Event #7: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw

Ryan D'Angelo, from Binghamton, NY has won the $1,500 buy-in Deuce-to-Seven Draw Lowball (No-Limit) tournament at the 2016 World Series of Poker.

This highly-specialized poker variant, rarely played anywhere outside of very high-limit mixed cash game circles and the WSOP each year since 1973, was held over three days and nights at the Rio in Las Vegas.  The final table was completed in a rocket-fast time of slightly more than three hours, and took place on the ESPN Main Stage.

D'Angelo demolished his opponents as the finale whittled down and gradually became short-handed.  He ended up collecting the top cash prize which amounted to $92,338.  Although this tourney figures to be the lowest first-place prize of any of the WSOP’s 69 open gold bracelet events held this year, the extra prestige of winning the coveted gold bracelet and playing against many of the most experienced and accomplished players in the game gave extra special meaning to D'Angelo's victory.

“I feel like it all came together here in this tournament,” D’Angelo said afterward.  “I felt really centered throughout this tournament.  The cards came my way.  It was like the perfect tournament, in a way.  I was never at serious risk.  I was able to pick up pots here and there.  It’s such a fun game.”

This marked the upstate New Yorker’s first gold bracelet win in a decade-long poker career.  He’d previously cashed 19 times at the series, posting $658,000 in winnings.  He finished as high as third place once, back in 2008.  However, D’Angelo has also amassed many big wins and lucrative cashes in other tournaments and online.

D'Angelo's triumph came at a tough final table which included multiple gold bracelet winners who rounded out the top five finishers – including “Captain” Tom Franklin, John Monnette, Dan Kelly, and Konstantin Maslak.  D’Angelo was quite complimentary towards everyone at the table afterward, particularly Monnette, who was aiming for what would have been a third gold bracelet victory.  He also praised Dan Kelly.

“John was on my left most of the last two days,” D’Angelo said.  “He’s obviously a terrific high-stakes player.  He was definitely my toughest opponent. Yeah, there were surely some good players.  Dan Kelly – he’s another tough one.  It was tough to see him at the final table.  He has a great track record and he’s good at all the games, so it was good to see him go out earlier (at the final table).  I’d say those two players were the toughest, probably.”

This tourney attracted 279 entrants, which created a prize pool totaling $376,650.  The top 43 finishers collected prize money.

That’s the great thing about the World Series,” D’Angelo said.  “You come out here and get to play games that aren’t dealt anywhere else.”

D’Angelo added that he’s a big believer in health and nutrition, which he says helps him play better poker.  He’s also committed to charitable causes and helping people, even those he doesn’t know personally.  In recent years, D’Angelo has been heavily involved in a charity in South Africa called the Food Gardens Foundation. 

“What we do is provide seeds and knowledge on how to grow food.  So these people in townships who have nothing but their little shacks and a piece of land can have an opportunity to start growing food and provide for their families and maybe even selling it at the market,” D’Angelo said.  “It’s a great way to help people to turn their life around.  I’m really passionate about that.”

Aside from the winner, here’s a brief report of the other top finishers who made the final table:

Second Place:  John Monnette, Palmdale, CA looked to be a serious threat to win his third gold bracelet.  However, he was never able to overcome D’Angelo’s chip lead and relentless aggression.  Hence, the temperamental full-time pro ended up as the second-place finisher, which paid out $57,061.  This marked Monnette’s 43rd time to cash at the series.  He now has $1.6 million in career WSOP earnings.  Monnette has cashed at least once ten years in a row.

Third Place:  “Captain” Tom Franklin, from Gulfport, MS was asked beforehand if he would accept a second-place payout, but no gold bracelet if, hypothetically, it were offered.  “Hell no!” the Captain shouted.  Unfortunately, Franklin’s quest for a second career gold bracelet fell two short of the goal.  His previous WSOP victory came back in 1999.  Still, Franklin has managed to be a force at the series since then, posting what was his 42nd in-the-money finish.  Franklin’s share of the prize pool amounted to $38,582.

Fourth Place:  Dan Kelly, from Potomac, MD was one of two players hoping to win a third gold bracelet.  He broke onto the poker scene at age 21 six years ago with his first WSOP victory.  In just six years, Kelly has racked up 36 WSOP cashes and collected more than $2.5 million.  He added another $26,632 to that total with this fine effort, which fell short.

