He started the day with the chip lead, went down to the short stack, and saw everything in between. But in the end, it was Matthias Eibinger who claimed the first bracelet of WSOP Paradise in the Triton $75,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event.
After starting the day 1/12, Eibinger had to endure some early turmoil that saw him clinging to life not long after, but as the final table approached, the Austrian with four previous Triton titles and over $25,000,000 in tournament earnings found his footing to add a WSOP bracelet to his already esteemed resume.
Here's a look at the key hands from that point that led him to the title.
Eibinger vs Barbero – 9 left (Eibinger to 3.3m – 2nd)
At blinds of 25,000/50,000 (50,000), Nacho Barbero raised to 150,000 from the small blind with 
and was called by table newcomer Matthias Eibinger in the big blind with 
.
The flop came 
, giving Eibinger the nut flush draw (and bottom pair), while Barbero had the second-nut flush draw. Barbero led out with his draw for 175,000 and was called by Eibinger, leading to the luscious 
on the turn.
After Barbero checked his second nuts, Eibinger bet 250,000, leaving himself about a pot-sized bet behind for the river if Barbero called, which he did.
The river was the blankest of blanks, the 
, keeping the pot nuts versus second nuts. After a final check from Barbero, instead of going for it all with his 1,200,000 remaining chips, Eibinger bet 900,000, which Barbero snap-called.
Eibinger scored a near double-up to 3,300,000, while Barbero became the short stack with just 660,000.
Eibinger vs Haxton – 9 left (Eibinger leads, Haxton eliminated)
At blinds of 30,000/60,000 (60,000), Eibinger raised to 180,000 out of the small blind with 
and was called by Isaac Haxton in the big blind, holding 
.
The flop came 
giving Eibinger top two pair, while Haxton was given top pair with an open-ended straight draw. Eibinger led for pot, betting 420,000, and with 920,000 left in his stack, Haxton’s top pair and open-ender were more than enough to commit those chips. With the current best hand, Eibinger called to put Haxton at risk.
Haxton was drawing very live to survive, but after the board ran out 
, Eibinger faded everything to eliminate his opponent and take the chip lead at 4,800,000 with now eight players remaining.
Eibinger starts mowing down the field
Ding Biao eliminated in 6th place:
At 50,000/100,000 (100,000), Eibinger opened to 350,000 from the button with 
, and Ding Biao moved in for 1,100,000 from the big blind with 
. Eibinger called to put him at risk.
The flop came 
, giving Eibinger a straight. The 
runout locked up the hand for Eibinger’s straight as he moved over 7,000,000 chips and got revenge on Ding for an earlier one-outer.
Stephen Chidwick eliminated in 5th
Just a couple of hands later, Eibinger added Stephen Chidwick to his list of casualties.
After Chidwick opened in the small blind to 350,000 with 
, leaving himself just 435,000 behind, Eibinger three-bet potted it from the big blind with his 
and Chidwick called off the rest.
The board came 
as Eibinger made two pair on the river with eights and sevens to score another elimination, while bumping his chip-leading stack up to 8,300,000.
Richard Gryko eliminated in 4th
With blinds up to 75,000 / 150,000, Eibinger’s reign of terror continued, as after the short stack, Richard Gryko raised to 525,000 on the button with 
, Eibinger 3-bet to 1,600,000 from the big blind holding the goods with . Gryko elected to call off the rest and put himself at risk.
The 
flop gave Gryko plenty of outs with an open-ended straight draw, but after that tease, the 
runout clinched the pot and another elimination for Eibinger with his aces up.
Eibinger eliminates Weisman in 3rd
After Dylan Weisman had clawed back to contention three-handed, even briefly taking the chip lead from Eibinger, he fell upon hard times and would fall in third place as misfortune overshadowed his great play.
In his final hand and the latest elimination for Eibinger, at 125,000 / 250,000 (250,000), the eventual champion raised to 750,000 from the small blind with 
and Weisman called half of his remaining stack from the big blind with .
The flop would seal Weisman’s fate as Eibinger shoved for Weisman's last 750,000 and was called.
Eibinger’s trip tens would hold through the 
runout, setting him up with just over 10,000,000 chips for heads-up play versus Mike Watson.
Eibinger wins his first bracelet
After eliminating Weimsan, Eibinger began heads-up play against Watson with 10,250,000 (41 BB) vs. the Canadian’s 8,350,000 (33 BB). The players opted to flatten the remaining two payouts to leave $60,000 and the bracelet to play for.
This led to a very short heads-up match, as Eibinger won the title on just the third hand of play.
Holding 
, Eibinger potted it to 750,000 and was called by Watson’s 
.
The flop gave Watson top pair, but Eibinger had a flush draw and a wrap. Following a check from Watson, Eibinger bet 1,175,000. Watson called, leading to the turn.
Watson now had top two pair and checked again. Eibinger potted it once more for 4,100,000 with his draws and was jammed on by Watson for about 2,000,000 more, which Eibinger called.
Eibinger was a 2-1 underdog, but the dealer placed the on the river, giving Eibinger a winning flush to claim his first WSOP bracelet and fifth Triton title along with the $1,570,640.
Event #2: $75K PLO results
- Matthias Eibinger: $1,570,640
- Michael Watson: $1,459,360
- Dylan Weisman: $809,000
- Richard Gryko: $655,500
- Stephen Chidwick: $526,500
- Ding Biao: $412,000
- Ben Lamb: $324,000
- Jose Barbero: $247,000
- Isaac Haxton: $181,000
