Darren Woods Wins World Series of Poker Event No. 19

For a moment there, it appeared as though we might have our first female player since Vanessa Selbst to win an open event at the World Series of Poker.

Kim Nguyen dominated short-handed play in event no. 19, the $2,500 six-max limit hold’em tournament, and found herself sitting with the chip lead entering heads-up play. Unfortunately for her, Darren Woods would not be denied the opportunity to give Great Britain it’s third bracelet of the Series.

The 26-year-old from Grimsby was previously an accountant, but started playing online poker five years ago. After discovering that he was making more money playing poker, he left his job and turned pro.

For his victory, Woods was awarded with his first bracelet and the $213,431 first-place prize. Nguyen settled for the runner-up prize of $131,900.

Here’s how the action happened according to Card Player’s live updates page.

Gabriel Nassif Eliminated in 6th Place ($27,720)

Gabriel Nassif returned from the dinner break as the short stack and was the first to leave the official final table in 6th place ($27,720). The two short stacks went at it early on, and each time Samuel Golbuff got the best of it. Down to just a few big bets, Nassif got the rest of his chips in before the flop with A 9 against Golbuff’s A Q.

The board came A J 8 A 2, giving both players trip aces, but Golbuff’s queen kicker played.

Andrey Zaichenko Eliminated in 5th Place ($39,317)

Andrey Zaichenko was pretty active this level, but found himself on the short stack and even all in several times. First he doubled through Alexander Kuzmin with A J against Kuzmin’s A 10 on a rag board. Zaichenko then lost a big pot to Kim Nguyen after running deuces into Nguyen’s pocket aces.

Zaichenko then got it all in again with A 10 against Kuzmin’s K 8. Zaichenko doubled up to about five big blinds this hand and then doubled up once more through Samuel Golbuff with A Q against A J.

A bit later and Zaichenko gave some of those chips right back to Golbuff and then found yet another short-stack double up through Kim Nguyen.

Andrey Zaichenko was all in with two overcards against Kim Nguyen on a flop of A 7 5. Nguyen was ahead with a pair of sevens, but Zaichenko spiked a ten on the river to make a higher pair and double up once again. Though Zaichenko doubled up to stay alive this hand, he was still below the 10 BB threshold with just about 120,000 in chips.

Finally Zaichenko met his fate right towards the end of the level after getting it all in before the flop with K 9 against Darren Woods’ A K.

The board came Q J 3 7 K, giving both players top pair on the river, but Woods’ ace-high played and Andrey Zaichenko was eliminated in 5th place ($39,317).

Alexander Kuzmin Eliminated in 4th Place ($57,236)

Alexander Kuzmin had been on the short stack for quite some while before finally getting it all in before the flop in a four-way family pot.

The flop came 7 6 2, and all three players checked the side pot.

The turn was the 8, Golbuff bet, Nguyen raised, Woods reraised, Golbuff folded and the two remaining players capped the side pot.

The river was the 10, Woods bet and Nguyen called. Both players turned over a ten-high straight and Kuzmin was eliminated in 4th place ($57,236).

Samuel Golbuff Eliminated in 3rd Place ($85,616)

Samuel Golbuff button-raised, Darren Woods three-bet the big blind and Golbuff called.

The board came 9 4 3, Woods bet, Golbuff raised, Woods reraised and Golbuff got the last of this chips in.

Woods showed K K for a huge lead over Golbuff’s 10 5.

The turn and river were the 2 and the J, no help Samuel Golbuff who was eliminated in 3rd place ($85,626).

Kim Nguyen Eliminated in 2nd Place ($131,900)

Darren Woods got the last knockout with Samuel Golbuff in 3rd ($85,616) place, but it was Kim Nguyen that led going into heads-up play with roughly 1.5 million to 1.1.5 million.

Darren Woods chipped up early and took the lead at the beginning of Level 26 after winning a pot with ace-high. Another big win with a pair of jacks, gave him a lead of 1.8 million to Nguyen’s 800,000 shortly after. She fought back and managed to snag a few pots here and there, narrowing the gap at times, but soon Woods turned up the pressure and she was forced off of a lot of hands without a showdown.

Woods pulled far out in front making two pair in a hand that saw a showdown, increasing his chip lead to over 5.5:1 towards the end of the level. Woods won another showdown with a pair of aces and that hand left Nguyen on the super short stack with under 10 BBs.

On the final hand of the night, Kim Nguyen got her short stack all in before the flop with K 2 and was ahead of Woods’ 4 2.

The board came K 6 4 J 4, giving both players a pair on the flop but Woods spiked a third four on the river to eliminated Kim Nguyen in 2nd place ($131,900). Darren Woods grabbed the chip lead shortly after heads-up play began never looked back, eventually claiming the gold bracelet and grand prize of $213,431 for winning Event #19.

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