Event #60: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em

Just last week, Dana Castaneda became the first woman not named Vanessa Selbst to win an open event at the WSOP since 2007. Well it appears that Castaneda started a trend, as WSOP Circuit Grinder Loni Harwood has just won another bracelet for the ladies, taking down Event #60 $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em. Along with adding her first bracelet to the two Circuit rings she already owns, Harwood will take home $609,017.

At the start of the day, there were 15 players, and in less than a level, the final table was determined. The action started immediately when Yongjun Lu and Ryan Julius were eliminated on the same hand when Hiren Patel busted both with his ace-king. From there, Jason Reynolds busted in 13th, Ashwin Sarin in 12th, Maksim Tyurin in 11th, and Cormac Ohiggins.
It took over an hour to lose our first player, and it was the aforementioned Patel. He lost most of his chips in a hand where his flopped top pair and flush draw couldn't beat the pocket aces of Harwood, and he was eliminated shortly after by Yongshuo Zheng.

Another forty minutes went by before Bijon Notash went out in 8th, and then there was the hand of the final table. Harwood got the rest of her chips in preflop holding   , but she was in dire straits against the    of Yngve Steen. Harwood managed to flop a broadway draw when the flop came    . The turn bricked, but she caught the four outer on the river, as the   came. Harwood scored a massive double up to take the chip lead, and she never looked back.

Harwood eliminated Cy Williams five minutes later when her queens held against his tens, getting us to six handed play. It took over 90 minutes before Daniel Cascado's pocket sixes couldn't win a race against Harwood's ace-jack, and he took home just over $100,000 for his efforts.

Not long after, a short stacked Asi Moshe shoved with   , and he was in rough shape versus the    of Zheng. He was never able to catch up, and Moshe was the fifth place finisher. Steen shoved several times with his short stack, before finally getting caught by Harwood. Steen held king-seven, and he was in rough shape against Harwood's king-queen. A queen on the flop all but ended things, and Steen was knocked out fourth place.

Mika Paasonen looked to be in prime position to get to heads-up play when he got it all in with    against the    of Zheng, but an ace on the flop changed the tide. Paasonen was not able to catch up, and he busted shortly after at the hands of Harwood.

Heads up play lasted for just under two hours, with Harwood never giving up the chip lead. Zheng managed to get a double up, but the bracelet was destined for Harwood. On the final hand, Zheng rivered a broadway straight, but that card also gave Harwood a winning full house, giving her the title.

A huge congratulations to Loni Harwood, who becomes the third WSOP Circuit grinder to win a bracelet in Las Vegas this summer, and the fourth of the whole summer if you count Jonathan Hilton winning the National Championship in New Orleans in May. Not only that, but Harwood jumps up to 3rd in the WSOP POY race, as this was her third final table of the series. We hope you enjoyed all the coverage from the Rio today. Congratulations again to Harwood, and so long from Las Vegas!

-Harwood opened to 215,000 from the button. Zheng called. The flop came down     and Zheng checked to Harwood who fired off a bet of 215,000. Zheng opted to put in a reraise to 460,000. With action back to Harwood she made it a total of 1,100,000 which drew a fold from Zheng, awarding the big pot to Harwood.

-Zheng raised to 220,000 from the button and Harwood folded.

-Harwood opened to 215,000 and was able to take down the pot.

-Harwood raised to 215,000 and she took down the pot with that opening raise.

-Zheng limped on the button and Harwood checked her option. The flop came down     and Harwood checked to Zheng who bet 100,000. That was enough to get Harwood to fold and Zheng was pushed the pot.

-Harwood raised to 200,000 on the button. Zheng called. The flop came down     and Zheng checked called a bet of 170,00 from Harwood. The turn was the   and Zheng decided to change it up and lead with a bet of 430,000. Harwood folded and Zheng was awarded the pot.

-From the button Harwood raised to 165,000 and took down the pot.

-Zheng raised to 165,000 from the button and he took down the pot.

-Harwood opened the pot with a raise to 165,000 and she was called by Zheng. The flop came down     and both players checked to see the   on the turn. On that turn Harwood fired 140,000 and that was enough to claim the pot.

-Zhen raised to 165,000 and took down the pot.

-On the button, Yongshuo Zheng raised to 165,000. Loni Harwood called him from the big blind. The flop came down     and on the flop Harwood checked to Zheng who placed out a bet of 180,000. Harwood decided to put in a reraise to 500,000. From there, Zheng jammed all in and after a few seconds Harwood called.

Zheng:   
Harwood:   

Harwood was behind but she had a straight draw that she could complete with any jack or six. Unfortunately for her the turn was the   and the river was the  , giving her a pair that was good against Zheng's pair of kind.

-Harwood gave Zheng a walk in the big blind.

-Harwood called a raise of 190,000 from Zheng and the two took to a flop. On the     flop Harwood checked to Zheng who fired 200,000. Harwood called.

The turn was the   and both players checked to see the   on the river. On the river, Harwood put out a big bet of 550,000. Zheng folded after some though and Harwood took down the pot.

Loni Harwood	7,335,000	-1,900,000
Yongshuo Zheng	4,100,000	1,900,000

-Harwood took a walk in the big blind.

-Harwood raised to 165,000 on the button and she drew a call from Zheng. The flop came down     and Zheng check called a bet of 165,000 from Harwood. The turn was the   and this time Zheng check folded to a bet of 355,000 from Harwood.

-Zheng raised to 175,000 from the button and took down the pot.

-Harwood opened from the button to 165,000 and took down the pot.

-Zheng opened to 165,000 from the button and Harwood called from the big blind. The flop came down     and Harwood checked. Zheng put out a bet of 175,000, which was called by Harwood. The turn was the   and Harwood checked again. This time Zheng put out a bet of 340,000. Harwood called once more. The river was the  , putting a pair on the board. Both players checked this time and Harwood was able to take down the pot with her    for two pair.

Loni Harwood	9,035,000	1,035,000
Yongshuo Zheng	2,400,000	-1,035,000

-On the first hand back from break Yongshuo Zheng opened with a raise t0 205,000. Harwood folded and Zheng was able to take down the pot.

-Harwood raised to 170,000 from the button and took down the pot when Zheng folded.

-A raise of 165,000 from the button took the pot down for Zheng.

-Harwood took down the pot when she raised to 165,000 on the button and Zheng folded.

-Zheng opened with a raise to 165,000. Harwood put in a three bet to 330,000. After a few seconds in the tank Zheng reraised to 555,000 and without much though, Harwood took a second look at her cards and folded.

Players are now on their 60 minute dinner break.