Monday, June 13, 2022 8:32 PM Local Time
Christopher Chatman Flips to Win First WSOP Bracelet in Event #24: $1,000 Flip & Go
The 2022 World Series of Poker in its new home at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas has crowned a new champion as Christopher Chatman was the last player standing in Event #24: $1,000 Flip & Go. The Day 1 chip leader managed to close it out on the final day of play and he secured himself the gold bracelet as well as the first prize of $187,770 from the total prize pool $1,182,810 prize pool.
Day 1 started with the flip portion of the tournament where 8 players bought in to a one hand sit & go where players were given three cards and discarded one after the flop. The winner would secure a seat in the tournament stage where they'd already be in the money. The event attracted 1,329 entries and 157 made it to Stage 2 of the tournament.
Event #24: $1,000 Flip & Go Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout |
| 1 | Christopher Chatman | United States | $187,770 |
| 2 | Rafi Elharar | Israel | $116,050 |
| 3 | Tyler Willse | United States | $85,420 |
| 4 | Ian Steinman | United States | $63,530 |
| 5 | Pete Chen | Taiwan | $47,760 |
| 6 | Austin Apicella | United States | $36,290 |
| 7 | Zach Cheatum | United States | $27,880 |
| 8 | Georgios Sotiropoulos | Greece | $21,660 |
| 9 | Mike Matusow | United States | $17,010 |
Scott Seiver was not one of the 157 as the four-time WSOP bracelet winner fired 43 bullets and didn't win a single time. The field was staked with notables but many like David Peters, Jeff Gross, and Patrick Leonard didn't secure a bag.
Chatman was the clear chip leader at the end of Day 1 where he went into the day with 58 big blinds as play resumed at 12 p.m. local time with 27 left. He dominated throughout and was never far from the chip lead the whole day.
Winner's Reaction
"I'm a recreational player so I have a regular full time job so I just play about once a month. I play some tournaments and cash as well," Chatman said in his post-win interview with PokerNews. "It doesn't even seem like it's real."
Chatman is from North Virginia and said he'd been playing poker since high school but that he got more interested in it after Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event in 2003.
"Actually me and my buddy Jason have been coming out on and off for like a week during the series and playing for a few years," Chatman said.
One of the key hands Chatman played was when he checked back his set of deuces on the river.
"I thought straight after checking back that it was a horrible play. I knew that the guy of my left (Ian Steinman) was a tricky player and I thought he could have been trying to trap me with a set of sevens. There was also a wacky straight that got there as well, but in hindsight, it wasn't a good play on my part."
Chatman also also quick to mention the support he had back home.
"My friend Jason has been sending my wife updates. I'm also texting a handful of people and telling them to go on the PokerNews website. It's super exciting, I wish I didn't have to go home tomorrow."
Recap of the Day
Play resumed at 12 p.m. and players quickly dropped from the field include British player Harry Lodge and bracelet winner Galen Hall, who came into the day as one of the chip leaders. Players were eliminated until a stacked final table was reached which included bracelet winners Mike Matusow, Georgios Sotiropoulos, Pete Chen, and Steinman.
Matusow was the first to go as he was the short stack coming into the final table. Greek player Sotiropoulos quickly followed along with Zach Cheatum as the field thinned. Meanwhile, Austin Apicella was eliminated in sixth as he couldn't get anything going on the final table. Apicella was soon followed to the rail by Chen as the final table entered the endgame.
Going into three handed play Chatman was the chip leader but the stacks soon leveled out as Rafi Elharar doubled with ace-five against Chatman's jack-five in a blind vs blind all-in. This left Chatman, Elharar and Tyler Willse equal on chips.
However, Chatman was still able to close it out eliminating Willse in a brutal flip as the board paired for Chatman's ace-king to beat Willse's pocket threes.
The heads-up battle was a short affair as Chatman continued to bully the table by aggressively stealing the blinds by moving all in as Elharar's stack dwindled to around 10 big blinds.
There was little drama in the final hand where Chatman moved all in with ace-king and was called by Elharar with king-six. The board ran clean for Chatman giving Chatman the win and securing himself the bracelet as we defeated the stacked field to emerge victorious.
