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Tyler Bonkowski Wins World Series of Poker Event No. 14

Bonkowski Earns Canada's First WSOP Bracelet of the Summer

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Tyler BonkowskiScore one for the guys up north. Tyler Bonkowski has claimed Canada’s first gold WSOP bracelet of the summer with a win in event no. 14, the $3,000 limit hold’em tournament.

Bonkowski banked $220,817 for defeating a 337-player field. This was the first career bracelet for the 26-year-old poker pro who had to beat out a final table that included runner-up Brandon Demes, Shawn Keller, Matt Sterling, Mitch Schock and Card Player’s own Jeff Shulman, who made his fifth WSOP final table.

The score was significant for the Regina, Saskatchewan native, whose previous best tournament finish was a 14th-place showing at the Aussie Millions. This was his fourth WSOP cash.

Bonkowski was at one point down 12-1 during heads up play, but fought back for the title. “When I was down to 250,000, I was really mad,” he said. “But I didn’t let it affect my play at all. But it was very frustrating. But then I got a couple of hands in a row and I started playing with confidence again and it just kind of went on a roll.”

Here’s a look at the action according to Card Player’s live updates page:

Jeff ShulmanJeff Shulman Eliminated in 9th Place ($18,547)

Jeff Shulman opened for a raise from under the gun, Casey McCarrel three-bet from the big blind and Shulman called all in.

Shulman turned over AHeart Suit 7Diamond Suit for the lead against McCarrel’s JClub Suit 8Spade Suit.

The board came JDiamond Suit 8Heart Suit 4Diamond Suit 5Heart Suit KSpade Suit, giving McCarrel top pair on the flop. Jeff Shulman was eliminated in 9th place ($18,547).

Ron BurkeRon Burke Eliminated in 8th Place ($24,095)

Shortly after tripling up at the beginning of the level, the crippling blinds finally got the best of Ron Burke.

Andrew Brongo button-raised, Ron Burke three-bet from the small blind and Brongo called. The flop came AHeart Suit QClub Suit 5Diamond Suit, Burke bet and Brongo called.

The turn was the 5Diamond Suit, Burke bet, Brongo raised, Burke three-bet all in and Brongo called.

Burke turned over ADiamond Suit JSpade Suit for top pair on the flop but Brongo showed ADiamond Suit 4Club Suit for two pair on the turn.

The river was the 8Club Suit, no help to Ron Burke who was eliminated in 8th place ($24,095).

Casey McCarrelCasey McCarrel Eliminated in 7th Place ($31,547)

Casey McCarrel opened for a raise and Brandon Demes called from the big blind.

The flop came 6Heart Suit 3Diamond Suit 2Diamond Suit, Demes checked, McCarrel bet, Demes check-raised and McCarrel called.

The turn was the JSpade Suit, McCarrel got it all in and turned over 10Heart Suit 10Club Suit for a a pair but was drawing dead to Demes’ 5Club Suit 4Club Suit made straight. Demes jumped up the leaderboard this hand while Casey McCarrel was eliminated in 7th place ($31,547).

Mitch SchockMitch Schock Eliminated in 6th Place ($41,621)

Mitch Schock opened for a raise, Tyler Bonkowski three-bet from the small blind and Schock called.

The flop came QHeart Suit QDiamond Suit 5Spade Suit, Bonkoswi bet and Schock called.

The turn was the QHeart Suit, Bonkowski bet and Schock called.

The river was the 9Spade Suit, Bonkowski bet, Schock raised, Bonkowski three-bet and Schock called.

Bonkowski showed ASpade Suit QClub Suit for quad queens and Schock threw his hand into the muck. After this hand, Schock was left with just 5,000 in chips.

Schock managed to quadruple up shortly thereafter, but then got it all in pre-flop with JClub Suit 6Club Suit against Tyler Bonkowski’s ASpade Suit AHeart Suit.

The board came 9Spade Suit 7Heart Suit 4Club Suit QDiamond Suit 5Club Suit, no help for Mitch Schock who was eliminated in 6th place ($41,621).

Matt SterlingMatt Sterling Eliminated in 5th Place ($55,338)

Matt Sterling and Andrew Brongo capped the betting before the flop and Sterling got the rest of his chips in on a flop of JClub Suit 4Spade Suit 2Diamond Suit.

Sterling turned over 10Club Suit 9Spade Suit but was behind Brongo’s QSpade Suit QClub Suit.

The turn and river were the AClub Suit and the 5Club Suit, no help to Matt Sterling who was eliminated in 5th place ($55,338).

Shawn KellerShawn Keller Eliminated in 4th Place ($74,171)

Shawn Keller was knocked down to just over one big blind after running into Andrew Brongo’s trip kings earlier, shipping nearly of all of his chips to Brongo in that hand.

The next hand he moved all in before the flop for his last 30,000 and Brandon Demes called.

Demes was in the lead with KSpade Suit 3Spade Suit against Keller’s JClub Suit 8Spade Suit.

The board came AClub Suit QClub Suit 3Heart Suit 3Club Suit 7Spade Suit, giving Demes trip threes on the turn. Shawn Keller was eliminated in 4th place ($74,171).

Andrew BrongoAndrew Brongo Eliminated in 3rd Place ($100,198)

Andrew Brongo button-raised and Brandon Demes called from the small blind.

The flop came AClub Suit 7Diamond Suit 2Club Suit, Demes bet and Brongo called.

The turn was the AHeart Suit, Demes bet, Brongo raised, Demes three-bet, Brongo four-bet and Demes called.

The river was the 10Diamond Suit, Demes checked Brongo bet, Demes check-raised, Brongo three-bet, Demes four-bet, Brongo moved all in and Demes called.

Brongo showed AClub Suit 7Heart Suit for a full house but Demes turned over ASpade Suit 10Heart Suit for a higher full house. Andrew Brongo was eliminated in 3rd place ($100,198) while Demes raked a huge pot, nearly evening out the chip stacks heading into heads-up play.

Brandon DemesBrandon Demes Eliminated in 2nd Place ($136,419)

Tyler Bonkowsi and Brandon Demes came into heads-up play nearly even in chips with just about 1.5 million each, and it wasn’t long before Demes jumped out in front, even amassing a 4:1 chip lead against Bonkowski at one point in Level 26. Bonkowski played aggressive from the short stack and by Level 27 he had narrowed the gap to almost even in chips once again. Bonkowski returned from the break and continued on his ascent until he had Demes by a chip lead of nearly 4:1.

On the final hand of the night, Bonkowski button-raised and Demes called from the big blind.

The flop came 6Diamond Suit 5Heart Suit 5Club Suit, Demes bet, Bonkoswki raised, Demes three-bet and Bonkowski called.

The turn was the 10Spade Suit, Demes checked, Bonkowski bet, Demes check-raised all in and Bonkowski called. Bonkowski turned over KDiamond Suit 10Club Suit for top pair while Demes showed KSpade Suit QHeart Suit.

The river was the 8Heart Suit, and Brandon Demes was eliminated in 2nd place ($136,419). Tyler Bonkowski wins the gold bracelet for event No. 14 and the $220,817 grand prize.