Kang Hyun Lee Wins Freezeout NLH Event At WSOP

In the early hours of July 18 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kang Hyun Lee emerged as the champion in the $1,000 freezeout no-limit hold’em event at the prestigious World Series of Poker. Hailing from Canada, this skilled poker player claimed the top prize, a staggering $236,741, marking the most substantial win of his poker career and his first tournament victory.

Ecstatic about his triumph, Kang Hyun Lee, a pot-limit Omaha specialist residing in Edmonton, expressed his feelings to reporters, “It feels amazing! Being a poker enthusiast my whole life, to finally receive the most coveted award in the game, it just feels surreal.” He also revealed his plans for the future, now armed with a boosted bankroll, “Yeah, I think I’m going to play a lot more events and probably head out to the WSOP Paradise that they just introduced this year.”

The two-day tournament attracted a massive field of 1,710 entries, resulting in a total prize pool of $1,521,900. On the final day, 124 players returned to battle it out, leading to a marathon march to the finale that concluded after 2:00 am.

Throughout the tournament, notable players made impressive runs, such as Ian Steinman (11th), David Kluchman (28th), Christopher Moon (29th), John Riordan (35th), Tony Gregg (37th), Jason DeWitt (49th), and William Reynolds (50th).

The final table was reached around 8:30 pm when Kang Hyun Lee eliminated Quoc Le in 10th place, setting the stage for the last nine players. Lee maintained a quiet demeanor as poker professionals Vanessa Kade (eighth) and Asher Conniff (sixth) were eliminated from the tournament. A fierce battle for fifth place followed, during which Kane Kalas fell to Ivan Millian, who held the chip lead at that point.

Kang Hyun Lee’s fortunes turned around when he knocked out Abdul Almagabeh in fourth place, securing the chip lead for himself. As three-handed play unfolded, Lee further extended his lead, eventually eliminating Millian in third place, giving him a formidable 4:1 chip advantage heading into the final showdown against Eric Mizrachi.

The tournament concluded just a few hands later when Mizrachi went all in preflop with 8 of Spades and 5 of Diamonds, but Lee held a dominating hand with King of Diamonds and 5 of Spades. The board ran out K of Spades, Q of Clubs, J of Hearts, J of Clubs, and 6 of Spades, sealing Mizrachi’s fate in second place. He earned $146,335 for his commendable runner-up finish, pushing the Mizrachi brother’s career earnings beyond $426,000.

Final Table Payouts