Congratulations to Christopher Chatman for winning his first WSOP bracelet in Event #24: $1,000 Flip & Go!
Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews team all summer long for coverage of your favorite tournaments at the 2022 World Series of Poker.
Monday, June 13, 2022 6:49 PM Local Time
Rafi Elharar Eliminated in 2nd Place ($116,050)
Christopher Chatman shoved all in from the small blind, and short-stacked Rafi Elharar called from the big blind, putting himself at risk.
Rafi Elharar:
Christopher Chatman:
The board ran out which gave Elharar some hope with a flush draw, but it was not to be as the came on the river.
Rafi Elharar was eliminated in second place with a payout of $116,050.
| Christopher Chatman | 25,120,000 | 4,620,000  |
| Rafi Elharar | 0 | -4,650,000  |
Monday, June 13, 2022 6:32 PM Local Time
Level 24 started
Level: 24
Blinds: 250,000/500,000
Ante: 500,000
Monday, June 13, 2022 6:28 PM Local Time
Chatman Retakes Control
Christopher Chatman raised from the small blind/button to 800,000. Rafi Elharar called in the big blind.
The flop came and it went check-check.
The turn was the and Elharar bet 900,000. Chatman called.
The was the river and Elharar continued the aggression by betting 1,200,000. Chatman verbally announced the call and Elharar showed for two pair. However Elharar was out kicked as Chatman turned over to take a dominant lead in the heads-up matchup.
| Christopher Chatman | 20,500,000 | 6,500,000 |
| Rafi Elharar | 4,650,000 | -6,350,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 6:24 PM Local Time
Elharar Chips Up with Trips
Christopher Chatman raised from the small blind/button to 800,000 and was called by Rafi Elharar in the big blind.
The flop came and Elharar check-called Chatman's 500,000 bet.
The turn was the and action checked through.
The river was the and Elharar bet 1,200,000. Chatman called and Elharar showed for trips.
| Christopher Chatman | 14,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Rafi Elharar | 11,000,000 | 2,300,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 6:20 PM Local Time
Tyler Willse Eliminated in 3rd Place ($85,420)
Tyler Willse raised to 800,000, then was three-bet to 2,000,000 by Christopher Chatman. Willse then responded by moving all in, and Chatman called, barely covering, putting Willse at risk.
Tyler Willse:
Christopher Chatman:
The board ran out which meant Willse's pair was counterfeit and was left with three-high while Chatman won with ace-high.
Tyler Willse was eliminated in 3rd place with a payout of $85,420.
| Christopher Chatman | 12,000,000 | 3,050,000 |
| Tyler Willse | 0 | -8,000,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 6:11 PM Local Time
Seiver Burns Money in Flip & Go Entries, Neymar Kicks Off WSOP Campaign | Day 13 Highlights
Monday, June 13, 2022 6:06 PM Local Time
Elharar Doubles Through Chatman
It folded to Christopher Chatman in the small blind who moved all in covering his opponent. Rafi Elharar was in the big blind and made the call.
Rafi Elharar:
Christopher Chatman:
The board came giving Elharar the double up and flattening out the chip stacks.
| Christopher Chatman | 8,950,000 | -1,650,000 |
| Rafi Elharar | 8,700,000 | 4,700,000 |
| Tyler Willse | 8,000,000 | -1,400,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 5:59 PM Local Time
Ian Steinman Eliminated in 4th Place ($63,530)
After action folded around, Christopher Chatman in the small blind moved all in against short-stacked Ian Steinman in the big blind, who quickly called, putting himself at risk.
Christopher Chatman:
Ian Steinman:
"Classic flip," joked bracelet winner Steinman, who was still in good spirits as his tournament life was on the line.
The flop of gave Steinman some hope with an open-ender but the did not give him the outs he needed and was beaten by Chatman's trip fives.
