Nicholas Julia’s fourth-ever match money was a milestone for the Arizona native because it resulted in his first World Series of Poker bracelet.
Julia defeated a stacked last desk that featured high-stakes professionals Justin Liberto, Aditya Prasetyo, and four-time bracelet winner Robert Mizrachi within the $2,500 nine-game six-max occasion. Julia defeated Kristan Lord heads-up to high the 319-entry discipline and earn $168,608 for his efforts. Lord netted $104,210 for his runner-up end.
Along together with his first six-figure rating and the {hardware}, Julia scored 720 factors within the Card Player Player of the Year race. It’s his first POY-qualifying money this 12 months.
Based on his match resume, Julia doesn’t seem to play many tournaments exterior of the WSOP, with three of his 4 profession scores coming on the world’s largest match collection. Before his victory within the early hours of Sunday morning, his complete match resume consisted of a Forty fifth-place end in a $1,500 no-limit maintain’em on the 2012 WSOP, a Thirty fourth-place within the $2,500 combined triple draw on the 2018 collection, and an in-the-money end in a $240 no-limit maintain’em turbo on the 2017 Aria Fall Poker Classic.
The third and last day kicked off with 17 gamers vying for the title and was trimmed to the seven-handed unofficial last desk after about 4 hours of play with the eventual champion second in chips behind Liberto, who was in search of his second WSOP bracelet.
In a large cooler, nevertheless, Julia discovered himself sitting on the high of the leaderboard and on the last desk after knocking out a pair of gamers, together with Mizrachi.
In no-limit maintain’em, on a flop of 754, Kenny Hsiung, Mizrachi, and Julia all obtained their chips within the center. Hsiung tabled 44, Mizrachi confirmed 77, and Julia turned over 86. Julia had each of his opponents coated and was in super form with the nut straight in opposition to two completely different units, making it much less doubtless the board would pair.
When the flip and river failed to present both participant a full home or quads, Julia moved into the chip lead and seemingly by no means regarded again. Since Hsiung was the participant with the shorter of the 2 stacks, he was credited with a seventh-place end and Mizrachi earned sixth-place cash.
After the double knockout, Julia and Liberto had been sitting atop the counts, however Julia misplaced a pair of pots to Lord and Prasetyo doubled by means of Liberto to present Lord the chip lead five-handed and knock Liberto and Julia to second and third and chips.
Lord prolonged his lead by eliminating Robert McLaughlin in fifth after they had been all in preflop in no-limit maintain’em with McLaughlin’s 99 trailing Lord’s OkOk. The board ran out clear for Lord, which despatched McLaughlin dwelling in fifth.
Julia regained the chip lead after profitable a seven card stud pot off Liberto after which eradicated Prasetyo in fourth. Prasetyo dedicated the final of his chips to the pot on sixth road in seven card stud eight-or-better, however Julia tabled nines full of kings, which had Prasetyo drawing useless to the river.
Liberto was the quick stack of the desk on the outset of three-handed play. Although he managed to hold round and rating a couple of double-ups, he by no means carried any significant momentum ahead. He was ultimately eradicated by Lord in 2-7 triple draw.
The Maryland native obtained all his chips within the center after the second draw. Lord stood pat and Liberto took one. Liberto made an 8-7-5-3-2 however was notched by Lord’s 8-6-5-4-2. Despite profitable the pot, Lord nonetheless began heads-up play at an almost 2-to-1 chip drawback in opposition to Julia.
Over the remaining of the extent, Lord almost drew even with Julia, however a number of stud pots going Julia’s approach re-established a fair larger chip lead than he beforehand held.
In the lowball model of stud, razz, Lord dedicated the final of his stack on third road with 7-8/10 in opposition to Julia’s 2-6/A. Julia made an 8-6 low on fifth whereas Lord hit two paint playing cards which left Lord drawing useless earlier than by sixth road.
Like Julia, the six-figure rating was Lord’s career-best, simply barely besting a third-place end within the $1,500 HORSE on the 2014 WSOP for $96,894.
Final Table Results:
Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
1 | Nicholas Julia | $168,608 | 720 |
2 | Kristan Lord | $104,210 | 600 |
3 | Justin Liberto | $69,341 | 480 |
4 | Aditya Prasetyo | $47,164 | 360 |
5 | Robert McLaughlin | $32,808 | 300 |
6 | Robert Mizrachi | $23,352 | 240 |
Photo Credit: WSOP/Rachel Kay Miller