WSOP 2018: Diogo Veiga Wins Event #54 – $3,000 Big Blind Antes For $522,715, Nikita Luther’s Thrilling Run Ends in 17th Place For ₹12.65 Lakhs

What had started with a field of 1,020 players, came down to just four runners on the final day of Event #54: Big Blind Antes $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em at the 2018 World Series of Poker (WSOP). But it was Diogo Veiga who emerged victorious after defeating former bracelet winner Barry Hutter in the heads-up play to bring home his career-first WSOP gold bracelet and his second-largest career score of $522,715.

A fairly new face at the WSOP, Veiga participated in his first WSOP event in Event #1: 300€ No-Limit Hold’em Six Max at the 2016/17 International Circuit – Casino Estoril, last year, where he placed 16^th for €807. Ranked 6^th in the Portugal All Time Money List, this rising star of poker boasts of total live earnings of $895,098.

In the post-event interview, Veiga said, “Perhaps now I’ll see what more there is I can play. The strategy won’t change. I had 15 tough days before, but now, this is a turning point. I’m going to play the Main Event and just see what happens. It’s still going to be a great summer.”

Team India’s Nikita Luther made an electrifying run in the event.. By the end of Day 2, she had consolidated to a sizeable stack of 392,000 and was amongst the top stacks of the day. She missed the final table by a whisker and eventually finished 17^th for $18,495 (~₹12.65 Lakhs). This was her second cash at this year’s WSOP and her fifth score in the tournament series overall.

The final table was set when Ryan Hall open-shoved for 220,000 with and was called by Anna Antimony who had pocket tens. The board missed both players and Hall was ousted in tenth place setting up the nine-player final table.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Radoslav Stoyanov – 3,500,000

2. Barry Hutter – 2,940,000

3. David Yan – 2,800,000

4. Cathal Shine – 1,400,000

5. Diogo Veiga – 965,000

6. Jonathan Abdellatif – 900,000

7. Anna Antimony – 860,000

8. Tom McCormick – 645,000

9. Todd Ivens – 575,000

Final Table Recap

On the 12^th hand on the final table, Jonathan Abdellatif raised from middle position and received calls from both Todd Ivens and Radoslav Stoyanov. The flop fell , Stoyanov checked and Abdellatif bet 75,000. Ivens called and Stoyanov folded. On the turn , Abdellatif bet again and Ivens moved all-in . Action was back on Abdellatif who made the call. Ivens held against Abdellatif’s . The flop had brought Ivens a pair of aces and Abdellatif a set of eights. The river had no impact on either player and following a check the dealer confirmed that Abdellatif had the bigger stack before the hand thereby confirming Ivens ninth place elimination.

45 hands later, it was Cathal Shine’s time to leave. Shine moved all-in from small blind with and Hutter snap-called from the big blind with . The showdown did not hit either player and Hutter’s queen-high kicker resulted in Shine’s exit in eighth place.

Less than half an hour later, Anna Antimony went all-in with her remaining 770,000 from the cut off seat holding and Hutter called from big blind with . Antimony flopped a pair of queens with but the turn gave Hutter a pair of aces. The river did little to further Antimony’s cause, leading to her elimination at seventh-place..

On the 96^th hand of the final table, David Yan was sent to the rail in sixth place. With less than ten big blinds he moved all-in from small blind with and Abdellatif called from the big blind holding . As the community cards opened , Abdellatif made a full house to win the pot.

The last elimination on Day 3 was Tom McCormick whose run ended in fifth place. Abdellatif raised the pot to 235,000 and Veiga re-raised it to 750,000 from the button. McCormick moved all-in from the big blind for 1,775,000, forcing Abdellatif to fold while Veiga called. The cards were tabled revealing McCormick`s pocket jacks and Veiga`s . The flop ran and Veiga top paired with aces. The remaining board cards and were no help to McCormick who moved on to collect the fifth place prize money.

Final Day Recap

The first elimination on Day 4 was Jonathan Abdellatif. He moved all in for 1.05 Million from the small blind holding . Hutter with, called from the big blind putting Abdellatif at risk. The rundown did not bring a five for Abdellatif and he had to depart in fourth place.

The 210^th hand of the final table brought about Radoslav Stoyanov’s elimination in third place. With , Stoyanov moved all-in from the small blind and was called by Hutter from the big blind holding . The flop opened a gutshot straight draw for Stoyanov, but the turn and river brought no further help, and with that the heads-up match was set.

It took 61 more hands for the final elimination. As Veiga limped in from the button with , Barry Hutter announced all-in holding . Veiga tanked for a few seconds then made the call. The flop put Veiga in the lead with a pair of kings. The turn brought Hutter a club flush draw, but the river ended his run in second place as Diogo Veiga claimed his first WSOP gold bracelet and Portugal’s third bracelet.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Diogo Veiga – $522,715

2. Barry Hutter – $323,019

3. Radoslav Stoyanov – $228,241

4. Jonathan Abdellatif – $163,404

5. Tom McCormick – $118,552

6. David Yan – $87,179

7. Anna Antimony – $64,991

8. Cathal Shine – $49,126

9. Todd Ivens – $37,660

Content & image courtesy WSOP.com

Keep following the latest updates from WSOP 2018 right here on PokerGuru!

Related Articles:

1. WSOP 2018: India`s Nikita Luther With Germany`s Giuseppe Pantaleo Make Day 3 in Event #55 – $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold ‘em, Luther Finishes 17th in Event 54

2. WSOP 2018: Joey Couden Takes Down Event #53 – $1,500 PLO Hi-Lo 8 or Better For $244,370

3. WSOP 2018: Ryan Leng Gifts 1st Bracelet to His Mother After Winning Event #51- $1,500 Bounty For $272,765