Event #77: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em; Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed)

It was far from an easy path to victory for Sandeep Pulusani, though he was able to to push the right buttons at the right times to come out victorious in Event #77: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha at the 2022 World Series of Poker at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas. Pulusani topped a field of 1,234 entrants who generated a prize pool of $1,647,390.

Pulusani took home the biggest piece of that pool, with the first place prize being $277,949 and the coveted WSOP gold bracelet and the second of his career, after defeating Esther Taylor in heads-up play. He previously won a bracelet at the 2013 World Series when he won Event #44 $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em, for which he took home the biggest cash of his career at $592,684. This win adds to an already impressive resume which includes over $1,600,000 in live career earnings before today's victory.

Event #77: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot Limit Omaha Final Table Results

Pulusani entered the final day with the third smallest stack (1,210,000) among the 11-player field. It wasn't always smooth sailing for him either, as at one point, his stack reached a low point of around 400,000 per his own estimate.

"It was a rollercoaster. Yesterday I also started short and ran it up until I made a bad play against Esther Taylor at the end of the night. And today has been a real grind because I was short the entire time and Aden Salazar had all the chips until we got three-handed," Pulusani told PokerNews about his journey to victory. He went on to describe what a second bracelet meant to him, "My first bracelet was in a 3k No-Limit Event nine years ago actually, so it's been a while! To win this one feels super special. It kind of proves my first bracelet wasn't a fluke, so it's really nice."

Pulusani had immense respect for his fellow competitors. He and Taylor shared an embrace after the last hand. He also had this to say about third place finisher Aden Salazar, "Salazar is only 21 years and already had many great results. You can tell he has a talent for the game and it's really cool to play against young rising stars and see how my skills match up and how to adjust."

Other notable deep runs included Daniel Negreanu (18th -$9,844), Scott Davies (45th - $5,863), and Jonathan Dokler (26th - $8,174).

Final Table Action

The first big action of the final table came courtesy of Richard Kellett. The Englishman earlier in the day had his stack reduced to just 45,000 after doubling up Pulusani. Kellett had managed to make the final table thanks to a triple up, double up, and another double up on three consecutive hands, followed by a third double up a few hands into the unofficial final table of nine players.

Kellett scored yet another double-up when he ran his ace-queen into the pocket threes of Salazar and the flop paired his ace. A bit later he also scored the first knockout of the final table when William Leffingwell ran his top pair into the nut flush of Kellet.

Roughly an hour later, the next elimination came as the Norwegian Vegard Andreassen fell in seventh place after moving all in against Pulusani, who went on to flop a set and turn a full house.

Just a bit later, Day 1 chip leader Vincent Lam scored a big double up against Salazar when he turned trip tens. Only 15 minutes later, it was Pulusani who scored a double-up through Salazar when he flopped a set of deuces to bust Salazar's aces.

The next to fall was Noah Bronstein in sixth place. Bronstein had shared that he had a wedding to attend the next day and had originally had a flight scheduled on Day 2 of this event, but obviously had to reschedule given his success. He ran into quite the cooler when he was all in with ace-ten of clubs against Lam's king-jack of hearts. The flop paired his ten, as well as putting two clubs on the board, but Lam paired his jack on the turn and Bronstein was unable to improve further.

Kellett was eliminated in fifth place, as his good fortune finally ran out. He found himself as the middle stack in a three-way all-in pot against Salazar and Pulusani. This proved to be one of the most crucial pots of the tournament, as Pulusani came out the big winner with the flopped nut flush, giving him a triple-up that put him in a position to go on the run that he ultimately did. Salazar managed to make a flush on the river to scoop the side pot and send Kellett out of the tournament.

With just four remaining players, the bracelet became more and more of a real possibility for the players with each passing pot. Taylor managed a big double-up against Lam when she made a full house, moving her ahead of the Day 1 chip leader.

Lam doubled up Taylor after she made a full house on the last hand before the dinner break. Then, shortly after returning from dinner, Lam met his end. He had enjoyed a large stack ever since he made a hero call on the last hand of the night on Day 1 to scoop a pot north of 1,000,000 chips, but he was eliminated by Salazar, who managed to river two pair to eliminate the Canadian.

Salazar reached his chip apex shortly into three-handed play when he reached 20,000,000, nearly two-thirds of all the chips in play. But soon he started bleeding chips. First, he doubled up Pulusani when he paired his ace against Salazar's pocket pair. After losing a series of smaller pots, Salazar failed to get a bluff through against Taylor and was knocked down to a more modest chip lead, with 12,000,000, while Pulusani and Taylor both had around 8,000,000.

Just a bit later, Pulusani and Salazar played the biggest pot of the tournament. Salazar three-bet shoved on the flop, which Pulusani called. Pulusani had middle set, which held. This pot put Pulusani over 18,000,000 chips, a commanding chip lead while making Salazar the short stack for the first time all day with just over 4,000,000. A few minutes later, he was eliminated in third place when he ran into the double-suited aces of Taylor and was unable to improve.

