Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Holdem

Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em at the 2022 WSOP at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas attracted 4,786 entrants generating a prize pool of $2,010,120. On Tuesday, June 21st, 202 hopefuls returned for Day 2, all of them with one eye on the first place prize of $241,729 and the much sought-after WSOP gold bracelet that accompanied it.

After fast-paced play over the course of 12 hours, defense attorney David Perry emerged victorious, claiming his first gold bracelet after defeating British poker pro and online phenom Chris Moorman in heads-up play.

"Blessed, grateful," a visibly emotional Perry said when asked how the win made him feel. "I've been in Vegas since 1985, came here with $612 and two suitcases; this is my community," he continued.

When asked about how he plans to celebrate, Perry said that before anything, he has to "fly back [to Columbus, Ohio] and give a bracelet to my 94-year-old mother." He does have some plans for the money though, saying that while normally he would fire a bullet in the $1,000 Seniors Event, he may choose instead to take his chances in the $10,000 Main Event, saying that while he could "never have rationalized or justified it in the past." This win has given him the opportunity to throw his hat in the ring.

Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

Action was fast paced throughout the day but no more so than at the start, with the field slashed to just three tables within five hours. Play then slowed down a little, with the final table set four hours later. Notables to come into the day but fall short of the final table included two-time bracelet winner Anson Tsang (118th - $1,976), Women in Poker Hall of Famer Maria Ho (115th - $1,976), and 2014 WSOP Event #8: $1,500 Millionaire Maker winner Jonathan Dimmig (11th - $17,741). Day 1 chipleader Lorenzo Negri was also unable to recapture his earlier momentum, ultimately falling in 24th for $9,126.

Final Table Action

The nine players who took their seats at the official final table were all short stacked, with the average depth sitting at fewer than 20 big blinds. In addition, the chips were fairly evenly divided among the competitors. As a result, ICM considerations dominated much of the play, with several players openly showing what could be considered tight folds.

Nevertheless, it did not take long for the first elimination to take place, with Daniel Marcus running his pocket nines into the aces of Moorman. Not long after, Henry Reyes could not get away from a flopped top pair, in so doing becoming Moorman's second victim of the final table.

The gap between Reyes' elimination and the next knockout was somewhat longer, with several short stacks getting their chips in the middle and surviving. However, as the blinds kept increasing, it was only a matter of time before someone would be forced to exit and that unfortunate individual was Elven Espinar, his ace-jack unable to hold against Moorman's queen-eight.

Phong Than Nguyen was the next player out the door and his elimination was perhaps the cruelest of the night after Moorman, notching a fourth straight knockout, hit a two outer on the river. Soon after Sebastien Guidez got his chips in bad against Josh Pregar and was sent to the rail in fifth.

Just a couple of hands later Prager too was forced to leave after his turned royal flush draw bricked out on the river against Moorman. Daniel Eichhorn, who had been riding a short stack for the entirety of the final table, got his last few chips in the middle shortly after in a blind on blind confrontation with Moorman but was unable to find a way to take down the pot.

His elimination set up a heads-up battle between Moorman, who had been table captain for much of play, and Perry. Despite the slew of eliminations that had come at the hands of Moorman, the two began play roughly even in chips. Perry wasted little time ratcheting up the pressure on Moorman, shoving and getting folds in two big pots in quick succession. This helped him build up a lead that he never relinquished.

The final hand saw both players get all their money in on a flop of six-ten-king with two clubs, with Moorman's queen-jack ahead of Perry's jack-deuce of clubs. "Red card, red card", Moorman's rail could be heard chanting. They got their wish in one sense on the deuce of hearts turn that rocketed Perry into the lead. The four of spades river ended affairs, with Perry jumping up and down as his victory was cemented.

Moorman, meanwhile, chasing his third bracelet was instead forced to settle for a consolation prize of $149,405.

Congratulations to David Perry on winning Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em at the 2022 WSOP at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas! Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the WSOP as we continue live coverage of every bracelet event.

