Adam Friedman Goes Back-To-Back In World Series of Poker $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship

Adam Friedman has achieved one of the rarest feats in tournament poker by successfully defending his title in the World Series of Poker $10,000 dealer’s choice championship. Friedman won the event for the first time in 2018, and managed to overcome a record field of 122 entries to secure back-to-back victorious in this prestigious tournament. For the win, Friedman earned his third WSOP gold bracelet and the top prize of $312,417.

“This year definitely means more. [It is] definitely the second best poker accomplishment I’ve ever had, being able to repeat in what I believe is the most difficult of the $10K’s to play,” said Freidman after coming out on top. “I still think the $10K H.O.R.S.E. ss the crown jewel of the $10,000 events at the World Series, just because it’s the one people play in the most, [but] this is unquestionably the most difficult of the $10,000 events. You’ve got to be able to play all 20 games, and the ones that you’re not experienced in, you have to have basic card [sense]."

In case you were wondering what Friedman considers his top accomplishment in poker, he told WSOP reporters that it is never having gone broke over his 14-year-career as a poker pro.

This was the largest payday of Friedman’s live tournament career, and it increased his lifetime earnings to more than $2.8 million. In addition to the hardware and the money, Friedman also earned 660 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win. This was his third POY-qualified final-table finish of 2019, and it was enough to see him climb into 88th place in the POY race, which is sponsored by Global Poker.

Friedman overcame a stacked final table on the road to defending his title in this event. Four-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb knocked out two-time WSOP title winner Nick Schulman in sixth place shortly before play was halted on day three of this event. Deeb took the lead into five-handed action, with Friedman sitting on the next largest stack.

Deeb scored the first knockout of the final day in pot-limit deuce-to-seven triple draw. Michael McKenna drew two against the three drawn by Deeb, who checked after the first draw. McKenna bet 100,000. Deeb check-raised to 500,000. McKenna re-raised the size of the pot, and Deeb got it all ii for slightly more. Deeb stood pat and McKenna drew a single card. Deeb patted again and McKenna drew once more. Deeb revealed his made 8-6-5-4-2, while McKenna showed the 7-4-3-2. He needed a five or a six to double up, but instead drew up a queen. With that he was knocked out in fifth place, earning $72,653.

David Moskowitz was the next to go. Playing pot-limit Omaha, he got all-in with 101075 up against the KKQ8. Neither player improved and Moskowitz was sent home in fourth place ($100,440).

Matt Glantz entered three-handed play as the clear short stack, having gotten off to a bad start after coming into the final day in third chip position. He got his last chips in before the first draw in deuce-to-seven triple draw. Glantz drew three to Deeb’s two. On the second drew each player took one card. On the final draw, Glantz took one again while Deeb stood pat with a 10-8-6-5-4. Glantz was quite live with his 8-4-3-2 draw, but ultimately drew up a 2 to end up with a pair. He was awarded $139,126 as the third-place finisher.

Friedman took a slight lead into heads-up play, but the two traded the advantage back and forth several times before the decisive hand arose. Playing no-limit hold’em, Friedman raised to 60,000 from the button with 87. Deeb three-bet to 250,000 with the AJ. Friedman called and the flop came down 874. Deeb bet 175,000 and Friedman raised to 530,000. Deeb called and the 7 hit the turn. Deeb check-called a bet of 670,000 from Friedman. The J completed the board and Deeb checked. Friedman moved all-in, having Deeb’s 1,725,000 covered. Deeb called with his jacks and sevens, only to see he had run into the full house of Friedman. Deeb fell just short of winning his fifth WSOP bracelet, earning $193,090 as the runner-up finisher.

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

For more coverage from the summer series, check out the 2019 WSOP landing page, complete with a full schedule, results, news, player interviews, and event recaps.

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