Event #30: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw
Day 3 Completed
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #30: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2023 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$696,870
Entries
522
Level
36
Blinds
0 / 0
Ante
0
Entries
18
Players Left
1
Level 36
Just a few days ago, the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas was abuzz over David "ODB" Baker’s incredible comeback from two big bets to win the $1,500 Razz event.
John Monnette would like his friend Baker to hold his beer.
After an incredible heads-up duel with Christopher Chung to conclude Event #30: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw that saw Monnette come back from half of one big bet, the mixed game specialist has claimed his fifth World Series of Poker gold bracelet and the $145,863 first prize.
Monnette becomes the 35th player to win their fifth WSOP bracelet, joining Josh Arieh and Brian Yoon who earned their fifth earlier in this year’s WSOP.
“It means a lot, that’s why we’re here in these tournaments, just battling. Nothing’s like it; nothing brings the energy that the WSOP does. You get the best players all playing together, battling to just get the bracelet.”
Known as one of the best mixed-game players in the world, Monnette’s fifth bracelet comes in his fifth different poker discipline, a fact that’s not lost on him.
“It’s kinda cool, yah. The no-limit deuce, I felt that was one of my better games, when I got that one, it was really cool, and then the hold ‘em one was pretty awesome because I just grew up playing limit hold ‘em… and then this one, 2-7 is a game I just played a ton like 15 years ago pre-Black Friday. It was kind of cool to get back to the roots, with the last two [being] Limit Hold ‘em and Triple Draw, games that I just grinded for years.”
John Monnette's Five WSOP Bracelet Victories
| YEAR | EVENT | 1ST PRIZE |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw | $145,863 |
| 2021 | $10,000 Limit Hold 'em Championship | $245,680 |
| 2017 | $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship | $256,610 |
| 2012 | $5,000 Seven Card Stud | $190,826 |
| 2011 | $2,500 8-Game Mix | $278,144 |
The Day’s Action
Initially, it appeared that it might be a somewhat short day given how fast the first eliminations of the day came, with a third of the remaining 18 players sent to the rail before the first break, including bracelet winners Carol Fuchs (16th - $5,848) and Tom Schneider (13th - $7,222), along with RunGood Poker Tour founder Tana Karnchanakphan (15th ($5,848)
Among the next eliminations before the final table was Louis Hillman, who entered as one of the shortest stacks, but managed to survive multiple all-ins to ladder up to 10th for $9,141. Allen Kessler fell in ninth and Benny Glaser in eighth place for $11,849 each, but not before playing a memorable pot that saw Glaser break the best hand on the final draw to ultimately double up Kessler.
Once the final table of seven was set, it was time to distribute the real meat of the $696,870 prize pool. Michael Rodrigues was the first to fall in seventh place for $15,722, followed by Ryan Hughes in sixth for $21,342. But from there, the eliminations came to a standstill until after dinner break.
The first post-dinner bust out was James Williams, whose friendly demeanor, strong southern drawl, and unique name for number one or a wheel, ‘The Chicken’, lived on for the rest of the tournament with multiple references to the Arkansas native’s signature hand name.
Shortly thereafter, Josh Damm was the next to hit the rail in fourth place, leaving the three most accomplished players remaining in the field, Monnette, Chung, and Patrick Leonard to battle for the bracelet.
Chung held over half the chips in play at that point for a lead he wouldn’t relinquish until heads-up play, leaving Monnette and Leonard to duel for the right to play him for the bracelet. Ultimately a critical clash between the two put Leonard on the short stack, and despite his best efforts and several near-comebacks, Leonard fell in third place.
Now it was time for what became an epic heads-up clash.
An Incredible Heads-Up Tilt
Not long into the over two-hour-long match, Chung would relinquish his chip lead to Monnette before the duo traded it back and forth for a bit. Chung then regained firm control, to the point of having Monnette down to that half of one big bet and all in three times, but Chung couldn’t out-draw Monnette with a final card to finish him off each time.
From there, Monnette regained his stack and took the lead back from Chung. The final scheduled level of the day concluded with Monnette holding a 3-1 chip lead, and the players opted to play one more level to try to crown a champion.
Monnette would then complete his epic comeback approximately twenty minutes after that final break, making an eighty-six to capture the title and bracelet number five in incredible fashion.
Four words from Monnette captured the feeling of the match perfectly.
“It was just absurd.”
Monnette continued, “At that point, [under one big bet] there’s only so much you can do. The deck just kind of decided. If the hands were flipped it would have been the same thing.
