Event #3: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better

The biggest field in Limit Omaha Hi-Low history finished early this morning with victory for the overnight chip leader Francesco Barbaro, defeating a field of 925 players to claim his first ever WSOP bracelet.

Barbaro began today as the chip leader just ahead of Matthew Waxman and although he was to relinquish the chip lead to Waxman as they reached the final table, Barbero regained the momentum at a crucial point with around five left and completely dominated once we got four handed.

The day began extremely quickly as we lost 11 players inside the first hour including Team PokerStars Pro Lex Veldhuis and double Omaha bracelet winner Scott Clements. Jimmy Fricke was another casualty, suffering a very swingy day while Day 1 chip leader Guillaume Rivet just failed to make the final table. As the event reached the final table, it was Barbaro, Waxman and Kostas Kalathakis who emerged as the three big stacks while the other players' chips began to dwindle and indeed they were the last three left standing.

After winning these two crucial hands, it always looked likely that Barbero would be the first person to take down a non Hold'em event. Those hands put him over the 3 million mark and knocked Kostas Kalathakis and Waxman down to about 500,000 each and from then on it seemed academic that Barbaro would claim the bracelet.

With Waxman finished off when Barbaro flopped a straight, it was left to Kalathakis to try and stop the bulldozer-like momentum of the chip leader. Although the short stack doubled up, it wasn't too last long and after only five minutes of heads up play, it was all over and bracelet was Barbaro's.

Congratualtions to him and all the winners in this event. Remember to rejoin us tomorrow for a whole new set of events as well as more Day 2's and final tables as the WSOP continues!

Francesco Barbaro opened to 100,000 on the button and Matt Waxman made it 150,000 in the big blind. Call.

The flop came down     and Waxman bet 50,000 before Barbaro raised, Waxman made the call. The   turn saw Waxman check-call a bet of 100,000 to see the   river.

Waxman checked once more and Barbaro put out 100,000 to cover Waxman's remaining chips.

"One in a bazillion?" sighed Waxman. Finally he called only for Barbaro to turn over      for the nut straight. Waxman's hand of      went into the muck and Barbaro goes into heads up with a huge chip lead.

Kostas Kalathakis raised preflop with Francesco Barbaro calling in the big blind to see a     flop. Barbaro called a 50,000 chip bet on the flop, but folded to a 100,000 bet on the   turn.

Next round saw Kalathakis raise again and Barbaro again defended to see an     flop where Barbaro check-called a 50,000 bet. This time both players checked the   turn and Barbaro bet 100,000 on the river with Kalathakis quickly folding.

The stacks are fairly deep here.

Matthew Waxman raised on the button and Francesco Barbaro called from the small blind.
Barbaro check called Waxman's bet on the     flop. The action was the same on the   turn. When the   hit the river, Barbaro led out this time and got raised by Waxman. He elected to just call and the players showed their cards. It was      for Waxman who had a flush and the second nut-low. But Barbaro earned half the pot with his      for the nut low. The two players also chopped the next pot for good measure.

Michael Devornica raised to 80,000 UTG with just 10,000 behind. Matt Waxman called in the small blind but surprisingly (at least to Waxman) Francesco Barbero folded.

The flop was     and the remaining 10,000 went in but neither had much.

Waxman:      for a gutshot and the nut low draw.
Deveronica:      for a solitary pair of nines that were currently ahead.

The   on the turn changed nothing but the   on the river made Waxman a pair of queens with a jack kicker just beating Deveronica's ten-kicker.

"Yes, finally," said Waxman.

We have four remaining.

Matthew Waxman raised from the small blind and Francesco 'Cheech' Barbaro responded with a three bet from the big. Waxman just called and the players saw a     which Waxman checked. Barbaro fired a bet and Waxman just called as the   pelled off on the turn. The action was the same on both the   and   turn and river. Barbaro turned over      for the wheel to storm into the chip lead.

Bradley Helm raised it up on the button and Matthew Waxman called in the small blind. The flop came     and Waxman's bet was called. On the   turn, the action erupted as the betting got capped. Bradley Helm ended up all in on the   river and the players turned up their cards. Waxman showed      for Broadway and the nuts. However Helm also held Broadway with      and the massive pot was chopped.

Michael Deveronica has more lives than a cat. All in on the turn of a      board with     , he was in hot water against Matt Waxman's      and needed either a three to chop or a ten to win the pot.

"Oh well, good luck guys..." said Deveronica but then the   came on the river to scoop the pot and he's unbelievably still in this.