Monday, October 11, 2021 8:10 PM Local Time
DJ Alexander Captures First WSOP Bracelet in Event #20: $1,000 GGPoker Flip & Go
After just seven hours of play on Day 2, 2021 World Series of Poker Event #20: GGPoker $1,000 Flip & Go No-Limit Hold'em, a tournament that attracted 1,232 entries, came to an end Monday night with DJ Alexander capturing his first WSOP gold bracelet. Alexander took home $180,665 after defeating Jason Beck heads-up in just a few hands at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
In the last hand of the tournament, Alexander and Beck each picked up an ace and got all of their chips in the middle preflop. Alexander held a slight chip lead and was ahead with ace-jack against the ace-four of Beck. Alexander managed to turn a straight, leaving Beck drawing to just a chop which he could not do.
Alexander came close to a bracelet in 2017, finishing in second place in Event #20: $1,500 Millionaire Maker, but he was finally able to get over the hump in 2021 in an event that was largely considered a successful experiment.
"It's awesome! It might not look like it but I'm obviously happy," he said after the victory. "I've been here before but it feels great to get over the hump."
In what was a stacked final table with some big names, Alexander managed to come out on top against them all. The poker pro changed the direction of his tournament with a big call against David Peters with just four players remaining.
"If I call and I'm wrong here, I'll be left with like four big blinds," he said of the memorable hand. "I even still didn't want to call knowing that I beat a high percentage of his range but if I wanted to win the tournament, I needed to take a stand here."
Alexander clearly had the edge going into heads-up play with Beck, who was at the WSOP just to play in the GGPoker-sponsored tournament. Beck clearly enjoyed the moment of being at his first WSOP final table and Alexander gave him credit for a solid effort today: "It was just unfortunate for him that he had a hand to go with and I had a better one. He played well."
2021 WSOP Event #20: 1,000 Flip & Go No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|
| 1 | DJ Alexander | United States | $180,665 |
| 2 | Jason Beck | United States | $111,715 |
| 3 | Jake Schwartz | United States | $82,675 |
| 4 | David Peters | United States | $61,815 |
| 5 | Huy Lam | Australia | $46,695 |
| 6 | Corey Bierria | United States | $35,645 |
| 7 | Rok Gostisa | Slovenia | $27,495 |
| 8 | Fred Goldberg | United States | $21,435 |
Day 2 Action
There were just 23 players who returned to the felt for Day 2 and a shot at the gold bracelet. With only 30-minute blind levels and some short stacks in the field, there was no doubt the action would be fast-paced and the bust outs would come quick and often.
It took less than an hour for three tables to become two when Elio Fox and Krista Farrell ran into a big stack with pocket kings and were eliminated in the same hand. Daniel Weinman and Mark Ingram also joined the payouts list as just 11 players made it to the first break. After the break, Vojtech Ruzicka ran into a red-hot Peters and was sent home on the final table bubble.
Alexander and Koveh Waysei were the short stacks coming into the final table and it was Waysei who bowed out first, losing a coin flip for 12 big blinds. Alexander, on the other hand, won back-to-back pots against Peters, including a double-up where he spiked a three-outer on the flop. Fred Goldberg came into the final table as one of the leaders but took a couple of bad beats, which resulted in him exiting in eighth place.
Rok Gostisa was pretty silent throughout much of the day, but he found a spot to get all of his chips in the middle with pocket jacks. Unfortunately for him, Jake Schwartz woke up with ace-king and hit two kings on the flop to eliminate Gostisa. The blinds and antes eventually caught up with Corey Bierria who found himself at risk in a dominated position against Beck. Bierria was unable to come from behind and wound up in sixth place.
The start-of-day chip leader, Huy Lam, also couldn't come out on the right end of a pot at the final table. His luck continued to spiral down when he ran his pocket nines into Schwartz's pocket threes where Schwartz flopped quads. Lam bowed out in fifth place and Schwartz held a small chip lead going into four-handed play.
David Peters
The chips continued to bounce around throughout the next level with each player holding a brief chip lead. Peters got lucky to stay alive in a big pot against Beck, but the next hand changed the direction of the tournament. Peters jammed all-in from under the gun with king-jack and Alexander eventually called him off from the big blind with king-queen. Alexander held on to eliminate Peters and take a big chip lead with just three players remaining.
