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Andrey Zhigalov has won the 2018 World Series of Poker $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. event, outlasting a field of 731 total entries to win his first gold bracelet and the $202,787 first-place prize.
“I’ve been dreaming about this since I was 16,” Zhigalov told WSOP reporters. He originally imagined winning the main event, but now primarily focuses on mixed games. “It’s boring for me. When I get only two cards, I think ‘Where are the others?’”
The 29-year-old Russian accountant has cashes in a wide variety of mixed game events at the WSOP, but this was by far his largest cash.
In addition to the bracelet and the money, Zhigalov also earned 912 Card Player Player of the Year points. This was his first POY-qualified score of the year, and as a result he now sits in 188th place in the Player of the Year standings, which are presented in 2018 by Global Poker.
Zhigalov survived to the unofficial nine-handed final table as one of the shortest stacks, but he was able to mount a comeback and by the time play was halted for the night at the end of day 3 he held a slight lead over his lone remaining opponent in Tim Frazin. With large betting limits things went quickly. By the time the final hand arose he had built a huge lead. Frazin got his last chips in on third street playing Razz. The hands came down as follows:
Andrey Zhigalov: (A-4)9-2-4-Q-(8)
Timothy Frazin: (6-2)7-J-K-6(J)
Zhigalov made a 9-8 low to secure the pot and the title. Frazin earned $125,336 as the runner-up finishers. Other notable players who made deep runs in this event include Matt Woodwar (4th – $62,379), Scott Clements (7th – $24,531), Ismael Bojang (9th – $14,240) and Brian Hastings (15th – $7,120).
Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:
Place | Player | Earnings (USD) | POY Points |
1 | Andrey Zhigalov | $202,787 | 912 |
2 | Tim Frazin | $125,336 | 760 |
3 | Bradley Smith | $87,769 | 608 |
4 | Matt Woodward | $62,379 | 456 |
5 | Nicholas Derke | $45,006 | 380 |
6 | Sandeep Vasudevan | $32,971 | 304 |
7 | Scott Clements | $24,531 | 228 |
8 | J.W. Smith | $18,541 | 152 |
Source : www.cardplayer.com