$1,000 Double Stack No-Limit Hold'em (Event #22)

Jorden Fox captured his maiden bracelet and conquered a 3,253-player strong field in Event #22: $1,000 Double Stack No-Limit Hold'em. The soon-to-be father received $420,693 for his accomplishment, overcoming a final table that included the likes of bracelet winner Jeffrey Smith and music supervisor Scott Vener.

A loud yell echoed through the Amazon Room as soon as the final cards were dealt in his favor. Fox celebrated with both fists pumped sky-high and quickly got swamped by his family. One of the onlookers was Fox's eight-month pregnant partner, who was able to experience her man's crowning achievement through the phone screen held by Fox's dad.

"It's the most amazing thing," a bewildered Fox said to the assorted media shortly afterward. "I'm about to have a baby next month and I'm only here to play three tournaments. This is the third one and I just won it. It's unbelievable."

The family man was flanked by a jubilant rail consisting of his dad, brother, and cousin, who are all here to play in the WSOP.

"We all come out here every summer together and make it our family thing. My dad [Yosef Fox] took 100th in the Main Event in 2015, I took 27th last year. Every time we get here we all get together and coach and rally each other. I don't know how I'd do without the rail."

One thing is for sure: with the shiny piece of hardware around his wrist, it's the young Fox who holds the bragging rights within the family now.


"They're gonna hear about it. All year," he laughed.

2019 WSOP Event #22: $1,000 Double Stack NLH Results

Fox is no stranger to running deep at the WSOP. Last year, he found himself on the brink to poker immortality making it all the way to the final hand of Day 6 of the Main Event before bowing out in 27th place ($282,630). This time, he was able to close it out and has a WSOP gold bracelet to account for it.

"I thought that was the best run ever," Fox said about his 27th place finish in the Main. The 32-year old from Long Beach, California took some time off after a career-altering run to reflect on the experience and learn from it. In fact, this is Fox's first cash since the 2018 WSOP Main Event, and he eclipsed last year's accomplishment with an even bigger six-figure score. The slow-paced nature of the Main Event and octane-fueled blind increases in the event couldn't be more different in nature.

"It's totally the opposite of the Main Event where you can sit and be really patient," Fox compared the turbo-ish nature of the Double Stack No-Limit Hold'em to the Big One. "For this one, you gotta be running good pretty much the whole time and weathering the bad beats. But the structure with more chips starting out, and the faster blinds, all seemed to work out for me this time."

Runner-up to Fox was Jay Gangaiah, who received $259,834 for finishing in second place. Short stacked, Gangaiah laddered himself quite nicely after Fox clashed multiple times with 2014 bracelet winner Jeffrey Smith. Pivotal towards Fox's eventual victory was a monster cooler during three-handed play where Fox held ace-queen against aces.

"I played a lot with Jeff and he was really good. Probably the best player in the rest of the field. We got into a raising war there and he woke up with aces. I flopped a queen and knew I had a little bit of life there. And then the queen on the turn was just the magic. I knew after that queen, I had to win the tournament. That was the second time I got lucky in the tournament. Other than that, it was just a great run."

Shortly after the miraculous escape, Fox eliminated his adversary after both found big hands again and got involved in another raising war. It was Fox's ace-king suited catching an ace to break Smith's pocket queens, eliminate him in third place, and end his shot at a second bracelet. While fortune was on Fox's side, the champion had nothing but kind words to say about Smith afterward.

"It was bittersweet to see Jeff go out in third. I thought he was a really strong player. He made a move on me yesterday and I gave him a lot of respect for it," Fox complimented.

With his strongest opponent gone, Fox commenced the heads-up with Gangaiah sporting a nearly 10:1 lead. However, Gangaiah found some life after doubling up twice, bolstering his and his rail's spirit. Ultimately, the comeback would be shortlived, as Fox was able to turn it around in thirty minutes. After wearing Gangaiah down to below fifteen bigs, he won the third all-in with ace-four versus deuces for the crowning moment of his poker career.

With the unexpected windfall of more than $400K, the soon-to-be father suddenly has a lot of cash to splurge around.

"I'm gonna buy a lot of baby diapers," he chuckled. "Probably a present for my wife, [other than that] keep living nice and playing poker. I've been playing for twelve years, and to win a bracelet at 32 is an absolute dream come true."

The crowning moment of his career? "Absolutely, without a doubt. It's the best achievement in poker."

Hand #91: Jayachandra Gangaiah limped in and Jorden Fox checked. The     got checked by both players. On the   turn, Fox bet 2,500,000 and Gangaiah called. Fox bet another 2,500,000 on the   river and Gangaiah called again, but couldn't defeat the   .

