Lok Chan Wins Big Bet Mix Event At 2022 World Series of Poker

Lok Chan made his first trip to Las Vegas for this year’s World Series of Poker. The 22-year-old from Hong Kong didn’t have to wait long to secure his first WSOP gold bracelet. Just 11 days after making his first cash ever at the series, Chan came away with the gold in the 2022 WSOP $2,500 buy-in mixed big bet event.

“I’m not winning that much in Hold’em these days, so I play mixed games online a lot. It’s my first time I’ve ever played live," said Chan after coming out on top.

Chan outlasted a field of 281 entries to capture the title and the top prize of $144,338. The tournament featured seven ‘big bet’ games: no-limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha, no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw lowball, pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better, no-limit five card draw high, Big O, and pot-limit deuce-to-seven triple draw lowball. This was the fifth running of this event at the series.

After three days of battling it out in those games, Chan was awarded 684 Card Player Player of the Year points as the last player standing. This was his second POY-qualified score of the year, having finished seventh in a $700 no-limit hold ’em event at the
Venetian DeepStack Championship series for $10,505 and 105 points. With these two scores, he now sits just outside the top350 in the 2022 POY race, which is sponsored by Global Poker.

The third and final day of this event began with 17 players remaining, with big names like Dario Sammartino (40th – $4,000), Mike Watson (37th – $4,000), four-time bracelet winner Josh Arieh (32nd – $4,375), three-time bracelet winner Frank Kassala (28th – $5,000), four-time bracelet winner Benny Glaser (27th – $5,000), recent bracelet winner Daniel Weinman (25th – $5,000), Brian Rast (24th – $5,000), and bracelet winner Naoya Kihara (19th – $6,126) all having hit the rail during day 2 action.

Drew Scott came into day 3 with the lead, while Chan sat in fourth chip position. More notables were sent packing during playdown to the final table, including Andrew Robl (17th – $7,657), two-time bracelet winner Keith Lehr (13th – $7,657), bracelet winner Scott Bohlman (12th – $7,657), bracelet winner Richard Ashby (11th – $9,758), bracelet winner Renan Bruschi (10th – $9,758), and Patrick Leonard (9th – $12,675).

Chan had worked his way into the lead by the time the official final table of seven was set. Two-time bracelet winner Rami Boukai scored the first knockout at the final table, making a queen low in no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw to eliminate Aaron Kupin (7th – $16,777).

Bracelet winner and 2011 pokerStars Caribbean Adventure main event winner Galen Hall was the next to fall. He got all-in preflop in PLO8 with A-K-10-2 with a suited king and was called in two spots. Scott eventually bet Christopher Smith out and revealed that he had slopped the wheel. Hall had made two pair and had outs to a higher straight with one card coming, but failed to improve any further and was eliminated in sixth place ($22,617).

Chan’s first knockout at the final table came in pot-limit triple draw deuce-to-seven lowball. Chan was dealt a pat 9-6-5-4-2. Smith held an 8-5-4-2 heading into the last draw, but picked up an ace to finish fifth ($31,045).

Michael Trivett’s run in this event came to an end in a round of PLO8. Trivett got all-in with A-Q-Q-6 double suited facing the A-A_9-2 double suited of Scott, which made the nut low and aces up to scoop the pot. Trivett earned $43,378 as the fourth-place finisher.

Boukai’s quest for a third bracelet fell just a few spots short this time around. He got the last of his stack in playing no-limit five card draw high. His K-Q-J-10 was in need of a nine or an ace to beat the 3-3-2-2 of Scott. Boukai bricked his draw to secure $61,675 for his third-place showing.

Even with that knockout, Scott was still well behind Chan when heads-up play began. The tournament concluded in a round of no-limit hold’em. Chan raised o the button and then four-bet shoved over the top of Scott’s three-bet. Scott quickly called with KK. Chan rolled over A10 and the flop came down 654. Chan added some out when the 10 hit the turn. One of those additional outs came in on the end: the 10, which gave him trips to lock up the pot and the title. Scott was awarded $89,206 as the runner-up finsiher.

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

Winner photo credit: WSOP / Spenser Sembrat.

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

Mike Gorodinsky Captures Fourth WSOP Bracelet

2024 WPT World Championship Draws 2,932 Entries

McGlothlin Wins MSPT Winter Poker Classic

Most Viewed Articles