2023 WSOP Paradise

Event #15: $10,000 High Roller 6-Handed
Day: 3
Event Info

2023 WSOP Paradise

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
j4
Prize
$411,659
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,690,000
Entries
169
Level Info
Level
25
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
4
Players Left
1

Event #15: $10,000 High Roller 6-Handed

Day 3 Completed

Dong Chen Wins with "The Robbi" to Capture First WSOP Gold Bracelet

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Dong Chen
Dong Chen

After three days Event #15: $10,000 High-Roller 6-Handed concluded Thursday at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. China's Dong Chen defeated Thomas Santerne in heads-up play to lay claim to a top prize of $411,659 and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

Chen came into the final day with a dominating chip lead over his final three competitors that he never relinquished en route to capturing the title. Chen had just over $1 million in career tournament earnings and a previous-best score of $153,473 from a runner-up finish at the APPT in Macau back in 2018 before the win. That previous-best score is nearly tripled with Chen��s win at WSOP Paradise.

WSOP Paradise Event #15: $10,000 High Roller 6-Handed Final Table Results

PlaceNameCountryPrize
1Dong ChenChina$411,659
2Thomas SanterneFrance$254,417
3Jean-Noel ThorelFrance$182,188
4Mike WatsonCanada$132,800
5Jin Hoon LeeKorea$98,564
6Zhewen HuChina$74,512

Day 3 Action

The tournament drew 169 entrants to generate a prize pool of $1,690,000, well ahead of the $1 million guarantee. Only four players found a bag at the end of Day 2, with Chen and Santerne holding a sizable lead over short stacks Mike Watson and Jean-Noel Thorel to start the day today.

Mike Watson
Mike Watson

Watson came in with the shortest stack of the final four players and was eliminated in the first hand of the day after running into Santerne's pocket kings and failing to improve. Thorel comparatively got off to a decent start, at one point moving all in preflop for six hands in a row to nearly double up his stack without having to see any flops.

Santerne nearly overtook the chip lead from Chen after the elimination of Watson. That all changed after Santerne got involved in a massive pot against Chen that saw four bets go in on the flop before Santerne was forced to fold to a jam on the turn. Chen held a significant chip lead over the rest of the field after that hand that he never let go of for the rest of the tournament.

It was a roller coaster session for Santerne from there, who quickly found himself at the bottom of the counts after losing pots to both Thorel and Chen. Santerne would double up through Chen only to lose those chips right back after being caught with a bluff.

Jean-Noel Thorel
Jean-Noel Thorel

Thorel did an admirable job chipping up from the short stack he had begun the day with, but ultimately he would find himself short again after paying off an overbet from Chen only to run into trips. Thorel would then run into Chen's red aces shortly after to bow out in third place, setting up a heads-up duel between Chen and Santerne where Chen held nearly 90 percent of the chips in play.

Heads-up play between Santerne and Chen would only last about ten minutes. Santerne did find a double through Chen early on but would get his stack in with second pair against Chen's top pair shortly afterward. Chen, who held the infamous "The Robbi" jack-four offsuit and had connected with the jack, remained ahead in that hand to capture the title, the top prize of $411,659 and his first WSOP gold bracelet while Santerne was forced to settle for a runner up finish.

Dong Chen and Thomas Santerne Heads-Up
Dong Chen and Thomas Santerne Heads-Up

That concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event but be sure to stay tuned to our final table coverage of the Main Event which is set to play down to a winner today.

Tags: Dong ChenJean-Noel ThorelJin Hoon LeeMike WatsonThomas SanterneZhewen Hu

Thomas Santerne Eliminated in 2nd Place ($254,417)

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Thomas Santerne
Thomas Santerne

Dong Chen raised the button to 250,000 before the action was on Thomas Santerne who called.

The J?3?2? flop landed and action checked to Chen who continued for 450,000. Santerne sat in the tank for about a minute and then moved all in for his last 1,650,000. Chen got the count and then called.

Thomas Santerne: 3?4?
Dong Chen: J?4?

