Event #55: COLOSSUS No-Limit Hold'em

Anatolii Zyrin defeated Michael Lee heads-up in Event #55: $400 Colossus at the 2021 World Series of Poker to win his second bracelet and the $314,705 top prize. The event attracted one of the biggest fields at the WSOP with 9,399 generating a healthy $3,101,670 prize pool.

While it wasn't the largest cash of his career, Zyrin said this one felt like it was the most deserved. "The first one was more luck, but this one was won on skill. I had to defeat such a large field. Really strange feeling when you win against more than 9,000 people."

The Russian's previous WSOP bracelet came in 2019 when he defeated a field of 717 entries in the $1,500 Omaha Mix event.

Event #55: $400 Colossus Final Table Results

This was the first time a WSOP bracelet final table was held in the King's Lounge, and it was due to the fact of how busy the other rooms were. But after seeing the energy from the rail who were able to get closer to the action, this may become more popular in the future. After the last hand of the tournament, Zyrin leaped into his boisterous rail that included many of his friends and girlfriend.

"It was amazing to have them here," Zyrin said about his friends. "I want to thank my friends, my girlfriend. I want to say hello to my parents, sister, brother, dog, everyone back home."

Zyrin was left grinning ear to ear with his girlfriend and translator standing by his side during his post-tournament interview.

Going forward, Zyrin will be sticking around Las Vegas for at least the next two weeks before heading back across the Atlantic Ocean for WSOP Europe which will be taking place starting Nov. 15 at King's Resort in Rozvadov. "I'm not sure what I will play before the Main Event, but right now I just need some sleep. I promised my rail that if I finished top three there would be a party, but maybe tomorrow."

Final Day Action

There were 49 players that returned for the final day and there was no shortage of action right from the onslaught. Each player that returned was guaranteed a payout of $6,120. The pay jumps increased at a rapid pace with the final three tables being assembled within the first hour of play.

Once the final three tables moved into the King's Lounge, a rail started to form and they got louder as the day progressed. Some of the notables forced to the payout desk throughout the day included WSOP gold bracelet winners Brett Apter (26th place), Barbara Enright (25th place), and Carlos Chang (18th place).

It was just before the second break of the day that Robert Mather was eliminated on the final table bubble. The eliminations started to slow with the pay jumps becoming more significant. Jeffrey Stellwagon, Penh Lo, and Vincas Tamasauskas all exited in a timely fashion with a nice boost to their wallets.

Seven-handed play continued for over 90 minutes with a new short stack finding multiple double-ups. Eventually, Martin Gavasci ran his ace-jack into a red-hot Lee who woke up with ace-king in the big blind. That led to another two quick eliminations with Eric Kim and David Ripley finishing in sixth and fifth place respectively.

Phuoc Nguyen was left as the shortest stack while the other three players passed chips around the table. Nguyen finally found a lucky double up but it didn't last long as he was eliminated in the very next hand. With just three players remaining and the blinds escalating quickly, it was anyone's game.

Kevin Rand was part of the rollercoaster as he once held the chip lead but also spent some time on the short stack. Despite back-to-back double-ups, Rand still found himself at risk against Zyrin who proved time and time again how relentless he was. Zyrin flopped top pair against Rand and turned a straight to eliminate Rand in third place.

It wasn't the start that Zyrin was looking for once heads-up play began. Lee showed some fierce aggression which led to him holding nearly a two-to-one chip lead after the first few hands. However, Zyrin spotted a couple of timely check-raises on the river that ultimately cost Lee. In the final hand of the tournament, Lee was unable to escape a rivered straight when Zyrin turned a baby flush, bringing an end to Lee's incredible run.

That wraps up the coverage from this event but there is still plenty happening at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino with the Main Event on the horizon. Keep it locked here on PokerNews for updates throughout every tournament.

Anatolii Zyrin completed and Michael Lee checked to see a flop    . Lee check-called a bet from Zyrin for 9,000,000.

The same action happened on the   turn, this time for 18,000,000. The river was the   and Lee announced all in. Zyrin looked at his cards once more and sent them into the muck.

