Event #7: $1,500 Dealers Choice (6-Handed)

Event #7: $1,500 Dealer's Choice has come to a close here at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. It took just over six hours for a winner to emerge from ten hopefuls who made it to the final day.

After the dust had settled, mixed game legend John Hennigan was the last player standing, last-defeating Robert Wells after a brief heads-up duel. With the win, Hennigan became only the ninth player to capture a seventh WSOP gold bracelet.

"It's Interesting to know, I guess, just like any other number" Hennigan commented when asked about the accolade. "Very happy to win the tournament. I mean to me, the best thing about winning the tournament is not losing it. Not getting second, or knowing they're still playing and wandering around after you go broke. It's just very satisfying to come out on top."

Event #7: $1,500 Dealer's Choice Final Table Results

Winner's Reaction

Hennigan quickly took the chip lead once the final table was set and never lost it en route to victory. The Poker Hall of Famer mentioned how comfortable he was navigating the rest of the tournament from the top of the chip counts.

"I had a similar experience at PokerGO, like two months ago, where I just had a huge chip lead, and every hand just played themselves. It was very easy. You know, this tournament was similar to that. When you have a monster chip lead, it's a pretty simple game."

With 21 games to choose from Hennigan described how playing to his strengths was a big part of his strategy in terms of the games he selected.

"I don't really think too much about that. I just played stud because it's the game I'm best at. And frankly, you know, these guys are not young. But the younger people are, the less that they played (stud). It's undoubtedly my best game, and it's probably low on their list. So I just picked stud, and frankly, I've always been lucky in that game, too, so I seem to win every pot."

The win marks the smallest buy-in event in which Hennigan has ever won a bracelet. The majority of his wins have come in events with a buy-in of $10,000 or higher.

"I normally don't (play $1,500 events), but, you know, I just happened to jump in this one. It was a pretty lucky coincidence, actually. I usually just stick with the ten because I don't want to burn myself out too much, but I guess I'll be in the mix for player of the year now. So get ready for the burn."

Final Day Highlights

The action got off to a quick start after Hennigan scored a double knockout in the first level of the day to send off Venkata Tayi and Lawrence Brandt. Six-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb was left with crumbs shortly afterwards in a Badeucy hand that saw most of his chips get split between Viktor Blom and start of day chip leader Clint Wolcyn. Deeb quadrupled up right after but was still short, and it did not take long before he was eliminated in eighth-place on the final table bubble.

The Final Table

Wolcyn entered the final table with the chip lead, but Hennigan was right behind him. In one of the first hands of the final table, Hennigan took down a four-way Triple Draw pot to take the lead, which he would hold on to all the way until the end of the tournament.

Ryan Pedigo became the first final table casualty after losing most of his chips to Blom in Triple Draw before Hennigan took the rest of it in Stud. It took just under two hours before Pedigo was followed out the door by Wolcyn, who had taken some big hits from Blom and Wells to fall from the top of the counts to the middle of the pack. Brayden Gazlay then got the better of Wolcyn in a massive Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better hand to send off the start of day chip leader.

Hennigan began to significantly extend his chip lead over the rest of the field following the elimination of Wolcyn and, at one point, held more than three-quarters of the total chips in play with five remaining. In one notable hand during this period, Blom started with rolled up kings in a hand of Stud-8 only for Hennigan to make a full house on seventh street to leave the online legend short. Blom managed to outlast Gazlay who was knocked out in fifth by Hennigan before he fell in fourth place at the hands of Peter Gelencser.

Gelencser began three-handed play as the shortest stack and was next to fall after flopping top pair in Omaha, only for Hennigan to show up with the better kicker and turn two pair. That hand left Hennigan with nearly a 6:1 chip advantage going into heads-up play versus Wells. Hennigan switched from choosing Stud to No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw once heads-up play began and made short work of Wells, who could not close the gap and was ultimately eliminated after running his pat jack-ten into Hennigan's pat jack-nine.

This concludes our coverage of this event, but stay tuned to PokerNews for continuing coverage throughout the rest of the 55th World Series of Poker from here at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw

John Hennigan moved all in from the button and Robert Wells, who was very short-stacked, made the call and was at risk. Both players stood pat.

