Event #44: 6-Handed Limit Hold'em

On the third and final day of the 2021 World Series of Poker Event #44: $3,000 6-Handed Limit Hold'em, Ryan Hansen was crowned the champion as he defeated Kosei Ichinose in a back-and-forth heads-up battle for $109,692 that lasted over two hours. The event attracted 162 entries to create a $432,540 prize pool, with the majority of that money awarded to the remaining players today.

"I'm a little shell-shocked right now", said Hansen. "I was kind of a Moneymaker-effect person. Came in after that like 2004-2005, and switched to limit hold'em. I think it's a great game; I always liked that game the best. So I switched over to that and have been playing that ever since."

Hansen's rail described him as a "limit hold'em specialist", and he normally plays cash games at Borgata.

"This is the dream. I never expected this to happen. Never expected this to happen. I was just having a shot, having some fun, and look what happened."

Event #44 Final Table Payouts

Final Table Action

Ten players started the day and the remaining players quickly found themselves at an unofficial final table as three players were eliminated within fifteen minutes of starting. Those busts included John Cavanagh in tenth, Day 1 chip leader Ray Henson in ninth, and Justin Moeller in eighth.

At that point, seven players remained and those players waited an hour and a half for another elimination. John Hoang found himself with the short stack and doubled with queens as he attempted to pump up his rail, although he ultimately was the one to fall in seventh.

The six remaining players were sent off to dinner and returned for the PokerGO stream with Kevin Erickson leading the pack. When they returned, Short-stacked Steve Chanthabouasy was the first one to hit the rail and earned a sixth-place finish, and the remaining five players played for around two and a half hours before another player was eliminated.

Kenny Hsiung, who was the only bracelet winner at the final table, was the next casualty when he got his remaining chips in on the flop with top pair but fell to two pair, and soon after, Ken Deng was gone next in fourth. Erickson, who finished runner-up in Event #12: $1,500 Limit Hold'em, found himself with another deep run and was eliminated in third place when his cowboys were beaten by ace-king.

Heads-Up Action

When heads-up play began, Kosei Ichinose held twice the number of chips as Ryan Hansen, but that didn't last long. Early in heads-up play, Hansen flopped quads to narrow the gap, and stacks were nearly even less than half an hour after the two began.

Hansen jumped into the lead and held more than two times as many chips as Ichinose, but once again, that lead didn't last long. Ichinose found himself back in front and soon had a 3:1 chip lead.

Hansen was on the ropes but battled back and won a series of important hands, such as making trips and getting Ichinose to fold a number of decent-sized pots. It wasn't long before Hansen once again took over the lead and this time, it was not one he would relinquish. Ichinose lost pots and continued to bleed chips before getting jack-ten in preflop against Hansen's king-four. The board ran out blanks and Hansen was officially the winner and claimed his maiden bracelet.

This concludes the PokerNews coverage of this event but check out the WSOP Live Reporting Hub to follow all the exciting action here at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.

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Kosei Ichinose limped in on the button and Ryan Hansen raised from the big blind. Ichinose just called and the flop came    . Hansen led out with a bet and Ichinose folded, leaving himself with just one big bet. Hansen tabled    for two pair.

On the next hand, Hansen raised the button and Ichinose stuck in the last of his 135,000 chips.

Kosei Ichinose:   
Ryan Hansen:   

The flop of     to leave Hansen in the lead with king-high. The   on the turn gave Ichinose a couple of more outs but the   on the river bricked out and Ichinose was eliminated in second place.

Ryan Hansen	6,510,000	710,000
Kosei Ichinose	0	-735,000

Ryan Hansen raised on the button and Kosei Ichinose re-raised from the big blind. Hansen just called and the flop came    . Ichinose led out with a bet and Hansen called to see the   on the turn.

Ichinose continued with another bet and Hansen raised this time. Ichinose thought for a minute but decided to send his cards to the muck. Hansen collected another pot, leaving Ichinose with just five big bets.

Ryan Hansen	5,300,000	600,000
Kosei Ichinose	1,200,000	-600,000

Kosei Ichinose raised on the button and Ryan Hansen re-raised from the big blind. Ichinose called and the flop came    . Hansen led out with a bet and Ichinose called to see the   on the turn.

Hansen fired again and Ichinose still called. The river brought the   which slowed down Hansen who checked. Ichinose took the opportunity to bet and Hansen called. Ichinose showed    for just ace-high and Hansen flipped over    for a set of sevens.

The level has ended and the players are taking another quick break.

Ryan Hansen	4,700,000	800,000
Kosei Ichinose	1,800,000	-800,000

Kosei Ichinose limped on the button and Ryan Hansen raised from the big blind. Ichinose called and the dealer fanned the     flop. Hansen led out with a bet and Ichinose raised which Hansen called.

The turn was the   and Hansen check-called a bet from Ichinose. The   paired the board on the river and both players knuckled the table. Hansen showed    for two pair and Ichinose let his hand go.

Ryan Hansen	3,300,000	700,000
Kosei Ichinose	3,200,000	-700,000

Ryan Hansen raised on the button and Kosei Ichinose called from the big blind. The flop came     and Ichinose checked to Hansen who continued with a bet. Ichinose check-raised and Hansen quickly called.

The turn was the   and Ichinose checked again. Hansen fired once more and again, Ichinose check-raised. Hansen thought for a minute and eventually laid his hand down.

Kosei Ichinose	5,100,000	1,000,000
Ryan Hansen	1,400,000	-1,000,000

Ryan Hansen raised on the button and Kosei Ichinose defended the big blind. The flop fell     and Ichinose check-called a bet from Hansen.

The turn brought the   and Ichinose led out with a bet this time. Hansen called and the   completed the board. Ichinose opted to check and Hansen was the one to put it in a bet. Ichinose made the call and Hansen turned over    to scoop the pot.

Ryan Hansen	4,000,000	400,000
Kosei Ichinose	2,500,000	-400,000

Kosei Ichinose raised on the button and Ryan Hansen defended from the big blind. The flop came     and Hansen checked to Ichinose who continued with a bet. Hansen check-raised and Ichinose called.

The turn was the   and Hansen led out with a bet. Ichinose still called and the   hit the river. Hansen fired another bullet on the river and Ichinose finally dumped his cards to the muck.

Ryan Hansen	3,600,000	400,000
Kosei Ichinose	2,900,000	-400,000

Kosei Ichinose raised it up on the button and Ryan Hansen defended from the big blind. The flop came     and both players checked to the   on the turn.

Hansen led out with a bet and Ichinose called to see the   on the river. Hansen tossed in another bet and Ichinose paused for over a minute before making the call. Hansen showed    for just nine-high and Ichinose held    for king-high.

Kosei Ichinose	4,100,000	300,000
Ryan Hansen	2,400,000	-400,000