Schwartz and Beck were hovering around 15 big blinds apiece when the two clashed in a big pot. Schwartz bet-called off a shove from Beck with two pair but Beck held a small flush to eliminate Schwartz and set up a heads-up match against Alexander. It didn't take long for the match to finish as both players woke up with an ace, Alexander holding the better of the two which held on to bring an abrupt end to the tournament.
That wraps up the coverage for this event but keep it here as the PokerNews live reporting team will be on the tournament floor to bring you all of the updates throughout the 2021 WSOP.
Check out our 2021 WSOP Hub here!
Monday, October 11, 2021 7:43 PM Local Time
Jason Beck Eliminated in 2nd Place ($111,715)
DJ Alexander raised the button to 1,300,000 and Jason Beck three-bet to 3,000,000.
After a few seconds, Alexander announced he was all in, and Beck made the call.
Jason Beck:
Dj Alexander:
Alexander had Beck dominated preflop and the flop came , giving Alexander a gutshot straight draw. The turn was the for Alexander to make Broadway and Beck was calling for a jack on the river but the river was the . Jason Beck was eliminated in 2nd Place for $111,715.
A recap of the action is to follow.
| DJ Alexander | 24,640,000 | 13,340,000  |
| Jason Beck | 0 | -13,500,000  |
Monday, October 11, 2021 7:28 PM Local Time
Level 24 started
Level: 24
Blinds: 250,000/500,000
Ante: 500,000
Monday, October 11, 2021 7:20 PM Local Time
Heads-Up Break
The players are taking a quick 10-minute break before the heads-up match begins.
Monday, October 11, 2021 7:17 PM Local Time
Jake Schwartz Eliminated in 3rd Place ($82,675)
Jake Schwartz limped the small blind and Jason Beck checked his option.
They both checked through on the flop to see the on the turn. Schwartz check-called a bet of 500,000.
On the river, Schwartz took the lead by firing out 625,000 and Beck jammed for his remaining stack. After some deliberating Schwartz made the call. Beck tabled for a flush and Schwartz tabled and he was slightly covered. Schwartz was eliminated in 3rd place for $82,675.
| Jason Beck | 13,500,000 | 8,300,000 |
| DJ Alexander | 11,300,000 | -1,000,000 |
| Jake Schwartz | 0 | -6,125,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 7:04 PM Local Time
Schwartz Escapes the Trap
DJ Alexander just limped in from the small blind and Jake Schwartz checked his option. The flop came and both players checked to the on the turn.
Alexander checked again and Schwartz fired out a bet of 450,000. Alexander check-raised to 1,300,000 and Schwartz dumped his cards to the muck.
"Top set?" Schwartz questioned.
Alexander nodded and showed for a set of kings. Schwartz reached into the muck to show the that he folded.
| DJ Alexander | 12,300,000 | -1,600,000 |
| Jake Schwartz | 6,125,000 | 1,425,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:54 PM Local Time
David Peters Eliminated in 4th Place ($61,815)
David Peters ripped all in under the gun for roughly 6,000,000 in chips and the action folded around to DJ Alexander in the big blind. Alexander pondered the decision for a while and threw in a stack of greens to make the call.
David Peters:
DJ Alexander:
Peters was dominated by the queen-kicker and the board ran out for Alexander to scoop the pot. David Peters was eliminated in 4th place for $61,815.
| DJ Alexander | 13,900,000 | 7,700,000 |
| David Peters | 0 | -6,050,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:48 PM Local Time
Peters Stays Alive
David Peters moved all in for 2,725,000 on the button. Jason Beck was in the big blind and quickly called after looking at his cards to put Peters at risk.
David Peters:
Jason Beck:
Despite Peters was in a dominated position, but he took the lead on the flop. The on the turn and the on the river improved Peters to a full house. Beck sent out a deafening clap before his chips moved across the table.
| David Peters | 6,050,000 | 1,580,000 |
| Jason Beck | 5,200,000 | -3,700,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:44 PM Local Time
Level 23 started
Level: 23
Blinds: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 400,000
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:36 PM Local Time
Alexander Folds Two Pairs
The action folded to Jason Beck in the small blind and he put in a raise to 900,000 and DJ Alexander defended the big blind.
Both players checked through on the flop and the was the turn. Beck led out for 1,200,000 and Alexander made the call.
On the river, Beck announced all in and Alexander went into the tank. "How much is it?" asked Alexander. At this point, Beck got up from the table to let his rail know he was all in.
