Niall Farrell became the first Scottish player to win a WSOP bracelet Thursday night at WSOP Europe (WSOP photo)

Over the course of his career, Niall Farrell has had a couple of close calls at the World Series of Poker. A second in 2013, another second in 2016. Two other final tables. But he’s never been able to close one. He’s won a World Poker Tour and a European Poker Tour title. Thursday night at WSOP Europe though, Farrell finally broke through on the WSOP stage.

Farrell won the €25,000 High Roller event and became the first Scottish player to win a WSOP bracelet, completing the live poker Triple Crown. To do so he beat out a final table that included a former WSOP Main Event champion, three other Main Event final tablists, and two talented Germans.

Antoine Saout found himself on the losing end of a battle with one of the other Frenchman at the table, Benjamin Pollak. Saout moved all in from UTG for 2,570,000 and Pollak called from the button. The blinds folded and Saout revealed AsTd and Pollak showed 6d6h. The board ran out Jc9c8s2cJs to give Pollak the pot and eliminate Saout in eighth place.

A little over an hour later, Pollak found another victim. Action folded to Pollak in the small blind and he completed only to have Stefan Schillhabel move all in for 7,125,000 from the big blind. Pollak snap-called and tabled AhAs while Schillhabel needed lots of help after showing KdJc. The Ts6s3d flop was no help for Schillabel and the 4h turn ended his run in seventh place. The meaningless river was the Jh to give the German star a needle on his way out.

Another blind-vs-blind battle resulted in the next elimination. Sylvain Loosli moved all in from the small blind and Andrew Leathem called all in. Loosli showed Qs3c and Leathem was barely ahead with 3h3s. The KcQc2s changed that though and neither the 2h turn or 4c river were able to save Leathem and he was out in sixth.

Despite picking up that pot, Loosli only hung around another half hour. Claas Segebrecht raised to 1,200,000 from the button and Loosli moved all in for 4,125,000 from the small blind. Segebrecht called and was behind with 8c8d against Loosli’s QdQh. The 9s6d2h flop changed nothing, but the 8s turn put Segebrecht ahead and when the 7s river hit the felt, Loosli was forced to settle for a fifth place result.

Down to just seven big blinds, Ryan Riess was in need of a double or two and felt like he found a good spot when he shoved for 5,100,000 from the small blind and Pollak called from the big blind. Riess tabled Kh8d which put him ahead of Pollak’s Qd6c. The AsQs4d flop gave Pollak a pair and left Riess drawing thin before the final two cards. The Ts turn actually gave Riess extra outs but the 2h river was not one of them and he was done in fourth place. After his bustout, Riess admitted to making a mistake at the final table.

Just 11 hands later the final German player was sent packing. Having already lost a significant chunk of his stack to Farrell, it seemed only fitting that the Scotsman claim the rest of Segebrecht’s chips. After Pollak folded his button, Farrell moved all in from the small blind and Segebrecht called off his last 2,750,000. Farrell was slightly ahead with Ks5h to Segebrecht’s Jd7c. The board ran out Td8c3cQhKh to send Segebrecht packing and send Farrell to heads-up with a 3-2 lead over Pollak.

It took just 30 minutes for Farrell to grab his first career bracelet. Farrell opened to 2,200,000 and Pollak moved all in for 23,275,000 and got bad news after Farrell called and tabled AsJh which had Pollak’s Ah7c dominated. The KsQh5h changed nothing and neither did the 9s turn or 8h river and Pollak was eliminated in second, giving Farrell his first career bracelet.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Niall Farrell – €745,287
  2. Benjamin Pollak – €460,622
  3. Claas Segebrecht – €321,863
  4. Ryan Riess – €230,071
  5. Sylvain Loosli – €168,323
  6. Andre Leathem – €126,113
  7. Stefan Schillhabel – €98,819
  8. Antoine Saout – €96,209