Event #43: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em SHOOTOUT

From a total of 1,025 entries, Ben Maya emerged triumphant in Event #43, claiming a World Series of Poker gold bracelet and the first-place prize of $257,764.

Maya, who is a complete unknown in professional poker circles, overcame two tough 10-handed tables over the first two days on his way to this stunning result. On Day 2 at his table, he outlasted such luminaries as November Niner Vojtech Ruzicka and 888Poker Ambassador (and the biggest online tournament winner in history) Chris Moorman.

Maya's game was aggressive, unpredictable, and ultimately highly effective. He grew in confidence as the tournament progressed, and that belief and a dose of good fortune here and there ultimately saw him victorious.

Speaking to PokerNews immediately after his win, a dazed-looking Maya said, "I'm shocked. All the people I play with will be shocked. I have my own business. I'm a realtor. There is no one following me at home. No one knows."

He continued: "There is no poker in Israel, so I won't tell anyone. Maybe my family. I'm here on business, and I fly home tomorrow. I played the $10k six-max and only lasted a few hours, and then I only played this because it is a three-day event and it ends today."

Maya was planning to fly out tomorrow but now says he will turn up in person for the bracelet ceremony on Monday to bask in the applause of the poker community — but most of all, to hear the Israeli National Anthem being played to celebrate his victory.

Final Table Payouts:

Hand #178: Ben Maya limped the button, and Thomas Boivin raised to 200,000. Maya called, and the flop was    . Boivin bet 275,000, and Maya called. The turn card was the  , and both players checked. The river was the  , Boivin bet 240,000, and Maya called. Boivin showed    to get a pot back.

Hand #179: Maya got a walk.

Hand #180: A limped pot led to a flop of    , and Boivin check-called a bet of 125,000 from Maya. The turn was the  , and Boivin check-shoved and took another pot.

Hand #162: Ben Maya limped the button, and Thomas Boivin checked his option. On the     flop, Maya won the pot with a bet.

Hand #163: Boivin limped the button, and Maya checked his option. They both checked to the turn of the      board, where a bet of 200,000 won it for Maya.

Hand #164: Maya limped, and Boivin checked his option. They checked it all the way down as the board ran out      , and Boivin showed    to win.

Ben Maya	5,685,000	1,405,000
Thomas Boivin	2,000,000	-1,407,000

Hand #154: Ben Maya limped, and Thomas Boivin checked his option. The flop was    , and Boivin check-called a bet of 100,000. They both checked through the   turn and   river, and    won it for Maya.

Hand #155: Boivin opened to 125,000, and Maya called. The flop was    , and Maya check-called a 125,000-chip bet. The turn was the  , and a bet of 250,000 from Boivin took it down.

Hand #156: Boivin got a walk.

Hand #157: Moya limped and folded to a Boivin raise.

Hand #158: Maya opened to 200,000 and took the pot

Hand #159: Maya got a walk

Hand #160: Boivin limped, and Maya checked his option. They both checked all the way as the board ran out      , and queen-high won for Maya.

Hand #161: Boivin raised, and they saw a flop of    , where Moya check-called a bet of 80,000. They both checked through the   turn, and on the   river, a bet of 105,000 from Boivin got picked off, as Moya called with    to win.

Hand#140: Ben Maya completed the small blind, and Thomas Boivin raised to 200,000. Maya called, and they saw a flop of    , where Maya took the pot with a 200,000-chip bet.

Hand #141: Boivon opened for 125,000 and folded to a 535,000-chip reraise from Maya.

Hand #142: Maya limped, and Boivin checked. There was no further betting action as the board ran out      , where the [78d2c] of Boivin won.

Hand #143: Boivin opened for 125,000, and Maya called. The flop was    , and Maya check-raised to take down the pot.

Hand #144: Maya limped, and Boivin checked. They checked down to the river of the board reading      , where Boivin bet 75,000 and got a call. Boivin won with   .

Hand #145: Boivin opened for his usual 125,000 at this level, and Maya called. The flop was    . Maya check-called a 75,000-chip bet but folded to a 280,000-chip bet on the turn.

Hand #129: Thomas Boivin opened from the button but folded to a shove from Ben Maya.

Hand #130: Boivin got a walk.

Hand #131: Boivin raised to 125,000, and Maya called. They went to the turn of a board reading     , where a bet from Boivon took the pot.

Hand #132: Boivin got a walk.

Hand #133: Boivin opened for 125,000, and Maya called. The flop was    , and Maya check-folded to a Boivin bet.

Hand #134: Maya raised, winning the blinds and antes.

Hand #135: Boivin opened, and Maya called, then check-folded on the     flop.

Hand #128: Ben Maya raised to 125,000 from the button, and Tim West shoved all in from the big blind for 1,235,000 in total.

"I'm so tired," Maya said. He took some time to think. He looked at the dealer and the floor and asked for twenty seconds more. "I need to sleep," he muttered. In the end, he called.

Ben Maya:   
Tim West:   

The board ran out      . Maya turned a ten to make tens and nines and knock West out of the tournament.

Tim West

0

-1,600,000

Hand #125: Ben Maya raised to 150,000 from the button, and everyone folded.

Hand #126: Tim West completed from the small blind, and Maya opted to check. They checked through the     flop and the   turn. The   on the river completed the board, and West check-called the 50,000-chip bet of Maya. Maya showed    for kings and sevens and won the pot.

Hand #127: Maya completed from the small blind, Thomas Boivin raised to 175,000, and Maya called. The flop came    , and Maya check-folded the 100,000-chip bet of Boivin.

Hand #110: Thomas Boivin raised to 125,000 from the small blind, and Tim West folded.

Hand #111: Ben Maya got a walk.

Hand #112: Maya completed from the small blind, and Boivin opted to check. They checked through the     on the flop and the   on the turn. The   came on the river to complete the board, Maya bet 50,000, and Boivin folded.

Hand #113: Maya limped in from the button, Boivin completed from the small blind, and West opted to check. The flop came    , and they all checked. The turn gave them the  , and Boivin and West both check-folded when Maya bet 50,000.

Hand #114: Boivin raised to 110,000 from the button, and the rest folded.

Hand #115: Boivin got a walk.

Hand #116: Boivin completed from the small blind, West shoved all in, and Boivin folded.

Hand #117: Boivin raised to 110,000 from the button, West shoved all in from the small blind, and Maya and Boivin both folded.

Hand #118: Maya completed from the small blind, sand Boivin opted to check. They checked through the     flop and the   turn. The   on the river completed the board, Maya bet 50,000, and Boivin folded.

Hand #98: Ben Maya raised to 150,000 from the button, and Thomas Boivin called from the small blind. They checked through the     flop and the   on the turn. The   on the river completed the board, Boivin bet 575,000, and Maya folded.

Hand #99: Tim West completed from the small blind, Maya raised to 300,000, and West folded.

Hand #100: Maya completed from the small blind, Bovin raised to 175,000, and Maya called. They checked through the     flop, and the turn gave them the  . Maya bet 225,000, and Boivin folded.

Hand #101: Boivin completed from the small blind, and West opted to check. They checked through the     on the flop. The turn gave them the  , Boivin bet 75,000, and West folded.

Hand #102: West completed from the small blind, and Maya opted to check. The flop came    , West check-called the 50,000-chip bet of Maya. They both checked through the   on the turn and the   on the river. Maya showed    for a pair of nines, and West mucked.