Event #62: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (6-Handed)

Elior Sion doesn't play many live tournaments, but there's one he looks forward to every year: the $50,000 Poker Players Championship at the World Series of Poker. This year, he made it count, topping a field of 100 of the toughest poker players on the planet to win $1,395,767, a gold WSOP bracelet and a place in poker lore forever on the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy.

"It feels amazing," a visibly drained Sion said after finishing off Johannes Becker in a heads-up match that went about five hours. "It's like a long journey. You take it a step at a time. There were a few blips along the way, but as long as you still have chips, anything can happen.

"At the final table, the cards fell my way and I was fortunate enough to win."

In fact, what Sion had to overcome on Day 3 was more than a mere blip. With limits at 25,000/50,000, he lost a pot-limit Omaha pot with a combo draw to the set of queens held by Mike Wattel, leaving him with 60,000.

Sion doubled back through Wattel, then doubled again in a no-limit holdem flip against James Obst. From there, he climbed all the way to the chip lead at the three-table redraw.

"I got very lucky," he said. "In tournaments, anything can happen. You just have to believe, and sometimes, things can fall your way. Just goes to show you."

Sion said he even thought the recovery strengthened his image in the eyes of his opponents.

"I wasn't really frustrated at all," he said. "I just took it in stride. They were kind of fearful of me in that sense, when they see that nothing really fazed me."

Sion has long been a top player online. He has been a regular for years in some of the highest stakes mixed games and triple draw games there under the screen name "Crazy Elior." Despite that status as a feared and recognizable crusher, he was an afterthought coming into the final table, though it wasn't through any fault of his own.

All eyes were simply fixed on Daniel Negreanu. The ultra-popular Canadian superstar, had a deep, vocal rail crowded around the small viewing area in Amazon Room. Gunning for bracelet No. 7 and perhaps the greatest single accomplishment of his storied career, Negreanu came in as the chip leader and wasn't shy about voicing his confidence heading into the final day.

"I do, I really do," he told PokerNews at the conclusion of Day 4 when asked if he felt he was the favorite.

However, he did single out Sion as the player he was most worried about, and Sion happened to be seated on Negreanu's immediate left.

"Kid Poker" wound up walking out the door massively disappointed, having outlasted only short stack Paul Volpe for a fifth-place finish. He wore his emotions on his sleeve throughout, and it wasn't hard to see how much he wanted it. He simply never got anything going, losing seemingly every major pot he played.

Apparently, though, the respect between he and Sion was mutual.

"The person I feared the most was Daniel Negreanu," Sion said. "He knows what's going on almost always. He was my biggest threat.

"To see him not getting any cards at the final table... he really didn't have a chance to win. That kind of opened the gates and let me do my thing."

Once Negreanu fell, Isaac Haxton looked like the man to beat. However, he fell victim to a massive cooler when he ran kings into Becker's aces three-handed, sending Becker into heads-up play against Sion with a 3-1 lead.

The two went on a dinner break and then returned, engaging in a back-and-forth war, with big pots played across all of the eight games in the mix.

Pot-limit Omaha and razz in particular seemed to be the battlegrounds where the players tussled for the most chips. Sion had Becker on the brink in a PLO pot only to see him hit the river and double into the lead. Sion doubled right back though, and a strong run in the limit games saw him move into a lead he wouldn't relinquish.

"Johnny played really, really well," Sion said. "I've played with him online a bunch. He's just shown he's able to compete with the best in the world. I have a lot of credit for him and everyone else at the final table."

Winning the PPC is a dream for many poker players, particularly many of the most famed and recognizable faces populating the felt. However the competition and the money are what motivated the soft-spoken 26-year-old Brit to pursue a place on the Chip Reese trophy.

Reminiscent of Fedor Holz's words after winning the $111,111 High Roller for One Drop in 2016, Sion said he finds himself playing less and less these days and will be looking to do other things going forward. He named starting a business and getting involved in property as future goals.

"I don't see poker as a longtime goal for me," he said. "Poker's always been a stepping stone in life to be able to do things I really want to do. I think with this win, I'm finally able to do a few things that I have in the back of my mind."

Omaha Hi-Lo

Elior Sion limped in, and Johannes Becker raised. Sion called, and they saw     flop. Becker check-called, then did so again on the   turn. He checked a final time on the   river and faced a bet.

Becker exhaled a deep breath, put his head in both hands, and thought for about 30 seconds before folding.

