Event #26: $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em Marathon
Day 6 Completed
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #26: $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em Marathon
Day: 6
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2019 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$2,620
Prize Pool
$2,553,714
Entries
1,083
Level
33
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
There is a reason why they call it "a marathon" and on Day 6 of the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #26: $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em Marathon the 1,083-entry tournament lived up to its name. An epic heads-up battle resulted in Russian online poker pro Roman Korenev capturing his first WSOP gold bracelet and a payday of $477,401.
Korenev defeated Minnesota's Jared Koppel, who came into the day as the overwhelming chip leader but the heads-up battle was nothing short of exciting. The pendulum swung back and forth multiple times and both players had their opponent on the brink of elimination. Korenev got things started when he got all of his chips in the middle with pocket sevens against the pocket queens of Koppel. A seven on the flop gave Korenev a double up and the match was on.
In total, there were 12 double-ups once the heads-up match got underway. Five of the first eight were a result of the short-stack getting it in behind but finding a way to catch up. On the 13th all-in of the match, Korenev finally had Koppel on the ropes. Koppel flopped top pair with a straight draw but Korenev turned a higher pair when all of the chips got in the middle. The river improved Korenev to two pair and his Russian rail exploded into cheers and chants.
"I feel great! It was a long way to this result. I have nothing to say, no words," an overjoyed Kovenev said. "Dreams come true."
As for Koppel, he walked away with a prize of $295,008 but will have to wait for another day to get his chance at a coveted bracelet. For Korenev, it seems fitting that he captured his largest career prize at the WSOP in Las Vegas given how much success he's had in the past. Back in 2016, Korenev cashed in eight different events and followed that up with four cashes in 2017 and 2018 each. This is his second cash so far this summer and it surely will be one he will never forget.
When asked about the back and forth heads-up match, Korenev did not want to relive it.
"I don't want to talk about this," he grinned. But as for the Marathon-themed event, he said he felt comfortable in that environment. “With the longer levels you have the option to make more mistakes, and let people make more mistakes. It also helps for periods when you’re card dead. It’s better for professional players, for sure.”
What's next for the Russian player that plans on staying in Las Vegas all summer?
"Next bracelet!" he said with a loud chuckle.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ramon Korenev | Russia | $477,401 |
| 2nd | Jared Koppel | United States | $295,008 |
| 3rd | Dong Sheng Peng | China | $208,726 |
| 4th | Francis Anderson | United States | $149,605 |
| 5th | Joe Curcio | United States | $108,646 |
| 6th | Joseph Liberta | United States | $79,957 |
| 7th | Matt Russell | United States | $59,642 |
| 8th | Gustavo Darosamuniz | Brazil | $45,100 |
| 9th | Peter Hong | United States | $34,580 |
Only six players returned to the felt for the live-streamed final table on Saturday and the action got off to a bit of an awkward start with Dong Sheng Peng not arriving til around the 10th hand of the day. That didn't seem to slow any of the action down though, as there were many all-ins in the opening hour.
Joseph Liberta came into the day as one of the shorter stacks and he got all of his chips in the middle in a dominated position blind vs blind against Korenev. Despite seeing his live card in the window, Liberta was quickly disappointed to see that Korenev flopped a bigger pair. Liberta was unable to find any help on the turn or river and became the day's first casualty.
It was only moments later when short-stacked Joe Curcio got the last of his seven big blinds in the middle with pocket aces. He was called by Francis Anderson's queen-ten who flopped a pair of queens. The turn card was a ten to give Anderson two pair and Curcio was sent to the payout desk in fifth place. As for Anderson, he didn't last much longer. He wound up getting 30 big blinds in the middle with pocket nines against Korenev's pocket sixes. Unfortunately for Anderson, Korenev was running too pure as he spiked a six on the flop to send Anderson home in fourth place.
For the man who didn't get much time at the feature table, Peng also didn't have much luck go his way. He quickly became one of the short stacks and he shoved all in for around 17 big blinds from the small blind. Korenev woke up with pocket kings in the big blind and Peng was drawing extremely slim. While he picked up a straight and flush draw on the turn, the river bricked off and Peng was eliminated in third place. So within 90 minutes, the field was quickly whittled from six players to just two.
