Daniel Schreiber Wins Event No. 31 at the WSOP

The heads-up event is a completely different animal from other tournament at the World Series of Poker. It is the ultimate battle of wits between players, a one-on-one showdown in which players have no one else to blame but themselves if they fail. In the end, only one player survived nine grueling rounds of play to claim the top prize of $425,594 from the $1,842,400 prize pool, as well as the gold WSOP bracelet. Daniel Schreiber beat out 392 players to take down the tournament, defeating his final challenger, Mark Muchnik. in a best-of-three battle.

Schreiber's road to the final match took him through fourth-place finisher Vanessa Selbst, who arguably had one of the toughest paths to the final four. In the four matches prior to her run-in with Schreiber, she beat Layne Flack, Paul Wasicka, Peter Jetten, and Shannon Shorr. It looked like Schreiber would have to grind out a tough victory to advance, but they ended up only playing only 10 minutes before all the chips were in the middle of the table.

Schreiber let Selbst's aggressive play get the best of her. Schreiber raised $30,000 on the button and Selbst called. The flop came 10 5 4, Selbst checked, and Schreiber bet out $55,000. Selbst check-raised $150,000 more and Schreiber took only seconds to make the call. The turn was the 8, and again Selbst checked. Schreiber bet out $400,000 and Selbst check-raised again, this time all in. Schreiber insta-called with J 3 and Selbst dejectedly tabled 10 9. She was drawing dead. The river was a meaningless K, and that put Schreiber into the final battle with Mark Muchnik. Muchnik had won a much longer battle with third-place finisher Keith Block to advance.

Block and Muchnik played a match that featured tight play and small pots in the early stages. Muchnik kept chipping away and eventually won a huge pot that gave him an insurmountable chip lead. Block made it $50,000 to go from the button and Muchnik called. The flop was 10 9 6, and Muchnik led for $100,000. Block called and the turn came 7. Muchnik made it another $100,000 to go and Block flat-called again. The river surfaced the 7, and this time Muchnik checked. Block bet $260,000, sending Muchnik deep into the tank. He finally emerged to make the call with K 10. As he flipped it over, Block chucked his cards into the muck, leaving him with less than $400,000. That hand led to the final one of their match. Block was down to his final $176,000 chips and Muchnik called Block's all-in bet. Muchnik tabled K 8, but was behind Block's A 10. The board was kind, however, and it came K J 6 3 7. It gave Muchnik a pair of kings, which was good for the pot and the match.

After a short break, Muchnik and Schreiber faced off for the bracelet, and the top prize. Schreiber got off to a quick start in the first match, taking a massive pot from Muchnik early in the match. Schreiber raised to $50,000 and Muchnik made the call. The flop was dealt J 10 10. Muchnik checked and Schreiber fired $75,000. Muchnik smooth-called and the turn was the K. Again, Muchnik checked, and this time Schreiber bet $250,000. Muchnik counted out a call, and then stood up. He took his time but eventually he pushed in the call. The river came the 6, Muchnik checked, and Schreiber bet out $750,000. Muchnik quickly called but mucked when Schreiber tabled A Q for the straight. That hand set up the first point for Schreiber. He raised to $75,000 and Muchnik made the call. The flop was 9 4 2 and both players checked. The turn was the 7, Muchnik checked, and Schreiber bet out $100,000. Muchnik reraised to $360,000, leaving himself just $25,000 behind. Schreiber called and bet the last $25,000 in the dark. The river came 10, and Schreiber tabled K 7. Muchnik tossed his cards into the muck. That sent the pot and the first point of the match to Schreiber.

The second match of the best of three series lasted only 11 hands and featured a strategy change. Muchnik was clearly disgusted with the way he played the first match and decided to display some serious firepower. On the first hand, the blinds were still $10,000-$20,000, but Muchnik blasted a $300,000 raise across Schreiber's bow. He put Schreiber on notice: There would be no more weak-tight play. Muchnik pulled out all the stops, including a few limp reraises on the button. Unfortunately for Muchnik it was one of those moves that eventually ended up sinking him. Muchnik limped on the button and Schreiber put out his standard raise of $50,000. Muchnik reraised to $400,000 and Schreiber made the call. The flop came J 8 3, and Muchnik moved all in. Schreiber thought briefly then called. Muchnik tabled K 9 for the flush draw, but Schreiber had the made hand at the time with Q J. The next two cards were the 3 and A, shipping Schreiber almost all the chips, and crippling Muchnik. He was eliminated on the next hand when he failed to improve with Q 8 against Schreiber's K 2.

Schreiber won $425,594 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. Muchnik took home $230,300 for his runner-up efforts.

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