Monday, June 6, 2022 4:25 PM Local Time
Amnon Filippi Wins First WSOP Bracelet in Event #7: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better ($252,718)
It took just over an hour for Amnon Filippi to finish off Event #7: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better after play was halted early this morning.
Upon resumption, he enjoyed a back-and-forth heads-up battle against Matt Vengrin before eventually securing victory.
He takes home $252,718 and his first WSOP bracelet.
Event #7: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout (USD) |
|---|
| 1 | Amnon Filippi | United States | $252,718 |
| 2 | Matt Vengrin | United States | $156,198 |
| 3 | Paul Zappulla | United States | $111,501 |
| 4 | Murilo Figueredo | Brazil | $80,671 |
| 5 | Matt Glantz | United States | $59,166 |
| 6 | David Funkhouser | United States | $43,997 |
| 7 | Rami Boukai | United States | $33,178 |
| 8 | Mel Judah | Australia | $25,377 |
Winner's Reaction
Filippi told PokerNews he splits his time during the WSOP between Las Vegas and New York, where his wife and two children live. He said he was relieved to have finally achieved WSOP gold having first cashed at the Series in 2005.
"I'm just glad to get it out of the way," he said. "I come from a crew of guys - JC Tran, Quinn Do, Tommy Hang - they all have bracelets. Me and Nam Le were the last two of the Mohicans who don't have bracelets so now I'm on the list of having one, I've got to go for another."
The longtime poker pro spent several years in prison after federal marijuana legal troubles, a part of his life he says that he doesn't regret.
"Maybe I would have gotten a bracelet sooner! As a country, we're moving in a direction where cannabis and marijuana are becoming more legal in most states. And it was just a little bit before the times."
Listen: Filippi Discusses Time in Prison on the PokerNews Podcast
With a group of friends on the rail and joining him for winner's pictures, Filippi says that he is grateful for the support he has received.
"My phone is vibrating right now. They all know that I appreciate them. And for the most part I'm pretty kind to most of the guys and people who are texting me. It's just good feedback to know people are paying attention."
Matt Vengrin - Amnon Filippi
Final Day Recap
After play was halted in the early morning, the final two players returned to the Bally's Event Center to play down to a winner.
Filippi started out as chip leader, but Vengrin made a positive start after winning the first pot of the day, and eventually pulled ahead of his heads-up opponent.
Another surge saw him move further ahead as he looked to close out victory, however a flopped set for Filippi saw him regain the chip lead.
With the limits mounting, it only took a few hands more before all the chips went in, with Filippi coming out on top for his first WSOP bracelet.
Amnon Filippi
Monday, June 6, 2022 4:19 PM Local Time
Matt Vengrin Eliminated in 2nd Place ($156,198)
On a flop of , Matt Vengrin got it all in against Amnon Filippi and both players tabled their cards.
Vengrin:
Filippi:
The board ran out and with no low, Filippi was able to scoop with two pair, his pair of nines to go with the pair of kings on the board..
Vengrin was eliminated and Filippi was awarded the grand prize of $252,718 and his first WSOP bracelet.
| Amnon Filippi | 27,500,000 | 2,850,000  |
| Matt Vengrin | 0 | -2,500,000  |
Monday, June 6, 2022 4:01 PM Local Time
Level 37 started
Level: 37
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 0
Monday, June 6, 2022 4:01 PM Local Time
Vengrin Getting Short
Matt Vengrin raised and Amnon Filippi called. Filippi checked on the flop, then called when Vengrin bet.
The action repeated on the turn, with Filippi check-calling a bet. The river came the and both players checked.
"Two pair," Filippi said, turning over for queens and eights.
"I had a lot of outs," Vengrin said before mucking.
| Amnon Filippi | 24,650,000 | 4,650,000 |
| Matt Vengrin | 2,500,000 | -4,700,000 |
Monday, June 6, 2022 3:55 PM Local Time
Filippi Takes Back Control
On a flop of , Amnon Filippi bet, Matt Vengrin raised, and Filippi called.
After the turn brought the , Filippi checked, Vengrin bet, Filippi called.
On the river, Filippi checked, and Vengrin fired again. Filippi quickly called,
"You got it," Vengrin told him as Filippi showed for a straight and Vengrin mucked.
| Amnon Filippi | 20,000,000 | 2,850,000 |
| Matt Vengrin | 7,200,000 | -2,800,000 |
Monday, June 6, 2022 3:44 PM Local Time
Filippi Shows a Set
Matt Vengrin raised preflop and Amnon Filippi called to see the flop. Filippi checked over to Vengrin, who continued with a bet and Filippi again called.
Filippi checked for the second time on the turn and called a bet. Both players checked down the river.
