The 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is now a month old and more than 50 WSOP bracelets have been awarded to players from all around the world at Bally’s / Paris on the Las Vegas Strip.
Bad beats are common in the game of poker. Whether it’s when your big pair is cracked by a junk hand, or when your opponent goes runner-runner to beat you. It stings a little more when there are just three players remaining and there is more than $1.8 million awaiting the winner.
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Event #42: $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller attracted 62 entrants and would crown another two millionaires at the WSOP. Heading into the PokerGO-streamed final table of five players, Latvian Aleksejs Ponakovs would hold the chip lead.
Englishman Ben Heath was sitting in the middle of the pack among the final five, but after he eliminated Michael Moncek in fifth place, and then Gregory Jensen in fourth, he now held the chip lead. The rush would continue for Heath when he was dealt pocket aces against Phil Ivey, but that’s where the luck would run out in the Sporting News’ WSOP Hand of the Week.
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WSOP Hand of the Week: Strongest Pocket Pair Gets Cracked on the Turn
Dealt king-nine suited, Ivey raised on the button before Heath three-bet his pocket aces from the big blind. Ivey called as the dealer fanned a ten-high flop that gave Ivey a flush draw. Heath continued with a small bet before Ivey moved all-in. Heath called and put the 10-time WSOP bracelet winner at risk of being eliminated in third.
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On the turn, Ivey struck gold when his flush was delivered and he rocketed up to being chip leader among the final three. Heath exited in third place to leave Ponakovs and Ivey battling for the WSOP bracelet.
Both players took their turn to hold the chip lead heads-up, but once Ponakovs regained his lead, the final hand would play out. Ivey pushed all-in on the turn with a straight draw and Ponakovs called with second pair. Ivey was unable to hit his straight on the river and would be denied his 11th WSOP bracelet as Ponakovs won his second WSOP bracelet and the $1,897,363 first-place prize in Event #42: $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller at the 2022 WSOP.
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