Ian Johns Wins 2016 World Series of Poker $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.

The 2016 World Series of Poker $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. event attracted 778 players, proving that the mixed-game format is still quite popular despite the increasing prominence of mixes that involve more exotic games like badeucey and big bet games like pot-limit Omaha. From that sizable field only one player could emerge with the title, the gold bracelet and the $212,604 first-place prize. That player was Ian Johns.

Johns won his first gold bracelet in 2006 in a $3,000 limit hold’em tournament. Much of his live tournament success has come in mixed game events at the WSOP. He has cashed in this very event three years in a row now, finishing 21st last year and 39th in 2014.

The 31-year-old Seattle, Washington native had to overcome several setbacks in the tournament, including the fact that he ranked dead last at the end of day 1, sitting in 201st place out of 201 remaining players.

“I bagged up barely enough to post a blind, 2,000 in chips,” Johns said. “Then I came back on the second day and tripled up in Stud because the antes were enough to amount to a full double up, and in the next hour I built my stack up to 50,000.”

Although it is his second career bracelet, Johns explained that this win is just as sweet.

“The feeling between my first victory and this one is the same,” he said. “I’m hyper. I’m excited. I don’t think that ever goes away when you get this close and then achieve it. If it does go away, then maybe that’s when you shouldn’t play anymore.”

Johns wasn’t the only previous bracelet winner at the final table. In fact, there were a total of six players who had previously won WSOP events, including Scotty Nguyen (8th), Svetlana Gromenkova (7th), Andre Akkari (6th) and Justin Bonomo (2nd).

“This final table was ridiculous,” Johns said. “I knew just about everyone here, and I was thinking, we could even talk poker strategy. I’m pretty sure all eight players were pros. You don’t see that very often, especially in a $1,500 event. You expect some non-pros to make it through. Obviously, it felt really good to beat Justin. He’s a great player and it’s gratifying to win against him.”

Other notables with deep runs in the event included Ismael Bojang (14th), Matt Glantz (20th), Rep Porter (24th), Matt Vengrin (28th), Christopher George (30th), Esther Taylor-Brady (32nd), Daniel Idema (33rd), Bart Hanson (38th) and Chris Klodnicki (40th).

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

For more coverage from the summer series, visit the 2016 WSOP landing page complete with a full schedule, news, player interviews and event recaps.

*Winner photo courtesy of the World Series of Poker

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