Event #59: $2,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw

On this eve of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event, one of the most stacked final tables of all of this summer's preliminary events has come to a conclusion, with Eli Elezra topping a tough field, a talented final table, and coming back against a formidable heads-up opponent in Daniel Negreanu to claim his second WSOP bracelet in Event #59: $2,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball.

It has been six years since Elezra won his first bracelet. He also beat out another of poker's best heads-up back in 2007 when he outlasted Scotty Nguyen for the title in the $3,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better event. Having now become a multiple braclet winner, Elezra already has his sights on gathering more.

"I'm gonna try to get about five more… maybe catch Hellmuth, you know?" said Elezra while cracking his ever-present grin as he thanked the audience for their support of his win.

Today's final day saw just 10 players return from the starting field of 282, with six bracelet winners among them. After a short-stacked Mike Watson fell in 10th place early, three-time bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi (ninth), Alexander Condon (eighth), and Eric Wasserson (seventh) followed during the afternoon, setting up a six-handed final table at which five of the players had already won WSOP gold.

Three of those bracelet winners would fall first, as Scott Seiver (sixth), start-of-day-3 leader David "ODB" Baker (fifth), and David Chiu (fourth) all hit the rail prior to the dinner break. Negreanu had pushed into the lead by then, and after a short-stacked Brian Brubaker finally fell in third, it was five-time bracelet winner Negreanu versus Elezra with "Kid Poker" enjoying the advantage to start heads-up play.

But the 41 hands between the pair mostly went Elezra's way as he soon evened the score, then pushed ahead thanks in part to a big hand in which he made a wheel on the third draw. Soon all the chips were on Elezra's side of the table. Negreanu congratulated his friend with a handshake and hug before rushing off to join Event 61: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, and Elezra was soon delivering his thanks to the crowd.

Lynn Gilmartin was on hand to speak with Elezra straight after his win:

And with that we thank you for following our coverage of Event #59. Be sure to return to PokerNews tomorrow as the summer's excitement continues with Day 1a of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event!

Hands #209-#213

After Daniel Negreanu enjoyed another walk in the big blind, on the next hand he raised his button and Eli Elezra called. Both drew two on the first draw, Elezra bet, Negreanu raised, and Elezra called. They each then drew one card on the second draw and both checked afterwards.

On the third draw they each discarded one again, and this time Elezra bet, Negreanu raised, Elezra three-bet, and after pausing a moment Negreanu called. Elezra quickly tabled his hand —      . He'd made a wheel, and Negreanu could only shake his head and muck.

Elezra won the next hand with a button raise, then got a walk, then won another with a button raise and suddenly Negreanu is down to less than 200,000.

Eli Elezra	1,910,000	560,000
Daniel Negreanu	190,000	-560,000

Hands #198-203

The limits increased — to 30,000/60,000 — with Daniel Negreanu having slipped down below a half-million chips to start Level 26.

The first two hands of the level saw the pair give each other big blind walks. Then it was Negreanu raising from the button, Eli Elezra three-betting, and Negreanu calling. Elezra drew one and Negreanu two. Elezra then led with a bet, and when Negreanu raised, Elezra folded.

Elezra gave Negreanu another walk in the next hand, then on the next hand check-called a Negreanu button raise. Elezra then took three, one, and stood pat, while Negreanu drew two, one and stood pat.

Elezra check-called Negreanu's bet after the first draw, then led with bets after each of the next two and Negreanu called both times. Elezra tabled      , but Negreanu had       and won the pot.

Eli Elezra	1,350,000	-320,000
Daniel Negreanu	750,000	320,000

Hands #194-#198

Daniel Negreanu raised it, and Eli Elezra folded his big blind. Elezra raised it up, and Negreanu called. Both players drew two cards, and Negreanu check called a bet. Negreanu drew two again, while Elezra stood pat. Negreanu checked, and Elezra fired out. Negreanu called, then drew one card. Elezra patted again, and both players checked. Elezra showed      , which was good enough to win the hand.

Negreanu raised it up, and Elezra called. Both players drew two, and Elezra fired out. Negreanu called, and Elezra stood pat. Negreanu drew two, and Elezra bet out. Negreanu called, Elezra patted, and Negreanu asked for "one good one," as he drew one. Elezra bet one more time, and Negreanu raised it up. Elezra called, and he showed      . Negreanu folded, and Elezra took down another one.

