Event #80: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.

Josh Arieh has defeated Dan Heimiller heads-up to win his sixth World Series of Poker bracelet along with the $711,313 first-place prize. En route to victory, Arieh overcame a stacked 112-player field and strengthened his position as a future Poker Hall of Famer.

Arieh's victory comes on the heels of his win earlier this series in Event #22: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship. Additionally, with this win Arieh has also vaulted himself into second place in the WSOP Player of The Year race just behind Ian Matakis.

Winner's Reaction

"I'm so stoked," Arieh replied when asked how he felt after winning his sixth bracelet. "It was a tough field and I was the last person to go on a heater. I feel amazing and I'm very fortunate."

Humble in victory, Arieh explained it helped to "catch the deck" in what turned out to be a dominating final-table performance. "I just caught whatever I needed. The limits get so big that you just have to win the pots you play in."

Arieh, who has won four of his six bracelets in just the past two years, expressed his gratitude for life outside of poker and attributes that to his recent success. "My life is so amazing outside of poker. I got my sh** straight and my relationships with my daughters and with Rachel... everything is just great. It's definitely helped my career."

When asked the Poker Hall of Fame, Arieh had this to say:

"It's definitely in the back of my mind. This year belongs to (Brian) Rast, he's an absolute crusher and he did what he had to do. Maybe one year when they fix the nomination process and more than one player gets in, then maybe I'll have my turn. I'll just keep playing and doing what I do and whatever happens happens."

Event #80: $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. High Roller Final Table Results

Day 3 Action

Day 3 began with 15 hopefuls looking to become the next H.O.R.S.E. champion, but it turned out to be Arieh's day from the get-go after winning a nice pot early on to get his momentum started. Unsurprisingly, the shortest stacks to begin the day were eliminated within the first level of play starting with Mike Wattel and followed by Allen Kessler, who still navigated his way to a cash despite being close to elimination on the bubble yesterday.

Following the elimination of Matt Grapenthien, Arieh assumed the chip lead in the second level of the day after making a great call against Joao Vieira in Seven Card Stud. Brian Hastings would be next to go after running into a rivered wheel against Heimiller in Limit Hold'em and Michael Moncek was sent out shortly thereafter after being crippled by Mike Matusow's set in the same game.

Ray Dehkhargani burst the final table bubble after being sent out by Johannes Becker in Omaha Hi-Lo. From that point, the action continued to fly as escalating limits and antes forced the action. Matusow claimed Hal Rotholz's elimination in ninth place after making a seven in Razz and Scott Seiver, who had been nursing a short stack for much of day, was eliminated in eighth place against Vieira's pair of sevens in Seven Card Stud.

Vieira continued to build his stack at the final table and looked to be a serious contender for the bracelet after taking out Becker in seventh place. However, Arieh kept up the pace and added John Hennigan's stack to his own after making a straight against Hennigan's aces in Omaha Hi-Lo.

Matusow, a Poker Hall of Fame nominee who already has several cashes this year, including a second-place finish in Event #55: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better, had to settle for fifth place after calling off for his remaining chips in Razz against Arieh and drawing to a king.

The pace of play finally slowed down a bit when it got to four-handed play. After a bit exchanging chips back and forth, Vieira lost a tough pot against Heimiller after being pipped in Razz. The rest of Vieira's chips went Arieh's way in a subsequent hand of Razz to set up three-handed play.

Arieh would continue his reign of terror by eliminating Yingui Li after catching an unlikely pair against him in Limit Hold'em to get to heads-up play. By that point, Arieh had an over two-to-one chip lead against Heimiller. It didn't take long for Arieh to extend his lead through relentless aggression and he finished the job after catching an ace on the turn to overtake Heimiller's queens in Omaha Hi-Lo.

That's a wrap for PokerNews coverage of Event #80: $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. High Roller. Be sure to check out our live-reporting hub for continuing coverage of the 2023 World Series of Poker right here at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas

Omaha Hi-Lo

Josh Arieh limped the button followed by a raise from Heimiller and a call from Arieh.

The     flop hit the felt and Arieh called a bet from Heimiller.

The turn brought a   and Heimiller slowed down and checked. Arieh bet and Heimiller called.

The   river landed and action checked to Arieh who bet again. Heimiller had to fold and was left extremely short.

Josh Arieh	14,800,000	1,500,000
Dan Heimiller	2,000,000	-1,500,000

Stud Hi-Lo

Josh Arieh:   /    / 
Dan Heimiller:   /    / 

Arieh was the bring in followed by a complete from Heimiller and a call.

Every street went bet Heimiller and call from Arieh. After the bet on seventh Arieh was visibly frustrated as he seemed to know he was beat. After the chips went in Heimiller showed down aces full of queens and Arieh mucked.

Heimiller closed that gap by a small margin and is in the mix.

Josh Arieh	11,800,000	-2,000,000
Dan Heimiller	5,000,000	2,000,000

Dan Heimiller and Josh Arieh have retaken their seats and cards are in the air.

Seven Card Stud

Dan Heimiller:   /    
Josh Arieh:   /    

Dan Heimiller brought it in, Josh Arieh completed, and Heimiller put in two bets. Arieh called.

Fourth street saw Heimiller call a bet from Arieh. Fifth street had Heimiller call another bet.

Sixth street landed and Arieh had four spades on board. Arieh bet again and this time Heimiller couldn't hold on any longer. He shook his head and folded.

Arieh extended his already huge lead.

Josh Arieh	15,000,000	2,200,000
Dan Heimiller	1,800,000	-2,200,000

Dan Heimiller and Josh Arieh are now heads-up for the $711,313 first-place prize and gold bracelet.

Arieh will be going for his second bracelet this series and his sixth overall, while Heimiller will be gunning for his third.

Arieh enters heads-up play with a greater than two-to-one chip advantage over Heimiller.

Josh Arieh	12,000,000	0
Dan Heimiller	4,800,000	0

Limit Hold'em

Josh Arieh and Dan Heimiller were heads-up for three bets each on a     flop.

Heimiller led out for a bet from the big blind position and Arieh raised. Heimiller called.

Heimiiler check-called a bet from Arieh on the   turn, but check-folded facing a final bet from Arieh on the   river.

Josh Arieh	9,500,000	2,400,000
Dan Heimiller	5,000,000	-800,000
Yingui Li	2,300,000	-1,700,000

Omaha Hi-Lo

Yingui Li was in the cutoff and raised. Dan Heimiller was on the button and put in a third bet. The blinds folded and Li called.

The     flop hit the felt and Li check-called a bet from Heimiller. The turn brought a   and Li check-called another bet.

The dealer burned and turned the   and Li checked once more. Heimiller put out the last bet and Li only had one word that he said over and over..."F***!"

After about a minute in the tank he finally put in the chips. Heimiller tabled      and would scoop the high and the low after Li mucked.

Dan Heimiller	5,900,000	1,900,000
Yingui Li	3,500,000	-550,000

Stud Hi-Lo

Yingui Li:   /     Folded Sixth Street
Dan Heimiller:   /    

After a fold from the bring-in Dan Heimiller and Yingui Li were heads up on fourth street. Li bet his paired board and Heimiller raised. Li called.

Fifth street landed and Li bet again with trips on board. Heimiller called.

Sixth landed and Li bet once more. Heimiller said "I think I have you" and raised.

With trips on board Li went into the tank and eventually folded. Heimiller tabled his flush to show he had the goods and that Li made a good fold.

Dan Heimiller	4,800,000	2,100,000
Yingui Li	4,050,000	-1,050,000