Hand #92: Fox made it 3,500,000 to go and Gangaiah folded.

Hand #93: A walk for Fox.

Hand #94: A walk for Gangaiah.

Hand #95: A walk for Fox.

Hand #96: A walk for Gangaiah.

Hand #97: A walk for Fox.

Hand #98: Fox limped and Gangaiah checked. The     flop got checked by both. The   turn brought a check from Gangaiah. Fox bet 3,000,000, Gangaiah check-raised all in for 11,300,000, and Fox folded.

Hand #99: Gangaiah shoved and Fox folded.

Hand #100: A walk for Gangaiah.

Hand #101: Gangaiah limped and Fox checked. Both players checked the     flop. Gangaiah shoved the   turn and Fox snap-folded.

Jorden Fox	110,120,000	13,120,000
Jayachandra Gangaiah	20,000,000	-13,120,000

Hand #73: Jeffrey Smith shoved all in on the button for 21,600,000 and Jayachandra Gangaiah called from the big blind.

Jeffrey Smith:   
Jayachandra Gangaiah:   

The dealer spread out       to improve Smith to a straight on the river to double back into it.

Hand #74: Jorden Fox made it 3,000,000 on the button and Smith defended the big blind. On the     flop, Smith checked, Fox bet 4,200,000, Smith check-raised to 8,500,000, and Fox called.

The turn brought the   and Smith checked. Fox cut out a bet of 10,000,000 and slid it forward. Smith gave him an intense staredown before laying it down.

Hand #75: Fox got a walk.

Hand #76: Smith made it 2,700,000 on the button and a family pot was played. It got checked down all the way on      . Fox showed   , Smith    and they chopped it.

Hand #77: Smith got a walk.

Hand #78: Gangaiah shoved the button and received no callers.

Hand #79: Fox shoved in the small blind and won the hand.

Hand #68: Jorden Fox raised on the button to 2,800,000. Jeffrey Smith three-bet out of the big blind to 8,000,000. Fox waited a moment before moving all in and was snap called by Smith.

It was bad news for Fox as he was thoroughly dominated.

Fox:   
Smith:   

The flop provided slight hope as it came the    . The turn completely changed matters as the   clinked down to shouts of "Yes!" from Fox and his rail. The   on the river confirmed the huge double up for Fox and turned the chip count balance completely around.

Jorden Fox	64,600,000	30,300,000
Jeffrey Smith	17,000,000	-34,300,000

Hand #63: Jeffrey Smith limped and Jorden Fox checked. Smith bet 2,500,000 on the     flop and won it.

Hand #64: Fox raised to 2,800,000 in the small blind and won.

Hand #65: Gangaiah made it 2,500,000 in the small blind and won.

Hand #66: Fox got a walk.

Hand #57: Simon Legat raised to 3,300,000 in the small blind and Jayachandra Gangaiah called the big blind. Legat shoved a little over 10,000,000 on the     flop and Gangaiah folded.

The blinds moved up to 600,000/1,200,000

Hand #58: Jorden Fox took it with an under-the-gun raise.

Hand #59: Legat made it 3,000,000 in the small blind and Jeffrey Smith folded.

Hand #60: Fox raised to 2,800,000 in the small blind and Legat folded the big.

Hand #61: Gangaiah got a walk.

Hand #55: Simon Legat moved all in from the big blind after being raised by Jorden Fox from the small blind and Fox called the all in.

Legat   
Fox   

The board stayed safe for Legat as it came the       and Legat doubled up.

Hand #56: Legat moved all in from the small blind and the big blind folded.

Jorden Fox	29,000,000	-7,100,000
Simon Legat	15,000,000	7,300,000

Hand #50: Raise and take it from Jeffrey Smith.

Hand #51: Smith raised to 2,200,000 from the button and folded everyone out.

Hand #52: Smith raised to 2,200,000 from the cutoff, which won the hand.

Hand #53: Jorden Fox raised to 2,500,000 from the cutoff which folded the table out.

Hand #47: Jayachandra Gangaiah raised to 2,000,000 from under the gun and Jorden Fox called on the button. Ryan Teves three-bet shoved 7,600,000 from the big blind, Gangaiah shoved as well and Fox folded.

"I folded queen-jack," Fox announced.

Ryan Teves:   
Jayachandra Gangaiah:   

The flop came down     to keep Gangaiah in the lead.

"There's my queen-jack," Fox laughed.

The turn was the  , giving Gangaiah a set but Teves a flush draw.

"Come on baby, heart one time," Teves begged.

The prayers were left unanswered as the   rolled off on the river, ending his deep run in fifth place.

Jayachandra Gangaiah	28,000,000	6,000,000
Ryan Teves	0	-7,500,000