Event #30: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw

Just a few days ago, the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas was abuzz over David "ODB" Baker's incredible comeback from two big bets to win the $1,500 Razz event.

John Monnette would like his friend Baker to hold his beer.

After an incredible heads-up duel with Christopher Chung to conclude Event #30: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw that saw Monnette come back from half of one big bet, the mixed game specialist has claimed his fifth World Series of Poker gold bracelet and the $145,863 first prize.

Monnette becomes the 35th player to win their fifth WSOP bracelet, joining Josh Arieh and Brian Yoon who earned their fifth earlier in this year's WSOP.

"It means a lot, that's why we're here in these tournaments, just battling. Nothing's like it; nothing brings the energy that the WSOP does. You get the best players all playing together, battling to just get the bracelet."

Known as one of the best mixed-game players in the world, Monnette's fifth bracelet comes in his fifth different poker discipline, a fact that's not lost on him.

"It's kinda cool, yah. The no-limit deuce, I felt that was one of my better games, when I got that one, it was really cool, and then the hold 'em one was pretty awesome because I just grew up playing limit hold 'em… and then this one, 2-7 is a game I just played a ton like 15 years ago pre-Black Friday. It was kind of cool to get back to the roots, with the last two [being] Limit Hold 'em and Triple Draw, games that I just grinded for years."

John Monnette's Five WSOP Bracelet Victories

The Day's Action

Initially, it appeared that it might be a somewhat short day given how fast the first eliminations of the day came, with a third of the remaining 18 players sent to the rail before the first break, including bracelet winners Carol Fuchs (16th - $5,848) and Tom Schneider (13th - $7,222), along with RunGood Poker Tour founder Tana Karnchanakphan (15th ($5,848)

Among the next eliminations before the final table was Louis Hillman, who entered as one of the shortest stacks, but managed to survive multiple all-ins to ladder up to 10th for $9,141. Allen Kessler fell in ninth and Benny Glaser in eighth place for $11,849 each, but not before playing a memorable pot that saw Glaser break the best hand on the final draw to ultimately double up Kessler.

Once the final table of seven was set, it was time to distribute the real meat of the $696,870 prize pool. Michael Rodrigues was the first to fall in seventh place for $15,722, followed by Ryan Hughes in sixth for $21,342. But from there, the eliminations came to a standstill until after dinner break.

The first post-dinner bust out was James Williams, whose friendly demeanor, strong southern drawl, and unique name for number one or a wheel, 'The Chicken', lived on for the rest of the tournament with multiple references to the Arkansas native's signature hand name.

Shortly thereafter, Josh Damm was the next to hit the rail in fourth place, leaving the three most accomplished players remaining in the field, Monnette, Chung, and Patrick Leonard to battle for the bracelet.

Chung held over half the chips in play at that point for a lead he wouldn't relinquish until heads-up play, leaving Monnette and Leonard to duel for the right to play him for the bracelet. Ultimately a critical clash between the two put Leonard on the short stack, and despite his best efforts and several near-comebacks, Leonard fell in third place.

Now it was time for what became an epic heads-up clash.

An Incredible Heads-Up Tilt

Not long into the over two-hour-long match, Chung would relinquish his chip lead to Monnette before the duo traded it back and forth for a bit. Chung then regained firm control, to the point of having Monnette down to that half of one big bet and all in three times, but Chung couldn't out-draw Monnette with a final card to finish him off each time.

From there, Monnette regained his stack and took the lead back from Chung. The final scheduled level of the day concluded with Monnette holding a 3-1 chip lead, and the players opted to play one more level to try to crown a champion.

Monnette would then complete his epic comeback approximately twenty minutes after that final break, making an eighty-six to capture the title and bracelet number five in incredible fashion.

Four words from Monnette captured the feeling of the match perfectly.

"It was just absurd."

Monnette continued, "At that point, [under one big bet] there's only so much you can do. The deck just kind of decided. If the hands were flipped it would have been the same thing.

Number Five For His Family

While this win was special for Monnette because he joins the five-timers club and it came in his fifth different poker discipline, the champion made it clear that, above all, his family made it possible and are the most special reason of all.

"All the bracelets mean something, and I've got two little ones now that are friggin' absolutely awesome, my daughter Willa and my son John, and my wife Diana who's just been so, so, so great. Poker's always been fun, and it still is fun, but having that at home is so awesome. It means the world, and I just want to say thank you to all of them."

Monnette continued to say that this fifth bracelet is going somewhere very special, as is number six when he gets it.

"It's dedicated to my son because he's the fifth too. I'm John Edward Monnette the fourth, and he's the fifth, so this one's for my son, and Willa, my daughter I don't want her to think I've forgotten about her. She'll get the sixth.

