Fabrice Soulier finally has a WSOP bracelet to call his own after winning the $10K HORSE Championship.

Soulier beat Shawn Buchanan heads-up for the $609,130 first place prize money and the coveted gold bracelet. The two players actually finished the tournament on Friday afternoon after the hard-stop rule stopped play late Thursday evening. The bracelet win was the first for Soulier and the emotions of the moment caught up after the final hand.

“I feel emotional. I almost cried when I won. So I had to hold my tears, but I feel great,” said Soulier. “It’s the best day of my poker career by far.”

Being able to deal with his emotions are what Soulier credits with helping him get through the four-day event.

“I’m very emotional as a player. It’s very demanding for me, I have to control myself maybe more than other players,” said Soulier. “It’s a key for me. I think in this tournament I did pretty well. I went to yoga many times, I did meditation a lot and I think it cooled me down a little bit and maybe allowed me to win today.”

Dwan picked up the first victim of the final table sending Jacobo Fernandez out in eighth place. Playing Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo Dwan made a pair of sevens on fourth street and despite making a pair of sixes on fifth street Fernandez was unable to improve to either a high hand, a low hand or a scoop and the 41 year old was out. The $61,160 cash is the fifth largest of his career.

Only 20 minutes later Michael Binger saw all of his chips in the middle against Andrey Zaichenko playing Omaha Hi-Lo. Binger held Q 8 3 2 while Zaichenko had A Q 4 2. The board ran out 7 5 3 T 6 giving Zaichenko a wheel for the nut-low and a six-high straight for the night. Binger earned $78,238.

Buchanan, Zaichenko and Matthew Ashton saw a [J] 4 3 flop. Ashton led out with a bet and the other two players called. After the 2 Ashton bet again, Zaichenko called before Buchanan put in a raise. Both players called with Ashton all-in at this point. The K on the river got another bet from Buchanan and a fold from Zaichenko. Ashton turned over A A 6 2 but Buchanan showed A 9 8 5 for a wheel to scoop the pot. Ashton earned $101,813.

Dwan’s run at a bracelet ended just before midnight and Buchanan was the responsible party. Playing Seven-Card Stud Dwan was all-in after fifth street showing K 9 A 8 9 to Buchanan’s J 8 8 5 A. Dwan caught the T on sixth while Buchanan was dealt the 4. The final card dealt to Buchanan was the 6 completing his flush. Dwan didn’t show his last card and was eliminated in fifth for $134,480.

Playing Hold’em Daniel Ospina, Soulier and Buchanan saw a J 9 4 flop with Ospina all-in. Soulier and Buchanan checked to see the 8 turn. Buchanan bet and Soulier folded. Buchanan turned over Q T for a straight but Ospina was drawing live with pocket fours for a flopped set. When the river didn’t fill Ospina up however his run at the bracelet was over with a fourth place finish and $180,750.

Three-handed play lasted through two full levels before Zaichenko busted in a three-way pot playing Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo. Zaichenko was all-in and all
three players went as far as sixth street when Soulier folded. Buchanan was showing trip sevens leaving Zaichenko drawing dead with only a pair of fives and no low draw. Zaichenko’s third place finish earned him $247,799.

Heads-up play began with Buchanan holding a 3-2 chip lead. The two players played 90 minutes with Soulier battling back to carry momentum – and the chip lead – until the hard stop rule came into play at the end of Level 28. When players bagged up their chips for the night it was Soulier in complete control. The French poker pro had 6,290,000 chips to Buchanan’s 910,000.

It only took four hands of play on Friday afternoon for Soulier to eliminate Buchanan. Playing Omaha Hi-Lo the actino was on Soulier who opened with a raise. Buchanan called to see the T 8 4 flop. Buchanan bet, Soulier raised and Buchanan raised again, this time for the last of his chips. Soulier called and tabled Q J 8 6 for second pair and a straight draw. Buchanan was ahead with J J T 7 for a pair of jacks and a smaller straight draw. The A on the turn was no help for Soulier but the 6 on the river gave the Frenchman two pair and eliminated Buchanan in second spot.

Final Table Payouts

1. Fabrice Soulier – $609,130
2. Shawn Buchanan – $376,458
3. Andrey Zaichenko – $247,799
4. Daniel Ospina – $180,750
5. Tom Dwan – $134,480
6. Matthew Ashton – $101,813
7. Michael Binger – $78,328
8. Jacobo Fernandez – $61,160

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Related posts:

1. WSOP Bracelet Winner Profile: Fabrice Soulier Fabrice Soulier is the third French player to win a...
2. EPL: Fabrice Soulier Soars on Day 2 Soulier won a WSOP bracelet two months ago September is...
3. EPT: Fabrice Soulier, Olivier Busquet Headline Campione Final Table Leading the EPT Campione is none other than Fabrice Soulier....
4. WSOP: David Bach Wins Marathon Duel for $50,000 HORSE World Championship David Bach outlasted John Hanson in a seven hour heads-up...
5. WSOP By the Numbers: Hard Stops, November Niners & Dwan in the Black The 2011 World Series of Poker is full of facts,...