Sebastian Langrock Claims $1,500 NLHE/PLO Mix Title at WSOP
Sebastian Langrock is the latest World Series of Poker bracelet winner after taking down Event #64: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Mix for $268,555.
Langrock defeated a worthy opponent in WSOP bracelet winner Ryan Laplante, eliminating him in 22 hands once heads-up play began. In the final hand playing pot-limit Omaha, Langrock flopped the nut straight and Laplante flopped a flush and straight draw and the two players got it all in on the flop.
The board bricked out and Laplante had to settle for a runner-up finish worth $165,983. Laplante was definitely a formidable opponent, looking to follow up his first bracelet from the 2016 Event #12: $565 Pot-Limit Omaha for his biggest career cash for $190,328. His cash in this event put his live earnings over $1.4 million, making this is fifth WSOP cash of the summer.
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player Name | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastian Langrock | Germany | $268,555 |
| 2 | Ryan Laplante | United States | $165,983 |
| 3 | Victor Choupeaux | France | $118,190 |
| 4 | Esther Taylor | United States | $85,225 |
| 5 | Shannon Shorr | United States | $62,242 |
| 6 | Zahir Gilani | Canada | $46,048 |
| 7 | Jerry Callahan | United States | $34,515 |
| 8 | Fernando Brito | Brazil | $26,216 |
| 9 | Jagdeep Singh | India | $20,181 |
This mixed event attracted a total of 1,056 entries by the time registration closed on Day 1, and 159 players would eventually be guaranteed to make the money. The money bubble burst in the last hand of the night on Day 1, sending 158 players on to Day 2.
Langrock is a professional poker player from Austria with over $600,000 in lifetime earnings after this win. He has been coming to the WSOP for five consecutive years now, and has been specializing in pot-limit Omaha for the last two. Langrock is actually known for winning 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' in Germany in 2013, and said he was able to pursue a living in poker after winning that game show.
The turning point for Langrock in this tournament was when he called Fernando Brito's all in while he was short and flipped with king-queen against Brito's fives.
"Actually, I think it was the wrong call, but I had the feeling that if I want to win it, I have to go with it this time because if I fold, I��m down to seven bigs and I have no chance at all," explained Langrock. "So, I called and win the flip and then I could spin it up. I was focusing on the PLO hands and the winning hand was in PLO, so it worked out."
Langrock plans to play the Main Event, as he always has, but almost went home before this event. "Actually, I was planning on going home like a week ago. I was here for three weeks but then I was like, I��m not that Vegas-tired like I was the years before after three weeks. So I decided spontaneously to extend my stay, and that worked out pretty f***ng well."
Final Table Action
The unofficial final table of nine came together after the elimination of Mark Radoja in 10th place ($20,181). He flopped bottom set playing pot-limit Omaha and got it all in with Esther Taylor who held the nut flush draw. She hit it on the turn, and Radoja was unable to fill up for a shot at his third career WSOP bracelet.
The official final table began just 20 short minutes later once Jagdeep Singh's run ended in ninth place. Singh also took home $20,181 after his set of kings couldn't hold against Shorr who made himself a straight on the river. Players moved from Miranda to Amazon Gold for the official final table of eight, and it would take 26 hands before Fernando Brito found himself at the payout desk in eighth place. He moved in with his short stack holding pocket fives and found himself flipping with Langrock with king-queen. The flop came king-high and Brito would have to settle for $26,216 for his deep run today.
Frenchman Victor Choupeaux was very short but found himself a stack to work with as he doubled up in pot-limit Omaha with queens, up against Laplante's jacks. Zahir Gilani and Jerry Callahan took turns doubling up their short stacks, while Langrock slowly chipped up as well. It was almost 50 hands later until another player hit the rail, and it was Callahan who fell in seventh place ($34,515). Langrock defended his big blind following a raise from Callahan and saw a turn after he flopped bottom pair. The turn gave Langrock two pair and Callahan committed himself with two queens for an over pair to the board. The river bricked out and Callahan said his goodbyes.
In the very next hand, Gilani got his short stack in the middle with kings in the big blind playing pot-limit Omaha, but he ran into Langrock's aces in the small blind and couldn't improve. The Canadian pocketed $46,048 for his sixth place finish in his first-ever WSOP event.
The final five went on a dinner break, and Langrock held almost half of the chips in play. In just the fourth hand back from dinner, Shannon Shorr got the last of his chips in the middle with king-jack but ran into Choupeaux's ace-jack and settled for fifth place and a payout worth $62,242. Shorr was unable to capture his first bracelet, but he impressively came back from less than one big blind on Day 2 to make a deep run. He was down to just 3,500 when blinds were at 2,000/4,000 and spun his stack up to 270,000 in just ten hands. He found a bag to make it to the final 16 on Day 3, and navigated his way to a decent score.
Play remained extremely tight for the next 20 hands, and eventually Taylor moved in with pocket threes and found herself flipping with Laplante who held ace-queen. The flop came queen-high and Taylor made her way to the rail full of 'Etay' fans who were supporting her from the very start of the day. Taylor pocketed $85,225 for fourth place for her deep run.
Three-handed play lasted about 30 hands, but it was eventually Choupeaux who fell in third place ($118,190). He found himself short and eventually got it in with king-nine off suit and couldn't catch up to Langrock's ace-five of spades. Choupeaux made a massive comeback after being the shortest stack for a good while, but had the support of his loud French rail the entire time.
Heads-up play didn't last very long, and it was only fitting that Langrock would win the tournament after flopping the nut straight to seal the deal.
