WSOP Event #42: Razz

Event #42 of the 2021 WSOP is the $1,500 Razz tournament. This three-day event started on October 21 with 40-minute blind levels, and continued October 22-23 with 60-minute blind levels. It is one of only two pure Razz tournaments on the 2021 WSOP schedule.

Bradley Ruben scored the bracelet in this event, and the first-place cash prize of $99,188, from a prize pool of $415,185. Despite being the king of games, razz doesn't get the respect it deserves. Only 311 players shelled out for the $1,500 buy-in to play. That's okay for a $1,500 stud game, but it pales in comparison to the drawing power of similarly priced flop events.

Eli Elezra, Barry Greenstein, Robert Mizrachi, Daniel Negreanu, Gabe Ramos and his shibas, Ari Engel, and Poker.org’s own Chris Wallace  also entered, but failed to come away with cash prizes. Ruben bested Day 2 chip leader Charles Sinn in heads-up play for his first-place win. Sinn walked away with $61,303 for second place.

The $1,500 Razz event in 2019 pulled in 363 players to generate a total prize pool of $490,050. Kevin Gerhart won the tournament for $119,054 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. Gerhart scored each of the final five knockouts at the final table and overcame Sergio Braga and his spirited Brazilian rail in heads-up play.

Read about the 2021 WSOP Event #42 winner here.