WSOP Events 13-15: Mathews, Lebron & Jansen All Grab WSOP Gold

Posted by Cliff Spiller . March 25, 2024

The latest three World Series of Poker Bracelets have been awarded and two first-time winners joined a kingslayer as Harvey Mathews, Rafael Lebron and Bradley Jansen all grabbed gold as events in no limit hold’em and seven-card stud were decided at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mathews Wins Maiden Bracelet in $3,000 NLHE Event #13

Harvey Mathews was the winner in Event #13, the $3,000-entry No Limit Hold’em Freezeout event that saw him defeat a final table featuring Belgian four-time winner Michael Gathy. The final table began with just seven players, but it was soon six. Craig Mason was first to bust, unfortunate to run a set of fives into a turned Broadway straight.

Two quick bust-outs swiftly saw play down to the podium places. David Lolis busted in sixth place before Brandon Caputo, who had led the final day field, busted in fifth place and Girish Apte went in fourth. Their eliminations were followed by the demise of Michael Gathy, with the most experienced player at the table busting when his ace-eight started and ended his final hand well behind Mathews’ ace-king.

With a massive 4:1 chip lead, Mathews got the job done heads-up against fellow American Gabriel Andrade, but he got lucky to do so in the final hand to take place. Andrade had moved all-in with the superior ace-nine, but Mathews’ king-ten got there with a king on the river to see Mathews win the $371,914 top prize and Andrade cash for $229,848 as runner-up.

WSOP 2021 Event #13 $3,000 NLHE Freezeout Final Table Results:

1st – Harvey Mathews (U.S.A.) $371,914
2nd – Gabriel Andrade (U.S.A.) $229,848
3rd – Michael Gathy (Belgium) $164,083
4th – Girish Apte (U.S.A.) $118,815
5th – Brandon Caputo (U.S.A.) $87,288
6th – David Lolis (U.S.A.) $65,072
7th – Craig Mason (U.S.A.) $49,238
8th – Andrew Jeong (U.S.A.) $37,824
9th – Freddy Heller (U.S.A.) $29,504

Rafael Lebron Beats his ‘Poker Hero’ to Win Seven Card Stud Crown

It took a heads-up victory against one of his poker heroes for Rafael Lebron to take down the $1,500-entry Seven Card Stud Event #14, as he toppled David Williams to take the title.

In what was a six-handed final table, play got off to a fast start with Nicholas Seiken busted before Shaun Deeb went the same way, losing out on a vital chance to win Player of the Year points in his annual race to become player of the World Series. Worse was to come for Deeb, who complained that he was almost burgled the following night after leaving the latch of his Rio hotel room off.

With four players remaining, Christina Hill busted for $25,344 ahead of David Moskowitz, whose elimination saw two men from very different ends of the poker spectrum remained. The recreational player Lebron was facing off against one of the two players who inspired him to play poker in the first place in David Williams. With the other being Phil Ivey, Lebron would need to channel greatness to achieve his dream of winning a second bracelet ahead of his idol.

The final duel kicked off with Lebron in the lead – just as he had been at the start of the day – so all the pressure was on the less experienced player. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, he was inspired to victory against a player he looked up to as a younger man.

For Williams, the runner-up prize of $50,842 was of little consolation, as it marked the fourth time that he had finished second in a WSOP event. Lebron had no such qualms, with his second bracelet victory for a top prize of $82,262 one of the signature moments in his poker career.

Rafael Lebron took down Event #14 after beating one of his poker idols heads-up for the gold

WSOP 2021 Event #14 $1,500 Seven Card Stud Final Table Results:

1st – Rafael Lebron (U.S.A.) $82,262
2nd – David Williams (U.S.A.) $50,842
3rd – David Moskowitz (U.S.A.) $35,521
4th – Christina Hill (U.S.A.) $25,344
5th – Shaun Deeb (U.S.A.) $18,475
6th – Nicholas Seiken (U.S.A.) $13,766
7th – Maurizio Melara (Italy) $10,490
8th – Hal Rotholz (U.S.A.) $8,179
9th – Steven Albini (U.S.A.) $6,528

Jansen Claims Maiden Bracelet in Event #15 for $313,403

Bradley Jansen won the 15^th event of this year’s World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, winning a top prize of $313,403 after toppling the overnight chip leader Jeremy Malod in the process. Mark Liedtke was the first player to lose his seat at the seven-handed final table, with king-queen shot down by the eventual winner Jansen’s pocket queens.

Malod made the next elimination, and it was pocket queens again that did the damage, busting Jesse Yaginums when the latter’s ace-king failed to hit in the coinflip for his tournament life. Six became five a short time later when Malod was at it again, sending Ryan Andrada out in fifth before Sean Hegarty departed in fourth place.

If Malod looked to be in control, it was false hope for French fans on the rail hoping for their country’s first bracelet of the Autumn. A flopped two-pair for Jansen rode home against two overcards for the French player and while it would be Ryan Pedigo who left in third place, the previous key pot going to Jansen changed matter.

Malod had a strong lead going into heads-up, with three times Jansen’s chips. But the American fought back and after a straight, led.

With ace-ten all-in against Malod’s king-three in the final hand, Jansen must have watched in horror as Malod hit his king on the flop. That card only helped Jansen eventually make a Broadway straight to leave him singing. Malod won $193,711 for his second-place finish, while Jansen bagged the $313,403 top prize and his first-ever WSOP bracelet.