Lots of people thought this could be a quick final table, but as stated above, they couldn't have been farther from the truth. It took well over five hours for the heads-up battle between Korenev and Koppel to come to an end but at least there was no shortage of excitement.
That wraps up PokerNews' coverage for another event here at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino but stay tuned as there is still plenty of more events on the go for the 2019 World Series of Poker.
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #419: Jared Koppel limped in on his button and Roman Korenev made it 1,000,000 to go from the big blind. Koppel called and the flop came 
. Korenev checked and Koppel tossed in a bet of 1,000,000. Korenev called and the 
landed on the turn. Korenev checked to Koppel who shoved all in for 3,900,000. Korenev snap-called and had Koppel in trouble once again.
Roman Korenev: 
Jared Koppel: 
The rail started to make a drum-roll noise as the river was about to hit the felt. The dealer burned and turned the 
and Korenev finally outlasted Koppel to bring an end to an epic Marathon battle.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
28,300,000
5,800,000
|
5,800,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #414: Roman Korenev raised to 625,000 and won the hand.
Hand #415: Jared Koppel opened with a raise to 625,000, Korenev three-bet to 2,130,000, Koppel four-bet shoved all in and Korenev called directly for 12,500,000 total.
Roman Korenev: 
Jared Koppel: 
Flop 
kept Korenev miles ahead but the 
added straight outs for Koppel. The 
wasn't one of the outs he needed, though, making Korenev the winner of the eleventh double-up of the heads-up. Koppel was left with just twelve big blinds after the hand.
Hand #416: Korenev shoved all in on the button and Koppel called directly.
Jared Koppel: 
Roman Korenev:
It was the twelfth all in of the heads-up and the American and Russian would continue onwards to number thirteen after the board fell 
to keep Koppel's fours ahead.
Hand #417: Jared Koppel shoved all in for 5,900,000 on the button and Roman Korenev folded his big blind.
Hand #418: Korenev raised to 625,000 on the button and Koppel quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,500,000
10,200,000
|
10,200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,900,000
-10,200,000
|
-10,200,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #409: Jared Koppel raised to 625,000 on the button and Roman Korenev defended from the big blind. The flop came 
and Korenev check-called a bet of 500,000 from Koppel. The turn was the 
and both players checked to the 
on the river. Korenev checked again and Koppel fired out a bet of 1,900,000 which got Korenev to fold.
Hand #410: Korenev limped in on the button and Koppel checked his option. The flop fell 
and both players checked to the on the turn. Koppel led out for 500,000 and Korenev instantly mucked.
Hand #411: Koppel just called on the button and Korenev chose to see a flop of 
. They both checked to the 
on the turn and Korenev claimed the pot with a bet of 500,000.
Hand #412: Korenev raised to 625,000 and Koppel called from the big blind. The flop came and Koppel checked to Korenev who continued for 600,000. Koppel called and the landed on the turn. Both players checked to the on the river and they checked it down. Koppel tabled 
while Korenev showed 
to scoop the pot.
Hand #413: Koppel made it 625,000 on the button and Korenev three-bet to 2,125,000 which got a fold from Koppel.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,100,000
-700,000
|
-700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
12,300,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #406: Roman Korenev limped and Jared Koppel checked. Koppel checked the 
flop to Korenev, who bet 300,000. Call from the American.
The turn brought the and Koppel checked. Korenev's second barrel was for 800,000 and Koppel once again called. The on the river prompted a check from Koppel. Korenev emptied the clip with a bet of 2,100,000.
Koppel slumped back in his chair, took a sip of his drink, double-checked his hole cards, and pondered for possibly the longest time thus far in their epic heads-up clash. After about two minutes, he decided against the call and threw his hand away.
Hand #407: Koppel made it 625,000 and Korenev called. The flop was and Koppel continued for 500,000. Korenev check-raised to 1,500,000 and Koppel folded.
