Event #69: $1,500 Razz

After a monster six-hour heads-up battle Jason Gola finally saw off David "ODB" Baker to win his first bracelet in Event #69 $1,500 Razz.

Gola was all-in for his tournament life for just one big bet during Level 28, and it was from there he mounted his come back. Gola takes home $132,957 for his victory and the first WSOP gold bracelet of his career.

Ten players returned on Day 2 led by the aforementioned Baker and it didn't take long for the first elimination of the day, Grzegorz Wyraz, who departed in 10th place for $8,477.

With the unofficial final table confirmed, Yordan Petrov (9th - $8,477), Jim Schaaf (8th - $11,024) and Gerard Rechnitzer (7th - $14,645) all departed before the day had its first big casualty.

Phil Hellmuth had come into the day as the short stack and was looking for his 15th WSOP gold bracelet. Sadly for him he was coolered in a hand against Baker. With action on sixth street, Hellmuth needed a non-pair below a seven. However, he hit two jacks and was eliminated in 6th place for $19,865.

Benny Glaser was looking for the fourth bracelet of his career, but sadly fell short in 5th for $27,503. Glaser and Wendy Freedman both made seven-lows in Level 23, with Freedman's slightly better leaving Glaser with just 2,000 chips, which he lost to Freedman the very next hand.

Freedman would depart in 4th place for $38,847, the deepest WSOP run of her career, before Brad Ruben left in 3rd for $55,958.
Coming into heads-up, Baker held the lead, and time and time again looked to push the advantage to close out the match and win his second WSOP bracelet.

However, Gola wouldn't give up and always clinged to the prospect of mounting a comeback, even when he was down to one big bet. Eventually, just after 1 a.m. local time, he bested his opponent and won his first WSOP gold bracelet.

"I know [a comeback] was possible," said Gola after his victory, "I wasn't going to just fling in my last chips. I wanted to find a spot to get my chips in good.

"I knew it was possible. Especially in Razz it's a bit different where you have blinds. There's no big blind coming where it's really urgent that you get your chips in before the big blind. The stud games are a little different in that way."

Gola had nothing but praise for his opponent.

"ODB is a very skilled player," he said. "He's good at all the games and he played really well today. He played really well all tournament.

"I'm very blessed to have beaten him. I didn't give up. Happy to make the comeback. I'm just over the moon right now; I'm so happy."

The newest WSOP bracelet-winner also heaped praise on his close friend Brandon Shack-Harris.

"He's a really good friend of mine and I've watched and sweated him in tournaments. I don't know if anyone can bring back a small stack back better than Brandon. He's got to be one of the best in the world at it. I've watched him do it on a number of occasions to win a bracelet and go deep in tournaments he inspired me.

"I know I shouldn't give up when I didn't have that many chips."

Gola didn't give up, and now has a gold bracelet to his name.

Jason Gola:    /      /  
David Baker:    /      /  

David Baker bet the whole way until he got to seventh street and he had 40,000 behind. He checked and Jason Gola bet. Baker folded and seemed pretty pained after holding the chip lead and now being left with only 40,000.

Jason Gola	3,060,000	760,000
David "ODB" Baker	40,000	-760,000

Jason Gola:    /      /  
David Baker:    /      /  

David Baker bet on fourth and fifth streets with the lead, and Jason Gola called both streets. Gola gained the lead and bet sixth and seventh. Baker called both streets, and Gola showed a six-low, revealing    from his hand.

The lead has changed hands several times since the heads-up match began, but this is the shortest Baker has been during the duel.

Jason Gola	2,540,000	670,000
David "ODB" Baker	560,000	-670,000

Jason Gola:    /    
David "ODB" Baker:    /     - fold

Gola brought-in, and Baker completed. Gola raised, and Baker called. Gola bet on fourth street, and Baker called. Baker caught another jack and shot an exasperated look at his rail before folding to a bet on fifth street.

After that and a number of other hands, Baker slipped well under 1,000,000 in chips.

Gola:    /      /  
Baker:    /      /  

In this hand, Baker brought-in with a seven, and Gola completed. Baker called. Gola then bet on fourth, fifth and sixth streets, with Baker calling each. Gola checked on seventh, and Baker checked behind and motioned to see what Gola had.

Gola showed     for a jack-low, and it was good enough to take down the pot.

Jason Gola	2,540,000	980,000
David "ODB" Baker	560,000	-980,000

David Baker:    /     
Jason Gola:    /     

Jason Gola had the lead on fourth street and bet. Baker called. Baker took the lead on fifth and bet. Gola called. Baker bet again on sixth, and Gola folded.

After that hand, the two players had basically even stacks.

Jason Gola	1,560,000	-380,000
David "ODB" Baker	1,540,000	380,000

David Baker:    /      /  
Jason Gola:    /      /  

David Baker checked on fourth street with two wheel cards showing, and Jason Gola bet. Baker called. Fifth brought another wheel card for Baker, and Gola hit an eight. Baker bet this time, and Gola called. Both players checked on sixth street, and Baker bet again on seventh. Gola took some time to figure out his next move and called.

Baker showed    for a six-low and won the hand.

David "ODB" Baker	1,840,000	590,000
Jason Gola	1,260,000	-590,000

David Baker:    /      /  
Jason Gola:    /      /  

Jason Gola bet on fourth street, and David Baker called. He bet again on fifth, and Baker called again. On sixth and seventh, Baker took the lead, and he bet. Gola called sixth but decided to fold on seventh after some deliberation.

David "ODB" Baker	2,040,000	740,000
Jason Gola	1,050,000	-740,000

Jason Gola:    /      /  
David Baker:    /      /  

Jason Gola was the bring-in with an eight, and David Baker completed with an ace. Gola raised, and Baker called. Gola bet again on fourth street, and Baker called. On fifth, Gola bet, and Baker raised to get Gola all in. Gola called.

Gola revealed    for an eight draw, while Baker showed    and was ahead at the moment. Baker didn't improve but made a jack, and Gola peeled a nine to double up and keep his WSOP gold bracelet chances alive.

David "ODB" Baker	2,090,000	-440,000
Jason Gola	1,000,000	440,000

Players are going on a 15-minute break and will return at 11:17 p.m.

David "ODB" Baker	2,530,000	-320,000
Jason Gola	560,000	310,000

Jason Gola:    /      /  
David "ODB" Baker:    /      /  

Jason Gola brought-in, and David "ODB" Baker completed. Gola raised, and Baker called.

Gola bet on fourth street, and Baker called. Baker bet on fifth and sixth streets, and Gola called. Baker bet again on seventh street, and Gola folded.

David "ODB" Baker	3,000,000	400,000
Jason Gola	100,000	-400,000