Event #13: Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em

Harvey Mathews has captured his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet in Event #13: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em. Mathews defeated Gabriel Andrade heads-up in thrilling fashion to top the 720-player field and take home the first-place prize of $371,914.

In the last hand of the night, Mathews ran as good as he did throughout the final table but all that mattered to the Michigan native was getting that coveted piece of jewelry. Mathews had Andrade all in and at risk but was down to just six outs on the river. With his friends cheering from the rail, Mathews nailed a pair of kings and fist-pumped in excitement as the final card hit the felt.

"Obviously it feels amazing," Mathews stated in his post-tournament interview about how it felt to win a WSOP gold bracelet. "I used to come out every year back when I was younger but then I stopped coming after Black Friday. So it just feels great to be back here and to have success. This is pretty huge."

Mathews came into the day as the short stack but picked up the cards when he needed them the most. "I just ran absolutely insane, probably the most insane I've run in my entire life." But sometimes that's what it takes to win one of these large-field events.

As for what's to come from the newest WSOP champion, Mathews was quick to say that he's headed back home to Michigan this week to get back to work. "I do plan on coming back to Las Vegas for the Main Event. I don't have any plans for the money right now, I never really thought about it yet. But it'll be a lot of fun whatever I end up doing."

Event #13: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

Final Table Action

Day 3 began with seven players returning to the felt in hopes of capturing a WSOP gold bracelet. The players were hesitant at the beginning and the action was slow to start with many raise-and-takes over the first few hands. However, one sick runout and the action quickly picked up. Craig Mason found himself all-in on the turn with a set of fives against the top pair of Girish Apte. Unfortunately for Mason, Apte managed to river a straight, and Mason became the first casualty of the final table.

Just a few hands later, David Lolis found himself on the wrong side of the deck after flopping top pair. Andrade held an overpair to the board and staved off elimination, leaving Lolis with just two big blinds. Lolis went on to be eliminated in the next hand, which sent players on a two-hour break until the PokerGO stream would begin.

Once the players returned to the main stage, it turned into the Mathews show as he quickly went from the short stack to the big stack. Mathews started with a double-up through Brandon Caputo, then Apte bluffed off his stack into Mathews' straight. A few hands later, Mathews cracked Caputo's aces with a rivered flush and Caputo exited in fifth place.

Mathews continued to roll by making a backdoor flush and getting paid on the river by Apte's turned pair. Apte was down to just a couple of big blinds and could not survive the orbit. Michael Gathy ultimately sent Apte to the rail in fourth place when the blinds came around again.

Gathy came into the day second in chips and was looking to make history with his fifth WSOP gold bracelet in a no-limit hold'em event. Gathy pushed hard for the win, but it may have come back to bite him with just three players remaining. Gathy went for a big river bluff with king-high but Mathews sniffed it out with just a pair of fives. Gathy fell down to just 15 big blinds and soon found himself at risk with ace-eight offsuit. Unfortunately for him, Mathews once again woke up with a monster, showing ace-king suited. A king on the turn would end Gathy's run in third place, leaving Mathews and Andrade to battle heads-up.

Although Mathews started as the chip leader in the heads-up duel, Andrade continued to apply pressure and close the gap, nearly getting back to even. However, Mathews would not relinquish the lead and slowly started to pull away again. Once Andrade got down to his last 15 big blinds, the two players got all of their chips in the middle preflop. Andrade was ahead with ace-high but Mathews held two live cards. It took until the river for Mathews to spike a pair which brought an end to the match.

That wraps up the PokerNews coverage for this event but there is still plenty of action happening throughout the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and we will be here to bring you all of the live updates.

Harvey Mathews raised from the button to put Gabriel Andrade all-in who made the call for the 3,190,000 he had behind.

Gabriel Andrade:   
Harvey Mathews:   

Andrade was ahead with the higher kicker but the board ran out       for Mathews to hit the river for two pair and his first WSOP bracelet. Andrade walked away as the runner-up for $229,848.

Harvey Mathews	28,800,000	6,500,000
Gabriel Andrade	0	-6,600,000

Harvey Mathews raised it up to 620,000 on the button and Gabriel Andrade defended from the big blind. The flop came     and Andrade check-called a bet of 500,000 from Mathews.

The   paired the board on the turn and Andrade checked again. Mathews slid out another bet of 1,100,000 and Andrade dumped his cards to the muck.

Harvey Mathews	20,600,000	100,000
Gabriel Andrade	8,300,000	-100,000

Harvey Mathews opened to 640,000 on the button and Gabriel Andrade called. The flop came     and Andrade checked to Mathews who continued for 600,000. Andrade called and the   landed on the turn.

Both players checked and the   completed the board. Andrade counted out a bet of 1,000,000 and Mathews made the call. Andrade tabled    for top pair and Mathews mucked his cards.

Harvey Mathews	16,500,000	-3,400,000
Gabriel Andrade	12,300,000	3,300,000

Gabriel Andrade limped in on the button and then called the 600,000 raise of Harvey Mathews.

The flop came    , Mathews continued with a bet of 600,000 which Andrade called again.

They both checked through the   on the turn to the   on the river. Mathews checked for the final time and Andrade opted to bet 3,100,000 for Mathews to snap-fold.

Harvey Mathews	19,600,000	-700,000
Gabriel Andrade	9,300,000	700,000

Harvey Mathews raised to 500,000 from the button and Gabriel Andrade three-bet to 1,100,000 for Mathews to call.

The flop came    , Andrade bet 1,075,000 for Mathews to fold.

Harvey Mathews	22,500,000	-1,300,000
Gabriel Andrade	6,400,000	1,300,000

Michael Gathy limped on the button and Harvey Mathews raised to 800,000 from the small blind. Gabriel Andrade folded his big blind but Gathy shoved for 3,125,000 and was called.

Michael Gathy:   
Harvey Mathews:   

The board ran out       for Mathews to turn top pair and leave Gathy drawing dead while the river gave Gathy the lower pair.

Gathy collected $164,083 for his efforts over the past day and will need to try and win his fifth bracelet in another event.

Mathes and Andrade were sent away for a short break while the stage is being set up for the heads-up battle.

Harvey Mathews	19,245,000	4,645,000
Gabriel Andrade	9,645,000	-855,000
Michael Gathy	0	-3,700,000

Harvey Mathews raised to 525,000 from under the gun and Michael Gathy made the call in the blind.

The flop came    , Gathy check-raised the 525,000 continuation-bet of Mathews to 1,250,000 which was called.

They both checked through the   on the turn to the   on the river. Gathy bet 2,500,000 after thinking for almost a minute and Mathews tanked for a while and then called with the    for the pair of fives. He made the right call though as Gathy tabled the    for the bluff.

Gabriel Andrade	4,700,000	200,000
Michael Gathy	4,200,000	-4,500,000
Harvey Mathews	20,000	-15,480,000