$1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #80)

He arrived only for a couple of weeks, but he's leaving the town with a bracelet on his wrist. Sweden's Jerry Odeen came back from a short stack to conquer a 1,250-player field in the 2019 World Series of Poker Event #80: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha.

Odeen made sure to clear the board in the early afternoon. He had a flight to catch at 9:30 p.m. and he needed to spare some time for the customs: after all, he's taking home the $304,793 first-place prize and some fancy new jewelry.

"This is something I've always wanted since I started watching poker when I was like 15 years old," Odeen revealed.

Ten years later, Odeen has accomplished what he'd envisioned, claiming that he wasn't ever going to quit poker before he'd win a bracelet. "It feels pretty surreal," Odeen said.

Now he navigated through the final table which saw seven players return for an extra day to play it out. A ton of chips were physically present at the table, but the numbers don't lie. It was an affair full of shallow stacks.

For such a seasoned online player, that might be a dream spot. Used to playing around the 20 or 30-big blind mark, Odeen knew the setup was tailor-made for his abilities.

"In no-limit hold'em, especially playing short stack, I think I know what to shove with and what to fold," Odeen said.

He was the second-shortest when the play resumed at noon, but a few non-showdown wins vaulted him to the middle of the pack. But Odeen wasn't the only prolific online crusher at the table, with high-stakes regular Luc Greenwood few seats to his right.

Greenwood got the best of the first span, steadily increasing his stack just like the Greenwood brothers always do. But nobody is perfect, not even the most talented players at the tables. Unfortunately for Greenwood, a disastrous misclick would rapidly change the script.

Final Table Results

With five players left, Greenwood held the chip lead while Odeen wasn't far behind, having coolered Eddie Blumenthal to bust him in sixth place following Jeremy Kottler's elimination in seventh.

Greenwood tangled in a PLO pot with Peter Linton which saw Linton bet pot on the turn. Greenwood wanted to call but accidentally slid forward 1 million more and his misstep resulted in a forced raise, which provoked a shove from Linton. Greenwood had to call off. He wouldn't get bailed out with his wrap as the river bricked, leaving Linton's two pair ahead.

Odeen knew that the misclick that saw Linton double helped not only Linton, but also Odeen's own case. He had been second in chips and his hands had been a little bit tied considering the money jumps and Greenwood's undisputable skills.

"I had to stay away a bit from the action, and while this was great for me, I feel sorry for him. Everybody has done it, every poker player. But it's such a bad timing," Odeen said about Greenwood's error.

Suddenly, what could have been perceived as a final table lined up for Greenwood's landslide became an Odeen's. He continued to eliminate his opponents one by one, dispatching former bracelet winner Ayaz Mahmood in fifth and then sealing Greenwood's fate.

"I don't think I lost a single all in so it's tough to lose then," Odeen said.

His rampant run carried on. Odeen was well aware of Linton's pot-limit Omaha abilities and he tried to concentrate mostly on no-limit hold'em.

"Peter seemed way more comfortable playing PLO so I decided to play pretty tight unless I was the button since he was not gonna give up a lot of pots against me," Odeen admitted.

However, the conditions were favorable for his gameplan and his main discipline, given the big blind ante which creates bigger pots preflop. So Odeen opened up in the two-card game.

"I don't think people think enough about how big of a difference the ante actually makes," Odeen claimed.

While he said that PLO might sometimes be a guessing game for him, especially on a final table with the ICM implications, Odeen had no trouble putting his money in against short-stacked Adam Demersseman, holding aces. Odeen's starting hand prevailed and he added another notch to his streak of KOs. Linton was the only one left to tackle.

The heads-up match would last only a matter of minutes. Odeen found an easy spot to close things out, raise-calling with pocket jacks in hold'em. Linton's ten-nine suited caught an open-ender on the flop, but he failed to hit his eight outs on the turn and river.

Odeen's dream became a reality and he shouted some spontaneous words in his native language. He knew he was going to fly home with the bracelet.

"It's achievable, but, obviously, you need a lot of luck to get here," Odeen was well aware.

With only a few hours left before he was bound to board a plane, Odeen's short trip to Vegas had turned out perfectly. He said he played only six events.

Having expressed excitement for his accomplishment, Odeem didn't seem to be less excited about going home to see his girlfriend.

"She will be very happy."

No-Limit Hold'em

Peter Linton limped from the small blind and Jerry Odeen raised to 1,100,000 from the big blind. Linton called.

A flop reading     was dealt and Odeen fired 675,000. Linton let it go.

Jerry Odeen	30,490,000	10,740,000
Peter Linton	7,600,000	-3,900,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Peter Linton opened to 750,000 on the button and Jerry Odeen called from the big blind.

The dealer spread a flop of     that was checked through to the   turn. Odeen checked once more and Linton fired 650,000. Odeen let it go.

Jerry Odeen	17,200,000	-100,000
Peter Linton	11,700,000	2,250,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Peter Linton limped from the small blind, Adam Demersseman checked in the big, and they saw the     flop.

Linton stabbed at the pot, betting 240,000, but Demersseman raised pot and Linton quickly laid his hand down.

Peter Linton	10,560,000	0
Adam Demersseman	3,480,000	580,000

No-Limit Hold'em

Peter Linton made it 500,000 on his button and Luc Greenwood called from the big blind.

The flop landed     and both players checked.

Greenwood led out 425,000 when the   arrived on the turn and Linton announced he was all in, covering Greenwood's 3.75 million.

Greenwood checked his stack and then he opted to fold.

Peter Linton	11,550,000	1,850,000
Lucas Greenwood	3,350,000	-1,930,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Ayaz Mahmood made it 500,000 in the cutoff, Jerry Odeen potted from the button and Mahmood was ready to spin for his tournament life.

Mahmood:     
Odeen:     

The flop came down     and Mahmood hit two pair, but the   gave Odeen a flush. Mahmood failed to improve on the   river and he left the table with a payout slip for a fifth-place finish.

Jerry Odeen	11,500,000	1,250,000
Ayaz Mahmood	0	-3,250,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Lucas Greenwood limped on the button along with Ayaz Mahmood in the small blind. Jerry Odeen, in the big blind, checked.

The dealer fanned a flop of     that was checked around to the   turn. Mahmood and Odeen checked once more and Greenwood fired 400,000. Mahmood folded but Odeen called.

The   completed the board and Odeen checked. Greenwood threw in a bet of 800,000 and Odeen snap-called. Greenwood tabled      and Odeen revealed      to win the pot with a flush.

Lucas Greenwood	10,300,000	-730,000
Jerry Odeen	10,250,000	2,750,000

Players are on a 15-minute break.

Lucas Greenwood	11,030,000	1,030,000
Jerry Odeen	7,500,000	-850,000
Peter Linton	5,280,000	0
Adam Demersseman	4,015,000	-285,000
Ayaz Mahmood	3,250,000	0

Pot-Limit Omaha

Ayaz Mahmood raised to 400,000 under the gun and Luc Greenwood called from the big blind.

Greenwood check-called another 400,000 on     and the   turn and   river were both checked.

Greenwood announced two pair, eights and deuces, showing     . Mahmood mucked.

Lucas Greenwood	10,000,000	2,750,000
Ayaz Mahmood	5,100,000	-1,500,000