Pulusani entered heads-up play with a chip lead of more than 2:1. That lead grew quickly as he made the better two pair just a few hands in, to reduce Taylor to fewer than 3,000,000. She managed to double up once but was eliminated a few minutes later. She ran queen-seven into pocket nines of Pulusani. She did manage to pair her queen on the river, but that queen completed a straight draw for Pulusani, giving him the pot, and the bracelet.

What does Pulusani have planned now, after his second bracelet win? "Actually I have a one-and-half-year-old at the house that I haven't seen for a couple of weeks so I'll probably head back home tomorrow to LA and celebrate with my wife and child!"

That's it for this event, but keep your browser on PokerNews for comprehensive coverage of the remainder of the 2022 WSOP!

No-Limit Hold'em

Just one hand after gambling for it all and doubling up, Esther Taylor moved all in again. Sandeep Pulusani made the call and the two were racing.

Esther Taylor:   
Sandeep Pulusani:   

Pulusani was in good shape with his pocket pair and Taylor only having one over card. The     flop didn't change too much. The   on the turn gave both players a straight draw. Taylor needed a nine while Pulusani needed a queen. The   hit on the river. Taylor initially celebrated thinking her top pair was good, but Pulusani was quick to point out that he had made his straight. Taylor was eliminated as the runner up, while Pulusani took home the hardware.

Sandeep Pulusani	30,850,000	2,850,000
Esther Taylor	0	-2,850,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Sandeep Pulusani raised to 1,200,000 and Esther Taylor opted to call.

The dealer showed a flop     and Taylor checked to Pulusani who continued for 1,000,000. Taylor raised it to 2,700,000 and Pulusani went deep into the tank before calling.

The   turn brought no betting action and a   hit the river. After some thinking, Taylor fired 3,000,000, putting Pulusani into a difficult decision.

After a few minutes, Pulusani eventually called and Taylor tabled      for two pair withe sixes. Pulusani showed      and took down the pot withe nines.

Sandeep Pulusani	28,000,000	6,500,000
Esther Taylor	2,850,000	-6,150,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

After Esther Taylor limped from the button, Aden Salazar potted from the small blind. After a fold from Sandeep Pulusani, Taylor repotted. Salazar made the call to go all in and the cards were on their backs.

Aden Salazar:     
Esther Taylor:     

Salazar was in poor shape, roughly a 2:1 dog to survive against Taylor's double suited aces. The     flop offered no help. The   turn brought about a bit of hope as he picked up a flush draw, but the   river locked up the pot for Taylor.

For Salazar, who is just 21 years old and attending his first WSOP, this was his second final table, and he will depart in third place for a six-figure score.

Aden Salazar

0

-6,050,000

No-Limit Hold'em

Aden Salazar opened from the button for 700,000 and got called by both other players. He continued for 600,000 on the     flop. Sandeep Pulusani, the small blind, raised to 1,800,000. Esther Taylor got out of the way before Salazar moved all in. Pulusani snap called and the players were off to the races.

Sandeep Pulusani:   
Aden Salazar:   

Pulusani had Salazar crushed, with over 95% equity. When the   hit the felt on the turn, Salazar was left drawing dead. The   completed the board, much to the disappointment of Taylor, who said she had folded ace-three.

Pulusani scooped the pot, doubling up and moving into the chip lead. Salazar, who entered the day as the chip leader and has enjoyed a very large stack all day long, suddenly finds himself as the short stack at the table.

Sandeep Pulusani	18,450,000	9,925,000
Aden Salazar	4,200,000	-8,175,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

After all three players limped to see the     flop, Aden Salazar fired 350,000 from the button. Sandeep Pulusani got out of the way while Esther Taylor made the call.

The pair checked through the   turn to the   river. Taylor checked to Salazar, who put in a bet of 1,900,000. Taylor tanked for a few minutes, before eventually emerging with a call. Both players seemed a bit hesitant to show their hands, until Salazar said "You're good," and flashed   , while Taylor showed     , good for two pair. She scooped the pot while Salazar's hand went into the muck.

Aden Salazar	12,375,000	-2,065,000
Esther Taylor	8,125,000	1,375,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Sandeep Pulusani raised on the button to 1,100,000 and got called by Aden Salazar in the big blind.

When the flop revealed    , Salazar checked to Pulusani who potted for 3,000,000. Salazar went deep into the tank and after a few minutes, he ended up folding his hand.

Aden Salazar	14,440,000	-760,000
Sandeep Pulusani	8,900,000	800,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Aden Salazar opened from the button for 1,050,000. Sandeep Pulusani called from the small blind while Esther Taylor got out of the way in the big blind. The pair checked through the     flop to the   turn to the   river all the way to showdown. "Ace queen," Pulusani announced before turning over      for top pair. Salazar mucked his hand, giving Pulusani the modest pot.

Aden Salazar	16,750,000	-1,500,000
Sandeep Pulusani	8,100,000	900,000