Matt Matros Wins Event #16, 3rd WSOP Bracelet in 3 Years
The win in Event #16 marked Matt Matros' third WSOP bracelet in as many years. In 2010, Matros won his first WSOP title in a $1,500 buy-in limit hold'em event (Event #12), topping a field of 625 to earn $189,870. Then last year, Matros won Event #52, the $2,500 mixed hold'em event that drew 580 entrants, earning $303,501.
On Saturday, Matt Matros of Brooklyn, New York won his third World Series of Poker bracelet in as many years, topping a huge field of 1,604 in the $1,500 buy-in no-limit hold'em six-handed Event #16 to win the title and $454,835 first prize. The win follows a victory last year in the $2,500 mixed hold'em event and a win in 2010 in the $1,500 LHE event.
After two days of play in the three-day event, just nine players remained from that huge starting field. Among those lasting relatively late on Friday's Day 2 were David "Chino" Rheem (59th, $5,207), Steve Brecher (53rd, $5,781), Nick Maimone (49th, $5,781), Tristan Wade (45th, $6,496), Robert Williamson III (41st, $7,578), Todd Terry (31st, $8,878), Vojtech Ruzicka (27th, $10,827), and Frank Kassela (15th, $17,323).
Making it to Saturday but not quite getting to the six-handed final table were Mike Matusow who finished eighth and Matt Glantz who took seventh. Both earned $40,059 for their finishes.
With six left Ramey Shaio held the chip lead with nearly 1.9 million chips, with both Matros and Robert Muzzatti close to even as his nearest challengers with about 1.4 million. Matros would soon chip up, however, and after taking a hand against Shaio claimed the chip lead.
Matros then knocked out Mark Darner in sixth. All in with Ah-Jh against Matros' As-Kh, Darner looked dead following a 7d-Qs-5c flop, but the Jc came on the turn to give him hope. But the 10s then fell on the river to give Matros a straight and send Darner out in sixth.
Soon after that Matros took out Muzzatti in fifth when Matros' Qd-Qs held versus Muzzatti's As-Ks. Then Mark Radoja sent Gordon Vayo railward in fourth in a hand in which the latter was all in with Ah-Kd against Radoja's Ad-Ks and the board brought four spades to give Radoja a flush.
Radoja would also knock out Shaio in third after the latter pushed with 3c-3h and Shaio called with Ad-10h. A ten flopped, Shaio couldn't catch up, and they were down to two.
Matros and Radoja were virtually even to start heads-up play. Radoja would grab the advantage and keep it for much of their duel, then Matros scored a big double-up in a hand in which he turned two pair and got Radoja to call a turn check-raise and a big river bet.
Soon after that came a hand in which the pair traded bets on the turn with the board showing 10d-9h-2h-8s until Radoja was all in with Jh-7s (a straight) versus Matros' 6h-5h (a flush draw). The river then brought the 10h to complete Matros' flush and give him the win.
2012 WSOP Event #16: No-Limit Hold'em, Six-Handed ($1,500):
1. Matt Matros -- $454,835
2. Mark Radoja -- $281,502
3. Ramey Shaio -- $182,521
4. Gordon Vayo -- $121,262
5. Robert Muzzatti -- $81,202
6. Mark Darner -- $56,300