Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Day 3 Completed
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2024 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$815,685
Entries
611
Level
36
Blinds
0 / 0
Ante
0
Entries
17
Players Left
1
Level 36
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Nikolay Fal is the latest victor at the 2024 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, having bested 611 fellow competitor's across three days of play to secure $153,730 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. Fal defeated Venezuela's Christian Roberts in a long heads-up match to secure the win, dashing his opponent's hopes of a second bracelet in as many years.
"I'm very happy to win a bracelet in stud hi-lo", said Fal before specifying that stud "is my favorite game."
Fal demonstrated his passion for the variant through skilled play at what he described as a "very tough final table" particularly the "heads-up match...that last very long."
It was a grueling day for sure, but Fal came out on top in part because of a boisterous rail of fellow Russian poker players who, for hours, switched between singing "Yellow Submarine" and "When the Saints Come Marching In" in their native tongue Fal noted their contribution, saying "it is very important for me that my friends are there supporting me. These guys, they are my old friends".
When Fal sealed the win, the now mostly empty Horseshoe Event Center exploded with chants of "Nikolay, Nikolay" as his friends mobbed him to celebrate one of the highlights of the player's career. But for Fal, the summer is far from over.
"Yeah, yeah, I am going to play out the full series," assured Fal. He did not elaborate on what his planned schedule looks like, though with the nice boost to his bankroll that his first place finish provides, there may be some new options on the table.
Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikolay Fal | Russia | $153,730 |
| 2 | Christian Roberts | Venezuela | $102,492 |
| 3 | Joseph Hertzog | United States | $70,288 |
| 4 | Kenneth Kemple | United States | $49,127 |
| 5 | Dekel Balas | United States | $35,006 |
| 6 | Yuval Bronshtein | Israel | $25,442 |
| 7 | Nikolay Ponomarev | United Kingdom | $18,866 |
| 8 | Jon Turner | United States | $14,280 |
| 9 | Joey Couden | United States | $11,038 |
Day 3 Action
A total of 17 players returned for the third and final day. Action was quick at the start with Gregory Yohn hitting the rail in one of the first hands of play. He was soon followed to the exits by Daniel Blum, Robert Stevanovksi and James Cheung.
Five-time bracelet winner Eli Elezra was looking to add to his already stellar resume but fell just a couple spots shy of nothing another WSOP final table after falling to Kenneth Kemple in 11th place.
The unofficial final table was set following Japanese bracelet winner Ryutaro Suzuki's elimination in 10th place.
Final Table Play
The pace of eliminations did not initially slow down at the final table. It only took a few minutes for Joey Couden to be sent to the payout desk in 9th place courtesy of Dekel Balas.
Jon Turner began the day with a large stack and to begin with only built it further. His luck turned, however, and, after a series of stinging setups, Turner lost his remaining chips to Fal to hit the showers in 8th place. Nikolay Ponomarev then busted in 7th place when Roberts hit a straight.
Yuval Bronshtein had at times earlier in the day been short stacked. Yet, he somehow managed to find a number of double ups to stay in contention. That is until Kemple got him all in and at risk in a rough spot and Bronshtein failed to improve, as a result getting felted in 6th place. Balas was next to go in 5th place after first being cut down to a mere two antes before losing the rest to a rampant Kemple.
While Kemple had been enjoying a surge at the final table, momentum did eventually swing back the other way. Joseph Hertzog ultimately finished Kemple off in 4th place to bring the tournament down to the last three players.
Three-handed play continued for a long time. In fact, it was only after a few hours that the only live bracelet winner left in the field, Hertzog, hit the rail in 3rd place when he could not hit any of his draws against Roberts. That set the stage for a heads-up match between Roberts and Fal.
The two players began with roughly even stacks, though it was Fal who took the early lead, establishing a 2:1 chip advantage. Roberts did fight back, at one point almost returning to an equal division. Then, just as it looked like the duel would be going on for a while longer, Roberts called down in a massive pot only to be shown trip threes by Fal to leave him with just two big bets.