Michael Lee	250,000,000	20,000,000
Anatolii Zyrin	125,000,000	-20,000,000

Anatolii Zyrin limped in on the button and Michael Lee checked his option. The flop came     and Lee check-called a bet of 10,000,000 from Zyrin. The   landed on the turn and Lee led out for 15,000,000 this time. Zyrin called and the   paired the board on the river. Lee fired out a bet of 40,000,000 and Zyrin folded.

In the next hand, Lee raised to 16,000,000 and Zyrin called. The flop fell     and both players checked to the   on the turn. Two more checks and the   hit the river. Zyrin threw in a bet of 22,000,000 and Lee raised to 50,000,000. Zyrin quickly tossed his cards and Lee collected another pot.

Michael Lee	230,000,000	90,000,000
Anatolii Zyrin	145,000,000	-90,000,000

Anatolii Zyrin raised to 12,000,000 on the button and Michael Lee defended from the big blind. The flop came     and Lee led out with a bet of 12,000,000. Zyrin stuck in a raise to 32,000,000 and Lee let his hand go.

A couple of hands later, Lee raised to 12,000,000 on the button and Kevin Rand called from the big blind. The flop fell     and Rand check-called a bet of 12,000,000 from Lee.

The turn was the   and both players checked to the   on the river. Rand threw in a bet of 25,000,000 and Lee looked him up. Rand showed    for a missed straight draw and Lee tabled    for the only pair.

Michael Lee	165,000,000	26,000,000
Anatolii Zyrin	145,000,000	-1,000,000
Kevin Rand	65,000,000	-61,000,000

In a three-way limped pot, the dealer fanned the flop of    . The action checked around to the   on the turn. Kevin Rand was the first to take a shot at the pot with a bet of 6,000,000 on the button. Both Michael Lee and Anatolii Zyrin called to see the   on the river.

Lee open-shipped all in for 49,000,000 which got Zyrin to fold. Rand snap-called and turned over    for a straight. However, Lee held    for a full house and Rand was left with just a few big blinds.

Michael Lee	144,000,000	92,000,000
Kevin Rand	27,000,000	-56,000,000

Kevin Rand opened to 12,000,000 on the button and was called by Michael Lee and Anatolii Zyrin in the blinds. The flop came     and the action checked through to the   on the turn and the   on the river.

Lee finally pushed out a bet of 25,000,000 and Zyrin called. Rand folded and Lee turned over    for a pair of jacks but Zyrin had    for a pair of aces.

Anatolii Zyrin	203,000,000	52,000,000
Kevin Rand	120,000,000	-23,000,000
Michael Lee	52,000,000	-30,000,000

The three last players of the Colossus are now on a short 15-minute break.

Anatolii Zyrin raised to 10,000,000 on the button and Michael Lee called from the big blind. The flop came     and Lee led out with a bet of 14,000,000. Zyrin eyed up his opponent's stack but decided to fold.

In the next hand, Kevin Rand raised to 10,000,000 on the button and Zyrin defended his big blind. The flop came     and both players checked to the   on the turn.

Zyrin checked again and Rand tossed in a bet of 10,000,000. Zyrin called and the   completed the board. Zyrin checked once more and Rand counted out a bet of 33,000,000. Zyrin ended up folding again and Rand moved into the chip lead.

Kevin Rand	174,000,000	71,000,000
Anatolii Zyrin	119,000,000	-55,000,000
Michael Lee	83,000,000	-3,000,000

Anatolii Zyrin limped in from the small blind and Kevin Rand checked his big blind. The flop came     and Zyrin check-called a bet of 8,000 from Rand.

The turn brought the   and both players checked to the   on the river. Zyrin checked again and Rand tossed in a bet of 22,000. Zyrin thought for a moment before making the call. Rand showed    for a missed straight draw while Zyrin held    for two pair.

Anatolii Zyrin	168,000,000	57,000,000
Kevin Rand	144,000,000	-13,500,000

The action folded to Phuoc Nguyen in the small blind who shoved for a total stack worth around 71,000,000 and it was snap-called by Kevin Rand in the big blind with a slightly higher stack.

Phuoc Nguyen:   
Kevin Rand:   

Nguyen's hand was dominated and a board       was dealt, bringing no help to Nguyen to eliminate him in 4th place for $112,730.

Kevin Rand	157,500,000	63,500,000
Phuoc Nguyen	0	-74,000,000