Brian Rast Becomes a Five-Time WSOP Champion

Brian Rast is the latest professional poker player with add to his bracelet collection at the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Rast became a five-time WSOP champion after taking down the $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed event. The victory came with $474,102 in prize money, which takes Rast’s lifetime winnings to $22,182,034.

The tournament drew in a crowd of 997 entrants who created a $2,661,990 prize pool. Only the top 150 finishers received a payout, so spare a thought for Jeff Gross, the man who finished in 151st place to burst the bubble. Gross got his short-stack in with Ac-Ah versus John Gallaher’s 6s-3s. The board ran 2s-Qs-Tc-As-6c and Gross crashed out.

Gross’ exit paved the way to the cashier’s desk for the likes of Tristan Wade, Antoine Saout, Adrian Mateos, and Jared Jaffee. Joseph Cheong, Asi Moshe, and John Racener progressed deeper but failed to reach the final table.

Rast The Runaway Chip Leader at the Final Table

Rast sat down at the seven-handed final table with a massive chip lead. He held 12,900,000 chips with Nick Yunis on 8,350,000 and Jun Obara further behind on 3,870,000.

The final seven became six when Matas Cimbolas bowed out. Cimbolas found himself all-in with Jc-9c on a Td-7h-6h flop against Yunis’ Ah-8c. The turn and river came Ks and 6s, and Cimbolas busted.

Uruguay’s Francisco Benitez fell by the wayside in sixth for $73,107. Benitez shoved for 2,600,000 with As-Qs at the 200,000/400,000/400,000a level, and Rast called with 7d-6d. Rast went into the lead on the flop and stayed there as the community cards fell 5h-Jh-7c-3h-Ks.

The first six-figure score went to Obara when Yunis eliminated him shortly after Benitez’ demise. Obara min-raised to 800,000 in the cutoff, and Yunis called in the big blind. Yunis checked on the Js-Td-6s flop, Obara ripped it in for 3,450,000, and Yunis called. It was 7s-5s for Obara and Jc-9h for Yunis. Yunis improved to a straight on the Qh turn and better still on the Kd river.

Yunis could not put Obara’s chips to good use because he was the next player out of the door. Rast moved all-in from under the dun and Yunis called off his 15 big blind stack from the big blind. Rast’s Ad-4d only trailed Yunis’ Ah-5h until the 7c-4h-Ts flop. Neither the 3h nor 8c on the turn and river altered the course of the hand.

One Hand On His Fifth Bracelet

Rast held 31,180,000 chips going into three-handed play; the other two held 9,700,000 between them. The rich got richer when Rast shoved from the small blind, and Tuan Phan called off his last four big blinds. Phan flipped over Qh-Jd and Rast the 5c-4d. Phan hit top pair on the flop but Rast improved to a straight as the board ran 6c-8d-Jh-5h-7c.

Heads-up was over almost as quickly as it began. Gallaher, who sent Gross home on the bubble, limp-called after Rast moved all-in. Gallaher turned over Qd-Th, Rast the Ks-Td, and the dealer spread the Js-Jc-6h-Ts-3d community cards. Runner-up Gallaher picked up a career-best $293,009 prize, leaving Rast to net the $474,102 top prize and his fifth career bracelet.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1	Brian Rast	United States	$474,102
2	John Gallaher	United States	$293,009
3	Tuan Phan	United States	$210,913
4	Nick Yunis	Chile	$141,478
5	Jun Obara	Japan	$100,827
6	Francisco Benitez	Uruguay	$73,107

Rast has his sights set on becoming a member of the Poker Hall of Fame. He is now 40-years-old and fits the criteria and more. He has five seven-figure scores to his name, including one worth $7,525,000, his reward for winning the inaugural Super High Roller Bowl. Two other seven-figure prizes come from Rast’s incredible WSOP wins.

• $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha in 2011 for $227,232
• $50,000 Poker Player’s Championship in 2011 for $1,720,328
• $50,000 Poker Player’s Championship in 2016 for $1,296,097
• $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship in 2018 for $259,670

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.

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