Monday, July 18, 2022 6:39 PM Local Time
Minh Nguyen Wins His First Bracelet in Event #85: $1,500 The Closer ($536,280)
Event #85: $1,500 The Closer has come to an end at the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) and New Jersey's Minh Nguyen was the winner of one of the last bracelets of the summer. The event drew 2,039 entries and generated a prize pool of $962,280.
Nguyen outlasted 17 returning players on the tournament's final day to defeat Ahmed Karrim in heads-up play to win $536,280 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. He came into the final day as the chip leader and finished the job in dominating fashion, scoring several knockouts to maintain pace atop the leaderboard.
"It was a rough start for the series," Nguyen said in his post-win interview with PokerNews. "I was 0-5 before I min–cashed one. Then I went 0-26 or 27. Overall it was a pretty bad year."
Nguyen saved his Summer in a big way with the largest win of his career.
"I've actually been on a year-and-a-half downswing. For me to come this far in the last tournament of the series is a dream. It's awesome."
Nguyen had a lively rail, and he promised them a party whether he won or lost. Before he makes a decision on entering the Tournament of Champions, Nguyen has an obligation to fulfill.
"I'm going to take my rail out to eat and find something fun to do," he said.
Nguyen defeated Karrim in heads-up play after the two players dominated the final table and came to the endgame nearly even in chips. Karrim was followed in third place by Michael Liang, and in fourth by Madelyn Carr, both of whom were eliminated by Nguyen in a double knockout that sent the tournament into heads-up play.
Event #85: $1,500 The Closer Final Table Results
| *Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Minh Nguyen | United States | $536,280 |
| 2 | Ahmed Karrim | South Africa | $331,470 |
| 3 | Michael Liang | United States | $247,890 |
| 4 | Madelyn Carr | United States | $186,770 |
| 5 | Manuel Herrera Garcia | United States | $141,770 |
| 6 | Daniel Tabello | United States | $108,420 |
| 7 | Samuel Brown | United States | $83,540 |
| 8 | Rudy Cervantes | United States | $64,870 |
| 9 | Zach Johnson | United States | $59,759 |
| 10 | Vincent Lam | Canada | $40,020 |
Runner-up Ahmed Karrim
Final Day Action
The day kicked off with 17 players and the tournament reached its final table after just over an hour of play. Vincent Lam was the first of the finalists to go in 10th place when his ace-jack ran into Karrim's pocket kings. It was the seventh cash of the series for Lam, one of which was an impressive run to fourth place in the $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Omaha event.
Zach Johnson and Rudy Cervantes was the next to go in ninth and eighth, respectively. They both hit the rail on a double knockout when Liang's ace-queen caught a pair on the flop. Cervantes had three cashes at the 2022 WSOP, including a deep run to place 48th in the Main Event.
In seventh was Samuel Brown, who got it in with king-queen but ran into the ace-king of Carr. The hand put Carr over 30 million after staying out of the fray for most of the early part of the day.
Fourth-place finisher Madelyn Carr
Daniel Tabello got it in from the short stack with jack-eight, but he was out in sixth when Karrim called with pocket tens and held for the win. Manuel Herrera Garcia was next when Liang left him short and then Nguyen finished the job with a pair of fives.
Four-handed play was short-lived, and Carr was out in fourth while Liang ended in third after a double knockout send their chips to Nguyen. Nguyen called both players with king-ten and made a third ten on the turn to send the tournament to heads-up play.
The two players traded pots for the first level of heads-up play, but the big moment came when Karrim jammed the turn with a low pair and Nguyen showed him the straight to take the win.
Congratulations to Minh Nguyen of Brigantine, New Jersey for winning his first bracelet in Event #85: $1,500 The Closer at the 2022 WSOP in its new home at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas!
Be sure to keep it here for the rest of the week as PokerNews will be on hand to provide live updates from the floor of the Tournament of Champions.
Minh Nguyen
Monday, July 18, 2022 5:00 PM Local Time
Ahmed Karrim Eliminated in 2nd Place ($331,470)
With nearly 25,000,000 in the pot and on the board, Ahmed Karrim shoved and Minh Nguyen called quickly.
Karrim turned over , but Nguyen had for the straight. The river was an inconsequential and Nguyen eliminated Karrim to win the tournament.
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 148,000,000 | 41,500,000  |
| Ahmed Karrim | 0 | -41,500,000  |
Monday, July 18, 2022 4:56 PM Local Time
Nguyen Opens Up the Lead
Ahmed Karrim limped in and Minh Nguyen raised to 9,000,000. Karrim called and the flop was .
Both players checked the flop and the turn was . Nguyen bet 14,000,000 and Karrim called.
The river was and Nguyen fired 5,000,000. Karrim went into the tank for several minutes before he tossed in his cards and gave up the pot.
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 106,500,000 | 28,900,000 |
| Ahmed Karrim | 41,500,000 | -28,900,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 4:46 PM Local Time
Level 43 started
Level: 43
Blinds: 1,500,000/3,000,000
Ante: 3,000,000
Monday, July 18, 2022 4:40 PM Local Time
Nguyen Strikes Back Just Before Break
With 20,000,000 in the middle and a full board of , Minh Nguyen bet 6,500,000 and Ahmed Karrim went into the tank.
After he considered his options for several moments, Karrim tossed in the chips to call. Nguyen turned over to take the pot with kings and queens.
The players will now take a short break before they continue.
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 77,600,000 | 15,600,000 |
| Ahmed Karrim | 70,400,000 | -17,600,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 4:35 PM Local Time
Karrim Takes With River Bet
The final two have continued to trade pots in the early going, but Ahmed Karrim maintains a slight edge.
