Saturday, November 6, 2021 12:17 AM Local Time
Josh Arieh Wins Fourth Bracelet in Event #66: $10,000 Pot-Limit Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship for $484,791
Josh Arieh has claimed victory in Event #66: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship after overcoming a field of 208 entries. Arieh grabbed hold of his fourth World Series of Poker bracelet and $484,791 after defeating Danny Chang heads-up.
After the last hand was dealt 10 hours into Day 3, Arieh was able to turn to his wife and poker friends on his rail with a huge grin on his face and his arms raised in the air.
"Having Rachel here was amazing," Arieh told PokerNews. "She wasn't able to be here for the first one and we really wanted to get a winner's photo together."
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|
| 1st | Josh Arieh | United States | $484,791 |
| 2nd | Danny Chang | United States | $299,627 |
| 3rd | Anatolii Zyrin | Russia | $207,369 |
| 4th | Dan Colpoys | United States | $146,817 |
| 5th | Jeff Gross | United States | $106,391 |
| 6th | Adam Owen | United Kingdom | $78,955 |
| 7th | Aaron Kupin | United States | $60,040 |
| 8th | Matt Woodward | United States | $46,813 |
Arieh couldn't have been any happier after falling just short of the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship final table and coming back to win this just 48 hours later.
"It was really motivating having that play out right there. I really wanted that," as he pointed to the Main Stage, "because of the year before when I came in second, but this is a hell of a consolation prize."
In the past two weeks, Arieh has claimed three six-figure scores at the WSOP including two bracelet wins, and he credits a lot of that to his personal life. "I'm at a better place, my personal life is as good as it's ever been. I'm willing to accept whatever happens and I just feel good."
While Arieh is widely considered one of the best pot-limit Omaha players and his results can confirm that, the hi-lo 8 or better variant isn't necessarily something that Arieh felt very comfortable with. "I noticed a lot of mistakes that I made, but I also noticed a lot of gameplay mistakes that they made. There was a point where they were letting me see flops when I shouldn't see flops, they were gambling when they shouldn't have been gambling. Just my experience in pot-limit really helped me figure out what I should be doing."
Final Day Action
Only 12 players came back for Day 3 where they quickly found out that they would be playing to a winner today instead of just five players. There were a few short stacks to kick things off and most of them were unable to survive. Tim Seidensticker, Jason Riesenberg, Alan Sternberg, and John Esposito all hit the rail in just over an hour to bring the field down to just eight players and a final table.
Matt Woodward came into the day as a top-three stack but a rough cooler didn't go his way against Chang, which led to Woodward exiting the tournament in eighth place. Seven-handed play continued for over 2.5 hours with Arieh and Chang clashing in a couple of monster pots while the others just saw their stacks dwindling to the blinds.
Eventually, Aaron Kupin was left with a difficult call for all of his chips and the cards didn't fall his way as he was eliminated in seventh place. The short stacks continued to stay alive with double-ups, triple-ups, and chops which frustrated some others looking for those crucial pay jumps. Adam Owen was one of those short stacks but he happened to be the first to fall when Chang made a full house on him.
Jeff Gross, the king of short-stack grinding, was down to three big blinds at one point but that was nothing unusual for him. Gross hung in there with some timely double-ups and survived past the dinner break. However, with just a couple of big blinds left, Gross ran into Anatolii Zyrin's pocket aces which he could not overcome, bowing out in fifth place.
Dan Colpoys was next on the chopping block when he ran into a red-hot Chang after the dinner break. Chang flopped a set of eights and Colpoys couldn't make a low hand to get half the pot. Chang took a huge lead heading into three-handed play with over 75% of the chips sitting in front of him. However, multiple double-ups from Zyrin and Arieh brought the stacks back to even.
After the last break of the night, Arieh came in as the short stack but would find a huge double up from Zyrin to take the chip lead. Just moments later, Arieh would go on to eliminate Zyrin and take the chip leads into heads-up play with Chang.
The two players would not back down from each other as they dealt heavy blow after heavy blow to each other but it would be Arieh who would have the last say. In the last hand of the night, the tables turned multiple times as the cards hit the felt. Arieh was in the lead on the flop, Chang found a chop on the turn, but Arieh made a wheel on the river to scoop the pot and claim the title.
Arieh talked a little bit about what it meant to him to have four WSOP bracelets to his name now. "I really want my kids to say that their dad is a Hall of Fame poker player and I knew that I had to do a lot more than I have already done. Hopefully, this run 25 years into my poker career will give me a chance."
That wraps up the coverage for this event but stay tuned to PokerNews for all of the live updates throughout the Main Event over the next couple of weeks.
Saturday, November 6, 2021 12:09 AM Local Time
Danny Chang Eliminated in 2nd Place ($299,627)
Danny Chang moved all-in preflop and was called by Josh Arieh.