Elior Sion	22,785,000	1,480,000
Johannes Becker	2,220,000	-1,480,000

No-Limit Hold'em

Elior Sion raised to 450,000 and Johannes Becker called. On the     flop, both players checked and did so again on the   turn. After the   river, Becker checked and Sion bet 600,000. Becker quickly tossed in a single chip for the call and Sion flipped over    for sevens and sixes with an ace kicker.

Becker mucked the   and dropped below five million.

Elior Sion	20,505,000	1,070,000
Johannes Becker	4,500,000	-1,070,000

2-7 Triple Draw

Johannes Becker raised, Elior Sion reraised, and Becker called. Sion took one.

"Take two," someone from Sion's rail shouted.

Becker laughed and did indeed ask for two, but he said they should have told him to take three.

"Want to keep it realistic," came the response.

Sion bet and Becker called, and then each drew one. Sion bet again and Becker called, and Sion was pat. Becker still needed a card, and both checked on the end. Becker threw in   , and Sion revealed      .

Elior Sion	18,535,000	2,930,000
Johannes Becker	6,470,000	-2,930,000

Stud Hi-Lo

Elior Sion:    /      /  
Johannes Becker:    /      /  

Johannes Becker completed with the   and Elior Sion called with the  . Sion checked fourth street when he picked up the   and Becker bet with the  , Sion then check-raised and becker called. Sion bet fifth street and Becker called before both checked sixth street.

On seventh street, Sion bet and Becker called. Sion showed     for a flush and 9-8 low and took three quarters of the pot, as Becker only had     for a pair of nines and the same low.

Johannes Becker	13,180,000	-1,645,000
Elior Sion	11,825,000	1,645,000

Limit Hold'em

Johannes Becker raised from the button and Elior Sion called from the big blind.

The flop came down     and Sion checked to Becker who continued. Sion check-raised, Becker called, and the   turn fell. Sion bet, Becker called, the   river fell, Sion bet again and Becker called.

Sion tabled    for eights and sevens, Becker mucked and Sion took down the pot.

Elior Sion	13,785,000	3,745,000
Johannes Becker	11,220,000	-3,745,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

As soon as the game switched to pot-limit Omaha, Johannes Becker and Elior Sion both started laughing. "Have you ever played the 3x 9x game?" Sion joked. Becker shook his head.

Sion limped in and Becker checked. On the     flop, Becker bet 180,000 and Sion folded.

Becker limped and Sion raised to 480,000, Becker called. The flop came     and Sion's continuation bet for 600,000 won the pot.

Sion raised to 480,000 and Becker called. The flop came     and Becker checked, then folded to a bet worth 425,000 by Sion.

Becker raised to 480,000 and Sion called. On the     flop, Sion checked and folded after Becker had continued for 400,000.

Last but not least, Sion limped and Becker checked. The     flop saw a check by Becker, a bet of 175,000 by Sion and a call by Becker. The   turn was checked by both and Becker bet the   river for 225,000 to claim the last hand of the lecvel uncontested.

Right after, the players were sent on their next 15-minute break.

Johannes Becker	14,965,000	-1,060,000
Elior Sion	10,040,000	1,060,000

Omaha-8

Johannes Becker raised from the button and Elior Sion called.

The flop came down     and Sion check-called a bet from Becker. The turn was the  , Sion check-called another bet from Becker, and both players checked the   river.

Becker tabled      for a pair of kings, Sion mucked, and Becker won the pot.

Johannes Becker	15,305,000	1,805,000
Elior Sion	9,700,000	-1,805,000

Stud

Johannes Becker completed with the   and called a raise from Elior Sion, who had the  . Sion proceeded to bet every street after catching an ace and then three hearts.

Becker:   /    / 
Sion:   /    / 

Becker thought about 30 seconds and then splashed in a river call. Sion start to show but then muttered that Becker had the winner. The German showed     for kings and sevens and took the pot.

Johannes Becker	12,705,000	3,105,000
Elior Sion	12,300,000	-3,105,000

No-Limit Hold'em

Johannes Becker raised to 425,000 and Elior Sion three-bet to 1,500,000, which Becker called. On the     flop, Sion continued for 1,100,000 and Becker gave him a stare down before electing to raise to 2,500,000.

"How much do you have behind?" Sion asked. Becker counted his stack, then replied "almost six." Sion released his cards into the muck and the stacks went back to even.

Johannes Becker	12,580,000	2,300,000
Elior Sion	12,425,000	-2,300,000