Monday, October 11, 2021 1:30 PM Local Time
Vladimir Peck Claims First Gold Bracelet in Event #18: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball ($134,390)
The 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) crowned another mixed game champion on Monday and Vladimir Peck prevailed in an intense heads-up duel with Venkata "Sandy" Tayi to claim his maiden gold bracelet in Event #18: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball. It was the first tournament of the ongoing festival that required an extra day in order to divide up the lion's share of the $562,925 prize pool in a field of 253 entries.
Peck and Tayi entered the additional day with fewer than 15 big bets in play and the 44-year-old, who grew up in Chicago, won a key hand in 2-7 Triple Draw to get back in contention and turn things around. Peck spent the last ten years on the East Coast and frequently visited the Borgata and Parx. Poker has always been a recreational activity for Peck, who usually works in software engineering and took some time off from work to compete in the entire WSOP festival.
Tayi dominated large portions of the final table and held a commanding lead several times without being able to close it out on Day 3, getting involved in a lot of pots and getting there often. However, he had to settle for the runner-up spot and a consolation prize of $83,056. The victory for $134,390 also represents the biggest live cash for Peck, toppling the previous best score of $109,040 at the Borgata Summer Poker Open back in 2008.
Event #18: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball Final Table Results
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in USD) |
|---|
| 1 | Vladimir Peck | United States | $134,390 |
| 2 | Venkata Tayi | United States | $83,056 |
| 3 | Joao Vieira | Portugal | $57,558 |
| 4 | Aaron Rogers | United States | $40,443 |
| 5 | Brian Yoon | United States | $28,818 |
| 6 | Hal Rotholz | United States | $20,828 |
| 7 | Carlos Rodriguez | United States | $15,272 |
It wasn't smooth sailing for Peck by any means en route to claiming his first gold bracelet as he was on the brink of elimination with fewer than one big bet behind several times. On Day 3 close to the seven-handed final table, Peck was seemingly always near the bottom of the leaderboard.
"I know I made a few folds that I would usually never make but there were these big stacks and suddenly the bets were so big," he said. "You pick a hand to get involved in and that's your tournament right there."
An early turning point on the unscheduled extra day came in A-5 Triple Drawn when Peck opted to break a ten and made a better seven-low.
"It was tough to do because sometimes he got those hands and I hate to break and pair up. It was a spot where I didn't think he was bluffing, he wasn't bluffing a lot. I made a lot of mistakes calling some of his bets with bluff catchers and he always had it."
It wasn't just about the money and the gold bracelet, however, but also an important lesson in mixed games as well, during which he considered Ace-To-Five as his best poker variant throughout the event.
"Honestly, I learned so much in just those three days because there were a lot of very good players in this tournament. I don't know if it's my best game but I think it's most likely that other people are not as good," he added.
Runner-Up Venkata Tayi.
Peck will be competing in tournaments throughout the entire series with a preference for further mixed game adventures.
"This is fun and reminds me more of playing poker as a kid where it was essentially Dealer's Choice. All these different random games, we just played a bunch of different games. The no-limit hold'em games are fun and big, and I will play some of those as well. The Dealer's Choice was a lot of fun and there were many very good players in it."
The tournament certainly showcased that it is never over until the final bet has vanished. Peck staged a similar comeback story as the defending champion Dan Zack, who achieved the same feat back in 2019 as well and came back from very few chips.
Also featured on the seven-handed final table were two WSOP bracelet winners in Brian Yoon and Joao Vieira. It was Yoon who dominated the early stages on Day 3 with two tables remaining but he eventually came up short of a fourth victory and bowed out in fifth place. Vieira was involved in a tense three-handed battle with Tayi and Peck, during which the topsy-turvy affair sent the Portuguese prodigy to the rail in third place.
Peck joins Vieira in the winner's circle and will certainly be involved in more tournaments of the 2021 World Series of Poker at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. That concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event but another two events are scheduled to play down all the way to a winner on October 11, 2021.
Check out our 2021 WSOP Hub here!
Monday, October 11, 2021 1:11 PM Local Time
Venkata Tayi Eliminated in 2nd Place ($83,056)
2-7 Triple Draw
Vladimir Peck raised and Venkata Tayi moved all-in for 800,000 total, which Peck called.
"I am definitely light here," Peck joked as he took three and Tayi drew two. On the next draw, Taxi remained at two new cards while Peck took one. The final draw saw Peck pat and Tayi took one.
Peck revealed for a jack-low and Tayi flipped over his cards one after the other. He ended up with a and paired the nine to bow out in second place for $83,056. Peck earns his first WSOP gold bracelet and the top prize of $134,390.
An interview with the winner and recap of the action is to follow.
| Vladimir Peck | 8,850,000 | 800,000  |
| Venkata Tayi | 0 | -800,000  |
Monday, October 11, 2021 1:08 PM Local Time
Peck On Brink of Victory
2-7 Triple Draw
Vladimir Peck limped in and Venkata Tayi checked his option. Tayi discarded two and Peck drew one to see the action go check, check. They repeated their drawing action and Tayi check-folded to a bet, exposing the and two high cards.
Peck then made a while Tayi broke up a king and ended up with an to see his stack reduced to fewer than one and a half big bets.
| Vladimir Peck | 8,050,000 | 1,950,000 |
| Venkata Tayi | 800,000 | -1,950,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 1:00 PM Local Time
Tayi Doubles Through Peck
Badugi
Down to a severe short stack, Venkata Tayi raised out of the big blind after Vladimir peck had limped in. Peck stuck around and Tayi patted while Peck drew two with the words "oh shit" and a smirk on the face. Tayi bet with 475,000 behind and Peck tank-called. Tayi patted once more as Peck drew one and the all-in followed, which Peck called.
