Event #34: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em

It was a back and forth battle for all parties involved here on the final day of Event #34. But the patience and skill of Mark Schmid was able to outlast all the drama, all the suck-outs, coolers and bad beats, but most importantly, all of the players. He entered the final table with over a 2 to 1 chip lead on the second highest stack. He had a clear strategy entering the final table which was to play small-ball poker and executed it in style. He was able to put pressure on his opponents by staying involved and having the ability to have any two cards at any time.

Early on it felt like fireworks were happening every other hand, except no one was busting. All in after all in, players kept sitting back down in their seat after having been on the brink of elimination. If you search back through the major hands that involved Schmid during these crazy hours, you'll find that despite losing many of the critical pots, his chip stack kept increasing. Three handed, Schmid was able to get his    in against the    of Andrew Rudnik for well over half of the chips in play. Despite flopping a Queen, the turn and river gave both players a wheel and the pot was split.

Ever focused, Schmid regrouped and found himself heads up with Justin Cohen facing a nearly 3 to 1 chip deficit. Cohen had been playing tight aggressive all day and found himself on both sides of the swingy final table. Cohen was even one card away from the title before Schmid snatched it away. The two players got it all in on a      board. Cohen held    and just needed to avoid a King, Nine or Six to beat the    of Schmid. But it wasn't to be. Schmid breathed new life with the   river. Later, Cohen was able to get Schmid short again. But another all in with Cohen drawing near dead gave Schmid a lead he refused to relinquish. On a     board, Schmid held    against the    of Cohen and he bricked out. Ironically, it would be these same two hands that would give Schmid his bracelet.

On the final hand, Schmid limped his button and Cohen checked his option. The flop came     and both players checked. The turn was another Seven, the  , and Cohen check-called Schmid's bet of 250,000. The river completed a four-flush with the   and Cohen checked for a third time. Schmid bet 450,000 and Cohen announced he was all in. Schmid told Cohen, "I don't see how I can fold," and made the call. Cohen knew immediately that he was beat, despite having    for trips. Schmid tabled    for a flush and a new WSOP champion was crowned.

For having beaten an incredible field of 3,144 players, Mark "pimpindonks" Schmid will take home $488,283 but most importantly his very first WSOP gold bracelet!

Daniel Negreanu sweated the last $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em final table but we need him here today. After raising his button to 200,000 preflop, Justin Cohen continued for 800,000 on a     flop. Schmid folded and then proceeded to ask Cohen a question.

"Have you ever read Daniel Negreanu's book, Small-Ball Poker?" Schmid joked. While Negreanu does not have a book by that title, Schmid is referring to the school of thought made famous by Negreanu often referred to as "small-ball poker". The general idea behind it is that smaller, more controlled pots give you the opportunity to have a larger effective stack size and allows you to outplay your opponent, therefore you shouldn't overbet a pot but rather keep them small. Cohen didn't respond.

We have definitely seen two different style's of play all day from these worthy opponents. Schmid was easily the most involved player of the day but rarely found himself in a large pot. On the other end of the spectrum, it seemed as if every time Cohen entered the pot, he was there to get his money in and usually had the best of it. Only time will tell which player has been making the better decisions, but tonight we will only see another 20 minutes of it before we stop play and continue tomorrow.

From the button, Mark Schmid raised to 200,000 and Justin Cohen called.

The flop was     and Cohen led out for 500,000. Schmid thought for a bit and slid in the chips. The turn was the   and Cohen announced a bet of 900,000. Once again, Schmid made the call.

The river was the   and Cohen fired a final bet of 1.5 million. Schmid thought for a long time before finally deciding to call. Cohen sat back up when he heard this, leaned over the table and flung down    for two pair. This caused Schmid to flinch in anger and muck his cards.

This pot creates a large shift in momentum as well as the chip lead. Schmid is left with just what he started heads up play with, 2.4 million. Once again, Cohen has a 3 to 1 chip lead with an eye on that bracelet.

