Wednesday, October 6, 2021 6:36 PM Local Time
Zhi Wu Wins First WSOP Gold Bracelet in Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
After just over an hour of final table action, Zhi Wu of Boston, Massachusetts defeated Ari Mezrich of Las Vegas in heads-up play to win the gold bracelet in Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack.
The first Deepstack event of the 2021 World Series of Poker attracted 4,527 entrants to generate a $2,309,280 prize pool from which Wu collected $281,604 for the victory.
The victory was Wu's first cash at the WSOP after previous success in other tournaments around the country.
Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|
| 1 | Zhi Wu | United States | $281,604 |
| 2 | Ari Mezrich | United States | $173,998 |
| 3 | Chrishan Sivasundaram | United States | $131,675 |
| 4 | Ryan Chan | Canada | $100,330 |
| 5 | Nicholas Zautra | United States | $76,974 |
Winner's Reaction
Wu hails from Boston and plays most of his poker in home games with his friends, some of whom were on the rail for his victory. The group plans to go home to Boston after this weekend before returning at the end of October for the Main Event.
"I won a Foxwoods $400 a couple of years ago and I came in second in a $1,700 bounty in Florida," Wu said through a translator. "I am not a professional, but I have some experience.
"I am going to play the Millionaire Maker, the Main Event, and a few others. We plan to party a little bit but stick to the schedule."
The $600 deepstack event drew previous bracelet-winners Asi Moshe, Joey Weissman, and Craig Varnell, but they were all eliminated prior to Day 3 and the final table welcomed a group of fresh faces looking for their first WSOP victory.
Final Table Action
The action unfolded quickly when Chrishan Sivasundaram knocked out Nicholas Zautra with a pair of kings as the final table got underway. Zautra was soon followed by Ryan Chen in fourth place. Chen was Wu's first victim of the day when he shoved his stack with middle-pair on the flop against Wu's top-pair of eights.
Wu applied pressure early in three-handed play and extended the lead with two big pots before eliminating Sivasundaram in third place. Wu called Sivasundaran's shove with seven-three and the hot run continued when he made two-pair on the flop.
Runner-up Mezrich entered the day as the shortest stack and Wu held a commanding lead going into heads-up play, but Mezrich immediately went to work and doubled up twice before taking two other pots to bring the players near even. In a matter of minutes, Wu had lost his commanding chip lead and Mezrich was on the march.
Runner-up Ari Mezrich
"I was nervous about big hands so I changed my strategy," Wu said. "I played big hands differently because I knew my opponent was a strong heads-up player."
The nerves didn't last long, however, and Wu soon looked down at a pair of aces. Mezrich called off with mid-pair after tanking for more than a minute when Wu shoved the turn. The river was a brick and Wu was all smiles as he took his first look at the WSOP gold bracelet.
This wraps up coverage of Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack. Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews live reporting team for updates on all the action as it happens live from the 2021 WSOP.
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 5:23 PM Local Time
Ari Mezrich Eliminated in 2nd Place ($173,998)
Zhi Wu raised to 5,200,000 and Ari Mezrich made the call.
The flop was and Mezrich checked. Wu bet 5,000,000 and Mezrich called.
The turn was and Mezrich checked again. Wu shoved 51,000,000 and had Mezrich covered.
Mezrich went into the tank for more than a minute before he called and turned over for a pair of tens. Wu turned over .
The river was and the aces and jacks knocked Mezrich out of the tournament.
| Zhi Wu | 135,810,000 | 64,910,000  |
| Ari Mezrich | 0 | -64,800,000  |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 5:13 PM Local Time
Level 42 started
Level: 42
Blinds: 1,200,000/2,400,000
Ante: 2,400,000
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 5:13 PM Local Time
Mezrich Gets Paid on the River
Ari Mezrich limped, and Zhi Wu checked back from the big blind.
Both players checked the flop, as well as the turn. Mezrich bet 10,000,000 on the river and Wu called.
Mezrich tables , good for a king-high flush and the win.
| Zhi Wu | 70,900,000 | -12,000,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 64,800,000 | 12,000,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 5:10 PM Local Time
Mezrich Chips Up
Zhi Wu called and Ari Mezrich checked the option from the big blind.
The flop was and both players checked.
The turn was and Mezrich checked again. Wu bet 2,500,000 and Mezrich raised to 6,000,000. Wu called and the river was .
Mezrich bet 6,000,000 on the river and Wu called. Mezrich showed for sevens full of kings and Wu's hand went into the muck.
| Zhi Wu | 82,900,000 | -17,600,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 52,800,000 | 17,600,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 5:00 PM Local Time
Another Double Up For Mezrich
Ari Mezrich shoved from the small blind for 16,600,000, and Zhi Wu called in the big blind.
Ari Mezrich:
Zhi Wu:
Board:
The flop brought in a favorable hand for Mezrich, who made nines full and left Wu drawing dead.
| Zhi Wu | 100,500,000 | -18,600,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 35,200,000 | 18,600,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:57 PM Local Time
Mezrich Finds a Double
Zhi Wu shoved from the small blind, and Ari Mezrich called.
