Event #66: $1,000 MINI Main Event No-Limit Hold’em (freezeout)

The final table of Event #66: $1,000 Mini-Main No-Limit Hold'em at Bally's and Paris in Las Vegas Nevada came to a close after 60 minutes Monday afternoon. Out of 5,833 entrants, which created a prize pool of $5,190,480, only five returned to Day 3.

Just weeks ago, Young Sik came in second place for his career best score of $203,949. Now, weeks later, he stands as the winner of the Mini Main event for $594,189 and his first WSOP bracelet.

"I came into today with a 10 big blind stack," the new champion said. "I wasn't expecting too much out of it, but it turned out great." The California resident prior to this victory, possessed $716,460 in career tournament earnings. He will now see his earnings climb to over $1,000,000 on Hendon Mob, cracking the top 200 on the California all time money list. "I liked it better being on the short stack," he said about his play. "When there is a shorter stack, you feel more ICM pressure, but when you are the shortest, you can just play." Sik ended by saying he will play the main event this year.

Final Table Results

Final Day Action

Out of the gate, chip leader Cosmin Joldis raised in the cutoff and Kei Nitta moved his final 31 million in chips over the raise and Joldis called. Nitta's pocket fours looked to be in good shape against Joldis' king-nine, but a rivered ten-high straight for Joldis saw the pot go to the overwhelming chip leader and Nitta ended his run in fifth place for $158,515.

Phillip Lee was next to go when he got in his remaining chips against Young Sik with ace-nine versus Sik's ace-eight. The flop flipped the script though as it came with an eight. The flopped flush draw of Lee did not improve and the start of day short stack found his run coming to an end in fourth place for $208,275.

The last remaining bracelet winner was Kartik Ved and he found his stack dwindling down as time went on, until he was a clear short stack. In his final hand, he saw his pocket fours up against Sik's ace-three offsuit. The flop did not change the strength of either hand, but the turn ace gave Sik the winning pair after the river did nothing to help the fours and Ved ended his run in third place for $275,593.

Joldis came into the day as the overwhelming chip leader, having a three to one chip lead on the next closest stack. Sik, however, doubled up through him multiple times throughout the day, and by the time they got heads up, Sik held an over three to one lead over Joldis. One double up for Joldis brought them closer together, but the final hand saw Sik four-bet shove with king nine and Joldis called with pocket tens. The turn brought a black king to put Sik way in the lead and the river changed nothing, leaving Joldis eliminated in the tournament in second place for $367,233.

Congratulations to Young Sik for winning his first bracelet in Event #66: The $1,000 Mini-Main Event No-Limit Hold'em for $594,189. Thank you to all who played and thank you for reading along on PokerNews. Stay tuned for all updates regarding the World Series Of Poker

Action started with an open from Young Sik on the button to 12,500,000. Cosmin Joldis three-bet to 35,000,000 and Sik moved all in, covering the stack of Joldis which was called.

Cosmin Joldis:   
Young Sik:   

The board ran out       and the turned pair of kings sealed the deal for Sik as he eliminated Joldis in 2nd place and won the Mini Main event.

A full winners recap is soon to follow.

Young Sik	350,000,000	160,000,000
Cosmin Joldis	0	-160,000,000

Young Sik moved all in for 85,000,000 effective from the button and in the small blind, Kartik Ved called for his remaining 19,000,000 with Cosmin Joldis folding in the big blind.

Kartik Ved:   
Young Sik:   

The board ran out       and Sik turned a pair of aces to leave Ved drawing to two outs, neither of which he hit on the river and Ved exited the tournament in third place.

Young Sik	274,980,000	35,980,000
Cosmin Joldis	75,000,000	-10,000,000
Kartik Ved	0	-68,500,000

Action started when Young Sik opened to 8,000,000 from the button and only Cosmin Joldis made the call from the big blind.

The flop came     and Joldis checked. Sik tossed out a bet of 8,000,000, and without much thought Joldis check-raised to 25,000,000.

"You know I don't like to fold," said Sik jokingly. "I'm a very bad folder." Sik took a moment before moving all in and Joldis quickly folded awarding the big pot to new chip leader Sik.

Young Sik	239,000,000	50,000,000
Cosmin Joldis	85,000,000	-46,000,000

Cosmin Joldis raised to 9,000,000 from the cutoff and Young Sik moved all in from the button which saw Phillip Lee do the same in the big blind for 24,000,000, folding out Joldis.

Phillip Lee:   
Young Sik:   

The board ran out       and while Lee flopped the ace-high flush draw, it was Sik's aces and eights that would end up being the best hand and Lee exited the tournament in 4th place.

Young Sik	91,500,000	24,500,000
Phillip Lee (TX)	0	-23,000,000

Cosmin Joldis raised to 6,000,000 from the cutoff and Kei Nitta defended in the big blind.

The flop came out     and Nitta check-called a bet of 3,000,000 from Joldis.

The turn of   saw Nitta check again and this time Joldis sized up to 6,000,000 which was called.

The river rolled off a   and Joldis bet 12,000,000 when checked to, which Nitta responded to by folding and Joldis' rail erupted in applause.

Cosmin Joldis	204,000,000	24,000,000
Kei Nitta	31,500,000	-32,500,000