There's never a good way to bust from the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. But there aren't many ways more soul-crushing than with pocket aces deep on Day 7. Just ask Daniel Zadok.
At the time of publishing, 26 of the record-setting 10,112 players in the $10,000 buy-in world championship event remained. A minimum payout of $350,000 is in store for every player still kicking. Zadok, thanks to an unfortunate flop, is not one of them.
Eliott Kessas opend to 1,000,000 on the button and then called a three-bet to 3,500,000 from Malo Latinois out of the big blind.
Action checked through the 9♥8♠J♠ flop to the 6♥ turn at which point Latinois checked again. Kessas fired off 3,000,000 only to see Latinois raise enough to force him all in. With little hesitation, Kessas tossed his hand away to take a big hit to his stack.
Andres Gonzalez made it 1,000,000 to go and was called by Charles Russell in the big blind. On the K♥8♥4♥ flop, Russell checked and quickly folded once Gonzalez continued for 1,750,000.
Jonathan Sagle then made it 1,100,000 to go and Jonathan Tamayo called, as did Brian Rast in the big blind. The trio checked the A♠A♥3♥ flop to see the K♦ on the turn. Rast and Sagle checked, as did Tamayo and they headed to the 2♥ on the river.
Rast checked and Sagle bet 2,500,000. Tamayo called and mucked when Sagle tabled the 2♦2♠ for a rivered full house.
Orson Young raised to 4,000,000 from the cutoff, leaving himself just 100,000 behind. Niklas Astedt called in the big blind to see a flop.
Young's remaining chips got in the middle following the 2♣K♠J♠ flop and Astedt put him at risk.
Orson Young: 3♠3♦
Niklas Astedt: A♠J♦
Astedt hat outflopped the small pocket pair to leave Young on the ropes with his tournament life on the line. Nothing changed on either the 9♦ turn or 5♣ river to confirm Young's exit in 26th place.
Daniel Zadok raised to 1,000,000 in early position. Yegor Moroz three-bet to 2,800,000 from middle position and Luis Vazquez called cold on the button.
The action then folded back to Zadok, who pumped it up to 10,000,000, leaving only 2,200,000 behind.
Moroz five-bet jammed all in for 25,525,000, forcing out Vazquez's 9♥9♣. Zadok called off his final chips and the cards were shown down.
Daniel Zadok: A♠A♦
Yegor Moroz: J♦J♣
Zadok looked poised for a double-up, but the 8♥3♥J♥ flop brought Moroz a jack to hit a set. The 8♦ turn and 4♣ river did not see an ace appear, eliminating Zadok in 27th place as his aces were cracked.
Charles Russell raised to 1,100,000 under the gun and Andres Gonzalez called in middle position. Jason Sagle then three-bet to 3,000,000 on the button.
Russell came back with a four-bet to 7,000,000 and Gonzalez folded. Sagle also gave up his hand and Russell took down the pot.
Jason Sagle raised to 1,050,000 and Andres Gonzalez called out of the big blind. The 10♠7♠5♠ flop was checked by the Spaniard and Sagle bet 1,000,000 to win the pot.
Diogo Coelho then opened to 1,000,000 and Brian Rast came along in the cutoff to see the J♦9♦7♣ flop. First to act, Coelho checked and Rast checked it back to see the 3♠ on the turn. Coelho now bet 2,500,000 and Rast folded.
Yake Wu opened to 1,000,000 from under the gun and Malcolm Franchi defended in the big blind.
Action checked through the Q♣J♥9♣ flop to the 8♠ turn at which point Franchi bet out 800,000. Wu made the call to see a river.
The river came 5♥ and Franchi bet again, pushing a meatier 1,400,000 into the middle. Wu did not take long to release his hand to send a modest pot to Franchi.