Mark Schmid raised to 160,000 and Justin Cohen made the call. On the     flop, Cohen led out for 500,000 and Schmid called. On the   turn, Cohen bet 1,000,000 and after some though, Schmid moved all in for 2,150,000. Cohen snap-called and the players showed their hands.

Cohen:   
Schmid:   

Cohen was behind on the flop with his lower pair but managed to hit two pair on the turn. As long as he could fade a king, nine or six on the river, all the chips, the bracelet and the first place money would be his. Before the river came, Cohen yelled "one time" as Schmid sat silently although his rail shouted a number of different things.

River:  

And just like that, Schmid made kings up to survive, double through Cohen and take over the chip lead.

Mark Schmid	5,620,000	3,220,000
Justin Cohen	3,810,000	-3,190,000

Andrew Rudnik had been dominating play three-handed when the following hand occurred:

Justin Cohen folded his button and Mark Schmid raised his small blind to 200,000. Rudnik quickly made it 500,000 from the big blind and after about minute, Cohen announced he was all in. Rudnik asked for a count and learned it was just over 2 million more for him to call. With about 3 million behind, he decided to call and this pot would be for well over half the chips in play.

Schmid:   
Rudnik:   

Right in the window was the   for Schmid. With it were the seemingly harmless   . Without running Jacks or straight cards, Schmid would be our new chip leader with over 5 million chips. Although his rail is small, they immediately started chanting for that bracelet. But the action, unfortunately for Schmid and his rail, wasn't over. The turn was the   and the river was the  . Each player rivered a wheel and the pot was chopped.

Justin Cohen, who wasn't even involved in the hand walked away from the table and started saying to nobody in particular "What is this table? I can't believe this table!" In fact, this final table has been rather wild. With many all ins and suck outs, we can only imagine what is in store for the final 90 minutes tonight and tomorrow if necessary.

Hang on Justin, hang on.

After shoving the previous hand and picking up the blinds, Jonathan Clancy moved all in again for 700,000. Justin Cohen made the call and the players turned up their hands.

Clancy:   
Cohen:   

It was a classic coinflip for Clancy's tournament life and the flop came a clean     for him. The turn brought the   however to launch Cohen into the lead and Clancy would need one of the two remaining jacks left on the river to survive. Unfortunately for him, it came the   and he was eliminated while both him and his rail displayed their disappointment and frustration. The pot vaulted Cohen into first place but only by a small margin.

Justin Cohen	3,200,000	700,000
Jonathan Clancy	0	-850,000

Justin Cohen raised to 160,000 as the first to act and Mark Schmid called next in the hijack. Trevor Vanderveen then moved all in for 1,000,000 in the cutoff and Cohen snap-called. Schmid folded and the players revealed their hands.

Cohen:   
Vanderveen:   

Cohen was ahead and it stayed that way when the flop came    . The   on the turn changed nothing and Vanderveen would need one of the three remaining aces in the deck on the river to survive. Unfortunately for him, it came the   and he was eliminated. Schmid said that he had folded pocket eights and had he stuck around, he would have won the hand and perhaps eliminated both players. Woulda...coulda...shoulda.

Justin Cohen	3,300,000	1,550,000
Mark Schmid	3,140,000	-160,000
Trevor Vanderveen	0	-1,255,000

Trevor Vanderveen raised to 150,000 on the button and Jonathan Clancy moved all in for 375,000 from the small blind. Vanderveen made the call and the players revealed their hands.

Clancy:   
Vanderveen:   

Clancy was ahead and in dominant position and held on for the double up when the board ran out      . Clancy's rail went wild as he won the pot and they have certainly taken over as the loudest rail remaining since Volpe was eliminated. They are currently yelling about NBA players.

Trevor Vanderveen	1,300,000	-330,000
Jonathan Clancy	810,000	435,000