WSOP: John Monnette Wins First Bracelet in $2,500 8-Game Mix

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WSOP: John Monnette Wins First Bracelet in $2,500 8-Game Mix

Lance Bradley | June 16, 2011

Another day, another first time bracelet winner at the 2011 WSOP. This time it's John Monnette.

The last time John Monnette got heads-up for his first World Series of Poker bracelet he ran into the stone cold killer that is Phil Ivey. Early Thursday morning he exorcised those demons by beating Eric Buchman heads-up to win the $2,500 8-Game Mix bracelet and $278,144.

‘It feels good. I’ve been playing in the World Series for a long time and I’ve played a lot of events,” said Monnette. “I got close once before. It was pretty depleting. This year to finally come through and win, finally win. It means a lot.”

Monnette was in cruise control for the last two hours of final table eliminating the second, third and fourth place finishers.The day began with 25 players but just halfway through the fifth level the field had been narrowed to a final table of eight. Amongst those eight players were two former bracelet winners, John Juanda and Eric Buchman, and 2010 Main Event runner-up John Racener.

The first player shown the door was Racener. Playing a hand of Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo Racener was unable to turn two-pair into a full house against the flush of Buchman. Racener’s 13th WSOP cash was good for $24,797.

Adam Kornuth was eliminated almost immediately after Racener. Playing No Limit Hold’em the Kornuth got his money in with pocket eights against the pocket tens of Limongi. The board ran completely dry and Kornuth was out in seventh place for $32,373

The winningest player at the final table, John Juanda, was hoping to come through with his second bracelet of the 2011 WSOP but it wasn’t meant to be. Shortstacked during a round of Limit Hold’em Juanda got his last three bets in holding K 2 against Buchman’s 8 6. The A 9 7 flop hit Buchman’s hand hard and left Juanda needing to fade 20 outs. One of those outs, the T, fell on the turn leaving Juanda drawing dead and out in sixth place for $42,897.

Monnette then picked up three consecutive eliminations to get play heads-up. First to go was Desmond Portano during a round of Razz. Portano’s fifth place finish earned him $57,692. Brent Hanks then went out in fourth during a round Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo hand earning $78,774 – his largest WSOP cash to date. Limongi’s run at winning the first bracelet for his native Italy ended just short after he ran A-2 into Monnette’s pocket aces.

The two remaining players played heads-up for a little less than 30 minutes and at no point was Monnette in any danger. Playing Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo on the final hand of the night Buchman got the last of his chips in holding Q 2 T J against Monnette’s 2 [3d A J. On fifth street Monnette paired his jack and Buchman was unable to improve through sixth and seventh streets and was out in second place for $171,855.