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Monnette | United States | $145,846 |
| 2 | Christopher Chung | United States | $90,150 |
| 3 | Patrick Leonard | United Kingdom | $60,915 |
| 4 | Josh Damm | United States | $42,030 |
| 5 | James Williams (AR) | United States | $29,625 |
| 6 | Ryan Hughes | United States | $21,342 |
Number Five For His Family
While this win was special for Monnette because he joins the five-timers club and it came in his fifth different poker discipline, the champion made it clear that, above all, his family made it possible and are the most special reason of all.
“All the bracelets mean something, and I’ve got two little ones now that are friggin’ absolutely awesome, my daughter Willa and my son John, and my wife Diana who’s just been so, so, so great. Poker’s always been fun, and it still is fun, but having that at home is so awesome. It means the world, and I just want to say thank you to all of them.”
Monnette continued to say that this fifth bracelet is going somewhere very special, as is number six when he gets it.
“It’s dedicated to my son because he’s the fifth too. I’m John Edward Monnette the fourth, and he’s the fifth, so this one’s for my son, and Willa, my daughter I don’t want her to think I’ve forgotten about her. She’ll get the sixth.
With beautiful sentiments like that, it sounds like the man lovingly known as ‘Angry John’ may have to change his nickname to ‘Family John’.
This concludes our coverage of this event, but stay close to PokerNews for continuing coverage throughout the rest of the 54th World Series of Poker from here at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Level 36
John Monnette raised from the button and Christopher Chung raised to three bets. Monnette made the call and drew three while Chung drew one.
Chung bet again after the first draw. Monnette made the call and drew two while Chung stood pat.
After the second draw Chung bet and Monnette raised to put Chung all in. Chung made the call and was at risk. Both players stood pat.
"Eight-Six" Monnette said, tabling 8x6x5x3x2x.
"You win" Chung replied, throwing his cards into the muck as his run came to an end in second place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
13,050,000
2,050,000
|
2,050,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 36
Every pot is massive at this point of heads-up and two hands to showdown could see the end of the battle.
Christopher Chung raised and got called by John Monnette. The players each drew two cards.
Monnette bet and got a call from Chung and then Monnette drew one, while Chung needed two.
Monnette continued to bet, getting another call from Chung and the players drew one card each at the final draw.
Monnette now checked and Chung fired a bet. Monnette thought briefly then made the call.
"Pair," said Chung dejectedly before Monnette fanned Jx7x5x3x2x for a critical winner as bracelet number five is potentially one more hand away.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,000,000
3,200,000
|
3,200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,000,000
-3,200,000
|
-3,200,000 |
Level 36
John Monnette bet from the button and Christopher Chung defended his big blind. Both players drew three.
Chung opted to bet after the first draw and received a call from Monnette. This time both players drew one.
After the second draw Chung fired another bet and Monnette made the call.
With no draws remaining both players checked.
Chung tabled 10x9x6x4x2x and Monnette was forced to concede the pot to Chung.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,800,000
-1,700,000
|
-1,700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,200,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
Level 36
After Christopher Chung raised on the button and John Monnette defended his big blind, each player drew two cards.
Monnette led out with a bet and got called by Chung, who drew two after Monnette drew one.
Monnette bet again and Chung moved all in for his last 800,000 chips. Monnette made the call to potentially win the tournament and patted his hand. Chung patted behind.
Monnette declared "eight-seven."
"No good," said Chung happily as he fanned his 7x6x5x4x2x on the table to earn the double-up and stay alive in this epic heads-up duel.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,500,000
-1,400,000
|
-1,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
Level 36
Christopher Chung bet from the button and was called by John Monnette in the big blind. Both players drew two.
Monnette took the initiative with a bet after the first draw and Chung made the call. Monnette drew one, Chung drew two.
After the second draw Monnette fired again and was called by Chung. Monnette stood pat while Chung drew one.
With no draws remaining Monnette bet again. Chung called and received the bad news when Monnette tabled 8x7x6x5x3x for the winner,
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,900,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,100,000
-1,400,000
|
-1,400,000 |
Level: 36
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Limits: 300,000/600,000
Level 35
Level 35, the final scheduled level of the day has concluded, but with play heads-up, Christopher Chung and John Monnette have chosen to play one more level to try to determine a winner.
The players have taken a short ten-minute break before returning to action.
Level 35
John Monnette bet from the button and Christopher Chung defended his big blind. Monette drew three while Chung drew two.
Chung bet a fter the first draw and Monnette called. This time both players drew one, checked and drew one again.
Chung checked with no draws remaining and folded when Monnette bet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,500,000
3,400,000
|
3,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
-3,400,000
|
-3,400,000 |