$600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack (Event #9)

After almost six hours of play on Day 3, Jeremy Pekarek is victorious in Event #9: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack for $398,281 and his first gold World Series of Poker Bracelet.

Of the 6,151 entries in this event, just 582 players made it to Day 2, after which point the tournament staff decided to extend the event by one more day. A total of 923 players eventually made the money on Day 1, all snagging a piece of the $3,229,275 prize pool.

The Sycamore, Illinois native topped a field of a staggering 6,151 entries to earn his biggest career cash and fourth tournament win. Pekarek defeated Dan Kuntzman heads up in just two hands, followed by a wave of emotion after seven years of chasing his dream of winning a bracelet. "It's been an up-and-down journey. This was always the goal. Whenever I started playing poker I was like, I wanna win a bracelet and here I am," Pekarek told PokerNews.

Pekarek almost tripled his career earnings, with his biggest cash being over $44,000 before this win. "I just feel like this is a culmination of the past five years of just me learning more about myself. Self-awareness is everything in this game," he explained. "There was a lot of lessons I had to learn when I came out here. And I wasn't really ready for it. I learned a lot of hard lessons and I felt like I was ready."

In talking about his strategy coming in to the final table, Pekarek talked about being able to handle beats and persevere. "Just being relentless and hanging in there and fighting is key to these things. I mean Day 2 I was probably on ten big blinds for six hours or so. I really fought to make it here. I really am just kind of speechless," said an emotional Pekarek.

The newly-crowned champion was planning on playing a full schedule this summer, but things might change with this big win under his belt. "I feel like this was the first year I was actually prepared to play multiple events. I'm just gonna enjoy this, go home, celebrate, regroup."

Final Table Action

Day 3 began with nine players on the official final table with blinds at 400,000/800,000 with a big blind ante of 800,000. The average chip stack at the final table was 28 big blinds, meaning stacks were quite shallow.

It took two hours until David Elet got his remaining stack in the middle with ace-ten, well behind Juan Magana's pocket kings. Unfortunately for him he was unable to pick up even a sweat, and was eliminated in 9th place for $35,183. Remarkably, he was down to just 15,000 in chips late on Day 2 and spun his stack up, putting himself in the top three to start the day.

The chip lead changed several times throughout the final table, with almost everyone leading at some point. Benjamin Underwood took over the lead quickly in the day, with Noomis Jones hot on his heels, eventually taking the lead himself. Start-of-day chip leader Paul Jain also took an unexpected turn, and found himself at the bottom of the counts after about three hours of play.

John Skrovan was short and doubled, but then got his stack in the middle with ace-jack, up against Tan Nguyen's king-queen. The board ran out clean until a king hit the river, sending him home in 8th place for $45,418.

Soon after, Jain was still the short stack and jammed his final five big blinds in the middle with six-deuce suited, but was dominated by Magana's ace-six in the big blind. The flop came ace-high and Jain was eliminated in 7th place, pocketing $59,075 for his deep run.

After a slow start to the day, bust-outs were fast and furious. Nguyen put his final chips in the middle with ace-ten, in good shape against Kuntzman's queen-jack. Unfortunately for him, the flop came jack-high and he was unable to improve. Nguyen fought hard, eventually falling in 6th place for $77,418.

Jones was next to go in 5th place shortly after, flipping with jacks against Kuntzman's ace-queen. The dealer put out a queen-high flop and Jones couldn't recover, sending him to the cage to collect $102,216.

Almost immediately after, Underwood defended his big blind against a raise from Pekarek. The flop came nine-six-six and Underwood jammed all in, getting a quick call from Pekarek. Underwood revealed seven-five for a gut-shot, in rough shape against Pekarek's ace-nine for two pair. The board ran out dry for Underwood, sending him home in 4th place for $135,959.

Three-handed play lasted for a while, starting with a huge double for Magana. He called a four-bet from Pekarek for his tournament life and tabled ace-king, well ahead of ace-queen of clubs. The sweat was real when the flop brought two clubs, but the turn and river were bricks. Magana's rail went wild as he took a commanding lead over Pekarek and Kuntzman.

Kuntzman then doubled through Pekarek, and then Pekarek doubled through Magana in a whirlwind of action three-handed. Pekarek started to chip away again, until he was eventually in the lead once again. Eventually Magana put his stack in the middle as a huge favorite with ace-ten, up against Pekarek's ten-six suited. Unfortunately for him the flop paired Pekare's six and Magana was eliminated in 3rd place for $182,173.