Not long after, Fal took the remainder to condemn Roberts to a runner-up finish and a $102,492 consolation prize. Fal was left standing alone to claim the title of champion and the largest slice of the prize pool.
This wraps up coverage of Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews as its live reporting team continues to provide comprehensive coverage of the 2024 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Level 36
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Christian Roberts: J?6?/6?Q?8?3?/A? 
Nikolay Fal: 4?4?/5?A?2?8?/2?
Christian Roberts completed and Nikolay Fal called.
Roberts called another bet on fourth street before moving all on after Fal bet again on fifth street. Fal quickly called to put Roberts at risk.
The remaining runout improved Fal to two pair, besting Roberts' sixes. Fal's rail erupted as Roberts was sent out in 2nd place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
15,275,000
2,725,000
|
2,725,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 36
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Christian Roberts and Nikolay Fal got all of their chips into the middle for Roberts to be at risk.
Christian Roberts: A?J?/J?A?6?3?/9?
Nikolay Fal: J?8?/K?3?4?8?/10?
The board ran out as no help for Fal and Roberts doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,550,000
-350,000
|
-350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,725,000
425,000
|
425,000 |
|
|
||
Level 36
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Nikolay Fal: 3?3?/10?4?Q?3?/7?
Christian Roberts: XxXx/7?K?4?10?/Xx
Picking up the action on fourth street, Nikolay Fal bet and Christian Roberts called.
Roberts took over the betting lead on fifth street but was unable to shake off Fal.
Sixth street saw Fal bet with Roberts flatting.
Fal bet once more on the river. That sent Roberts deep into the tank as he considered a call. Eventually he committed calling chips but instantly mucked once Fal revealed his trip threes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,900,000
3,850,000
|
3,850,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,300,000
-3,925,000
|
-3,925,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 36
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 200,000
Completion 500,000
Limits: 500,000-1,000,000
Level 35
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
The remaining two players have been sent on a 15-minute break. They will return to limits of 500,000/1,000,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,050,000
-1,650,000
|
-1,650,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
6,225,000
1,925,000
|
1,925,000 |
|
|
||
Level 35
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
Nikolay Fal: XxXx/Q?10?J?K?/Xx
Christian Roberts: XxXx/10?6?10?3?/Xx
Nikolay Fal completed and Christian Roberts called.
Fal bet on fourth street with Roberts coming along with a call.
Action checked through fifth street to sixth street at which point both players checked once more.
The river saw Fal toss out a bet and, after studying the board for a few moments, Roberts released his hand to give Fal a more than two-to-one chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,700,000
1,975,000
|
1,975,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,300,000
-2,500,000
|
-2,500,000 |
|
|
||
Level 35
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
Christian Roberts and Nikolay Fal saw action picked up on fourth street.
Christian Roberts: XxXx/2?Q?7?4?/Xx
Nikolay Fal: XxXx/3?10?J?Q?/Xx
Roberts checked over to Fal who bet and Roberts called.
Both players checked on fifth street.
On sixth street, Fal checked over to Roberts who bet and Fal called.
Fal checked and then folded on seventh street when Roberts bet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,725,000
-25,000
|
-25,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
6,800,000
575,000
|
575,000 |
|
|
||
Level 35
Ante: 100,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
Bring-In: 100,000
Completion: 400,000
Limits: 400,000-800,000
Christian Roberts: XxXx/Q?3?10?
Nikolay Fal: XxXx/Q?3?10? folded fifth street
Nikolay Fal limped after Christian Roberts brought in.
Roberts bet on fourth street, receiving a call from Fal.
Fifth street saw Roberts bet again and this time Fal chose to let his hand go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,750,000
1,075,000
|
1,075,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
6,225,000
-1,375,000
|
-1,375,000 |
|
|
||