Hand #408: Korenev came in with the limp and Koppel checked. The 
flop saw Koppel check-called 250,000 from the Russian. The turn got checked twice. On the 
river, Koppel bet 700,000 and Korenev folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,800,000
-2,300,000
|
-2,300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
11,600,000
2,300,000
|
2,300,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #401: Jared Koppel raised to 625,000 on the button and Roman Korenev defended from the big blind. The flop came 
and Korenev check-folded to a bet of 500,000 from Koppel.
Hand #402: Korenev limped in on the button and Koppel raised to 1,000,000 from the big blind to force a fold from Korenev.
Hand #403: Kopped made it 625,000 to go on the button and Korenev called. The flop fell 
and both players checked to the on the turn and the 
on the river. Two more checks and the two players chopped the pot with ace-high.
Hand #404: Korenev opened to 625,000 and Koppel folded his big blind.
Hand #405: Koppel raised it up to 625,000 and Korenev defended. The flop came 
and Korenev check-folded to a bet of 500,000 from Koppel.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,100,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,300,000
-1,700,000
|
-1,700,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #396: Roman Korenev limped and Jared Koppel checked his option. The board of saw two checks. Koppel bet 500,000 on the turn and Korenev called.
The river was the and Koppel checked this time. Korenev checked behind and won it with .
Hand #397: Koppel made it 625,000 to go and Korenev wanted to see a flop. The dealer put out 
this time and Korenev check-called 500,000 from Koppel.
The 
on the turn completed the rainbow and Korenev checked a second time. Koppel kept up the aggression with a bet of 1,300,000 but Korenev stuck around for another street. Koppel waved the white flag after checking the river behind, allowing Korenev to take it with 
.
Hand #398: Korenev once again came in with a limp and Koppel checked. They checked to the river where Koppel's bet of 500,000 did the trick.
Hand #399: Koppel made it 625.000, Korenev three-bet to 2,130,000, Kopped four-bet all in and Korenev folded.
Hand #400 Korenev raised to 625,000 and Koppel bought a flop. It came and Korenev's one million chip bet was enough to win it.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,400,000
-1,700,000
|
-1,700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
11,000,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #391: Jared Koppel raised to 625,000 on the button and Roman Korenev defended from the big blind. The flop came 
and both players checked to the on the turn. Korenev checked again and Koppel bet 750,000 which got Korenev to fold.
Hand #392: Korenev made it 625,000 to go and Koppel called. The flop came 
and both players checked to the 
on the turn. Koppel check-folded to a bet of 500,000 from Korenev.
Hand #393: Koppel raised to 625,000 and Korenev three-bet to 2,125,000. Koppel gave it some thought but decided to let his hand go.
Hand #394: Korenev limped in on the button and Koppel checked. The flop came and both players checked to the 
on the turn. Koppel led out for 500,000 and Korenev folded.
Hand #395: Koppel opened to 625,000 and Korenev instantly mucked his cards.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,300,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Hand #386: Roman Korenev limped the button and Jared Koppel checked. The flop 
was followed by two rapid checks. Koppel checked the turn to Korenev, who bet 400,000. Koppel check-raised all in and Korenev snap-called.
Roman Korenev: 
Jared Koppel:
Korenev was ahead but Koppel had plenty of outs to win the bracelet on the spot. He needed a ten, five or heart to win but the river was the 
instead for the tenth double-up during heads-up battle. Korenev moved up to 9,100,000.
Hand #387: Koppel raised to 625,000, received a call and won it with a 500,000 bet on the flop.
Hand #388: Korenev mirrored his opponent in the previous hand. He raised to 625,000 and won it with a 500,000-bet on the flop.
Hand #389: Koppel with a raise to 625,000 and a fold from Korenev.
Hand #390: In a limped pot, it was Korenev who bet 300,000 on an flop and Koppel who called. After the turn went check/check, Koppel checked the river as well. Korenev bet 800,000 and picked up the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,000,000
-5,000,000
|
-5,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,400,000
5,000,000
|
5,000,000 |
|
|
||