1SickDisease Wins First WSOP Bracelet

Dan · June 14, 2014

It took one more day than originally planned, but Kevin 1SickDiseaseEyster (pictured) captured gold in Event #24 of the 2014 World Series of Poker, a $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max tournament that drew 541 entrants. Eyster told WSOP officials what the win meant: “This is what I’ve been dreaming about for my whole life. This is what I’ve been wanting to win my whole life. I’ve been watching this on ESPN. I mean words can’t even explain it. I’m speechless.”

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Eyster started Friday’s action with a 2:1 chip lead and never relinquished. In fact, he had built a 7:1 edge by the time Pierre Neuville called all-in with K-Q, well ahead of Eyster’s K-9 of clubs. However, the flop gave Eyster two pair and another nine on the turn improved his hand to a boat. Neuville was playing for a chop on the river, but a harmless ace fell to give Eyster the title. The finale took all of 24 hands and meant a $622,000 bankroll boost for Eyster.

Eyster saluted his rail from Louisiana as well, telling WSOP staff, “I really appreciate that all of them came out to cheer me on. After yesterday, they were as tired as I was, but they showed up today to support me and I appreciate their help.” Eyster’s bracelet is the 11th by members of the PocketFives community. The all-time record for number of bracelets by PocketFivers is 23, set in 2011.

Eyster has $3.3 million in cashes in his PocketFives profile and was ranked as high as #4 on our site in 2010. He won an FTOPS Two-Day Event last year for a monstrous $333,000 and won the site’s $150 Rebuy five years ago for $80,000. He’s a two-time FTOPS jersey winner who has added another $1.4 million in live scores, including a WPT win in 2013 and a WSOP Circuit ring.

Third place went to Andrew luckychewy Lichtenberger (pictured), who has already had four cashes at this year’s WSOP. Event #24 marked his first WSOP final table this year and fourth all-time:

1st Place: Kevin 1SickDiseaseEyster – $622,998
2nd Place: Pierre Neuville – $385,041
3rd Place: Andrew luckychewyLichtenberger – $242,827
4th Place: Bryn BrynKenney Kenney – $160,927
5th Place: Jeremy Kottler – $109,844
6th Place: David Borrat – $77,145

Elsewhere at the Rio, after starting the day in 11th place out of 12, Andrew Rennhack took down Event #26, a $1,500 No Limit Hold’em tournament. Rennhack, last year’s Carnivale of Poker Player of the Series, beat PocketFiver Michael Bonzo9876 Katz heads-up.

Ryan gutshtallin Welch (pictured in 2010), who started the final table as a monster chip leader, finished in fourth place. He turned in his best showing in a WSOP event since a bracelet win in 2010 and said to WSOP staff, ” It feels good. I’ve had a few close calls in between, a 12th, a 14th, and a couple of 20+ finishes. I have come close, but it’s nice to be back, for sure.” Welch is just shy of $900,000 in career WSOP scores; his bracelet came in a $3,000 buy-in Triple Chance No Limit Hold’em event.

PocketFivers performed pretty admirably in this event. Entering the final 12, there were six PocketFivers and, perhaps not shockingly, all six made the final table. Tony DrunkPPlaya Gargano, who started Friday’s play as the short stack out of a dozen players, doubled up through Welch on the fourth hand of the final table after his A-10 outraced 8-8 and ended up finishing in third.

Here’s how the nine-handed final table in Event #26 cashed out:

1st Place: Andrew Rennhack – $408,953
2nd Place: Michael Bonzo9876Katz – $252,826
3rd Place: Tony DrunkPPlayaGargano – $166,384
4th Place: Ryan gutshtallinWelch – $119,946
5th Place: Reed calbears22 Goodmiller – $87,797
6th Place: Heinz zhiv Kanutzki – $65,202
7th Place: Geremy Eiland – $49,106
8th Place: Eric Rappaport – $37,486
9th Place: Dan KingDan Smith – $28,986