Tayi patted the final draw and Peck drew one to expose the cards. Tayi's was a Jack-Dugi and Peck had a superior draw with the . However, his final card was the and Tayi doubled.
| Vladimir Peck | 6,100,000 | -675,000 |
| Venkata Tayi | 2,750,000 | 675,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:57 PM Local Time
WSOP - For The Love Of The Game
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:50 PM Local Time
Rough Seven Works for Peck
2-7 Triple Draw
Venkata Tayi earned some chips back without showdown and then raised the button, which Vladimir Peck defended out of the big blind. Picking up the action after the first draw, Peck check-called a bet and patted while Tayi took one. They checked and repeated the same drawing action once more to check it down eventually.
Peck announced a rough seven and tabled the . Tayi exposed that he was drawing with a and whiffed it with a as his final card.
| Vladimir Peck | 6,775,000 | 200,000 |
| Venkata Tayi | 2,075,000 | -200,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:42 PM Local Time
Peck Pulls Way Ahead Once More
2-7 Triple Draw
In the final hand of Badugi, Venkata Tayi made an Eight-Dugi but Vladimir Peck earned the pot with a Seven-Dugi as all the cards were already scrambled together. That pot propelled Peck into a bigger lead and he then raised the button in the first hand of the new game type, which Tayi defended.
Both drew two and checked, then drew two again. Tayi checked and Peck bet to earn the pot without resistance.
| Vladimir Peck | 6,575,000 | 1,800,000 |
| Venkata Tayi | 2,275,000 | -1,800,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:42 PM Local Time
2021 WSOP - The Story Behind The Bracelet
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:36 PM Local Time
Back To Nearly Even
Badugi
Vladimir Peck limped in and Venkata Tayi checked his option to discard two, while Peck patted. Tayi check-called a bet and then drew one, Tayi checked and Peck checked behind.
Tayi drew one more while Peck patted and the former then bet. Peck reluctantly called and Tayi revealed the for an Eight-Dugi.
"Nice hand," Peck said and tapped the table.
| Vladimir Peck | 4,775,000 | -1,300,000 |
| Venkata Tayi | 4,075,000 | 1,300,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:31 PM Local Time
Peck Into the Lead With a Wheel
A-5 Triple Draw
Venkata Tayi raised and Vladimir peck called. Peck drew one while Tayi took two and Peck bet for Tayi to call. Both then discarded one each and Peck bet once more, picking up a call by tayi. On the final draw, Peck patted and Tayi took one.
The bet of Peck sent Tayi deep into the tank. "You didn't break a ten this time?" he asked, more to himself than his opponent. Eventually, Tayi called and Peck rolled over for a wheel to scoop the large pot.
After the hand, the game switched to Badugi and Peck claimed another one and a half big bets off Tayi to further extend his lead.
| Vladimir Peck | 6,075,000 | 2,200,000 |
| Venkata Tayi | 2,775,000 | -2,200,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:21 PM Local Time
Peck Breaks a Ten and Wins
A-5 Triple Draw
Vladimir Peck raised and was called by Venkata Tayi, who discarded three and Peck took two new cards. Tayi check-called a bet and drew two while Peck patted. Tayi check-called another bet and then patted. Peck was in the tank and discarded one for Tayi to bet immediately.
Peck called with 275,000 behind and was good with the as Tayi only had for an inferior seven-low. In table chat, Peck mentioned he broke up a ten and the last time he did that against Tayi, it didn't turn out well.
| Venkata Tayi | 4,975,000 | -1,500,000 |
| Vladimir Peck | 3,875,000 | 1,500,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:15 PM Local Time
Tayi Extends Lead
2-7 Triple Draw
Venkata Tayi increased the lead after winning all three remaining hands in 2-7 Triple Draw, as Vladimir Peck limped twice but gave up after the first draw.
| Venkata Tayi | 6,475,000 | 900,000 |
| Vladimir Peck | 2,375,000 | -900,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 12:08 PM Local Time
Level 32 started
Level: 32
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 0
Monday, October 11, 2021 11:15 AM Local Time
Peck and Tayi To Duke It Out for the WSOP Bracelet in Event #18: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball
An unscheduled fourth day is required in Event #18: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball as the newest winner of the 2021 World Series of Poker will be determined shortly. Out of a field of 253 entries, Vladimir Peck and Venkata "Sandy" Tayi remain in contention after 31 levels of play. They already have $83,056 locked up for their efforts but the coveted gold bracelet and top prize of $134,390 awaits to the eventual winner.
Seat Assignments for the Extra Day
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Bets |
|---|
| 1 | Vladimir Peck | United States | 3,275,000 | 5 |
| 2 | Venkata Tayi | United States | 5,575,000 | 9 |
Both players were on the verge of victory during the heads-up battle and Peck had half a big bet behind in the final hand of the night before he scooped the pot and kept his hopes alive.
Final Table Results and Remaining Payouts Event #18: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in USD) |
|---|
| 1 | | | $134,390 |
| 2 | | | $83,056 |
| 3 | Joao Vieira | Portugal | $57,558 |
| 4 | Aaron Rogers | United States | $40,443 |
| 5 | Brian Yoon | United States | $28,818 |
| 6 | Hal Rotholz | United States | $20,828 |
| 7 | Carlos Rodriguez | United States | $15,272 |
The action is set to resume with limits of 300,000/600,000 at noon local time and there are fewer than 15 big bets total in play, thus it may take five minutes or by far longer to determine a winner in this event. Stay tuned for the conclusion of this event as the PokerNews live reporting team will provide all the key hands until the conclusion.