Nick Schulman grins with his wheel in 2-7 Lowball.

The World Series of Poker $10,000 World Championship 2-7 Draw Lowball (Event 23) had an all-star final table that saw Michael Binger, David Benyamine, Vince Musso, Archie Karas, Villie Wahlbeck, Nick Schulman, John Juanda  and Steve Sung play for a $10,000 bracelet. 

In perhaps the most intimidating final table of the series this year, the table has 6 WSOP bracelets, 2 WPT titles, 2 bracelet winners from this year, the WSOP Europe Main Event Champ, and one of the most legendary gamblers Las Vegas has ever seen.

Nick Schulman fought through that tough table to claim the a World Championship bracelet.

Players often refer to stacked tables as the table of death, but the first level of the final table was the level of death. Four players found their way to the rail in Level 20. The first to go was Binger, he was short stacked entering the final table and moved all-in before the draw. Juanda called and stood pat and Binger drew two cards. He opened with 9-7-2 and drew another 9 and a king, it wasn’t the help he needed and was beat by Juanda’s 10-8-6-4-2.

The next victim of the level of death was Benyamine. Sung raised to 32,000 in front of Benyamine on the button who moved in for 86,000 and after Karas and Wahlbeck folded Sung called and stood pat. He tabled J-8-7-3-2 and Benyamine had a great draw with 9-6-5-4, but paired his 9 on his draw and was eliminated in seventh place.

Wahlbeck knocked out the next victim of the harsh level when he stood pat with the nuts in 2-7 Draw Lowball, a 7-5-4-3-2. He opened with a raise of 35,000 that Musso reraised all-in. Musso drew one card to improve his 9-5-4-2, but mucked when he saw Wahlbeck table his hand.

From UTG Karas moved all-in for 86,000 and Sung called from the big blind. Both players rapped pat and Karas tabled J-10-8-5-2 and Sung had him beat with 10-9-8-7-3.  Karas was the last victim of the level that sent four players to the rail. The legendary gambler who went from multi-millionaire to dead broke more times than he could count collected his largest WSOP cash for $53,783.

Juanda was second in chips and in the big blind when Sung opened for 55,000. Juanda moved all-in and Sung tanked for a solid four minutes. Juanda tried talking to Sung, but Sung didn’t flinch. Sung called and they both stood pat. Juanda tabled 9-8-6-5-4 and Sung had a perfect 9 with 9-5-4-3-2. After the hand Sung became the chip leader with over a million and Juanda plummeted to under 250,000.

On the very next hand Schulman opened for 55,000 on the button and Juanda shipped the rest of his short stack in from the small blind. Schulman called and they both drew one card. Juanda tabled 9-5-4-3 and Schulman held 8-5-3-2. Juanda needed to hit a good draw and have Schulman draw a Ten or higher to stay alive. Schulman drew a 7 to make 8-7-5-3-2 and Juanda drew a 6 to make 9-6-5-4-3 and finished in 4th place.

During three-handed play Sung, Schulman, and Wahlbeck traded the chip lead back and forth, neither of them gaining a real advantage. Schulman raised from the button to 60,000 and Sung popped it to 170,000. Schulman moved all-in quickly and Sung tanked long and hard with his usual motionless stare and then called Schulman’s all-in. Schulman couldn’t decide whether to draw or stand pat. The both stood pat and Sung tabled 10-8-5-4-3 and Schulman had Sung just barely edged with 10-7-5-4-2. With the loss, Sung was out in 3rd place.

Schulman furthered his chip lead when Wahlbeck opened for 60,000 and Schulman raised to 200,000. Wahlbeck called and Schulman stood pat and Wahlbeck drew one card. Schulman bet 260,000 and Wahlbeck tanked before calling. Schulman tabled 9-7-5-4-3 and Wahlbeck mucked.

In the last hand Schulman opened for 75,000 and Wahlbeck reraised to 250,000. Schulman called and drew one card, Wahlbeck drew one as well. Wahlbeck moved all-in and Schulman called immediately with the wheel. Schulman drew one card and made the nuts in 2-7 lowball to win his first WSOP bracelet. When asked which card he drew he smiled and said, “That’s a pro secret. I’m not telling anybody.”

Final Table Payouts for $10,000 World Championship 2-7 Draw Lowball (Event 23)

1. Nick Schulman - $279,751
2. Ville Wahlbeck - $172,863
3. Steve Sung - $112,041
4. John Juanda - $75,964
5. Archie Karas - $53,783
6. Vince Musso - $39,696
7. David Benaymine - $30,492

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