Josh Arieh Becomes a Three-Time WSOP Bracelet Winner

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has a “year of” each time it runs. The 2021 WSOP is the year of the three-time bracelet winner with several players getting their hands on their third piece of poker jewelry. Georgia’s Josh Arieh is the latest player to win his third bracelet.

Arieh cashed three times before entering Event #39: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha 8-Handed. The tournament attracted 821 players who created a $1,096,035 prize pool. The top 124 finishers won a slice of that pie.

Robert Mizrachi, Ali Imsirovic, Calvin Anderson, and Ari Engel were among the cashers. Maxx Coleman’s elimination in tenth place, worth $12,517, set the official nine-handed final table.

Arieh Eighth in Chips at the Final Table

Arieh reached the final table but did so with the second shortest stack. Nitesh Rawtani held the chip lead and more than double the number of chips in Arieh’s stack.

Ashor Ochana’s run ended in a ninth-place finish worth $15,842. Ochana was all-in with Ac-Ad-5s-4s against Robert Blair’s As-Kh-Ts-7c. Blair flopped a straight as the board ran Qh-Jh-9s-Qc-9h.

Eighth place and $20,371 went to Charles Wilt. Gabriel Andrade sent Wilt to the cashier’s cage. All the chips went in on the 4s-5s-2h flop, Wilt holding As-8s-8h-6c, and Andrade the Kh-Kd-6h-3s. Wilt’s flush draw misses with the Ad turn and Td river completing the board.

Rawtani extended his lead at the top of the chip counts when he busted Lior Abudi in fifth for $26,603. Abudi raised all-in with Ad-Ac-Kd-5c on the 2h-9d-Ts flop. However, Andrade out-flopped him with Td-9h-6s-3h. The Ks turn was joined by the Jh river, and Abudi busted.

Rawtani lost a few key hands before committing his short-stack with Kc-Ks-9h-7c on the Ac-Qd-Qh flop. Ivan Deyra looked him up with Ad-5s-4s-3s. Rawtani missed on the 5c turn and 9s river. His exit ended Day 2 with five players hunting for the bracelet.

Champion Elect Starts Day 3 In The Lead

Arieh went into the final day’s play as the chip leader and was fast out of the block. He was a series of pots early doors before climbing the pay ladder with the elimination of Andrade.

Andrade raised to 350,000 at the 50,000/100,000/100,000a level. Blair three-bet to 1,300,000 and called when Andrade raised all-in. Andrade showed Qh-Td-9c-8h, and Blair the Ad-As-Kd-Jd. A final board reading 5d-5c-4c-Qc-2h sent Andrade to the rail in fifth with $47,492 in prize money.

Four-handed play lasted two hours and ended with Deyra heading to the cashier’s desk to bank $64,890. Deyra committed his short stack with Qs-Jd-Tc-5s, and Areih called with Ah-Kc-7d-3h. The five community cards ran 9h-3s-7c-5c-6h, and Arieh’s two pair took the pot.

Arieh busted Blair soon after, his Qc-Qh-8c-5d prevailing against Ad-Kd-3h-2c. Blair consoled himself with $89,968. That pot gave Arieh more than a two-to-one chip advantage over American PLO specialist Tommy Le, himself a bracelet winner.

Le never managed to close the gap on Arieh and ultimately made do with the $126,549 consolation prize. The final hand took place during the 80,000/160,000/160,000a level. Le opened to 480,000 and called when Arieh three-bet to 1,400,000. The flop fell Kd-5d-Js, Arieh bet 2,340,000 which put Le all in, and Le called.

Le flipped over 7d-5h-4c-3d, and Arieh As-Ac-Th-2h. The Kc turn and Qh river improved Arieh to a Broadway straight, winning him his third WSOP bracelet, and $204,766.