The hands were tabled and it was the held by Chang versus the held by Arieh.
The dealer spread the flop of and Arieh jumped ahead with a pair of sixes plus straight and low outs.
The turn card was the and Arieh improved to a six-high straight.
The river card was the and that completed the scoop for Arieh with a wheel low to go along with his straight, and Chang was eliminated form the tournament in 2nd place and took home $299,627 in cash.
| Josh Arieh | 12,480,000 | 3,480,000  |
| Danny Chang | 0 | -3,600,000  |
Friday, November 5, 2021 11:51 PM Local Time
Arieh Raises the Turn
Josh Arieh raised to 320,000 on the button and Danny Chang called from the big blind. The flop came and Chang led out for 400,000. Arieh called and the landed on the turn.
Chang led out with another bet of 1,000,000 and Arieh raised to 2,500,000. Chang thought for a brief moment but decided to lay his hand down.
| Josh Arieh | 9,000,000 | 1,705,000 |
| Danny Chang | 3,600,000 | -1,705,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 11:47 PM Local Time
Level 29 started
Level: 29
Blinds: 80,000/160,000
Ante: 160,000
Friday, November 5, 2021 11:40 PM Local Time
Anatolii Zyrin Eliminated in 3rd Place ($207,369)
Josh Arieh opened to 375,000 on the button and Anatolii Zyrin called from the big blind. The dealer fanned the flop of and Zyrin pushed all in for 440,000. Arieh snap-called and the cards were tabled.
Anatolii Zyrin:
Josh Arieh:
Arieh flopped a straight which left Zyrin drawing to runner-runner outs. The locked it up and the on the river was insignificant.
The final two players are taking a 15-minute break now with just one minute remaining in the level.
| Josh Arieh | 7,295,000 | 1,555,000 |
| Danny Chang | 5,305,000 | 405,000 |
| Anatolii Zyrin | 0 | -1,200,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 11:38 PM Local Time
Arieh Doubles Through Zyrin; Takes Over Chip Lead
Josh Arieh moved all-in preflop and was called by Anatolii Zyrin.
The hands were tabled and it was the held by Arieh versus the held by Zyrin.
The dealer spread the flop of and Arieh's aces were best.
The turn card was the and that added a flush draw for Arieh.
The river card sealed the deal and secured the double up for Arieh.
| Josh Arieh | 5,740,000 | 3,465,000 |
| Anatolii Zyrin | 1,200,000 | -4,225,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 11:15 PM Local Time
Chang Finally Catches a River
Danny Chang raised to 250,000 on the button and Josh Arieh defended from the big blind. The flop came and both players checked to the on the turn.
Arieh led out with a bet of 600,000 and Chang called to see the on the river. Arieh checked this time and Chang threw in a bet of 500,000. Arieh snap-called and Chang rolled over for trip fours.
"That's phenomenal," Arieh muttered as he flashed .
| Anatolii Zyrin | 5,425,000 | -2,125,000 |
| Danny Chang | 4,900,000 | 2,600,000 |
| Josh Arieh | 2,275,000 | -715,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 11:04 PM Local Time
Zyrin Three-Quarters Chang for Piles
Danny Chang led out 1,400,000 chips on a completed board of and was raised all-in by Anatolii Zyrin.
After a brief moment, Chang called and was shown the bad news as Zyrin tabled for a nut flush and nut low which three-quartered the for a nut low held by Chang.
| Anatolii Zyrin | 7,550,000 | 2,250,000 |
| Danny Chang | 2,300,000 | -2,700,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:58 PM Local Time
Arieh Squeaks Out a Double
Danny Chang raised to 300,000 on the button and Josh Arieh called from the big blind. The flop came and Arieh led out with a bet which was quickly followed by an all-in from Chang. Arieh called off his stack of 885,000 and the cards were on their backs.
Josh Arieh:
Danny Chang:
Chang was in the lead and had a flush draw but Arieh had a wrap. The on the turn also gave Arieh the best low draw. The hit the river and Arieh made a straight to score a double up.
| Danny Chang | 5,000,000 | -570,000 |
| Josh Arieh | 2,990,000 | 1,640,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:53 PM Local Time
Current Final Table Chip Counts
| Danny Chang | 5,570,000 | -1,630,000 |
| Anatolii Zyrin | 5,300,000 | 1,840,000 |
| Josh Arieh | 1,350,000 | -1,150,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:41 PM Local Time
Level 28 started
Level: 28
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 120,000
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:30 PM Local Time
Zyrin Doubles and Gets Three Quarters
Danny Chang raised to 300,000 in the small blind and Anatolii Zyrin called in the big blind. The flop came and Chang bet 700,000. Zyrin pushed his last 1,180,000 into the middle and Chang called.
Zyrin flipped over which was leading Chang's . Chang had some outs to scoop but the on the turn and the on the river allowed Zyrin to double up.
