WSOP 2022: David Jackson Denies Phil Hellmuth 17th Bracelet in Event #65: $3K Freezeout NLHE; Neel Joshi Finishes 12th

An incredible final day of the 2022 WSOP Event #65: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold ’em concluded with David Jackson beating Phil Hellmuth heads-up for the title, denying the Poker Brat a record-extending 17th WSOP bracelet. Jackson won his second gold bracelet and $598,173 in prize money.

Jackson won his first bracelet in Event #25: $777 LUCKY SEVENS as part of the 2021 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events. A WSOPC ring winner, Jackson now boasts $1,011,961 in WSOP winnings.

“I was just in my zone, honestly. I felt like I was going to win. I knew I was going to win. I felt like it was meant for me,” said the newly crowned WSOP champion minutes after his impressive victory.

“I’m just in awe. I’m just happy. I’m happy, but it’s just hard to process right now,” Jackson said in the post-tournament interview. “This one [second bracelet] the feeling, it definitely feels much better. The online one was like a 700 or 777 event. So there were a lot of people, but it was an easier field. This one was a tougher field,” he added.

Jackson entered the heads-up with a healthy chip lead, but Hellmuth made it level. However, Jackson wasn’t concerned with the 16-time bracelet winner’s resurgence. “I just played my game. I stayed calm and just continued on.”

This was Hellmuth’s 70th final table appearance and 30th heads-up match at the WSOP. The self-proclaimed ‘G.O.A.T’ had come excruciatingly close to grabbing gold as he plowed through the field and even made the heads-up, albeit with a glaring 4:1 to the previously dominant Jackson. This is the 14th time Hellmuth lost the bracelet in the heads-up play.

Neel Joshi Finishes 12th

Out of the four Indians who had advanced to Day 2 in Event #65: $3K Freezeout NLHE, only Young Gun Neel Joshi carried his stack forward to Day 3. He had started the final day with 2,215,000, putting him seventh in chips among the 26 survivors.

By Level 27, Joshi had dropped to 2 Million, putting him 11th in chips among the remaining 15 players. A level later, he was seventh in chips (3,250,000), with 13 players left.

Soon after that, he was involved in a hand with Phil Hellmuth. The latter opened to 250,000 from the button, and Joshi called from the small blind. On the flop , Joshi check-called a bet of 250,000 from Hellmuth. The turn brought , and both players checked through to see the river. Hellmuth fired a bet of 200,000, and Joshi mucked his cards. “Would you believe me if I said I flopped top set?” asked Hellmuth. Joshi shook his head in disagreement. Joshi’s stack dropped to 2.63 Million.

An hour later, Joshi’s run in the tournament ended. Joshi raised to 845,000, leaving himself two green 25,000 chips behind. Jeffrey Lo called in the small blind before Justin Saliba re-raised to 4 Million from the big blind. Joshi put in his last 50,000, and Lo went into the tank before eventually folding.

Neel Joshi

Justin Saliba

Both players hit a set on the runout , but Saliba’s better hand sent Joshi packing in 12th place for $30,435 (~₹24.02 Lakhs). This was Joshi’s fourth cash of the series and his 24th overall and improved his WSOP winnings to $241,140 (~₹1.90 Crores).

Bracelet winners Abhinav Iyer (95th place for ₹5.37 Lakhs) and Kartik Ved (194th for ₹3.80 Lakhs) also cashed the event on Day 2. Ved is currently second in chips on the five-handed FT in Event #66: $1K Mini Main Event.

Final Day Recap

Twenty-six players returned on Day 3, and David Lopez (26th for $20,149) was the first player to hit the rail.

Other notables who fell out before the final table was formed included Chad Brewer (11th for $38,166), Tamer Alkamli (14th for $24,597), and Julien Martini (25th for $20,149).

Unofficial Final Table Chip Counts

1. David Jackson – 9,400,000
2. Justin Saliba – 9,000,000
3. Phil Hellmuth – 7,200,000
4. Timothy Sullivan – 6,800,000
5. Jeffrey Lo – 6,500,000
6. Richard Scardina – 6,000,000
7. Anton Wigg – 3,100,000
8. Onur Unsal – 2,500,000
9. Renan Bruschi – 2,450,000
10. Keiji Ito – 1,200,000

With the elimination of Day 2 chip leader Keiji Ito in 10th place ($38,166), the nine-handed final table commenced.

Final Table Recap

Two minutes into the final table, Anton Wigg was sent to the rail when his were defeated by Justin Saliba’s that turned a set on the board. Wigg bowed out in ninth place.

Finishing in eighth place was Richard Scardina. His could not hold up against Jeffrey Lo’s that bettered to a set on the runout.

Seven-handed play continued for over three hours before Onur Unsal walked out in seventh place. The hand in question saw David Jackson opening to 600,000 from the cutoff, and Unsal called from the big blind. The flop fell , and Unsal check-called Jackson’s bet of 550,000. The turn brought , and both players checked to see the river . Unsal announced all-in for 3 Million and was snap-called by Jackson.

Onur Unsal

David Jackson

Though both players had the same hand, Jackson’s turned flush won him the pot, ending Unsal’s maiden bracelet hunt.

Towards the end of Level 32, Renan Bruschi‘s were cracked by Jackson’s that flopped a set on the rundown, resulting in the former’s exit in sixth place.

The five remaining players then moved on to the feature table inside Bally’s Event Center.

You can watch the replay of the feature table action below.

Feature Table Chip Counts

1. David Jackson – 27,950,000
2. Phil Hellmuth – 11,100,000
3. Jeffrey Lo – 9,050,000
4. Justin Saliba – 4,375,000
5. Timothy Sullivan – 1,925,000

Feature Table Recap

Short-staked Timothy Sullivan was the first casualty on the feature table. His went up against Lo’s that flopped a pair of tens, dismissing Sullivan in fifth place.

An hour later, Justin Saliba‘s ran into Jackson’s . The community cards opened , and Jackson spiked a King on the flop to eliminate Saliba in fourth place.

Three-handed play lasted for over an hour before Jeffrey Lo’s was bested by Jackson’s . The latter rivered a boat on the board to take down the pot.

Lo’s exit set up the heads-up match between David Jackson (44,210,000) and Phil Hellmuth (10,250,000). Despite starting out with a massive lead, the heads-up was not an easy one to win for Jackson. Hellmuth gave it his all and came very close to overtaking the chip lead from Jackson. But the latter held on and rode his chip lead across the finish line fifty minutes later.

On the final hand, Hellmuth limped in before Jackson moved all-in. Hellmuth tanked for a moment before calling with his last 9.5 Million.

Phil Hellmuth

David Jackson

The board revealed , and Jackson rivered a King high straight to win his second WSOP gold bracelet while denying Hellmuth his elusive 17th bracelet!

Final Table Results (USD)

1. David Jackson – $598,173
2. Phil Hellmuth – $369,698
3. Jeffrey Lo – $266,559
4. Justin Saliba – $194,525
5. Timothy Sullivan – $143,699
6. Renan Bruschi – $107,472
7. Onur Unsal – $81,390
8. Richard Scardina – $62,423
9. Anton Wigg – $48,494

Content & Images Courtesy: PokerGO, PokerNews & WSOP

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