Wells had       for a jack-ten low but Hennigan turned over       for a jack-nine low to take the final pot of the night.

John Hennigan	13,250,000	750,000
Robert Wells	0	-750,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Peter Gelencser opened to 280,000 from the button and was called by John Hennigan in the small blind.

The flop came    . Hennigan bet enough to put Gelencser all in and Gelencser called to put himself at risk.

Peter Gelencser:      [allin]
John Hennigan:     

Both players had flopped top pair but Hennigan had the best kicker. The rest of the board ran out    giving Hennigan top two pair to take the pot while Gelencser's deep run came to an end in third place.

John Hennigan	11,300,000	990,000
Robert Wells	1,950,000	150,000
Peter Gelencser	0	-1,500,000

2-7 Triple Draw

Robert Wells raised on the button, Peter Gelencser three-bet in the small blind, and Wells called.

Both players checked after drawing two. Gelencser took one on the second draw and bet, while Wells called after taking two.

Gelencser stood pat and Wells took one. Gelencser then moved all in and Wells tanked for a moment before folding.

Robert Wells	1,800,000	-500,000
Peter Gelencser	1,500,000	800,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

John Hennigan opened to 210,000 from the button and Peter Gelencser defended from the big blind.

The flop came    . Gelencser checked, Hennigan bet 60,000, Gelencser shoved for 425,000 and Hennigan called to put Gelencser at risk.

Peter Gelencser:      [allin]
John Hennigan:     

Hennigan was ahead with trip fours until the   turn gave Gelencser a full house leaving Hennigan drawing thin. The   river was clean for Gelencser who collected a full double up.

John Hennigan	10,310,000	-890,000
Peter Gelencser	1,330,000	780,000

Razz

Robert Wells:    /    
John Hennigan:    /    

Robert Wells completed and was called by John Hennigan. Both players then checked fourth street.

Wells bet fifth street and was called by Hennigan. After Wells paired his ace on sixth Hennigan bet and Wells called.

Hennigan bet once more on seventh and was called by Wells. Hennigan's seven-six low was good at showdown and he continued accumulating chips.

John Hennigan	10,775,000	775,000
Robert Wells	1,725,000	205,000

Limit Omaha 8 or Better

John Hennigan opened from the hijack and Brayden Gazlay defended from the big blind.

The flop came     and Gazlay check-called a continuation bet from Hennigan.

Both players then checked the   turn and   river.

"Ace-high" Gazlay announced.

Hennigan turned over      for two pair to take the pot.

John Hennigan	9,750,000	1,100,000
Brayden Gazlay	1,200,000	-200,000

Stud 8 or Better

John Hennigan:   /    / 
Viktor Blom:   /    / 

John Hennigan completed, Viktor Blom three-bet and Hennigan called.

Both players checked fourth street. On fifth Blom bet, Hennigan raised and Blom called.

Hennigan bet sixth street, Blom raised it to two big bets and Hennigan called.

On seventh street Hennigan bet once more and was called by Blom.

Neither player had a low. Blom had started with trip kings but had not improved while Hennigan had made a full house on seventh. Blom could only watch as Hennigan dragged in a colossal pot.

John Hennigan	8,575,000	1,075,000
Viktor Blom	1,275,000	-25,000

Seven Card Stud

Brayden Gazlay:   /    - folded fifth street
Peter Gelencser:   /   

Peter Gelencser completed and received a call from Brayden Gazlay in the bring in.

Gelencser bet fourth and was called by Gazlay. On fifth street Gelencser bet again and this time Gazlay opted to fold.

Seven Card Stud

Brayden Gazlay:   /    - folded fifth street
Viktor Blom:   /   

The very next hand saw Viktor Blom complete and Gazlay call from the bring in. In a similar situation to the previous hand, Blom bet fourth and fifth streets. Gazlay called on fourth and folded on fifth leaving himself short-stacked.

Peter Gelencser	2,175,000	475,000
Viktor Blom	1,300,000	200,000
Brayden Gazlay	925,000	-375,000