With over 10,000,000 in the pot and on the board, Karrim fired 7,300,000. Minh Nguyen thought it over but it was too much and he tossed his hand in the muck.
| Ahmed Karrim | 88,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 62,000,000 | -2,000,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 4:28 PM Local Time
Back and Forth
The final two players have traded a few pots in the opening stages of heads-up play, but neither player has opened up a big lead.
| Ahmed Karrim | 86,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 64,000,000 | -8,000,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 4:09 PM Local Time
Level 42 started
Level: 42
Blinds: 1,200,000/2,500,000
Ante: 2,500,000
Monday, July 18, 2022 3:59 PM Local Time
Madelyn Carr Eliminated in 4th Place ($186,770); Michael Liang Eliminated in 3rd Place ($247,890)
Moments after a big hand for Ahmed Karrim that left Michael Liang short, Madelyn Carr jammed her last 7,200,000 from the cutoff. Michael Liang called from the small blind and Minh Nguyen shoved his big stack from the big blind. Liang thought it over and tossed his last 4,000,000 into the middle. Action was three ways with Carr and Liang at risk.
Madelyn Carr:
Michael Liang:
Minh Nguyen:
The board ran out and Nguyen made trip tens to eliminate both players from the tournament.
The tournament will now pause for five minutes while preparations for heads-up play are made.
| Ahmed Karrim | 76,000,000 | 35,000,000 |
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 72,000,000 | 23,000,000 |
| Madelyn Carr | 0 | -23,000,000 |
| Michael Liang | 0 | -33,000,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 3:44 PM Local Time
Manuel Herrera Garcia Eliminated in 5th Place ($141,770)
Michael Liang got his last 15,600,000 with into the middle and Manuel Herrera Garcia called with . The board ran out and Liang's pocket sevens held for the double.
A few hands later, Herrera Garcia got the last 9,300,000 in and Minh Nguyen called to put him at risk.
Manuel Herrera Garcia:
Minh Nguyen:
The board ran out and the pair of fives was good for Nguyen to knock Herrera Garcia out of the tournament in fifth place for $141,770.
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 49,000,000 | -9,800,000 |
| Michael Liang | 33,000,000 | 17,000,000 |
| Manuel Herrera Garcia | 0 | -8,000,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 3:32 PM Local Time
Level 41 started
Level: 41
Blinds: 1,000,000/2,000,000
Ante: 2,000,000
Monday, July 18, 2022 3:24 PM Local Time
Karrim Takes From Nguyen; Updated Counts
A short time after Minh Nguyen took a pot from Manuel Herrera Garcia, he raised to 3,000,000 from middle opsition. Ahmed Karrim called from the big blind and the flop was .
Both players checked through the turn and the river was . Karrim bet 4,800,000 and Nguyen got away from it.
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 58,800,000 | 12,800,000 |
| Ahmed Karrim | 41,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Madelyn Carr | 23,000,000 | -7,000,000 |
| Michael Liang | 16,000,000 | 3,800,000 |
| Manuel Herrera Garcia | 8,000,000 | -17,800,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 3:06 PM Local Time
Daniel Tabello Eliminated in 6th Place ($108,420)
Ahmed Karrim open-jammed 24,000,000 from late position and Daniel Tabello called with his last 3,000,000. The rest of the table got out of the way and action was heads-up with Tabello at risk.
Daniel Tabello:
Ahmed Karrim:
The board ran out and the tens held to eliminate Tabello in sixth place for $108,420.
| Ahmed Karrim | 31,000,000 | 4,000,000 |
| Daniel Tabello | 0 | -5,000,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 3:00 PM Local Time
Level 40 started
Level: 40
Blinds: 1,000,000/1,500,000
Ante: 1,500,000
Monday, July 18, 2022 2:55 PM Local Time
Karrim Doubles Through Tabello
Ahmed Karrim shoved his last 12,000,000 with and Daniel Tabello jammed with more with . The blinds got out of the way and action was heads-up with Karrim at risk.
The board ran out and Karrim made aces full of queens to secure the double.
| Ahmed Karrim | 27,000,000 | 14,500,000 |
| Daniel Tabello | 5,000,000 | -12,000,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 2:47 PM Local Time
Samuel Brown Eliminated in 7th Place ($83,540)
Samuel Brown open-shoved 13,200,000 from the button and Madelyn Carr called from the small blind with the exact same amount. Action was heads up and both players were at risk.
Samuel Brown:
Madelyn Carr:
The board ran out and made a pair of aces to eliminate Brown from the tournament in seventh place for $83,540.
| Madelyn Carr | 30,000,000 | 17,400,000 |
| Samuel Brown | 0 | -16,700,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 2:36 PM Local Time
Final Table Chip Count Update
| Minh Nguyen (NJ) | 46,000,000 | 5,000,000 |
| Manuel Herrera Garcia | 25,800,000 | 0 |
| Daniel Tabello | 17,000,000 | 3,800,000 |
| Samuel Brown | 16,700,000 | -1,300,000 |
| Madelyn Carr | 12,600,000 | 0 |
| Ahmed Karrim | 12,500,000 | -2,500,000 |
| Michael Liang | 12,200,000 | -7,800,000 |
Monday, July 18, 2022 2:33 PM Local Time
Level 39 started
Level: 39
Blinds: 600,000/1,200,000
Ante: 1,200,000
Monday, July 18, 2022 2:20 PM Local Time
Time for a Break
The remaining seven players are now on a 15-minute break.
Monday, July 18, 2022 2:19 PM Local Time
Carr Doubles Through Herrera Garcia
Madelyn Carr shoved from the small blind with for 5,800,000 and Manuel Herrera Garcia called with . The board ran out and Carr made a pair of nines to secure the double just before break.
| Manuel Herrera Garcia | 25,800,000 | 800,000 |
| Madelyn Carr | 12,600,000 | 2,200,000 |