Vengrin announced he had two pair but Filippi turned over for the flopped set to win the pot. With those new chips, Filippi has retaken the tournament lead.
| Amnon Filippi | 17,150,000 | 7,950,000 |
| Matt Vengrin | 10,000,000 | 8,200,000 |
Monday, June 6, 2022 3:40 PM Local Time
Vengrin Scoops Another to Surge Ahead
Action began when Matt Vengrin raised his button and Amnon Filippi called.
On the flop, Filippi checked to Vengrin who bet, but then Filippi check-raised, which Vengrin called.
The came on the turn, Filippi bet, Vengrin called.
When Filippi bet for the third time on the river, Vengrin raised.
" I call," Filippi announced as he put his chips out.
"2-4 and a flush," Vengrin said as he tabled his cards, which was enough to win the pot as Filippi mucked.
"I needed that one," Filippi muttered as he shook his head.
| Amnon Filippi | 9,200,000 | -2,450,000 |
| Matt Vengrin | 1,800,000 | -13,700,000 |
Monday, June 6, 2022 3:18 PM Local Time
Vengrin Pulls Ahead
Matt Vengrin has taken the chip lead after pulling down back-to-back pots.
In the first, he reraised preflop after Amnon Filippi opened with a raise and Filippi called. The flop came and Vengrin bet again and was called.
Filippi called another bet on the turn before both players checked the river.
"Two pair, kings and jacks," Vengrin announced, turning over before Filippi took one last look at his cards before mucking.
On the next hand, they saw the turn in a limped pot with the board showing . Filippi bet and Vengrin called to see the on the river.
This time it was Vengrin who bet and Filippi called. "I got it," Vengrin once again said, showing for a flush. Filippi shook his head and handed over another pot, as well as the chip lead.
| Matt Vengrin | 15,500,000 | 4,500,000 |
| Amnon Filippi | 11,650,000 | -4,500,000 |
Monday, June 6, 2022 3:13 PM Local Time
Vengrin Wins First Pot of Day 4
On the first hand of Day 4, Matt Vengrin raised his button, and Amnon Filippi called.
The flop of saw a bet from Filippi, which Vengrin called.
The turn saw another bet from Filippi, and Vengrin once again called.
But the river, Filippi checked, which made Vengrin pause. After several moments he put betting chips into the pot, and Filippi quickly called.
"Straight," Vengrin announced as he tabled for Broadway.
Filippi let out a sigh as he mucked his hand.
| Amnon Filippi | 16,150,000 | -3,375,000 |
| Matt Vengrin | 11,000,000 | 3,300,000 |
Monday, June 6, 2022 3:00 PM Local Time
Action is Underway
Amnon Filippi and Matt Vengrin have taken their seats on one of the secondary feature tables and play has resumed.
Monday, June 6, 2022 2:59 PM Local Time
Level 36 started
Level: 36
Blinds: 250,000/500,000
Ante: 0
Monday, June 6, 2022 1:44 PM Local Time
Amnon Filippi, Matt Vengrin to Battle for the Bracelet at 3 p.m.
Amnon Filippi had the World Series of Poker gold bracelet halfway around his wrist before it was snatched away in the cruelest way possible.
Matt Vengrin's rivered one-outer to make quads at the end of the night yesterday necessitated a stop in play at 3:30 a.m. and a fourth day to determine the champion of Event #7: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better.
Filippi and Vengrin are the lone two players remaining out of a record-setting field of 1,087, each looking for their long-awaited first WSOP bracelet. Vengrin made his first final table 15 years ago and has twice been runner-up. Filippi's fourth-place finish in the 2007 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship remained his best finish until this event. Combined, they have nearly $4.5 million in career live earnings.
It took 7.5 hours on Day 3 to get down from the 26 players who began the day to the final table of nine. The final table took the better part of five hours. A 12.5-hour day wasn't enough to determine a champion, and Filippi and Vengrin will return to the Bally's Event Center at 3 p.m. local time to determine the champion. Filippi, even after losing that big pot, has the chip lead with 19,525,000 to Vengrin's 7,700,000. Blinds will pick up in Level 36 at 400,000-800,000. Each player has already locked up $156,198, with the champion earning $252,718.
Final Table results
| Place | Player | Country | Earnings |
| 1 | | | $252,718 |
| 2 | | | $156,198 |
| 3 | Paul Zappulla | United States | $111,501 |
| 4 | Murilo Figueredo | Brazil | $80,671 |
| 5 | Matt Glantz | United States | $59,166 |
| 6 | David Funkhouser | United States | $43,997 |
| 7 | Rami Boukai | United States | $33,178 |
| 8 | Mel Judah | Australia | $25,377 |
| 9 | Ronan Nally | Ireland | $19,672 |
Filippi and Vengrin have already navigated through this massive field. At the end of today, there will be only one who can call himself a WSOP bracelet winner.