Fifth Place:  Konstantin Maslak, from Volgograd, Russia ended up as the fifth-place finisher.  He received $18,775.  The former chess grandmaster-turned poker pro won a gold bracelet at last year’s series and now has 12 cashes.

Sixth Place:  Todd Barlow, from Scottsdale, AZ pocked up $13,524 for his sixth place finish.  This was the insurance broker’s third final table appearance and 14th time to cash in a WSOP event.  His best showing was third place in the $10K Razz championship two years ago.

Seventh Place:  Alex Dovzhenko, from Kiev, Ukraine finished seventh.  He added $9,959 to his poker bankroll.  This marked his 29th time to cash at the WSOP, with four final table appearances.  His best previous finish was third place last year in a mixed game event.

John Monnette goes all in for 56,000 and is called by Ryan D'Angelo. Monnette, draws one, D'Angelo draws two. Monnette shows      , for a nine. Monnette shows       for a ten, and Monnette doubles up.

The very next hand, Ryan D'Angelo goes all in, and John Monnette calls for his last 96,000. Both players draw one, and the hands are revealed.
Monnette:      
D'Angelo:      
Monnette's jack low is enough to give him a second consecutive double-up.

Ryan D'Angelo - 1,900,000 (118 bb)
John Monnette - 200,000 (12 bb)

'Captain' Tom Franklin Eliminated in Third Place

John Monnette folds the button. Tom Franklin raises to 40,000 from the small blind and Ryan D'Angelo moves all in from the big blind. Franklin thinks about it for about thirty seconds, counting his remaining chips over and over, before calling.

Franklin draws one and D'Angelo stands pat.

Franklin:     
D'Angelo:      

D'Angelo has a made ten-nine but Franklin has a lot of outs. Unfortunately for Franklin, he pulls   to send him out of the tournament in third place and leaving Ryan D'Angelo facing John Monnette heads up for the bracelet.

Ryan D'Angelo - 1,770,000 (111 bb)
Tom Franklin - Eliminated in 3rd Place for $38,582

Ryan D'Angelo raises to 36,000 from the button, and John Monnette goes all in from the small blind for 129,000. D'Angelo calls to put Monnette at risk.

Monnette draws one, and D'Angelo draws two. Monnette shows       for a seven low. D'Angelo rolls over       for an inferior pair of threes, and Monnette doubles up.

Ryan D'Angelo - 1,400,000
John Monnette - 300,000

John Monnette has raised all in before the draw in four of the last six hands. No one has called in that stretch, and he's adding a lot of chips to his short stack in blinds and antes.

John Monnette - 291,000

Tom Franklin raises to 30,000 from the button, and John Monnette goes all in from from the big blind. Franklin calls for his last 305,000.

Franklin stands pat, and Monnette draws one.

Both hands are tabled soon after.

Franklin      
Monnette      

Franklin's strong seven low is good enough to score him a double-up and put him right back in contention.

Tom Franklin - 630,000 (52 bb)
John Monnette - 550,000 (35 bb)

 
Konstantin Maslak Eliminated in Fifth Place

John Monnette raises to 29,000 from the button, and Konstantin Maslak goes all i for 102,000 total. Monnette calls to put Maslak at risk.

Monnette stands pat, and Maslak draws one. Both players show their cards.

Monnette:       (jack low)
Maslak      (drawing to a nine low)

Maslak pulls an  , and he is eliminated in 5fifth place.

John Monnette - 710,000 (59 bb)
Konstantin Maslak - Eliminated in 5th place for $18,775

Alex Dovzhenko Eliminated in Seventh Place

Ryan D'Angelo raises to 27,000 from early position. Alex Dovzhenko goes all in for 77,000 from the button, and D'Angelo calls to put him at risk.

Dovzhenko stands pat, and D'Angelo draws one. Dovzhenko shows jx,6x,5x,3x,2x] for a jack low.

D'Angelo shows       for a better ten low, and Dovzhenko is eliminated.

Ryan D'Angelo - 660,000 (55 bb)
Alex Dovzhenko - Eliminated in 7th Place for $9,959

Ryan D'Angelo

Over the last ten hands, Ryan D'Angelo has been active, winning most pots uncontested or with a bet after the draw. He's jumped to 675,000 in chips, approximately a third of all chips in play.

John Monnette is the only player really close, with 500,000. Todd Barlow, Alez Dovzhenko and Konstantin Maslak are in the danger zone, with around 100,000 to 150,000 (10-15 bb) each.