Santerne needed a lot of help but the J? turn had him drawing dead and the 10? river sealed the deal.

Santerne hit the rail and Chen is the newest bracelet winner at the WSOP in paradise.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
10,140,000
2,060,000
2,060,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Thomas Santerne fr
Thomas Santerne
Busted

Tags: Dong ChenThomas Santerne

Santerne Doubles Through Chen

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Thomas Santerne moved all in from the button for 980,000 and Dong Chen made the call from the big blind to put Santerne at risk.

Thomas Santerne: Q?9?
Dong Chen: Q?J?

Things were looking bleak for Santerne on the 5?3?2? flop but the 9? turn gave him top pair, leaving Chen drawing to just three outs. The 5? river was clean and Santerne scored a full double up through Chen.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
8,080,000
-1,050,000
-1,050,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Thomas Santerne fr
Thomas Santerne
2,060,000
1,020,000
1,020,000

Tags: Dong ChenThomas Santerne

Jean-Noel Thorel Eliminated in 3rd Place ($182,188)

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Jean-Noel Thorel
Jean-Noel Thorel

Jean-Noel Thorel moved all in for 1,790,000 from the button and Dong Chen called from the small blind to put Thorel at risk.

Jean-Noel Thorel: K?10?
Dong Chen: A?A?

Chen was far in the lead with two red aces and remained so with top set on the A?5?4? flop. The J? turn gave Thorel a gutshot straight draw for some outs but the 7? river was a blank. Thorel's deep run came to an end in third place while Chen scored another final table knockout, giving him roughly 90 percent of the total chips in play going into his heads-up duel against Santerne.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
9,130,000
1,730,000
1,730,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Thomas Santerne fr
Thomas Santerne
1,040,000
-360,000
-360,000
Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
Busted
Day 1 Chip Leader

Tags: Dong ChenJean-Noel Thorel

Chen Overbets the River

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Dong Chen opened to 200,00 from the button and Jean-Noel Thorel defended from the big blind.

Both players checked the flop and turn leading to a final board of J?6?5?3?J?. Chen bet 775,000 and Thorel made the call.

Chen tabled J?7? for trip jacks and Thorel's hand hit the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
7,400,000
1,500,000
1,500,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Thomas Santerne fr
Thomas Santerne
1,400,000
250,000
250,000
Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
1,225,000
-875,000
-875,000
Day 1 Chip Leader

Tags: Dong ChenJean-Noel Thorel

Santerne Caught with Hand in Cookie Jar

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Dong Chen limped the small blind and Thomas Santerne checked behind.

The 7?5?A? flop landed and Chen led for 150,000. Santerne called.

The 9? landed on the turn and Chen led again for 250,000. Santerne called again.

The 8? river landed and Chen slowed down and checked. Santerne sat in the tank for a moment and then put in a bet of 450,000.

Chen tanked for almost a minute and then put in the chips. Santerne begrudgingly tabled 10?4? and Chen tabled 10?8? for a great bluff catch.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
5,900,000
-50,000
-50,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Thomas Santerne fr
Thomas Santerne
1,150,000
-610,000
-610,000

Santerne Doubles Through Chen

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Dong Chen opened to 200,000 from the button and Thomas Santerne moved all in for 780,000 from the small blind. Chen made the call to put Santerne at risk.

Thomas Santerne: A?8?
Dong Chen: K?9?

The board ran out 8?7?Q?10?5?. Santerne's pair of eights were good at showdown and he scored a full double up through Santerne.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
5,950,000
-510,000
-510,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Thomas Santerne fr
Thomas Santerne
1,760,000
950,000
950,000

Tags: Dong ChenThomas Santerne

Chen Pulling Away

Level 25 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Dong Chen limped in from the small blind and Thomas Santerne checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came 8?7?2?. Chen bet 125,000 and Santerne made the call.

Chen bet again for 275,000 on the J? turn and this time it was enough to force a fold from Santerne.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
6,460,000
710,000
710,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 1X Winner
Thomas Santerne fr
Thomas Santerne
810,000
-690,000
-690,000

Tags: Dong ChenThomas Santerne