Event #19: $2,500 Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

Two days ago, 354 players registered for Event #19: $2,500 Limit Hold'em / Six Handed. Today, the final twelve players of that field returned to battle for a World Series of Poker bracelet. It was a back-and-forth day, but in the end it was British-player Darren Woods who emerged victorious to claim the $213,431 first-place prize.

Day 3 saw an eclectic mix of players return for their shot at WSOP glory. Among them was the only bracelet winner left in the field, Matt Matros; online superstar Richard "nutsinho" Lyndaker; and last year's 107th-place Main Event finished, Matthew Schreiber. Unfortunately, those players were among first half of the day's eliminations, and ultimately missed out on the final table.

First Six Eliminations

By the time we reached the final table, six players remained including Kim Nguyen, only the third woman to make a final table here at the 2011 WSOP. She was joined by a very familiar face in Russian pro Alexander Kuzmin, who took down the World Poker Tour Southern Championship in Biloxi, Mississippi back in January for $575,969. Rounding out the final table was Woods, Gabriel Nassif, Andrey Zaichenko, and Samuel Golbuff.

It didn't take long before we had our first final-table elimination when Nassif's    failed to improve against the    of Golbuff as the board ran out      . The Parisian pro finished in sixth place, and received $27,720 for his efforts.

It took a long time before the next elimination, but it was bound to happen as the blinds just got higher and higher. With the blinds at 8,000/15,000, a short-stacked Zaichenko got the remainder of his chips in the middle preflop with    against Woods'   . The board ran      , and Zaichenko was eliminated from the tournament in fifth place, taking home $39,317.

The next player to go was Kuzmin in fourth place ($57,236), whose stack slowly dwindled and was eventually gobbled up by both Woods and Nguyen, who ended up chopping Kuzmin's final hand. Following the Russian out the door was Golbuff, who also grew shortstacked. He was eliminated in third place for $85,616, leaving Nguyen (1.5 million) to do battle against Woods (1.15 million) in heads-up play.

The Amazon Room was abuzz with excitement as the possibility of a woman taking down a WSOP Event was essentially a 50/50 proposition. Not since Vanessa Selbst took down the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament at the 2008 WSOP has a woman won an open event. Ironically, that event was number #19, the same event number assigned to this Event #19 $2,500 Limit Hold'em/Six-Handed.

Woods started the heads-up match with a bang, seizing momentum early and vaulting into the chip lead. From there, he never looked back as he patiently picked his spots and collected pot after pot. After about an hour and a half of heads-up play, the final hand developed when Nguyen raised on the button, Woods re-raised, Nguyen got the rest of her short stack in the middle, and Woods made the call.

Nguyen:   
Woods:   

Nguyen was in great shape to double, and the     flop kept her in the lead. The   on the turn was clean, and all signs pointed towards a double-up until the   spiked on the river. Just like that, Nguyen was eliminated as the runner up, an accomplishment worth $131,900.

$2,500 Limit Hold'em / Six Handed Final Table Results

Congratulations to Darren Woods on becoming the latest WSOP Champion and third Brit to win a bracelet in 2011. That does it for our coverage from Event #19: $2,500 Limit Hold'em / Six Handed, but there are plenty of events to follow. Be sure to stay tuned to our Live Reporting section for all the updates, live, from the 2011 World Series of Poker.

Darren Woods raised on the button and Kim Nguyen called from the big blind. Nguyen then check-called a bet on the     flop, and both players checked the   turn. When the   hit the river, Nguyen bet, Woods called, and Nguyen mucked after seeing her opponent's   .

Darren Woods	2,430,000	230,000
Kim Nguyen	220,000	-180,000

Kim Nguyen once again raised her button and Darren Woods called from the big bind. Woods then check-called bets on the     flop and   turn. When the   was put out on the river, both players checked and Woods showed    for two pair and the win.

Darren Woods	2,000,000	100,000
Kim Nguyen	600,000	-150,000

Kim Nguyen raised on the button, Darren Woods three-bet from the big blind, Nguyen responded by four-betting, and Woods made the call to see the flop come down    . Woods led out with a bet, Nguyen called, and the dealer burned and turned the  . Again Woods bet, but this time it proved to much for Nguyen and she laid down her hand.

Darren Woods	1,850,000	250,000
Kim Nguyen	800,000	-250,000

After Darren Woods raised on the button, Kim Nguyen called and then check-called a bet on the     flop. The dealer proceeded to burn and turn the  , and again Nguyen check-called a bet. The same action occurred on the   river, and Woods revealed    for a pair of jacks. It was good enough to win the pot.

Darren Woods	1,850,000	400,000
Kim Nguyen	800,000	-400,000

Darren Woods raised on the button and Kim Nguyen came along for the ride. Nguyen then checked the     flop, inspiring Woods to bet. Nguyen woke up with a check-raise, and Woods conceded the hand.

We forgot to mention, prior to the hand Nguyen decided it was time to put on sunglasses. Looks like that may have been a good decision.

Darren Woods	1,650,000	-250,000
Kim Nguyen	1,000,000	250,000

As usual, Kim Nguyen raised from the button and Darren Woods called from the big blind. Woods then check-called a bet on the     flop, leading to the   turn. Woods checked, Nguyen quickly bet, and Woods opted to lay it down.

Darren Woods	1,550,000	50,000
Kim Nguyen	1,100,000	-50,000

Kim Nguyen raised from the button and was called by Darren Woods, leading to a     flop. Woods check-called a bet, as he did on the   turn. Both players then checked the   river. Woods showed   , and Nguyen flashed a   before mucking her hand.

Darren Woods	1,800,000	150,000
Kim Nguyen	850,000	-150,000

The tournament staff is now coloring off the orange T1,000 chips and introducing the dark-green T25,000 chips; as such, the players are on a brief break.

Kim Nguyen raised on the button and Darren Woods made the call. He then check-called a bet on the     flop, which he also did on the   turn. When the   peeled off on the river, both players checked and Woods showed    to take down the pot.

Woods has the momentum here in the early stages of heads-up play. He now has the chip lead with 1.65 million to Nguyen's 1,000,000.