Chris Moorman raised to 4,000,000 and David Perry called.

Perry checked blind as the     flop came out and Moorman checked back.

The   hit the turn and Perry pushed a bet of 7,000,000 across the line and Moorman called.

The   hit the river and Perry jammed all in. Moorman snap-mucked.

David Perry	86,650,000	24,500,000
Chris Moorman	33,000,000	-24,500,000

On a flop of     David Perry checked to Chris Moorman, who led out for 3,000,000 and was called.

The   turn saw Perry take over the betting leading, firing off 5,200,000. It was not enough to get Moorman to fold his hand and the two players went to the river.

Perry wasted little time before announcing all in on the   river. "You're not afraid of a flush then," observed Moorman as he pondered his decision. After some time, he did make the lay down and Perry showed    for turned two pair.

David Perry	62,150,000	-4,500,000
Chris Moorman	57,500,000	4,500,000

Daniel Eichhorn shoved for 8,900,000 out of the small blind and Chris Moorman, after asking for an exact count, made the call in the big blind.

Daniel Eichhorn:   
Chris Moorman:   

Eichhorn was ahead but at risk with his opponent holding two live cards. The     vaulted Moorman into the lead, pairing his nine and rendering a queen useless for Eichhorn. The   turn gave Moorman a straight and left Eichhorn hoping for one of the three remaining tens to chop the pot. The   did not deliver a miracle for Eichhorn, instead sending him to the rail in third place, though when asked he said he was happy with the $111,341 score.

Chris Moorman	61,600,000	11,600,000
Daniel Eichhorn	0	-12,000,000

Josh Prager opened from the cutoff and Sebastien Guidez moved all in on the button. Action folded back around to Prager who made the call to put Guidez at risk.

Sebastien Guidez:   
Josh Prager:   

Guidez was dominated and would need a lot of help to survive. No help came on the     flop but the   turn did give Guidez some chop outs. He could not hit any of his outs on the   river, however, ending his run in fifth place, a result good for $63,302.

Josh Prager	24,000,000	9,000,000
Sebastien Guidez	0	-13,000,000

After taking down a pot against Chris Moorman the previous hand and showing    on the      board, David Perry was right back in the action against Moorman.

Chris Moorman raised to 2,700,000 in the small blind and David Perry came along in the big blind.

The dealer fanned a flop of     and Moorman continued for 2,500,000. Perry wasted no time making the call.

The   hit the turn and Moorman bet 6,300,000. As soon as Moorman let go of the chips Perry announced all in. Moorman snap-folded and Perry showed    for top pair on the flop.

David Perry	55,000,000	32,500,000
Chris Moorman	24,400,000	-18,600,000

Chris Moorman raised to 2,400,000 in the hijack and Elven Espinar three-bet jammed for 4,000,000 in the cutoff. The action quickly folded back to Moorman and he made the call.

Elven Espinar:   
Chris Moorman:   

Espinar was ahead with ace-high and the flop of     kept him with the lead. The   hit the turn, giving Moorman a gutshot straight and the   landed on the river pairing Moorman's eight to eliminate Espinar in seventh place for $37,148.

Chris Moorman	34,700,000	7,200,000
Elven Espinar	0	-4,000,000

Josh Prager jammed in the cutoff for 7,100,000 and Chris Moorman called from the big blind.

Josh Prager:   
Chris Moorman:   

"We need a seven!" Yelled Moorman to his rail.

The flop came     and changed nothing, while the   hit the turn giving both players a straight draw. The   river was a brick and Prager collected his double.

Chris Moorman	33,400,000	-4,600,000
David Perry	22,500,000	2,500,000
Phong Than Nguyen	20,300,000	1,300,000
Josh Prager	15,000,000	4,400,000
Elven Espinar	13,000,000	-5,500,000
Daniel Eichhorn	12,200,000	-800,000
Sebastien Guidez	4,300,000	-1,700,000