'Amazing' - Wang turns one big blind into a WSOP bracelet in $10K PLO

The $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship resumed play on Tuesday, July 1, at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) with only seven players remaining in the hunt for the bracelet and the $1,394,579 first-place prize. 

With a record-setting field of 874 entries, the $10,000 PLO Championship generated a total prize pool of $8,128,200 – a positive sign for fans of the four-card variant, especially as the newly-introduced $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller got underway on the same day. 

Michael Wang, fresh off of a six-figure victory in the $1,600 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Wynn Summer Classic, emerged from the fray as the victor – laying claim to his third WSOP bracelet and the $1,394,579 first-place prize. 

When asked how the win felt compared to his prior bracelet victories, Wang told PokerOrg, "It still doesn't feel real. The first one felt amazing. I didn't expect it because that was the first year I was playing tournaments full-time, and it just happened right away. The second one was more validating in a way, it wasn't just a fluke."

"Now, with number three, it's that feeling but even more so," Wang continued. "Obviously I ran amazing to win this tournament, but it doesn't feel like a fluke anymore. It feels validating. Nonetheless, I feel super grateful for four days of running absolutely hot because I was down to a big blind late on Day 3, and I spun it up to win all the chips." 

Wang's spectacular spin-up caught the eye of Poker Hall of Famer and ninth-place finisher Erik Seidel. 

Foxen, Francort, and Marji depart early

After starting the day with the shortest stack in play, three-time WSOP bracelet winner and high stakes regular Alex Foxen collided with Wang in a consequential pot. Wang started the action with a raise from the cutoff and Foxen called out of the small blind. On the flop, the chips went in. 

Foxen:
Wang:

While he had decent equity against his opponent's holding, Foxen found himself drawing stone dead on the turn as Wang improved to quads. For his seventh-place finish, Foxen earned $182,983. 

Alex Foxen collected $182,983 for his seventh-place finish and immediately jumped into the $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller.

Shortly after Foxen's elimination, Javier Francort followed him to the payout desk when his fell to Sean Rafael's on a runout. With that, the final five players took a break before resuming play on the livestream table. 

Quan Zhou held a sizable chip lead over his competitors when play resumed and added to his tally with the elimination of Melad Marji. In the face of an under-the-gun open from Marji, Zhou opted to re-raise from the cutoff. When the action folded back around to him, Marji stuck the rest of his chips in the middle, and Zhou called it off.

• Marji:
• Zhou:

The board ran out . 

Melad Marji took a shot at a full double up, but Quan Zhou ran him down.

Omar Sader

Four becomes three

With Marji out of the way, the pace of play slowed slightly as the short stacks waited for a good spot to double up. Eventually, Rafael picked up the holding he had waited for – – and moved all-in over the top of an open from Wang. 

After thinking for a moment, Wang made the call with to put Rafael at risk. While he was in about as bad shape as one can be in the four-card streets, the runout provided for Wang and sent Rafael to the payout desk to collect his fourth-place prize of $462,451. 

With Rafael's exit, the three-handed battle between Zhou, Wang, and Michael Zulker began – and it turned into quite the slog as the short-stacked Zulker scored a couple key doubles. As the three players continued to battle it out, Zhou ceded his chip lead to Wang before slipping into third place in the counts. With the shortest stack, Zhou tangled with Wang in a pot that led to his elimination. 

Quan Zhou held the chip lead to start three-handed play, but couldn't close it out.

Omar Sader

From the button, Wang raised with and Zhou defended his big blind with . On the flop, Wang had his opponent in a bad way with a superior overpair and the nut flush draw. Both players shared the same inside straight draw, and when Wang fired a continuation bet, Zhou came along to see the turn. 

In an attempt to steal the pot, Zhou opted to lead into his opponent, wagering the rest of his chips. Wang wasted no time in calling, and Zhou found himself drawing thin. The river changed nothing for either player, and Zhou's run came to an end in a third-place finish. 

Michael vs. Michael for the bracelet

After extending his chip lead with the elimination of Zhou, Wang began the final frame of play with a decent advantage over Zukler. While the three-handed battle lasted the better part of two hours, heads-up play wrapped up quickly as the two players collided in a cooler pot. 

Zukler kicked off the action with a limp from the button holding before Wang came in for a pot-sized raise with . Zukler made the call, and the dealer spread the flop – providing both players with more than enough hand to continue. Wang, armed with a full house, sought value with a small bet, and Zukler came along to see the on the turn – a disaster for him as he improved to a lesser full house. Wang bet again, sizing up this time, and Zukler matched the wager. 

Michael Zulker had plenty of reasons to smile despite finishing second in the $10,000 PLO Championship – 929,688 reasons, to be exact.

Omar Sader

The river changed nothing for either player and Wang bet enough to put his opponent all-in. After double-checking the board and his own cards, Zukler made the call – only to see the bad news as Wang tabled his superior full house. 

$10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship final table results