After three final tables in 2010 Katchalov finally got his WSOP bracelet in 2011

For most players winning a World Series of Poker bracelet would be the highlight of their career. For Eugene Katchalov winning the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud event is only an addition to his yearly highlights that include winning the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Super High-Roller.

The final table featured three Bluff Player of the Year contenders, Katchalov, Ali Eslami, and Alessio Isaia. Katchalov only needed a third place finish to take over BLUFF’s POY lead, by winning he managed to do that and add a little bit of distance between him and Galen Hall.

“It feels great. Im very happy to be back in the lead”, replied Katchalov when asked about BLUFF’s POY. “It will be amazing to win Player of the Year”

Eric Buchman held the chip lead coming into the final table, but lost it to Katchalov early on. Katchalov continued to build his chip lead when he eliminated Vasili Lazarou, a two time Stud bracelet winner, in eighth place. Ali Eslami was the next player to bust at the hands of  Katchalov when Katchalov’s (87)7 caught a 7 on sixth street to improve against Eslami’s (Q5)Q.  The seventh place finish was enough to push Eslami to seventh in the POY race.

Katchalov’s run of busting players stopped when Buchman stepped in and eliminated Kai Landry when the two clashed, getting all the chips in the middle on fourth street. Both players’ hands improved to a pair on fifth street, but Landry’s aces stayed in front of Buchman’s nines. Sixth street failed to improve either players’ hand, but Buchman found a second pair on seventh to pull ahead and bust Landry in sixth place.

Dennis Parker ran out of gas when he tangled with the big stack of Buchman. Parker got all his chips in early with the lead, but after sixth street Buchman moved ahead with a pair of jacks and a flush draw. Catching his flush on seventh sealed the deal, sending Parker out of the tournament in fifth place.

Jonathan Spinks became Buchman’s next victim when Buchman caught a set of sixes on sixth street to eliminate Spinks, who held kings and tens for two pair.

During most of the final table, Isaia sat in the back seat, silently chipping his way up. When it was just him, Katchalov, and Buchman though, the chips started to slide his way at the expense of Buchman. Eventually, Isaia eliminated Buchman in third place to move into heads-up play against Katchalov with a 1.1 million-chip lead.

Holding a massive chip lead, Isaia had his first bracelet within reach, but Katchalov put up a fight, wanting to add the bracelet to his WPT and PCA hardware. Katchalov managed to win every pot that went to showdown for an entire level, eventually taking the lead before the players went to their final break. Coming back from the break, Isaia was the one on the brink of elimination. Katchalov waited for his spot and eliminated Isaia when he caught an ace on seventh street to beat Isaia’s kings.

“I came in to this year really excited and ready to play,” said Katchalov. “I can’t describe how happy I am to finally get that monkey off my back. To win a WSOP bracelet, especially in the beginning of the series, this will give me confidence. I am ready to go, ready to play.”

Here are the final eight finishers of the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud:

1st – Eugene Katchalov – $122,909
2nd – Alessio Isaia – $75,911
3rd – Eric Buchman – $48,961
4th – Jonathan Spinks – $35,476
5th – Dennis Paker – $26,083
6th – Kai Landry – $19,456
7th – Ali Eslami – $14,723
8th – Vasili Lazarou – $11,301

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