$2,500 Mixed Big Bet (Event #43)

Bill Boyd and Doyle Brunson had been the only players in World Series of Poker (WSOP) history who had won bracelets in four consecutive years. Loren Klein has now joined the two legends, adding number four to his résumé as he prevailed in the 2019 WSOP Event #43: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet.

Klein came back from the shortest stack at the final table to conquer a 218-entry contest for $127,808 and his fourth bracelet, following previous wins over the past three years.

While Boyd and Brunson accomplished their streaks back in the 1970s, Klein is the first player to make it four-in-a-row in the modern era with large attendances. The 218-entry field in the Mixed Big Bet is, in fact, the smallest player field among his triumphant runs.

That, however, didn't make it any easier for him. Sitting at the bottom of the standings ahead of the final day, Klein knew that the only way to bounce back would lead by risking elimination.

He made his first move only minutes into play, drawing with a one-pair hand against Phil Hui's two pair in no-limit five-card draw. Klein peeled a higher two pair, survived, and took off from there.

Final table Results

While Ryan Hughes held onto a commanding lead, Klein was the other star at the table. He kept grinding his stack up, assuring the remaining players that they couldn't dismiss his bid for the title. After all, he was the only one who had emerged victorious three times, more than any other player at the table.

But it was Hughes pulling the strings before the first break, magnetizing two-thirds of the chips in play with five players left. The first break, however, was a turning point. Even Hughes could suddenly be wounded, and Hui and Klein both bit into his stack.

The three started to profile as the contenders for the bracelet, and the eliminations of Joey Couden and Arthur Morris confirmed that it would be Hughes, Klein, and Hui who'd battle it out.

The chances were fairly even, but a key hand in pot-limit deuce propelled Klein to the chip lead. Hui was again on the unlucky side, having his pat nine outdrawn by Klein's one-card draw in a predraw all-in clash.

Hui soon busted to Hughes, paving the way for the heads-up match. Again, the chip-spread was relatively fair, and a reasonably deep-stacked play offered room for a potentially strenuous encounter.

There wouldn't be one, though as Klein showed a decisive dominance and dragged the majority of the pots, quickly seizing a 2-to-1 advantage.

The final strike came in pot-limit Omaha hi-lo, and Klein was as tough an opponent as anyone in the four-card flop game. He made a second-nut flush while Hughes held the nut blocker. Hughes showed multiple times during this tournament—and in many previous ones—that he isn't scared to put his chips into the middle, and he went for it. He raised all in, Klein picked him off, and that was it. Hughes had to settle for second place, just like he did in the same tournament in 2018.

This year's WSOP is virtually at its halfway point, so there are still dozens of bracelets up for grabs. While Klein has already met his yearly quota, he would undoubtedly prefer to snag his fifth by the end of the summer. Keep following the PokerNews live coverage to find out whether he'll double down or if he'll have to wait until 2020.

No-Limit 2-7 Draw

Ryan Hughes sat on the button and he raised to 55,000. Loren Klein called. Klein drew two and Hughes only drew one.

Klein led out after the draw when he bet 210,000 and that was too much for Hughes.

Klein won the two hands after that as well and Hughes is getting shorter and shorter.

Loren Klein	2,470,000	190,000
Ryan Hughes	800,000	-190,000

Pot-Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Phil Hui lost a big pot against Loren Klein and was left short and he just lost the remaining chips to Ryan Hughes. Hui got his chips in after the first draw.

Hughes stood pat while Hui drew one and they repeated on the third draw. Hughes showed       and Hui tabled      and he was drawing to a perfect eight.

His last card turned out to be the   and Hui was eliminated in third, banking $51,346.

Ryan Hughes	1,848,000	470,000
Phil Hui	0	-470,000

No-Limit 5-Card Draw

The round of no-limit five-card draw didn't see any significant chip swings. The most significant action came on Ryan Hughes' button as Loren Klein three-bet shoved over his raise. Klein repeated that when the button rotated back to Hughes, but Hughes couldn't peel a calling hand on either of the occasions.

Ryan Hughes	1,314,000	-81,000
Phil Hui	1,160,000	-6,000
Loren Klein	790,000	87,000

Players are on a 15-minute break.

Ryan Hughes	1,395,000	-55,000
Phil Hui	1,166,000	6,000
Loren Klein	703,000	-42,000

No-Limit Hold'em

Ryan Hughes raised his button to 32,000 and Loren Klein called in the big blind. Hughes barrelled the       board and Klein paid all three bets, check-calling 30,000 on the flop, then 90,000 on the turn, and finally 250,000 on the river.

Hughes tabled    and Klein didn't have a queen or better, so he sent his cards into the muck.

Ryan Hughes	1,615,000	615,000
Phil Hui	910,000	40,000
Loren Klein	745,000	-505,000

Big O

Phil Hui limped in the small blind, Loren Klein potted for 48,000, and Hui called.

Hui checked the     flop and called when Klein fired 60,000.

The   turn saw Hui check again and Klein potted. Hui raised all in and Klein was ready to go.

Klein:      
Hui:      

Both players had top two but Klein also had a flush draw.

The   river pushed Hui towards the high half of the pot but Klein finished with a low and they chopped it up.

"F**k off," Ryan Hughes laughed.

Loren Klein	1,250,000	150,000
Phil Hui	680,000	-80,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Arthur Morris limped under the gun, Joey Couden overlimped on the button, and Ryan Hughes and Phil Hui joined them to the flop for the minimum price.

The flop fell     and the action was checked to Couden who potted. Hughes folded, Hui raised, getting rid of Morris, and Couden called for his remaining chips.

Couden held      and Hui showed     .

The   landed on the turn and Couden was drawing very thin as he could only hope for a ten to chop. He wouldn't get one as the   hit the felt, and Hui busted him in fifth place.

Phil Hui	760,000	260,000
Joseph Couden	0	-160,000