A limit hold ’em games specialist, Ryan Hansen won his first-ever WSOP title after taking down Event #44: $3,000 6-Handed Limit Hold’em for $109,692. He overcame a 162-entry field, including Japan’s Kosei Ichinose (runner-up for $67,796) in the heads-up to claim his first bracelet and top prize of $109,692. Kevin Erickson, also in the hunt for the bracelet, finished third for $46,669. This was Hansen’s first-ever POY-qualified score and also his first-ever six-figure tournament payday.
“This is the dream that I never expected to happen,” Hansen told PokerGO. “I was just having a shot at having some fun and look what happened.” “I was kind of a Moneymaker-effect person. Came in after that, like 2004-2005, and switched to limit hold’em. I think it’s a great game; I always liked that game the best. So I switched over to that and have been playing that ever since,” Hansen added.
The final day started with ten players remaining and bracelet winner Kenny Hsiung in the lead. Steve Chanthabouasy was the shortest stack at the FT and unsurprisingly he was the first to fall.
Following him was none other than the start of the day chip leader and former bracelet winner Kenny Hsiung whose dream for the second bracelet ended in fifth place. He actually lost a big chunk of his chips to a fellow short stack Kevin Erickson. Eventually, he was all-in with Qc 9d on a flop of Qs 6c 5c but his opponent Ichinose had Qh 5s that held through the turn 4c and the river Ah.
The next to fall was Ken Deng (fourth place). He shoved on the turn of a board having 8h 7h 7s 10h. Deng had Qs Jd for a gutshot, but Hansen held Ah Js and as the Jh arrived on the river, Hansen celebrated as he hit a flush to win the pot and bring the tournament down to three-handed play.
The next elimination was the result of a preflop cooler. Erickson picked up pocket kings and raised. Ichinose three-bet with Ac Kc and Erickson responded with a four-bet. Ichinose capped the action and Erickson came along. The flop Ah Qc Jc came in favour of Ichinose, giving him top pair and a royal flush draw. He checked to Erickson, who bet last of his 40,000 chips. Ichinose called and held through the turn 3d and the river 9s. Erickson took home $46,669 as the third-place finisher.
The heads-up play began with Ichinose having a 2:1 chip lead against Hansen who won a healthy pot with quad eights beating the eights and fours of Ichinose to close the gap. The two traded the advantage a few times before Hansen overtook the chip lead. Hansen eventually managed to close it out with Kd 4h beating his Japanese opponent’s Js 10s on a board showing Ad 6d 3s Qd 9c.
Final Table Payouts (USD)
1.Ryan Hansen – $109,692
2.Kosei Ichinose – $67,796
3.Kevin Erickson – $46,669
4.Ken Deng – $32,864
5.Kenny Hsiung – $23,688
6.Steve Chanthabouasy – $17,486