The dealer counted the chips and it was 4,400,000. After about two minutes Alexander decided to let his hand go and tabled the for a busted flush draw that made two pairs.
| Jason Beck | 8,900,000 | 1,750,000 |
| DJ Alexander | 6,200,000 | -2,500,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:26 PM Local Time
Alexander Doubles Into the Lead
DJ Alexander raised to 600,000 on the button and Jake Schwartz announced all in from the big blind. Alexander quickly called off his stack of 4,125,000 and the cards were on their backs.
DJ Alexander:
Jake Schwartz:
The flop came to give Schwartz a pair of nines but Alexander was still out front with his pocket jacks. The on the turn and the on the river changed nothing as Alexander doubled up into the chip lead.
| DJ Alexander | 8,700,000 | 4,640,000 |
| Jake Schwartz | 4,700,000 | -4,100,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:19 PM Local Time
Schwartz Takes it on the River
In a limped pot the flop came and Jake Schwartz check-called a bet of 400,000 from Jason Beck.
The turn was the and both players checked. On the river Schwartz led out for 1,025,000 and Beck quickly folded.
| Jake Schwartz | 8,800,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Jason Beck | 7,150,000 | -2,050,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:13 PM Local Time
Level 22 started
Level: 22
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 300,000
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:06 PM Local Time
Huy Lam Eliminated in 5th Place ($46,695)
The action folded to Huy Lam in the small blind who shipped all in for around 2,800,000. Jake Schwartz took a look at his cards in the big blind and called after shrugging his shoulders.
Huy Lam:
Jake Schwartz:
Lam was happy with his position and had a great chance to double up. However, the flop of gave Schwartz quads. The on the turn left Lam drawing dead to the on the river.
| Jason Beck | 9,200,000 | 2,230,000 |
| Jake Schwartz | 7,800,000 | 750,000 |
| Huy Lam | 0 | -3,225,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 6:01 PM Local Time
Corey Bierria Eliminated in 6th Place ($35,645)
Corey Bierria raised all in from the hijack for 2,690,000 and the action folded around to Jason Beck who put in his entire stack as well, forcing the blinds out of the pot.
Corey Bierria:
Jason Beck:
Bierria was dominated and the board ran out , giving both players a pair of queens but Beck's ace-kicker had the pot shipped his way. Bierria was eliminated in 6th place for $35,645.
| Jason Beck | 6,970,000 | 3,170,000 |
| Corey Bierria | 0 | -2,220,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 5:56 PM Local Time
Rok Gostisa Eliminated in 7th Place ($27,495)
Jake Schwartz raised to 3,150,000 from under the gun, putting the majority of his stack into the middle. Rok Gostisa asked for a count just like every other hand before moving the last of his 2,950,000 into the middle in the cutoff. The rest of the table folded and the two hands were tabled.
Rok Gostisa:
Jake Schwartz:
They were off to the races and the dealer spread the flop of to give Schwartz the lead. The on the turn and the on the river eliminated Gostisa in seventh place.
| Jake Schwartz | 7,050,000 | 3,550,000 |
| Rok Gostisa | 0 | -2,950,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 5:51 PM Local Time
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Monday, October 11, 2021 5:51 PM Local Time
Beck Flops a Set of Kings to Double
David Peters raised in early position to 480,000 and Jake Schwartz called on the button before Jason Beck jammed his stack of 1,420,000. Peters re-shoved all in covering both opponents and Schwartz snap-folded.
Jason Beck:
David Peters:
The dealer fanned a flop of , giving Beck top set of kings and the board completed with the on the turn and the on the river.
| David Peters | 4,470,000 | -1,300,000 |
| Jason Beck | 3,800,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Jake Schwartz | 3,500,000 | -1,160,000 |
Monday, October 11, 2021 5:40 PM Local Time
Level 21 started
Level: 21
Blinds: 120,000/240,000
Ante: 240,000
Monday, October 11, 2021 5:31 PM Local Time
Updated Chip Count at the Break
15-minute break for the remaining seven players.
| David Peters | 5,770,000 | 870,000 |
| Jake Schwartz | 4,660,000 | 470,000 |
| DJ Alexander | 4,060,000 | -460,000 |
| Huy Lam | 3,225,000 | 1,125,000 |
| Rok Gostisa | 2,950,000 | -850,000 |
| Corey Bierria | 2,220,000 | -1,050,000 |
| Jason Beck | 1,800,000 | -1,100,000 |