Bryan Schultz Wins 2022 World Series of Poker $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout

Six years ago Bryan Schultz moved to Colombia to grind online poker tournaments. The 35-year-old Illinois native made his way back stateside for the 2022 World Series of Poker and was rewarded with his first bracelet. Schultz emerged victorious from a field of 2,663 players in a $1,000 no-limit hold’em freezeout event, earning the hardware and a career-best $330,057 payday.

This blew away his previous largest score of $111,812, which he earned as the champion of the 2011 WSOP Circuit Harveys Lake Tahoe main event. He now has more than $630,000 in recorded tournament earnings to his name.

Schultz also earned 1,200 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win. This was his first POY-qualified score of the year, but it along was enough to catapult him into a tie with Nicholas Howard for 112th place in the 2022 POY race standings, which are sponsored by Global Poker.

This two-day event saw 203 players survive day 1. The top 400 finishers cashed in this tournament, with $2,370,070 in prize money split amongst them. Big names to make deep runs included Lexy Gavin (41st – $8,307), two-time World Poker Tour champion Daniel Weinman (35th – $10,084), bracelet winner Yaser Al-Keliddar (20th – $12,351), and bracelet winner Seth Fischer (10th – $23,939).

Young Sik Eum came into the final table with the lead. He extended it further by knocking out Kevin Legerski (9th – $30,375) to narrow the field to eight. Mike Holtz, the 2021 WSOP.com POY award winner, ran A-9 suited into the pocket hacks of Schultz to hit the rail in eighth place ($38,874). Shultz scored another knockout with pocket jacks, this time besting the A-7 of Tony Dam (7th – $50,180). He continued hi surge by winning a preflop race, with A-Q outrunning the pocket nines of Robert Hofer (6th – $65,326).

Nicholas Palma got the last of his stack in with top two pair on a Q-J-5 board. He was up against the A-K of Eum. A ten on the turn gave Eum an ace-high straight, leaving Palma in need of a queen or jack on the river. No help came and Palma settled for $85,761 for his fifth-place showing.

Schultz picked up another big pocket pair in acrucuial spot. His KK held up against the A8 of Henry Rubin after the chips went in on a 10833 board. The 5 on the end sent Rubin to the rail with $113,532.

Angela Jordison’s run in this event came to an end when her KJ clashed with the A7 of Eum. Jordison took the lead on a J98 flop, and remained ahead after the Q hit the turn. The A on the river gave Eum a winning pair of aces, though, and Jordison was eliminated in third place. The $151,544 she earned was the largest score of her career. She now has more than $500,000 in lifetime cashes.

With that Eum took the lead into heads-up play with Schultz. The tables were soon turned, though. Schultz held roughly a 4:1 lead when the final hand was dealt. He limped in from the button for 600,000 total with AQ and Eum shoved for around 10 million with J2. Schultz called and the board ran out Q7357 to lock up the pot and the title for Schultz. Eum was awarded $203,949 as the runner-up.

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

Winner photo credit: WSOP / Rachel Kay Miller.

You can follow the 2022 World Series of Poker on Card Player’s series landing page, sponsored by Global Poker, the fastest growing online poker room in the world. Check out the series schedule, as well as event recaps, news, and player interviews.

Related Articles

PGT Last Chance Series Schedule Revealed

Rabichow Takes Down WPT Playground $10k High Roller

WSOP Journeyman Secures Bracelet After 253 Cashes

Most Viewed Articles