Ari Mezrich:
Zhi Wu:
Board:
Both players paired up on the flop, but Mezirch's top pair stayed ahead through the runout.
| Zhi Wu | 119,100,000 | -2,300,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 16,600,000 | 2,300,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:50 PM Local Time
Chrishan Sivasundaram Eliminated in 3rd Place ($131,675)
Chrishan Sivasundaram shoved for 20,100,000 from the small blind, and Zhi Wu called from the big blind.
Chrishan Sivasundaram:
Zhi Wu:
Board:
Two pair came in on the flop for Wu, and the turn left Sivasundaram drawing dead. Sivasundaram exited the tournament in third place, collecting $131,675.
| Zhi Wu | 121,400,000 | 20,100,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 14,300,000 | -1,000,000 |
| Chrishan Sivasundaram | 0 | -19,100,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:46 PM Local Time
Wu Extends the Lead
Zhi Wu limped from the small blind and Ali Mezrich checked the option.
The flop was and both players checked.
The turn was and Wu led out with a bet for 2,000,000. Mezrich called and the river was .
Wu continued on the turn for 3,000,000 and Mezrich folded to give the chip leader another pot to extend the lead.
| Zhi Wu | 101,300,000 | 27,500,000 |
| Chrishan Sivasundaram | 19,100,000 | -15,900,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 15,300,000 | -11,600,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:43 PM Local Time
Level 41 started
Level: 41
Blinds: 1,000,000/2,000,000
Ante: 2,000,000
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:39 PM Local Time
Wu Extends His Chip Lead
Ari Mezrich opened to 3,600,000 on the button, and Zhi Wu three-bet to 9,600,000 from the big blind.
Mezrich folded, and Wu now sits on more than half of the chips in play.
| Zhi Wu | 73,800,000 | 900,000 |
| Chrishan Sivasundaram | 35,000,000 | -6,700,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 26,900,000 | 5,800,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:32 PM Local Time
Ryan Chan Eliminated in 4th Place ($100,330)
Zhi Wu raised to 4,000,000 from early position and Ryan Chan called from the big blind.
The flop came . Chan got his last 23,800,000 in and Wu called.
Ryan Chan:
Zhi Wu:
Wu was ahead with a pair of eights and the turn was to give Chan a flush draw. The river was no help and Chan was eliminated from the tournament in fourth place.
| Zhi Wu | 72,900,000 | 30,800,000 |
| Chrishan Sivasundaram | 41,700,000 | -4,800,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 21,100,000 | 4,000,000 |
| Ryan Chan | 0 | -30,000,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:20 PM Local Time
Nicholas Zautra Eliminated in 5th Place ($76,974)
Chrishan Sivasundaram opened to 3,200,000 from the cutoff, Nicholas Zautra shoved for 11,000,000 from the button, and Sivasundaram called.
Nicholas Zautra:
Chrishan Sivasundaram:
Board:
One card away from a double up, Zautra saw his tournament run come to an end when the fell on the river. He exited the tournament in fifth place for a $76,974 payday.
| Chrishan Sivasundaram | 46,500,000 | 15,000,000 |
| Zhi Wu | 42,100,000 | -4,000,000 |
| Ryan Chan | 30,000,000 | 800,000 |
| Ari Mezrich | 17,100,000 | 3,200,000 |
| Nicholas Zautra | 0 | -15,000,000 |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:11 PM Local Time
Shuffle Up and Deal
The $600 Deepstack final table is underway.
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:11 PM Local Time
Level 40 started
Level: 40
Blinds: 800,000/1,600,000
Ante: 1,600,000
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:09 PM Local Time
Start Delayed
The final table hasn't started yet, but is expected to begin soon.
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 2:45 PM Local Time
Event #8: $600 Deepstack Final Table Begins at 4 p.m.
A field of 4,527 WSOP hopefuls is down to the final five in Event #8: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack. The five remaining combatants enjoy the superstar treatment when play resumes today at 4 p.m.
The final table will play out from the feature table in the Amazon Room, and PokerGO begins delayed streaming coverage of the event at 5 p.m. The eventual winner takes home the first-place prize of $281,604.
That final player not only takes home the six-figure grand prize, but also their first career WSOP bracelet. Event #8 is guaranteed to crown a first-time WSOP winner.
The chip leader among the final five, Zhi Wu (46,100,000), returns with just under 30 big blinds in the stack. Play resumes at Level 40, with the blinds and antes at 800,000/1,600,000/1,600,000.
The final table plays out with 30-minute levels today until a champion is crowned. Right behind Wu in the chips counts are Chrishan Sivasundaram (31,500,000), Ryan Chan (29,200,000), Nicholas Zautra (15,000,000), and Ari Mezrich (13,900,000).
The $600 Deepstack played as a one re-entry event, and generated a $2,309,280 prize pool. Monday's Day 1 flight played down to 216 players, and went down to the final five on Day 2.
Stay here with the PokerNews live reporting team as the latest WSOP bracelet champion is crowned tonight.