Fabrice Soulier Wins $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. At World Series

It took 11 years of play at the World Series of Poker for Fabrice Soulier to win his first bracelet. The 42-year-old professional took down the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E championship for $609,130 after outlasting a field of 240 over four days of play.
Soulier, who is the third French bracelet winner this summer, had to outlast one of the toughest final tables of the Series. All eyes were focused on Tom Dwan also trying to win his first, but Soulier remained the force at the final table, beating out Dwan and the likes of Andrey Zaichenko, Daniel Ospina, Matthew Ashton, Michael Binger, Jacobo Fernandez, and eventual runner-up Shawn Buchanan.
“I feel very emotional right now,” the champion said in a press release. “I almost cried when I won. I had to hold back my tears. I feel great. This is the best day of my poker career, by far.” Here is how Soulier bagged his bracelet:
Jacobo Fernandez Eliminated in 8th Place ($61,160)
Stud 8
Jacobo Fernandez entered the official eight-handed final table as the short stack and quickly got it all in against Tom Dawn in the Stud 8 round.
Dwan went on to make a pair of sevens to beat Fernandez’s pair of sixes, giving him the pot and eliminating Jacobo Fernandez in 9th place ($61,160).
Michael Binger Eliminated in 7th Place ($73,328)
Omaha 8
Michael Binger opened the pot for 80,000 before the flop, Andrey Zaichenko reraised to 120,000 and Binger called all in.
Binger: Q♥ 8♦ 3♥ 2♦
Zaichenko: A♥ Q♣ 4♠ 2♠
The board came 7♦ 5♠ 3♣ 10♥ 6♠, giving Zaichenko a six-high straight and the nut low to scoop the pot. Michael Binger was eliminated in 7th place ($73,328).
Matthew Ashton Eliminated in 6th Place ($101,813)
Omaha 8
Matthew Ashton bet 40,000 on a flop of J♦ 4♠ 3♣ and both Andrey Zaichenko and Shawn Buchanan called.
The turn was the 2♠, Ashton bet, Zaichenko called, Buchanan raised, Ashton called all in and Zaichenko called the raise.
The river was the K♥, Zaichenko checked the side pot, Buchanan bet and Zaichenko folded.
Ashton: A♠ A♦ 6♠ 2♥
Buchanan: A♣ 9♥ 8♦ 5♦
Buchanan turned the wheel to scoop the pot and eliminate Matthew Ashton in 6th place ($101,813).
Tom Dwan Eliminated in 5th Place ($134,480)
Stud
Tom Dwan enteredlLevel 25 as the short stack and was eliminated shortly after it began in a round of seven card stud.
Shawn Buchanan completed the bet with the 8♦ on third street, Tom Dwan raised the A♠ and Buchanan called. Dwan bet out on both fourth and fifth streets. Buchanan called on fourth and raised on fifth. Dwan three-bet, Buchanan four-bet and Dwan called all in.
Dwan: K♥ 9♠ A♠ 8♥ 9♣
Buchanan: J♦ 8♠ 8♦ 5♣ A♦
Dwan was ahead on fifth street when the money went in with a pair of nines against Buchanan’s pair of eights. Buchanan caught the 4♦ on sixth street and the 6♦ on the river to make a flush. Dwan failed to improve and was eliminated in 5th place ($134,480).
Daniel Ospina Eliminated in 4th Place ($180,750)
Hold’em
Shawn Buchanan opened for a raise from under the gun, Daniel Ospina moved all in with the short stack from the small blind, Fabrice Soulier called from the big blind and Buchanan called the raise.
The flop came J♣ 9♣ 4♥ and both players checked the side pot.
The turn was the 9♦, Soulier bet and Buchanan folded.
Soulier turned over 4♦ 4♣ for a full house while Ospina was drawing dead with Q♦ 10♦. The river was the 8♥ and Daniel Ospina was eliminated in 4th place ($180,750)
Andrey Zaichenko Eliminated in 3rd Place ($247,799)
Stud-8
Fabrice Soulier brought it in with the A♥, Shawn Buchanan called with the 7♠, Andrey Zaichenko raised all in for 70,000 with the 5♥ and both players called. Both players checked the side pot until sixth street when Buchanan bet out and Soulier folded.
Zaichenko: J♠ 8♠ 5♥ 2♦ 10♠ 5♦ 5♣
Buchanan: 10♣ 7♥ 7♠ 7♣ A♣ 6♣ J♦
Buchanan scooped the pot with trip sevens and Andrey Zaichenko was eliminated in 3rd place.
With the elimination of Andrey Zaichenko in 3rd place, Shawn Buchanan took the chip lead going into heads-up play with 4,455,000 to Farbrice Soulier’s 2,820,000.
Shawn Buchanan Eliminated in 2nd Place ($376,458)
Omaha 8
Shawn Buchanan entered the final day with a chip deficit of more than 6:1 with just 910,000 to Fabrice Soulier’s 6,290,000 in chips. Buchanan couldn’t really get anything going this afternoon and was eliminated in 2nd place shortly after the day began.
Fabrice Soulier button-raised before the flop and Shawn Buchanan called from the big blind.
The flop came 10♣ 8♦ 4♥, Buchanan bet, Soulier raised, Buchanan reraised, Soulier four-bet and Buchanan called all in.
Buchanan: J♦ J♣ 10♠ 7♥
Soulier: Q♦ J♠ 8♥ 6♥
Buchanan was ahead with a pair of jacks when the money went in on the flop, but the turn and river were the A♦ and the 6♠, giving Soulier two pair on the river to scoop the pot. Shawn Buchanan was eliminated in 2nd place ($376,458) while Fabrice Soulier won the gold bracelet for event #37 and the $609,130 top prize. ♠