Ari Engel is a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner after he came out on top of the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low 8 or Better Championship event at the 2021 WSOP. Engel helped himself to the $317,076 top prize after defeating Zachary Milchman heads-up.
The tournament attracted 134 entrants who created a $1193,600 prize pool. Only the top 21 finishers won a slice of that pie, which meant scores of elite poker players busted empty-handed.
Erik Seidel, Mike Matusow, and Benny Glaser were among those who crashed out before the money. At least they did not finish in 22nd place and burst the bubble. Tom Koral earned that dubious honor.
Koral’s exit paved the way to the cashier’s desk for the surviving players. The likes of Ryan Laplante, Ben Yu, Jerry Wong, and Brian Rast finished in the money. Paul Volpe, Dylan Linde also cashed, with Chris Vitch falling in tenth and setting the official final table.
Engel Leads With Nine Remaining
Engel held the chip lead with nine players remaining, but those nine were a talented bunch. They became eight when Khamar Xaytavone was all-in with Tc-8h-5s-4h against Engel’s Jc-5d-3s-2c. The 4c-9s-6s-2d-Qs board gave Engel a straight, and busted Xaytavone.
Ben Landowski fell in eighth after a clash with George Wolff did not go to plan. Landowski’s short stack went into the middle with Ac-Qs-Jh-2h; Wolff held As-Ah-7h-5d.
Seventh place went to Robert Mizrachi. He committed the last of his chips with As-Kd-7c-7h on the 3s-9s-5h flop. Andrew Yeh looked him up with Ac-6s-4h-2h. The 4c turn and Jd river gifted Yeh a wheel and busted Mizrachi.
Mizrachi is one of the best O8 tournament players in the world. he finished third in this very event in 2019. He enjoyed another third-place finish in the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo event at the start of this series.
Engel despatched of Wolff in sixth place, which brought the curtain down on the day’s proceedings. Engel scooped the pot with the nut spade flush and the low.
All Eyes on Hellmuth on Day 4
Phil Hellmuth was among the final five players and vying for his 16th WSOP bracelet. However, Hellmuth sat down with by far the shortest stack. Engel and Eddie Blumenthal split the pot that sent a disappointed Hellmuth home in fifth. Blumenthal made a jack-high straight with Engel winning the low half.
Engel then sent Blumenthal to the rail in fourth for the first six-figure prize of the tournament. The pair got their stack in preflop, Engel holding Jh-Jd-5d-3c and Blumenthal As-4d-3h-2d. The board ran Qc-Ad-3d-Td-Kh, sending Blumenthal home.
Yeh crashed out in third place for $143,988; Engel again did the damage. Helping himself to Yeh’s chips meant Engel held a massive chip lead over Zachary Milchman going into heads-up. Milchman fought his way back level before claim the chip lead for himself.
The lead changed hands dozens of times, but the night belonged to Engel. The final hand saw Milchman all-in with 8h-8c-4d-2d on a Td-6h-Js flop. Engel called with As-Ts-4s-3h. Both the turn and river were queens, improving Engel to two pair and awarding him the title.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ari Engel | Canada | $317,076 |
| 2 | Zachary Milchman | United States | $195,968 |
| 3 | Andrew Yeh | United States | $143,988 |
| 4 | Eddie Blumenthal | United States | $107,204 |
| 5 | Phil Hellmuth | United States | $80,894 |
| 6 | George Wolff | United States | $61,877 |
| 7 | Robert Mizrachi | United States | $47,987 |
| 8 | Ben Landowski | United States | $37,738 |
| 9 | Khamar Xaytavone | United States | $30,102 |
Two More Players Win Bracelets
This is Engel’s second WSOP bracelet, which is keeping his ten WSOP Circuit rings company. Two of his fellow poker tournament grinders won bracelets over the past couple of days.
- Jason Koon – winner of the $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship for $243,981
- Yuval Bronshtein – winner of the $1,500 Limit Hold’em for $124,374
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Brad Johnson
You name the game, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Brad has either played it or placed a wager on it! Brad calls himself a natural gambler, and someone who gains as much enjoyment from writing about the crazy game of poker as he does playing it.