Denis Strebkov Wins His Second WSOP Gold Bracelet in Event #74: $2,500 Big Bet Mix
Russia's Denis Strebkov defeated Jerry Wong in heads-up play to win his second World Series of Poker title in Event #74: $2,500 Big Bet Mix at the 2021 WSOP. Strebkov outlasted a field of 212 entries to win $117,898 and the gold bracelet.
This is Strebkov��s second WSOP title, the first coming in 2019 in the $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. event. Strebkov found a great deal of success in 2019, making three final tables in mixed formats and winning one.
��I like the mixed format because I play a lot of games,�� Strebkov told PokerNews after the win. ��I play a lot of mixed. I don��t like to play hold��em but I like some other games where you can play a lot of hands and have more fun.��
Strebkov was eager to build on his 2019 success, but travel restrictions related to COVID-19 made the 2021 WSOP a complicated trip that required a stop in Croatia to get the necessary vaccines.
��This is fantastic. I am glad I can play. I had a problem because the Russian vaccine is not approved here.��
Strebkov is taking a moment to celebrate, but after going through the trouble to get to the United States, he plans to make more noise at the 2021 WSOP.
��I am just speechless right now. The second bracelet is very good! I am going to go to the Razz event right now. I am already thinking about the next one. I might play another Omaha tournament, but we will see how it��s going.��
2021 WSOP Event #74 Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denis Strebkov | Russia | $117,898 |
| 2 | Jerry Wong | United States | $72,868 |
| 3 | Pearce Arnold | United States | $48,864 |
| 4 | Richard Bai | United States | $33,583 |
| 5 | Shanmukha Meruga | United States | $23,670 |
| 6 | Patrik Ciklamini | Slovakia | $17,119 |
| 7 | Hooman Nizad | United States | $12,715 |
Day 3 Action
Noah Boeken was the first to hit the rail on Day 3 when Strebkov drew the fourth ten in Five Card Draw High to send him home in 14th place. Amnon Filippi followed right behind in a Pot-Limit Omaha hand where Strebkov made two-pair to beat Filippi��s pocket aces.
Shortly after the re-draw to two tables, Asher Lower hit the rail in 12th place in a hand of Pot-Limit 2-7 Triple Draw when he caught a pair of fives on the last draw to lose to the ten-nine of Anthony Ribeiro.
Jordan Siegel was next to go after he got it in with pocket nines against the ace-king of Richard Bai. Bai flopped a straight and Siegel was out in 11th place. Jon Turner went home with a 10th-place finish after he got it in with ace-jack but Patrik Ciklamini looked him up with pocket aces.
Ciklamini went on to bust Scott Bohlman in ninth place when he called Bohlman��s shove and caught a pair of twos score the elimination. Riberio was close behind in eighth after running into Wong��s two-pair in Five Card Draw.
After the final table re-draw, Hooman Nizad fell in seventh place in a Big O hand when Bai made a pair of aces to beat his pocket kings. Cinkamini was out in sixth after shoving with ace-eight against Strebkov��s ace-queen. Shanmukha Meruga managed to ladder up in the process, but he ran out of time after being forced all-in on his big blind, and Bai stepped in to finish the job with tens full of nines in a hand of Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better.
Bai was the next out after tangling with Wong in a hand of Pot-Limit 2-7 Triple Draw. The fourth-place finisher got it in and drew to a seven, but a queen on the third draw lost to Wong��s eight-seven. Pearce Arnold finished third after running into Strebkov��s nut flush in a hand of Big O.
Heads-up play started with both players close to even, but Wong took a big hit early when he made a failed attempt to bet Strebkov off of a flush. The big moment came just a short time later when Strebkov made three eights in Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better and Wong missed his last chance at a low draw.
Congratulations to Denis Strebkov for winning his second bracelet in Event #74: $2,500 Big Bet Mix. Be sure to keep it here throughout the rest of the series for updates on all of your favorite events from the PokerNews live reporting team.