Chris Hunichen Breaks Through, Winning First Bracelet and $2.8 Million at 2024 WSOP

At one level through the wild three-handed part of the 2024 World Series of Poker $100,000 buy-in no-limit maintain’em closing desk, Chris Hunichen was all-in and one card away from elimination. He had gotten the final of his stack in preflop along with his pocket fives racing towards the A-J of six-time bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus, however an ace on the flip had left Hunichen drawing to 2 outs to remain alive.

Hunichen went for the pre-river handshake of congratulations, which Ausmus politely waived off. Ausmus could have been capable of efficiently evade Hunichen’s grasp, however he couldn’t dodge the 5 on the top which gave Hunichen a set and much-needed infusion of chips. After lots extra twists and turns, Hunichen was ultimately capable of shut out the win, incomes his first WSOP gold bracelet and $2,838,389 because the champion.

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This was the biggest dwell rating but for Hunichen, bringing his recorded match earnings to almost $16 million. The 39-year-old from Clayton, North Carolina additionally has untold hundreds of thousands in on-line earnings accrued throughout practically twenty years of web play at the very best ranges.

Prior to this large breakthrough, his two largest scores had are available shut calls at the sequence. He completed third within the 2022 $250,000 buy-in for $1,931,718 and second in a $25,000 buy-in held through the 2020 WSOP Online competition for $1,332,097. He had one different runner-up end with a bracelet on the road, incomes $358,677 for a second-place displaying within the 2017 $5,000 six-max occasion.

“It has been tough. One of the hardest years of my life, with my Dad passing,” Hunichen instructed PokerGO reporter Drea Renee after closing out the win.

“He was my biggest fan, he supported me from the beginning,” he continued.

“It felt destined,” Hunichen additionally provided. “I really felt like I was gonna win this one. Some of my friends flew in from all over the world to be here for me for this moment. I can’t let them down.”

In addition to the {hardware} and the cash, Hunichen additionally earned loads of rankings factors because the champion of this occasion. The 1,200 Card Player Player of the Year factors he secured shot him up the standings and into 215th place within the 2024 POY race offered by Global Poker. He additionally nabbed 550 PokerGO Tour factors, good for twenty seventh place on that high-stakes-centric leaderboard.

This occasion drew 112 entries, constructing a large $10,836,000 prize pool. The prime 17 finishers made the cash, with heavy hitters like latest $50,000 buy-in champ Sergio Aido (sixteenth), two-time bracelet winner Nick Petrangelo (thirteenth), bracelet winner Andrew Lichtenberger (twelfth), three-time bracelet winner Justin Bonomo (tenth), and bracelet winner Isaac Haxton (eighth) operating deep.

Daniel Aharoni bowed out in seventh place ($396,396) to carry day 2 to a detailed. Recent $50,000 buy-in third-place finisher Viktor Blom held the lead among the many closing six, with Hunichen in second chip place when day 3 bought underway.

Ausmus earned an early double up by way of three-time bracelet winner and latest $50,000 buy-in runner-up Chance Kornuth. He then had A-Q maintain towards the Ok-J of two-time bracelet winner Justin Saliba, who earned $512,465 because the sixth-place finisher.

Kornuth then doubled by way of two-time bracelet winner Aleksejs Ponakovs, who was left on fumes in consequence. Kornuth’s A-5 held towards Ponakovs’ Ok-J suited to ship him to the rail in fifth place ($681,796). This was his fifth final-table end of the yr. With 3,327 whole POY factors and $3,932,654 in POY earnings, he now sits in fifteenth within the POY rankings.

Ausmus doubled into the lead when his Q-J outran the A-J of Hunichen. He then added to his lead when his Ok-6, shoved from the small blind, bested the pocket nines of Kornuth within the large blind. Ausmus turned journey kings and held from there to ship Kornuth house with $932,725. He now has greater than $19.1 million in profession earnings after his two deep runs in excessive rollers prior to now week at the sequence.

Hunichen’s large 5 on the river got here early in three-handed play. He practically adopted it up with the elimination of Blom in third place, however Blom’s mis-clicked four-bet with A-7 suited ended up being rewarded, because it drew out towards the A-J suited of Hunichen after the entire chips went in preflop. Turnabout is truthful play, although, and Hunichen quickly got here from behind with A-6 suited besting the A-Ok of Blom.

Blom ultimately completed in third place ($1,311,091) when his Ok-J squared off towards A-7 fitted to Hunichen, which made the nut flush by the flip. Blom had outs to a full home, however missed on the river. The Swedish on-line star, identified to many by his on-line display identify ‘Isildur1’, now has greater than $5.6 million in match earnings, with practically $2.3 million of that coming from his pair of third-place finishes in excessive rollers at the 2024 WSOP.

Hunichen held higher than a 2:1 chip lead over Ausmus when heads-up play started. Ausmus was nearly out the door within the early going, getting all-in with Ok-8 dominated by Hunichen’s Ok-9. Both gamers flopped a king, however Ausmus discovered an eight on the flip for 2 pair and the double up. He was capable of edge into the lead for a bit, however Hunichen regained the sting in time for the ultimate hand of the match.

Hunichen raised from the button to 2,500,000 with 97 and Ausmus three-bet to 7,500,000 from the large blind with JJ. Hunichen referred to as and the flop got here down 952. Ausmus led out for 7,400,000 and Hunichen moved all-in. Ausmus referred to as for twenty-four,000,000 whole and the Ok hit the flip. The 9 accomplished the board, giving Hunichen journeys and the title.

Ausmus earned $1,892,260 because the runner-up, surpassing $20.2 million in profession earnings within the course of. This was his tenth final-table end of the yr, with one title received. He now sits in eleventh place within the POY standings and seventh on the PGT leaderboard.

Here is a glance at the payouts and rankings factors awarded at the ultimate desk:

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Winner picture credit score: WSOP / Danny Maxwell. Ausmus picture credit score: PokerGO / Enrique Malfavon.