Joe Cassidy Takes 1st WSOP Bracelet in Event #24, Scotty Nguyen 2nd
It was Scotty Nguyen's second WSOP runner-up finish, his first coming in 2007 in the $3,000 Stud/8 event. Nguyen's last bracelet -- his fifth -- came in 2008 in the $50K H.O.R.S.E. event. Meanwhile, Joe Cassidy won his first ever bracelet in this his 15th WSOP cash.
After three tough days plus a few more hours on a fourth, Joe Cassidy overcame Scotty Nguyen heads-up on Thursday afternoon to win 2012 World Series of Poker Event #24, the $5,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split 8-or-Better event. Cassidy topped a field of 256 to win his first bracelet and thus deny Nguyen in his quest for a sixth WSOP win.
As Matthew Pitt reported earlier, Cassidy and Nguyen shared the marquee with a star-studded final table at this event, with Phil Ivey enjoying the chip lead with nine left. Also still in the hunt were Ryan Lenaghan (who finished 16th at the 2011 WSOP Main Event), three-time bracelet winner Mike Matusow, and poker commentator Bart Hanson.
All would fall shy of the end, however, with Ivey knocked out in third, making it three final tables without a bracelet for him this summer. It was around 3 a.m. when Ivey was eliminated, and while Cassidy was willing to continue, Nguyen said he'd rather get some rest and so play was suspended. The pair then returned a little after 2 p.m. Vegas time Thursday afternoon to settle matters.
The day began with Cassidy well in front with 3 million even to Nguyen's 845,000. Nguyen spent the first couple of hours battling and chipping up, at one point having climbed to 1.6 million. But the Prince of Poker soon fell back into the danger zone, down to less than 400,000 at a point when the stakes had risen to 80,000/160,000.
Then came a hand in which Nguyen found himself all in following a Qc-4c-4h flop and holding As-10h-7h-7c (sevens and fours) versus Cassidy's Qd-Jc-6c-5s (queens and fours).
Both had backdoor low draws, but Cassidy's was better, and so Nguyen was in dire straits. But the turn brought the 6h and river the 8h to bring Nguyen both a backdoor flush for the high and a winning 8-7-6-4-A low. Nguyen was back up close to where he began Thursday with 780,000, with Cassidy still comfortably in front with a little over 3 million.
Cassidy quickly won another pot to claim more than half of Nguyen's stack, however, and soon Nguyen was all in with Jc-8h-5s-2s to Cassidy's As-Kd-5d-2h. The board rolled out Ac-Qh-8c-Jh-10h, meaning no low was possible and Cassidy had scooped with an ace-high straight.
Here are the full payouts for what turned out to be one of the more exciting final tables this summer:
2012 WSOP Event #24: Omaha Hi-Low Split 8-or-Better ($5,000):
1. Joe Cassidy -- $294,777
2. Scotty Nguyen -- $182,213
3. Phil Ivey -- $136,046
4. Meng La -- $102,260
5. Gregory Jamison -- $77,342
6. Elie Doft -- $58,873
7. Bart Hanson -- $45,084
8. Mike Matusow -- $34,748
9. Ryan Lenaghan -- $26,940
That marks Nguyen's second WSOP runner-up finish, his first coming in 2007 in the $3,000 Stud/8 event. His last bracelet was in 2008 in the $50K H.O.R.S.E. event. Meanwhile, Cassidy wins his first ever bracelet in this his 15th WSOP cash.
Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.
