Leonard Martin Wins $2,500 2-7 Triple Draw LowballClaims First Bracelet and $189,919 at Tough Final Table |
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Long-time poker player Leonard “Lenny” Martin finally found something to celebrate at the World Series of Poker. The 55-year-old grinder put the finishing touches on a strong showing in the $2,500 deuce-to-seven triple draw lowball early Friday morning, capturing his first bracelet and nearly $200,000 in prize money. The win ended a 20-year drought since his first cash at the Series in 1991.
Martin, a real-estate investor, had to get past Jason Mercier, who was looking to grab his second bracelet of the summer, Eli Elezra, 2009 $50K Players Championship winner David Bach, and eventual runner-up Justin Bonomo, who was looking to win his first WSOP event.
The bracelet appeared to be Bonomo’s for quite some time, as the young poker pro had a large chip lead when play was three-handed. However over the course of their heads-up duel, Martin proved to be super tough, and the Ukrainian-born pro eventually walked away with the piece of poker hardware.
The victory was made even sweeter by previous close calls in the same event. Martin made it to the final table of the $2,500 deuce-to-seven triple draw lowball three out of the past four years. As a result of the impressive streak in recent years, his career tournament earnings are approaching $400,000.
Here are the elimination hands as featured in Card Player’s live updates:
Jason Mercier Eliminated in 6th Place ($25,967)
Jason Mercier raised from under the gun and Masayoshi Tanaka called from the big blind.
Tanaka drew two cards while Mercier drew one. Tanaka checked, Mercier bet, Tanaka check-raised, Mercier three-bet all in and Tanaka called.
Both players drew one card each on the second draw and then one card each again on the third draw.
Tanaka: 10 – 8 – 7 – 3 – 2
Mercier: A – 6 – 5 – 4 – 2
Mercier bricked with an ace on the final draw while Tanaka made a ten-low to win the pot. Jason Mercier was the first one eliminated in 6th place ($25,967).
Eli Elezra Eliminated in 5th Place ($36,596)
Eli Elezra opened for a raise from under the gun and Masayoshi Tanaka called from the big blind.
On the first draw, Tanaka drew three cards and Elezra drew two cards. Tenaka bet and Elezra called.
On the second draw, Tanaka Drew one card and Elezra drew two cards. Tanaka bet and Elezra called all in. Both players stood pat on the final draw.
Elezra: 9 – 8 – 5 – 3 – 2
Tanaka: 8 – 7 – 4 – 3 – 2
Elezra drew to a nine-low after the second draw but Tanaka made an eight-low that same round to win the pot. Eli Elezra was eliminated in 5th place ($36,595).
Masayoshi Tanaka Eliminated in 4th Place ($52,680)
Justin Bonomo button-raised before the the draw and Masayoshi Tanaka called all in from the small blind.
On the first draw, Tanaka drew one card and Bonomo drew two.
On the second draw, Tanaka drew one card and Bonomo drew two.
On the third and final draw, Tanaka and Bonomo drew one card each.
Tanaka: 8 – 6 – 5 – 4 – 3
Bonomo: 7 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2
Tanaka drew to an eight-low on the final draw but Bonomo drew to a seven-low to win the pot. Masayoshi Tanaka was eliminated in 4th place ($52,680).
David Bach Eliminated in 3rd Place ($77,517)
David Bach opened for a raise from the small blind, Leonard Martin reraised the big blind and Bach called.
On the first draw, both players drew two cards each. Bach bet, Martin raised and Bach called all in.
On the second draw both players drew one card each.
On third and final draw, both players drew one card each.
Bach: 8 – 6 – 3 – 3 – 2
Martin: 9 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2
Martin made a nine-low on the final draw while Bach bricked with a pair of threes. David Bach was eliminated in 3rd place ($77,517).
With the elimination of David Bach in 3rd place, Justin Bonomo took the chip lead going into heads-up play with 1,560,000 to Leonard Martin’s 750,000.
Justin Bonomo Eliminated in 2nd Place ($117,305)
With the elimination of David Bach in 3rd place, Justin Bonomo took a 2:1 chip lead into heads-up play with 1,605,000 to Leonard Martin’s 750,000. Martin was slowly able to chip up to even and then steal the chip lead for himself towards the end of Level 27, and after slipping back down a bit in Level 28, he pulled way out in front after winning a big pot with an 8 – 7 low against Bonomo’s 10 – 9 low. That hand put Martin at almost 2 million, leaving Bonomo with just about 400,000.
On the final hand of the tournament, Leonard Martin button-raised before the draw and Justin Bonomo called from the big blind.
Bonomo drew two cards and Martin drew one. Bonomo checked, Martin bet and Bonomo called.
On the second draw, Bonomo drew one card and Martin stood pat. Bonomo checked, Martin bet, Bonomo check-raised all in and Martin called.
On the third and final draw, Bonomo drew one card and Martin stood pat.
Bonomo: K – 7 – 4 – 3 – 2
Martin: 8 – 7 – 6 – 4 – 3
Martin had made an eight-low after the first draw and while Bonomo was drawing live on the final draw with a seven-high, he bricked with a king and Martin won the pot.
Justin Bonomo was eliminated in 2nd place ($117,305) and Leonard Martin won the gold bracelet for event no. 49 and the $189,919 grand prize.
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