World Series of Poker -- Chris Viox Wins $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better Event

Chris Viox is the newest winner to be crowned at 2011 World Series of Poker and he did so by winning one of the longest tournaments of the summer, Event No. 25 ($1,500 seven-card eight-or-better). Viox was heads up against Mike Sexton late last night when the hard stop time came into effect and play was ended. The two players returned this afternoon with Viox holding 2,090,000 to Sexton’s 640,000. Play didn’t last too long once cards got back into the air and Sexton took home $123,925 as the runner up, taking the popular World Poker Tour announcer’s career earnings to $3,544,450.

Viox was awarded the top prize worth $200,459 and his first gold bracelet. He topped a tough tournament field that also saw deep finishes from former Card Player Player of the Year Tony Ma (10th) and ESPN announcer Norman Chad (12th). The defending champion of the event, David Warga finished in ninth place in a valiant title defense run.

It’s a big relief to win. I had two third-place finishes here. On one, I had over half the chips in play when we were three-handed. In the other one, I took four or five bad beats….so it’s a really big relief to finally win it," said Viox after the final table. He continued to say this in regards to his display of emotion after the win, “You dream about a moment like that, but you do not know how you are going to react. I thought I would remain calm, and I did afterward. But during that one instant, I had a burst of energy.”

Here is a look at the elimination hands from CardPlayer.com’s summary reports:

Hernan Salazar Eliminated in 8th Place ($17,417)

Hernan Salazar was eliminated right at the end of Level 23 after three players saw fourth street for one bet.

Salazar: A 2 10 Q
Sexton: 8 5 Q 7
Zeidman: 3 3 K 7

Hernan Salazar bet on fourth street with two callers and everyone checked on fifth. Mike Sexton took the lead on both sixth and seventh street with Cory Zeidman calling through the seventh street and Salazar calling all in on the river.

Zeidman showed a pair of eights in the hole for two pair (eights and threes) while Sexton turned over 8 – 4 – 3 for an 8 – 7 low. Zeidman and Sexton split the pot while Hernan Salazar was the first one eliminated 8th place ($17,417).

Sean Urban Eliminated in 7th Place ($33,767)

Sean Urban started the level as the short stack with just 68,000 (slightly more than 1 big bet) and quickly got it all in on fourth street against Chris Viox’s pair of sevens.

Urban: 5 4 2 J 6 4 9
Viox: A 7 K 7 3 9 5

Viox was ahead with a pair of sevens when the money went in on fourth street and Urban failed to improve by the river. Chris Viox won the pot and Sean Urban was eliminated in 7th place ($33,767).

Cory Zeidman Eliminated in 6th Place ($30,338)

Cory Zeidman got the rest of his chips in on sixth street with an open pair of deuces against Gerard Rechnitzer’s ace-high.

Zeidman: A K 8 2 2 5
Rechnitzer: 10 7 10 4 7 A

Rechnitzer opened his hand to reveal two pair (tens and sevens) for the high while Zeidman was drawing live to a high hand with a pair of deuces and had an uncontested low draw as well.

Rechnitzer drew the 10 for a full house while Cory Zeidman bricked with the A and was eliminated in 6th place ($30,338).

Tyson Marks Eliminated in 5th Place ($40,782)

Tyson Marks managed to score a quick double up through Mike Sexton at the beginning of the level but was still left on the short stack. Soon after he was all in on third street with king-high against Hakon Lundberg’s split pair of eights.

Marks: K 5 4 J A Q 6
Lundberg: A 8 8 J 2 K J

Lundberg was ahead with a pair of eights on third street and double-paired with jacks on the river. Tyson Marks failed to improve and was eliminated in 5th place ($40,782).

Hakon Lundberg Eliminated in 4th Place ($55,917)

Gerard Rechnitzer doubled through Hakon Lundberg earlier in the level after drawing out a better pair of kings with a higher kicker. Rechnitzer was all in on third street with six-high against Lundberg’s wired pair of kings, but Rechnitzer drew a king on fourth street and then another on fifth, pairing kings with a high kicker than Lundberg to double through. That hand left Lundberg on the short stack and he got it all in on third street with eight-high against Chris Viox’s split kings shortly after.

Lundberg: 8 6 5 10 8 J 9
Viox: K 4 K Q 6 9Q

Viox was ahead when the money went in on third street with a split pair of kings. Lundberg failed to improve and was eliminated in 4th place ($55,917).

Gerard Rechnitzer Eliminated in 3rd Place ($77,097)

Mike Sexton raised the K on third street, Gerard Rechnitzer reraised the 2 and Sexton called.

Rechnitzer: 8 4 2 K J 7 9
Sexton: K Q K Q 8 2 Q

Sexton bet on fourth street and Rechnitzer called. Sexton bet again on fifth street, Rechnitzer raised all in and Sexton called. Sexton had a pair of kings on fifth street while Rechnitzer had four to a flush and a low draw. Sexton double-paired on the river while Rechnitzer missed the both the high and low draws. Sexton scooped the pot and Gerard Rechnitzer was eliminated in 3rd Place ($77,097).

Mike Sexton Eliminated in 2nd Place ($123,925)

Mike Sexton was down to under two big bets last night and climbed his way out, ending the night still on the short stack, but with a bit more breathing room. Sexton came back today swinging and won the first pot of the afternoon, but Chris Viox quickly applied the pressure and had Sexton all in on third street in a pot that ultimately cracked Viox’s two pair with a higher two pair for Sexton on the river. Sexton doubled up to stay alive this hand, but was still short with just over 500,000.

Sexton managed to tread water for a bit and then scored another near double up after scooping a big pot with a pair of sevens. At this point in the match Sexton was only a 2:1 dog in chips. Viox fought back and began raising Sexton off of consecutive hands and the rising betting structure began to quickly eat away at Sexton’s stack. He found himself at around 500,000 again when got it all in on third street with a wired pair of eights against Chris Viox’s split pair of sixes.

Sexton: 8 8 3 5 10 7 J
Viox: 6 2 6 3 Q 8 2

Sexton was ahead on third street when the money went, and continued to lead all the way to the river until Viox double-paired deuces. Sexton failed to improve his single pair on the river and missed the low draw as well. Viox scooped the pot, denying Mike Sexton his second gold bracelet and what would have been a repeat in this event from 1989. Mike Sexton was eliminated in 2nd place ($123,925) while Chris Viox wins his first gold bracelet in Event #25 ($200,459).

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