Don Baruch Outshoots 899 to Win Event #21

Don Baruch Outshoots 899 to Win Event #21

The $1,500 no-limit hold'em shootout event is a tournament with a unique structure. Each table in the event plays down until one player is left, then the players consolidate and repeat. Players essentially have to win three consecutive single-table sit-and-gos in a row to capture the bracelet and the $254,107 first-place prize. Last year's no-limit shootout event was taken down by David "The Dragon" Pham, who returned to defend his title, but like 899 other players, didn't make it past round one. Round two played late into the night. With many tough pros winning their first tables to advance, the field was tough. Eventually, each of the nine tables had a winner, including notable pros Erick Lindgren and Daniel Negreanu, and the final table was set.

This was Negreanu's first final table of the year, and he was hungry for the win. Lindgren finished ninth in this event in 2005. With no World Series of Poker bracelets as of yet, he also came into this final table with his sights set on first. Early play was slow, with only one of the first five hands going to the flop. Notable players Negreanu and Lindgren were likely feeling the pressure on them to win, while the other players just wanted to avoid going out first. That misfortune had to fall on somebody however, and that somebody was Fred Goldberg.

Fred Goldberg Loses the Race

Around 30 hands into the final table, a slightly short-stacked Daniel Negreanu raised preflop with A K. Fred Goldberg reraised with J J. Staring Goldberg down, Negreanu said, "I just don't believe you." Jacks held through the flop and turn, but the A dashed Goldberg's hopes on the river. He was sent to the rail in ninth place. From that point on Negreanu took control of the table, eliminating three of the next five players and garnering a monstrous chip lead. Shortly before the dinner break, during threehanded play, Negreanu got involved in a massive pot that totally changed the dynamic of the table.

Daniel's Downfall

Don Baruch made a sizable preflop raise and Negreanu smooth-called. The flop was dealt Q J 2, and Negreanu bet out. Baruch quickly pushed all in and Negreanu surprisingly called. Baruch revealed the K J, which had Negreanu's A K in bad shape. The turn brought the Q and the river the 2. This doubled Baruch up. Negreanu slowed down a bit after this hand, taking more of a passive approach. As a result of Negreanu relenting, play slowed down considerably overall at the final table.

The Cooler

Though rattled after doubling up Baruch, Negreanu still cautiously controlled the action. Don Baruch and Jared Davis were playing into Negreanu's game plan by checking when they were weak and letting him take down uncontested pots with small bets. It seemed that only a cooler would result in any kind of major swing. Just such a situation arose when both Negreanu and Baruch flopped top pair on a board of 9 6 4. Baruch held 9 8 and bet out. Negreanu called with 9 7 and, though he was behind, the 7 on the turn caught him up in a hurry, giving him two pair. Baruch passively checked, Negreanu bet, and Baruch called. Baruch's gin card, the 5, was dealt on the river to complete his straight. Baruch made a small bet, compared to the size of the pot, and Negreanu reluctantly called. He lost and was left with a dangerously low chip stack. Negreanu was later eliminated when he called the all-in of Davis with A 8. Davis flipped over 5 5. Negreanu did not improve and his run at the bracelet was over. Just hours after he held a substantial chip lead, Negreanu came in third, and received $101,351. At that point he was surely stuck on the fact that he didn't win, despite playing well.

The Final Shootout

Heads-up play began with Baruch holding a sizable lead over Davis, but play remained very passive. Both players seemed to be waiting for a huge hand to get their chips flying. It seemed that a cooler situation might once again be what was needed in order for any major swing to take place.

Davis eventually started to stab at some pots on the flop, and it seemed that this shift in gears was the catalyst that brought about the final hand. On the button Davis picked up A 5 and put in a raise. Baruch quickly went all in with K Q and Davis called. The flop brought Q 9 9. Davis was drawing thin with two cards coming, and Baruch all but had the bracelet on his wrist. The Q on the turn ensured Baruch's victory, filling his full house, and leaving Davis drawing dead. Jared Davis finished as the runner-up, and he took home $149,263. Baruch took home his first gold bracelet and $264,107.

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