With beautiful sentiments like that, it sounds like the man lovingly known as 'Angry John' may have to change his nickname to 'Family John'.

This concludes our coverage of this event, but stay close to PokerNews for continuing coverage throughout the rest of the 54th World Series of Poker from here at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

Every pot is massive at this point of heads-up and two hands to showdown could see the end of the battle.

Christopher Chung raised and got called by John Monnette. The players each drew two cards.

Monnette bet and got a call from Chung and then Monnette drew one, while Chung needed two.

Monnette continued to bet, getting another call from Chung and the players drew one card each at the final draw.

Monnette now checked and Chung fired a bet. Monnette thought briefly then made the call.

"Pair," said Chung dejectedly before Monnette fanned       for a critical winner as bracelet number five is potentially one more hand away.

John Monnette	11,000,000	3,200,000
Christopher Chung	2,000,000	-3,200,000

After Christopher Chung raised on the button and John Monnette defended his big blind, each player drew two cards.

Monnette led out with a bet and got called by Chung, who drew two after Monnette drew one.

Monnette bet again and Chung moved all in for his last 800,000 chips. Monnette made the call to potentially win the tournament and patted his hand. Chung patted behind.

Monnette declared "eight-seven."

"No good," said Chung happily as he fanned his       on the table to earn the double-up and stay alive in this epic heads-up duel.

John Monnette	9,500,000	-1,400,000
Christopher Chung	3,500,000	1,400,000

John Monnette bet from the button and Christopher Chung defended his big blind. Monette drew three while Chung drew two.

Chung bet a fter the first draw and Monnette called. This time both players drew one, checked and drew one again.

Chung checked with no draws remaining and folded when Monnette bet.

John Monnette	9,500,000	3,400,000
Christopher Chung	3,500,000	-3,400,000

John Monnette bet from the button and Christopher Chung defended his big blind, drawing three while Monnette drew one.

After the first draw Chung checked, Monnette bet and Chung made it two bets. Monnette made the call and both players drew one.

Action checked around after the second draw and drew one. Chung then check-called a final bet from Monnette, who tabled       for the winner to once again take the lead from Chung.

John Monnette	7,400,000	3,900,000
Christopher Chung	5,600,000	-3,900,000

John Monnette bet from the button and Christopher Chung made it three bets from the big blind. Monnette made the call and drew three while Chung drew one.

After the first draw Chung bet and Monnette called. Chung drew one and Monnette drew two.

Action repeated itself after the second draw with Monnette calling a bet from Chung. This time both players stood pat and checked with no draws remaining.

"Nine" Chung said, to which Monnette replied "Keep going".

Chung said "Eight" and again Monnette told his opponent to keep going.

"Seven" Chung stated at which point Monnette tabled       for nine-eight-six, enough to beat Chung's nine-eight-seven. Monnette scooped a huge pot and is now close to even against his opponent.

Christopher Chung	7,000,000	-3,500,000
John Monnette	6,000,000	3,500,000

Christopher Chung bet from the button and John Monnette called from the big blind. Both players drew two.

After the first draw Monnette check-called a bet from Chung and both players drew one.

Action repeated itself after the second draw. Monnette check-called a bet from Chung and each player drew one.

With no draws remaining Monnette fired a bet. Chung thought about his decision briefly, saying that he "had to pay his opponent off" before making the call.

Chung showed       to take the pot down and leave Monnette with less than one big bet in his stack.

Christopher Chung	12,700,000	2,900,000
John Monnette	300,000	-2,900,000

After John Monnette raised, Christopher Chung made it three bets to go before Monnette made it four. Chung called at that point and the duo went to the first draw.

Chung drew one while Monnette stood pat. The players checked and then each of them stood pat.

Chung came out with a bet after the second draw which Monnette called, and they each patted their hands again.

Following that final draw, Chung fired out another bet and Monnette reluctantly folded his hand to send a three to one chip lead to Chung.

Christopher Chung	9,800,000	1,100,000
John Monnette	3,200,000	-1,100,000

Christopher Chung won three straight pots from John Monnette to regain the chip lead, but one fell swoop from Monnette took it right back.

After Monnette raised and Chung called, Chung drew three, while Monnette drew one.

Chung then check-called a bet from Monnette and drew two, while Monnette stood pat.

Chung check-called another bet and then drew one against Monnette's still pat hand.

Monnette then insta-called a bet from Chung, who led out after the final draw.

"Nine" said Chung, as Monnette fanned his       for the winner.

"I knew I didn't like that insta-call," said Chung as his chips were pushed to Monnette.

John Monnette	6,800,000	-500,000
Christopher Chung	6,200,000	450,000