Home » News » WSOP 2018: Jean-Robert Bellande Wins Event #58 – $5,000 NLHE 6-Handed For $616,302

WSOP 2018: Jean-Robert Bellande Wins Event #58 – $5,000 NLHE 6-Handed For $616,302

PG News July 2, 2018
8 mins Read

Opening with a field of 621 runners on Day 1, Event #58: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed saw the final six players returning back for Day 4. All finalists on the six-handed final table were chasing their first World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet but it was Jean-Robert Bellande (cover image) who finally got the monkey off his back and emerged victorious to claim his career-first WSOP gold and the top prize worth $616,302.

Bellande had picked up his maiden WSOP score in 2005 in Event #5: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo where he placed 44^th pocketing $2,895. He has since scored in 23 more events that have added $2,013,101 to his bankroll over the years. Ranking 31^st on the New York, USA All Time Money List, Bellande has total live earnings of $2,889,703.

Talking about winning his first WSOP gold bracelet in the post-event interview, Bellande said, “Winning a bracelet in no-limit hold’em is an extra big surprise to me because it’s not my best game. I’ve worked a lot on my game but I know I’m way behind the top-level players in that game. I would never ever dream my first bracelet would be in no-limit hold’em, but it makes it extra exciting for me.”

Following the eliminations of Arsenii Karmatakii (10^th for $45,764), Sergio Espina Aido (9^th for $45,764), James Mackey (8^th for $61,931), and Arthur Morris (7^th for $61,931), the six-player final table was convened.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Eric Blair – 1,310,000

2. Andrew Graham – 2,430,000

3. Tay Nguyen – 1,485,000

4. Kacper Pyzara – 2,605,000

5. Jean-Robert Bellande – 5,050,000

6. Dean Lyall – 2,700,000

Final Table Recap

The first one out was Kacper Pyzara. He shoved for 515,000 in the small blind with and was called by Jean-Robert Bellande in the big blind with . The flop brought Pyzara a pair of sevens, but the turn gave Bellande the lead with trip jacks. Hoping for an ace on the river, Pyzara instead found and had to make his way back to the rail in sixth place.

On the 14^th hand, Andrew Graham raised 150,000 from under-the-gun with and Eric Blair called from big blind with . The flop came and both players picked up a pair of aces. Blair check-called a bet from Graham to see the turn card . Blair checked again, and Graham moved all-in. Blair tanked for some time and then called. The river did not bring any respite and he had to depart in fifth place.

14 hands later, Tay Nguyen shoved for 420,000 from the button with pocket eights. Bellande called from small blind with and Dean Lyall folded in the big blind. The flop kept Bellande firmly ahead and the turn practically sealed Nguyen’s fate. The river did nothing to better it, resulting in Nguyen’s departure in fourth place.

The three-handed play went on for a very long time before the next elimination occurred after 110 hands. Biting the bullet at third place was Andrew Graham. On his final hand, Bellande raised from the button and Graham moved all-in from big blind. Bellande called and both players tabled their cards. It was Graham`s against Bellande`s . With the board missing both players, Bellande’s king-high kicker eventually won him the pot while Graham exited in third place.

The heads-up match between Dean Lyall and Jean-Robert Bellande turned out to be a long drawn battle and finally 92 hands later, a winner emerged. On the 228^th hand of the day, Lyall open-shoved for 4.36 Million from the button and Bellande responded with a call. As the community cards opened , Bellande’s overpowered Lyall’s to get him the bracelet.