Steinman was eliminated in fourth place with a payout of $63,530.
| Christopher Chatman | 10,600,000 | 1,600,000 |
| Ian Steinman | 0 | -2,100,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 5:53 PM Local Time
Level 23 started
Level: 23
Blinds: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 400,000
Monday, June 13, 2022 5:44 PM Local Time
Chip Count Update
| Tyler Willse | 9,400,000 | 900,000 |
| Christopher Chatman | 9,000,000 | -400,000 |
| Rafi Elharar | 4,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Ian Steinman | 2,100,000 | -100,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 5:42 PM Local Time
Pete Chen Eliminated in 5th Place ($47,760)
Pete Chen moved all in from under the gun for 2,200,000. He call called by chip leader Christopher Chatman.
Pete Chen:
Christopher Chatman:
It was a classic flip as Chen's Ace-Jack was up against Chatman's pocket nines. The flop came giving Chen little hope. The turn was the and the river was the which ensured Pete Chen was eliminated in 5th place.
| Christopher Chatman | 9,400,000 | 3,400,000 |
| Pete Chen | 0 | -2,100,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 5:38 PM Local Time
Willse Wakes Up with Weapons
Pete Chen raised to 500,000, then was three-bet to 1,200,000 by Tyler Willse. Chen thought about it for a second then jammed all in, which Willse couldn't call fast enough as he tabled . Chen looked pretty disgusted as he tabled his and the two were off to see five cards.
The board came and Willse's aces held scoring him a massive double up.
| Tyler Willse | 8,500,000 | 3,500,000 |
| Pete Chen | 2,100,000 | -3,800,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 5:24 PM Local Time
Level 22 started
Level: 22
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 300,000
Monday, June 13, 2022 5:15 PM Local Time
Austin Apicella Eliminated in 6th Place ($36,290)
After losing a previous big hand for almost all of his chips, Austin Apicella was all in under-the-gun. Two other players were still involved in the hand so all three went to a flop with Apicella at risk.
The flop was and the other two players, Tyler Willse and Christopher Chatman, both checked through.
The turn and river was also checked through and Apicella showed for one pair but Willse showed for two pair, eliminating Apicella in sixth place for a payout of $36,290.
| Christopher Chatman | 6,000,000 | -700,000 |
| Tyler Willse | 5,000,000 | 1,200,000 |
| Austin Apicella | 0 | -3,150,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 4:58 PM Local Time
Level 21 started
Level: 21
Blinds: 125,000/250,000
Ante: 250,000
Monday, June 13, 2022 4:40 PM Local Time
Break Time
The remaining 6 players are now on a 15-minute color-up break.
Monday, June 13, 2022 4:31 PM Local Time
Updated Chip Counts
| Christopher Chatman | 6,700,000 | 0 |
| Pete Chen | 5,900,000 | 1,400,000 |
| Tyler Willse | 3,800,000 | 0 |
| Austin Apicella | 3,150,000 | -350,000 |
| Rafi Elharar | 3,000,000 | 1,700,000 |
| Ian Steinman | 2,200,000 | -520,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 4:29 PM Local Time
Willse's Bluff Doesn't Get Through
Tyler Willse raised to 500,000 from the small blind and Christopher Chatman called from the big blind.
The flop came and Willse check-called Chatman's 300,000 bet.
Action checked through on the turn.
The river came the and Willse bet 650,000. Chatman called which resulted in Willse mucking his hand and Chatman taking down the pot without showing his hand.
| Christopher Chatman | 6,700,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Tyler Willse | 3,800,000 | -1,400,000 |
Monday, June 13, 2022 4:12 PM Local Time
Zach Cheatum Eliminated in 7th Place ($27,880)
Zach Cheatum raised to 300,000 from middle position. He was three-bet by Tyler Willse in the cutoff. Cheatum moved all in and Willse snap called.
Zach Cheatum:
Tyler Willse:
Cheatum was in bad shape and was drawing near dead on the flop. The turn of the made sure Cheatum was drawing dead. The river was trivial as it came eliminating Cheatum in 7th place for $27,880 which is his biggest cash to date.
| Tyler Willse | 5,200,000 | 1,900,000 |
| Zach Cheatum | 0 | -1,400,000 |