2014 WSOP Event #24 Kevin Eyster Wraps Up 6-Max Bracelet in 24 Hands

Kevin Eyster completed his dominance of Event #24 of the 2014 WSOP by quickly wrapping up victory against opponent Pierre Neuville on Day 4 of the tournament.

The $5,000 buy-in 6-Max Event #24 of the 2014 WSOP attracted a good field of 541 players, and created a prize pool of $2,542,700. The money bubble burst half-way through Day 2, when Jean Gaspard (A♠ 7♥) caught a runner-runner Seven-high straight to bust Nicholas Immekus´ Q♠ Q♥, and thereafter each of the sixty remaining players was assured of an $8,746 min-cash.

Seventeen players survived the carnage that occurred in the last four Levels of Day 2, and after five levels of play on Day 3 the final table of 6 was set when Kevin Eyster eliminated Mustapha Kanit A♠ 6♠ > J♠ 4♠ (on a two-spade flop) to take a commanding chip advantage into the climax of the tournament.

Neuville Goes from Last to First in 33 Hands

After a few hands of small-ball poker, the game moved into Level 26 (blinds 15,000/30,000 – ante 5,000) and the final table action started for real. Pierre Neuville spiked a Queen on the River to double up against Andrew Lichtenberger A♣ Q♥ > 7♣ 7♠, took down a big pot against Kevin Eyster with pocket Fives, an even bigger one against Jeremy Kottler with A♦ A♠, and moved into the chip lead when spiking another Queen with A♠ Q♦ to win a 810,000 chip pot from Eyster.

David Borrat was the first player to depart the final table – running his K♣ 10♠ into Jeremy Kottler´s Q♦ Q♣ and failing to find the King he needed to avoid being eliminated in sixth place; but, a few hands later, pocket Queens proved to be Kottler´s downfall – being put all-in by Andrew Lichtenberger (A♣ 10♦ -v- Q♦ Q♥) and Lichtenberger pairing his Ace on the Turn to bust Kottler in fifth place.

Kenney Bust in Fourth, Lichtenberger Finished Third

When play went four handed, Bryn Kenney was the chip leader – having earlier doubled-up against Pierre Neuville A♦ A♣ > 10♠ 6♠ on a Ten-high board – but his position at the top of the leaderboard was only temporary, and his chip stack started to go into freefall after Kevin Eyster had check-shoved into Kenney´s 340,000 post-flop raise and forced a big fold. Neuville joined Eyster at the top of the leaderboard when pairing his A♠ 7♦ to double up against Eyster, and thereafter the two chip leaders started to draw away.

Bryn Kenney lost the last of his chips to Pierre Neuville A♥ 9♦ > A♦ 5♣ to finish in fourth place, while Andrew Lichtenberger was reduced to eight big blinds by the time he found himself facing a post-River shove from Kevin Eyster with just Ace-high. Lichtenberger made the call, and was eliminated from Event #24 of the 2014 WSOP in third place when Eyster rolled over a pair of Queens.

2014 WSOP Event #25 Rolls Over into Day 4

Going into the climax of the tournament, Pierre Neuville held a 4,720,000 -v- 3,400,000 chip lead over Kevin Eyster, and initially he started to extend his advantage. An Eight-high straight for Eyster brought the chip counts level again and then it was Eyster´s turn to move into a clear chip lead as the Day 3 approached the end of its allotted ten levels.

The two players had the option of playing on for another level, but Pierre Neuville declined, preferring to get a night´s rest – a decision which clearly frustrated Kevin Eyster, who was on a roll and winning practically every pot. However, the rules are the rules, and the two players re-convened the following morning, with blinds of 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000), and Kevin Eyster having a 5,515,000 -v- 2,605,000 over his Belgian opponent.

Kevin Eyster Wraps Up 6-Max Bracelet in 24 Hands

The overnight rest failed to improve Pierre Neuville´s fortunes, and Kevin Eyster continued to chip away at Neuville´s chip stack throughout the early exchanges. A series of pre-flop shoves and post-flop three-bets reduced the Belgian to little more than one million chips without any hands going to a showdown; and when Kevin Eyster shoved once again with K♣ 9♣, Neuville made the call with K♠ Q♥.

Neuville´s lead in the hand only lasted as long as it took to deal the flop of K♦ 9♥ 3♣ – giving Eyster two pairs. Eyster´s hand improved to a Full House on the Turn (9♦), and all Neuville could hope for was the K♠ on the River for a chopped pot. Fortunately for Eyster the A♠ was dealt and he had added victory in Event #24 of the 2014 WSOP to his recent 6-Max WSOPC ring and FTOPS 6-Max trophy.