Heads-up play between Pekarek and Kuntzman lasted just two hands. Pekarek took the first pot on the turn, and in the second and final hand, got it in with ace-king against pocket threes. Pekarek paired his ace on the turn and the rest was history.

Final Table Results

Hand #109: Dan Kuntzman raised to 7.5 million from the button and Jeremy Pekarek called from the big blind. The flop came     and both players checked to see the   on the turn. Pekarek bet 10 million and Kuntzman tank-folded.

Hand #108: Jeremy Pekarek raised to 7 million from the button and Magana shoved for 24 million from the small blind. Pekarek asked for a count and decided to call.

Magana:   
Pekarek:   

Magana was at risk, well ahead of Pekarek. The dealer fanned a flop of     and Pekarek took the lead, pairing his six. The turn was the   to give Magana a straight draw now. The river was the   and Magana was eliminated in 3rd place.

Both remaining players are guaranteed a payout of $245,881, playing for $398,281 and a coveted gold World Series of Poker bracelet for the winner.

Jeremy Pekarek	139,500,000	28,500,000
Dan Kuntzman	44,500,000	1,500,000
Juan Magana	0	-30,000,000

Hand #95: Juan Magana received a walk.

Hand #96: Dan Kuntzman received a walk.

Hand #97: Magana raised to 6,000,000 from the button and he picked up the blinds and ante.

Hand #98: Kuntzman raised to 6,000,000 and Jeremy Pekarek folded in the small blind. Big blind Magana thought about it for a bit before he three-bet to 15,000,000.

Kuntzman folded and the pot was awarded to Magana.

Hand #99: Pekarek raised to 6,000,000 and both players folded.

Jeremy Pekarek	70,500,000	-1,000,000
Juan Magana	66,000,000	12,000,000
Dan Kuntzman	47,500,000	-11,000,000

Hand #85: Juan Magana received a walk in the big blind.

Hand #86: Magana raised to 7,500,000 from the small blind and Dan Kuntzman folded his big blind.

Hand #87: Magana raised to 6,000,000 and Jeremy Pekarek raised all in for 34,000,000. Magana called.

Jeremy Pekarek:   
Juan Magana:   

The board ran out       and Pekarek doubled up through Magana. Both players had three-of-a-kind but Pekarek had the better kicker.

Hand #88: Magana received a walk in the big blind.

Hand #89: Magana raised to 6,000,000 from the small blind and Kuntzman, called in the big blind.

The flop fell     and Magana c-bet 4,500,000 and Kuntzman folded.

Juan Magana	84,500,000	-18,500,000
Jeremy Pekarek	70,500,000	33,000,000
Dan Kuntzman	29,000,000	-14,500,000

Hand #77 Jeremy Pekarek raised to 4.5 million from under the gun and Benjamin Underwood called from the big blind. The flop came     and Underwood shoved for 17 million. Pekarek called.

Underwood tabled    for a gut-shot straight draw, up against Pekarek's    for two pair. The turn was the   and the river was the   to send Underwood to the rail in 4th place.

The final three players are guaranteed a payout of $182,173.

Dan Kuntzman	81,500,000	-5,000,000
Jeremy Pekarek	71,500,000	24,500,000
Juan Magana	31,000,000	4,000,000
Benjamin Underwood	0	-23,500,000

Hand #74: Dan Kuntzman raised to 4,500,000 and small blind Noomis Jones raised all in for 27,500,000. Kuntzman called to put him at risk of elimination.

Kuntzman had raise-called with    and Jones jammed with   .

The flop was dealt     and Kuntzman shot to the lead in the hand. Jones was left drawing to a third jack but he couldn't get there on the   turn and   river.

Kuntzman is now chip leader with 86,500,000 while Jones was sent to the payout desk to collect his $102,216.

Dan Kuntzman	86,500,000	31,000,000
Jeremy Pekarek	47,000,000	0
Juan Magana	27,000,000	-4,000,000
Benjamin Underwood	23,500,000	0
Noomis Jones	0	-27,000,000

Hand #71: Dan Kuntzman got a walk.

Hand #72: Noomis Jones shoved all in for 26 million from under the gun and Juan Magana asked for a count. He eventually folded and Jones picked up the pot.