Andy Frankenberger Wins Latest $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em at 2011 World Series of Poker

Former Wall Street trader and 2010 World Poker Tour player of the year Andy Frankenberger captured his first World Series of Poker bracelet early Sunday morning in the latest installment of the $1,500 no-limit hold’em events.

The 36-year-old Frankenberger waded through a minefield of precisely 2,500 players to take home $599,153. Despite being down 3-1 to runner-up Josh Evans at one point during the heads-up duel, the New York native prevailed and brought his lifetime earnings to nearly $2 million.

In less than two years of major tournament cashes (totaling just 12), Frankenberger has built an impressive resume for himself. He won the 2010 WPT Legends of Poker and the Venetian Deepstack championship last year.

“For me, it’s so important for me to get this win,” Frankenberger said. “When I won the Legends and I won the Venetian, poker was very new to me. I had not invested that much into it in terms of time or energy. At this point, I have been playing all year. I have been traveling all over the world. This is my first big win of 2011, so I can’t even begin to tell you how much this win means to me right now.”

Here are the elimination hands as featured in Card Player’s live updates:

Bret Hruby Eliminated in 9th Place ($44,482)

Bret Hruby started the official nine-handed final table as one of the short stacks and was eliminated shortly after play started. Hruby open-shoved before the flop for 356,000 and Steven Merrifield re-shoved with no callers.

Merrifield lead with 10 10 against Hruby’s K J.

The board came 6 5 3 2 3, no help to Bret Hruby who was the first to go in 9th place ($44,482).

Sidney Hasson Eliminated in 8th Place ($50,083)

Sidney Hasson raised to 63,000 before the flop, Joshua Evans reraised to 172,000 and Hasson called.

The flop came A 10 9, Hasson checked, Evans bet, Hasson check-raised all in and Evans called.

Evans showed A J for top pair while Hasson showed K Q for the nut flush draw and an inside straight draw.

The turn and river were the 8 and the A, giving Evans trips on the river. Evans raked the pot and Sidney Hasson was eliminated in 8th place ($50,083).

Thao Nguyen Eliminated in 7th Place ($76,747)

Steven Merrifield opened for 65,000, Andy Frankenberger reraised to 150,000, Thao Nguyen moved all in for 600,000, Merrifield folded and Frankenberger called.

Frankenberger had A A against Nguyen’s A Q.

The board came KQ 4 J 6, giving Nguyen a pair on the flop but he failed to improve by the river and was eliminated in 7th place ($76,747).

Steven Merrifield Eliminated in 6th Place ($102,600)

Robert Shortway opened for a raise to 75,000 before the flop and Steven Merrifield called from the big blind.

The flop came 9 8 7, Merrifield checked, Shortway bet 75,000, Merrifield check-raised to 200,000 and Shortway called.

The turn was the Q, Merrifield bet 175,000, Shortway raised to 675,000, Merrifield moved all in and Shortway called.

Merrifield turned over 10 9 for middle pair and an inside straight draw while Shortway showed J 10 for the made nut straight. Merrifield could not win the pot but was drawing live to a chop with a jack.

The river was the 8, and Steven Merrifield was eliminated in 6th place ($102,600).

Tyler Kenney Eliminated in 5th Place ($138,847)

Tyler Kenney opened for a raise to 70,000, Joshua Evans reraised to 250,000, Kenney moved all in and Evans called.

Evans lead with A J against Kenney’s 9 8.

The board came Q J 4 2 J, giving Evans a pair on the river to win the pot. Tyler Kenney was eliminated in 5th place ($138,847).

Owen Crowe Eliminated in 4th Place ($190,147)

Owen Crowe was all in before the flop with A 4 against Andy Frankenberger’s A 9.

The board came A Q 9 J K, giving Frankenberger two pair to win the pot. Owen Crowe was eliminated in 4th place ($190,147).

Robert Shortway Eliminated in 3rd Place ($263,655)

Robert Shortway open-shoved from the button before the flop and both Joshua Evans and Andy Frankenberger called from the blinds.

Both players checked the side pot to the river on a board of 6 3 3 7 4.

Frankenberger turned over 5 4 for the nut straight and Shortway threw Q 10 into the muck. Robert Shortway was eliminated in 3rd place ($263,655).

Joshua Evans Eliminated in 2nd Place ($372,498)

Joshua Evans took a big chip lead about halfway through the last level after catching a gutshot straight on the turn, putting himself at 8.3 million to Frankenberger’s 3.2 million.

Frankenberger doubled through shortly after with A – K against A – 10 after flopping the Broadway straight to jump up to 7.7 million while Evans dropped down to 3.6 million. From there Frankenberger really began to widen the gap and eventually had Evans down to 2.5 million when he got it all in behind on a flop of J 7 5.

Evans had J 10 for top pair and Frankenbegerger had J 7 for top two pair. The turn and river were the 3 and the 2, no help to Joshua Evans who was eliminated in 2nd place ($372,498).

For all of the latest WSOP information, check out Card Player’s WSOP landing page.

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