A couple of hands later, Chang made it 250,000 in the small blind and Zyrin re-raised to 750,000. Chang called and the flop fell . Chang bet the pot and Zyrin jammed all in for 2,310,000 which Chang called.
Zyrin showed and Chang had outs to scoop again with . The on the turn and the on the river gave Zyrin three-quarters of the pot as he increased his stack once again.
| Danny Chang | 7,200,000 | -2,400,000 |
| Anatolii Zyrin | 3,460,000 | 2,285,000 |
| Josh Arieh | 2,500,000 | 300,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:23 PM Local Time
Zyrin Doubles Through Chang
On a flop of , Danny Chang bet enough to put Anatolii Zyrin all-in and was called.
The hands were tabled and it was the held by Chang that led the held by Zyrin.
The turn card was an and opened extra doors for Zyrin.
The river card was one of those doors, and Zyrin scooped with a wheel and chipped up to 1,175,000.
| Danny Chang | 9,600,000 | -250,000 |
| Anatolii Zyrin | 1,175,000 | 475,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:11 PM Local Time
Up and Down for Zyrin
Danny Chang raised to 350,000 on the button and Anatolii Zyrin called from the small blind. The flop came and Chang bet enough to put Zyrin all in for his last 400,000 chips. Chang showed and Zyrin held .
The turn was the and the river brought the to give Chang the best low hand and the two players chopped the high hand, leaving Zyrin with just under 400,000.
A couple of hands later, Zyrin raised to 350,000 on the button and was called by Josh Arieh and Chang. The flop came and Arieh led out for 100,000. Chang raised to 1,000,000 and Zyrin stuck in the last of his 65,000 chips. Arieh contemplated but elected to fold.
Chang showed for two pair and a flush draw while Zyrin held for a straight draw and a low draw. The on the turn changed nothing but the on the river gave Zyrin half the pot.
| Danny Chang | 9,850,000 | 950,000 |
| Josh Arieh | 2,200,000 | -1,565,000 |
| Anatolii Zyrin | 700,000 | -410,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:08 PM Local Time
PokerNews Podcast: Doyle Brunson Returns, Ivey Reveals if He’ll Be at WSOP
PokerNews Podcast
On the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Jeff Platt and Chad Holloway come to you from the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP)!
They highlight Doyle Brunson's much-bantered return to the WSOP since his last event in 2018, and also offer an audio clip from Phil Ivey discussing whether or not he'll be at the WSOP this year. Chad then talks about partying with Ivey at the launch party for his NFT while Jeff offers a 2021 WSOP Player of the Year update.
Toss in bracelet winner interviews with Shaun Deeb, Brian Rast, Darrin Wright, Farzad Bonyadi, Nicholas Julia, and Gershon Distenfeld, and it's a must-listen episode of the PokerNews Podcast. Speaking of Distenfeld, find out how and why he donated all his $204,000 in winnings to charity.
Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!
Friday, November 5, 2021 10:04 PM Local Time
Dan Colpoys Eliminated in 4th Place ($146,817)
Dan Colpoys moved all-in on a flop of and was snap-called by Danny Chang.
The hands were tabled and it was the for a top set of eights held by Chang that was in the lead against the held by Colpoys.
The dealer burned and turned the and Chang remained ahead.
The river card was the and that locked up the hand for Chang, which eliminated Colpoys in 4th place for which he took home $146,817 in cash.
| Danny Chang | 8,900,000 | 0 |
| Dan Colpoys | 0 | 0 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 9:56 PM Local Time
Jeff Gross Eliminated in 5th Place ($106,391)
Jeff Gross raised the pot to 350,000 in the cutoff, leaving himself with just 20,000 chips behind. Anatolii Zyrin went all in from the small blind and Gross called off his last few chips.
Jeff Gross:
Anatolii Zyrin:
The flop came which left Gross in rough shape. The on the turn gave Gross a flush draw but the on the river allowed Zyrin to scoop the pot and Gross was eliminated.
| Anatolii Zyrin | 1,110,000 | -330,000 |
| Jeff Gross | 0 | -620,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 9:39 PM Local Time
Level 27 started
Level: 27
Blinds: 50,000/100,000
Ante: 100,000
Friday, November 5, 2021 9:28 PM Local Time
Current Chip Counts at Dinner Break
| Danny Chang | 5,300,000 | 540,000 |
| Josh Arieh | 3,765,000 | -635,000 |
| Dan Colpoys | 1,450,000 | 500,000 |
| Anatolii Zyrin | 1,440,000 | 580,000 |
| Jeff Gross | 620,000 | -580,000 |
Friday, November 5, 2021 8:38 PM Local Time
Dinner Break
The remaining 5 players have been sent on a 60-minute dinner break. Play will resume at approximately 9:38 p.m. local time (PT).