Dan Sepiol Wins First World Series of Poker Bracelet After Massive Heads-Up Comeback

Early on within the heads-up match for the 2024 World Series of Poker $1,500 no-limit maintain’em shootout title, Dan Sepiol tried a multi-street bluff along with his missed straight draw that culminated in a river overbet. His opponent, Robert Natividad, went into the tank earlier than ultimately making the decision with third pair to increase his already sizable chip result in roughly 17:1.

“It doesn’t feel good, especially when you just bluffed off your entire stack but I kind of, like, played my stack that was in front of me and just tried to make the best decisions,” Sepiol advised WSOP reporters after the occasion was over.

Sepiol was quickly all-in with an open-ended straight draw in opposition to two pair and hit the wheel on the tip to double up and out of the hazard zone. From there the skilled participant, with greater than $7.1 million in prior event earnings chipped away at Natividad’s lead, then moved forward, then pulled away himself. In the tip, the 2023 World Poker Tour World Championship winner closed out the victory, securing his first bracelet and the highest prize of $305,849.

This was the primary title and third final-table end of 2024 for Sepiol, who closed out 2023 with a career-best win value practically $5.3 million within the beforehand talked about WPT season-ending championship. The 1,080 Card Player Player of the Year factors he earned for this newest win have been sufficient to maneuver him into seventy fifth place within the 2024 POY standings offered by Global Poker.

The 1,534-entry turnout for this occasion constructed a prize pool of $2,047,890 that was paid out among the many prime 160 finishers who received their preliminary single-table sit’n’go. The 16 gamers that got here out on prime of their second desk moved on to the ultimate day of play, having locked up $15,027.

From there, the occasion performed out like a conventional no-limit maintain’em occasion. bracelet winner Vitor Dzivielevski (fifteenth), three-time _WSOP Circuit ring winner Brad Albrinck (thirteenth), and $25,000 heads-up championship winner Darius Samual (tenth) all fell on the best way to setting the official remaining desk.

Natividad scored the primary two knockouts of the day, eliminating Aaron Pinson (ninth – $28,577) and two-time bracelet winner Scott Ball (eighth – $36,385) to enter the ultimate seven with the chip lead.

Six-time bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus’ Q-8 outran the A-5 of quick stack Sean Ragozzini (seventh – $46,948) to additional slim the sphere. Two-time bracelet winner and World Poker Tour champion Daniel Strelitz then beefed up his stack by busting Richard Dixon (sixth – $61,380), with J-8 suited coming from behind to beat A-7 with an eight on the river.

Strelitz ended up working pocket jacks into the pocket queens of Sepiol. Jeremu Ausmus was additionally concerned with the hand, however ended up laying down A-Okay after Strelitz four-bet shoved over his three guess and Sepiol cold-called in between. Ausmus would have made the very best hand on the ace-high runout, however because it was, Sepiol’s pocket queens held to ship Strelitz to the rail with $81,298 for his fifth-place exhibiting.

Ausmus was quickly all-in with A-9 suited dealing with the Q-6 suited of Sepiol, who had shoved from the small blind. Sepiol flopped a flush draw after which turned a pair. Ausmus didn’t obtain any assistance on the river and was eradicated in fourth place ($109,071). He now has greater than $18 million in lifetime event earnings to his title.

James Davidson was the clear quick stack coming into three-handed play. He managed a double up, however was quickly all-in and in danger with A-10 trailing the A-Q suited of Natividad. Both gamers paired their ace, and Davidson’s kicker issues endured via the river. He earned $148,196 because the third-place finisher.

Natividad entered heads-up play with 27,000,000 to Sepiol’s 11,500,000. As beforehand talked about, he pulled even additional forward within the early going, solely to have Sepiol start to mount a rally after having his massive bluff picked off.

After a pair of lead modifications, Sepiol ran one other bluff later within the match, once more with a missed straight draw. This time it bought via. After Natividad folded his fourth pair, he requested to see Sepiol’s playing cards and was proven seven excessive as Sepiol dragged within the pot to maneuver forward within the match.

The very subsequent hand ended up being the final of the event. Natividad limped in from the button with A9 from the button and Sepiol checked his choice with Q10. the flop got here down Q87. Sepiol checked his prime pair and Natividad guess half pot. Sepiol check-raised from 750,000 to 2,300,000. Natividad then made a small three guess 3,900,000. Sepiol four-bet click on again to five,500,000. Natividad moved all-in for 16,300,000 complete and Sepiol made the decision. The J on the flip and seven on the river saved Sepiol forward to earn him the pot and the title.

Natividad secured $203,889 because the runner-up. This was the biggest event rating but for the Cerritos, California resident. He now has greater than $1.2 million in profession cashes below his belt.

Here is a take a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the remaining desk:

Visit the Card Player 2024 World Series of Poker web page for schedules, information, interviews, and the most recent occasion outcomes. WSOP protection sponsored by Global Poker.

Photo credit score: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego, Enrique Malfavon.