh street and after looking at his final card, Hennigan folded.

Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  
John Hennigan:    /      /   (folded on seventh)

Daniel Negreanu	3,700,000	700,000
John Hennigan	1,600,000	-700,000

John Hennigan was the bring in. Daniel Negreanu completed and Hennigan made it two bets. Negreanu called. On fourth street, Negreanu check-raised a bet from Hennigan. Negreanu continued with bets on the final three streets and Hennigan called all the way down.

Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  
John Hennigan:    /      /  

Negreanu tabled     for three fours and Hennigan mucked his hand, flashing the   to Negreanu as he sent his cards the dealer's way.

Daniel Negreanu	2,700,000	500,000
John Hennigan	2,600,000	-500,000

John Hennigan brought in with a deuce and Daniel Negreanu completed with a trey. Hennigan made it two bets and then Negreanu put in a reraise to three bets. Hennigan called.

On fourth street, Negreanu bet and Hennigan called. Hennigan was then first to act on all three remaining streets and fired each time. Negreanu called him down until seventh street, when he ultimately folded to a final bet from Hennigan.

John Hennigan:    /      /  
Daniel Negreanu:    /      /   (folded on seventh)

John Hennigan	3,800,000	900,000
Daniel Negreanu	1,500,000	-900,000

Daniel Negreanu completed on his king and John Hennigan instantly bumped in two bets. Negreanu made it three, Hennigan called and Negreanu fired again on the next two streets. Hennigan called both streets and took over on sixth, betting until showdown.

Daniel Negreanu:    /      /  
John Hennigan:    /      /  

Negreanu called until seventh and Hennigan tabled     for three ducks. Negreanu mucked and Hennigan pulled in the pot.

John Hennigan	3,400,000	200,000
Daniel Negreanu	1,900,000	-200,000