Elezra raised it up, and Negreanu three bet it. Elezra called, and Negreanu drew one. Elezra tossed two towards the dealer, and Negreanu bet out. Elezra called, and the same drawing action happened. Negreanu bet, Elezra called, and Negreanu stood bat. Elezra patted as well, and Negreanu checked. Elezra did the same, and he showed       to win another hand.

Eli Elezra	1,670,000	590,000
Daniel Negreanu	430,000	-590,000

Hands #189-193

On Hand #189 — the 12th of heads-up play — Eli Elezra raised, Negreanu three-bet, and Negreanu called. Both drew one card, with Negreanu exclaiming "What?!" at Elezra only needing one card.

They both checked down the next two rounds, drawing one card each time. Elezra then showed      , and that was good enough to win the small pot and draw the match almost exactly even as each player had about 1.05 million.

Each took turns winning the next two hands with button raises. Elezra then got a walk.

The next hand saw Elezra raising, Negreanu calling, then Negreanu drawing three cards and Elezra two. Negreanu check-called an Elezra bet, then took three again while Elezra drew just one, and Negreanu check-called one more time.

On the third draw both stood pat, Negreanu checked, Elezra bet, and Negreanu folded.

Hands #178-182

The first four hands of heads-up play did not go to showdown.

First, Negreanu raised his button on the first hand and Elezra folded.

On the next hand it was Elezra raising his button and Negreanu calling. Both took two on the first draw, and Elezra called Negreanu's leading bet. Negreanu then took one and Elezra two, and when Negreanu check-raised Elezra the latter folded.

Negreanu then raised his button again and Elezra called. Both took two on the first draw, with Elezra check-calling a bet from Negreanu. Elezra then took one and Negreanu two again, and when Elezra bet, Negreanu folded.

Elezra then raised his button once more, then Negreanu called. Both took two cards, and Negreanu check-folded.

On the fifth hand between the pair Negreanu raised the button, Elezra three-bet, and Negreanu called. Elezra drew one card, then stood pat on the next two draws, while Negreanu drew two, then one, then one. Elezra bet after the first two draws and Negreanu called, and both checked on the end.

Elezra showed      , and Negreanu mucked.

Daniel Negreanu	1,110,000	-160,000
Eli Elezra	991,000	160,000

Hands #168-172

On the first hand of this group, Daniel Negreanu raised from the button and Brian Brubaker called from the big blind. Both players took two cards on the first draw, and Brubaker check-called a bet from Negreanu. Both then took just one on the second draw, with Brubaker again check-calling Negreanu.

Both again drew one card on the third draw, and Brubaker checked once more. Negreanu set out chips to bet one last time, and Brubaker called him again.

"Nine-five," said Negreanu, fanning out his      , and Brubaker mucked.

The next four hands didn't make it to the first draw. First, Negreanu enjoyed a walk in the big blind. Then it was Brubaker raising his button and claiming the blinds. After that Elezra and Brubaker took turns raising from the small blind and winning hands.

Hands #159-163

Daniel Negreanu raised from the button and won the blinds. Then Brian Brubaker raised from the small blind and Negreanu let his hand go from the big blind.

On the next hand Brubaker raised from the button and got one caller in Negreanu playing from the small blind. Both took two on the first draw, Negreanu led with a bet, and Brubaker called. Negreanu took just one on the next draw while Brubaker took two, and again Negreanu bet and Brubaker called.

On the third draw, Negreanu stood pat while Brubaker discarded one. Negreanu bet one more time, and this time Brubaker folded.

The next one saw Elezra limp in from the small blind, then fold to a Brubaker raise. Then Negreanu got a walk.

Eli Elezra	905,000	-35,000
Daniel Negreanu	810,000	110,000
Brian Brubaker	395,000	-105,000

Hands #151-#154

On the first hand back from the dinner break, Eli Elezra raised from the button and won the blinds.

Brian Brubaker won the next two hands, the first starting with him raising his button and getting one caller in Elezra from the big blind. Both players drew two on the first round, and Elezra check-folded to a Brubaker bet. Brubaker got a walk on the next hand.

Then Elezra raised his button again and Negreanu called from the big blind. Both players drew two cards, Negreanu checked, Elezra bet, Negreanu raised, Elezra three-bet, Negreanu made it four to go, and Elezra called.

Both stood pat on the second draw. Negreanu then led with a bet and Elezra promptly raised. At that Negreanu tanked a bit, and let his hand go. Elezra showed his hand —       (a number four) — and dragged the pot.

Eli Elezra	1,020,000	189,000
Daniel Negreanu	885,000	-182,000
Brian Brubaker	240,000	22,000