Event #66: $1,500 Limit Hold'em
Day 4 Completed
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #66: $1,500 Limit Hold'em
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2019 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$730,350
Entries
541
Level
27
Limits
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
0
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
The 2019 World Series of Poker Event #66: $1,500 Limit Hold'em attracted 541 players, and after finishing as chip leader on both Days 2 and 3, well-respected poker pro David “ODB” Baker closed it out at the final table of six without relinquishing that lead.
Baker, who back in March won the WPT L.A. Poker Classic for just over $1 million, took down the top prize of $161,139 and perhaps, more importantly, his second WSOP gold bracelet. His first came back in 2012 when he won Event #37: $2,500 8-Game Mix for $271,312.
“It was a huge burden,” Baker said of the seven years between bracelets. “All my friends had more bracelets than me, so I’ve been really wanting to get No. 2 for a long time and finally did. I’m thrilled. I think it’s pretty obvious I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to the WSOP and what it means to me.”
In addition to the six-figure score, Baker secured even more as he closed out several bracelet bets.
“I have six or seven bracelet bets, a few for more than others, so just to bring those home [was nice]. I live for the pressure and I wanted it,” he explained. “Now that I have those taken care of and I know I can’t lose no matter what happens to all these other players out there that I have bets against, that’s a relief. I’m freerolling those. Maybe I can get another and punish them a little more.”
Baker held a big lead coming into the final table and came in with a game plan.
“My hope was to keep people around. No disrespect to any of my opponents, but Brian [Kim] was the one person I was worried the most about coming in. I’ve played with him a lot. He’s got very good hold’em skills, he had a really good rail, and he was my focus … I just wanted to chip up and have them grind down.”
To give you an idea of just how smooth things were for Baker, his biggest road bump was a four-hand downswing.
“I had one little stretch where I lost like four hands in a row, but luckily, I had such a big chip lead that it didn’t really affect me and I was able to rebound pretty quickly,” he offered.
Baker took some time to shoot winner photos and speak with the media, but he wasn’t going to rest on his limit hold’em laurels long.
“Next up is the $10K limit hold’em that started a couple of hours ago. I’m going to grab a bite to eat and come back and register … we’ll get back to building more towers.”
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | County | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David “ODB” Baker | United States | $161,139 |
| 2 | Brian Kim | United States | $99,564 |
| 3 | Dominzo Love | United States | $68,353 |
| 4 | Ruiko Mamiya | Japan | $47,747 |
| 5 | Chris Ferguson | United States | $33,948 |
| 6 | Chicong Nguyen | United States | $24,574 |
| 7 | Kenneth Donoghue | United States | $18,118 |
| 8 | Danny Woolard | United States | $13,609 |
| 9 | Greg Mueller | Canada | $10,418 |
Final Table action
The final table actually began on Monday night and play was halted after a trio of eliminations. Three-time bracelet winner Greg Mueller exited in ninth place ($10,418), while Danny Woolard hit the rail in eighth place ($13,609). The elimination of Kenneth Donoghue in seventh place ($18,118) brought an end to Day 3 with the final six players slated to return at Noon on Tuesday.
Chicong Nguyen came into the day with just six big blinds so it was no surprise to see him fall early. It happened after the blinds took a bite out of his stack and then he raised the cutoff with king-seven. Brian Kim was in the big with ace-six, some raises ensued, and the chips went in on the turn with Kim in front with a pair of sixes. The river was a brick and Nguyen bowed out early for $24,574.
The other short stack, 2017 WSOP Player of the Year Chris Ferguson, was the next to go after losing ace-three to Baker’s pocket nines all in preflop. It marked Ferguson’s 15th cash of the 2019 WSOP and third final table appearance – all three of which came in a one-week span.
Japan’s Ruiko Mamiya grew short during four-handed play and got the last of her chips in holding an open-ended straight draw against Kim’s top pair. Mamiya failed to get there and had to settle for fourth place and $47,747 in prize money.
Baker maintained his lead during three-handed play while Kim and Dominzo Love did their best to hold on. Eventually, the latter slid and busted in third place to set up a heads-up match with Baker holding a nearly 3:1 chip lead over Kim.
Baker whittled away at Kim before the final hand developed. Kim flopped top pair of nines with an ace kicker only to find himself behind Baker’s two red jacks. A diamond on the turn gave Kim a flush draw, but he missed when the river bricked. Kim took home $99,564 for his runner-up finish.
Baker intends to put in a full-time grind for the last two weeks of the summer, but now that he’s won both WPT and WSOP titles in a single year he’s let his mind wander overseas.
“I might give the EPT a shot,” he said. “I don’t know if anyone has ever won the Triple Crown in one year. Obviously, I’d be a huge dog to do that, those fields are tough, but I might give the EPT a shot and see if I can do it. I think it’d be an awesome feather in my cap.”
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Hand #204:
Kim raised to 100,000. Baker re-raised to 150,000 and Kim called. The flop came 
. Baker bet 50,000 and Kim raised to 100,000, Baker three-bet to 150,000 and Kim moved all in. He would need help to spike the hand.
Kim: 
Baker: 
The turn was the 
to give Kim flush outs. But the river was the 
to confirm Kim's finish as runner up.
Stay tuned for a full recap of the Day 4 action.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
6,492,000
692,000
|
692,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Hand #200: Walk for David Baker.
Hand #201: Baker raised to 100,000 and Brian Kim called. The flop was 
. Baker bet 50,000, Kim raised to 100,000 and Baker three-bet to 150,000. The turn was the 
. Baker bet 100,000 and Kim folded.
Hand #202: A walk for Baker.
Hand #203: Baker raised, Kim folded.
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Hand #195: David Baker returned the favor and gave Brian Kim a walk in the big blind.
Hand #196: Kim raised, Baker called, and the flop came down 
. Baker checked, Kim bet, and Baker check-raised. Kim folded.
Hand #197: Baker raised, Kim called, and the flop fell 
. Two checks brought the on the turn and Kim bet. Baker called and the 
completed the board on the river. Kim checked and called a bet from Baker, who showed the 
.
Hand #198: Kim raised, Baker called, and the flop came down 
. Baker checked, Kim bet, and Baker called. On the 
turn, Baker checked, Kim bet, and Baker thought long and hard before raising. Kim called off his remaining 90,000 and the hands were turned up.
Kim: 
Baker: 
Baker was looking for either a five or king to clinch it but it wasn't in the cards as the 
bricked the river.
Hand #199: Kim received a walk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,800,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
705,000
-85,000
|
-85,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Hand #185: David Baker raised to 100,000. Brian Kim called. The flop came 
. Baker bet and Kim raised, Baker called. The turn fell and Baker raised a bet by Kim to take down the pot.
Hand #186: Kim raised to 100,000. Baker re-raised to 150,000. Kim called. The flop came 
. Baker bet 50,000, kim called. The turn was the 
. Baker bet again and Kim called. The winning hand was the 
for Kim.
Hand #187: Walk for Kim.
Hand #188: Walk for Baker.
Hand #189: Baker raised to 100,000 and Kim folded.
Hand #190: Kim raised to 50,000 and Baker called. The flop came . Kim bet 50,000 Baker raised to 100,000, Kim called. The turn was the . Baker bet 100,000 was raised to 200,000 and called. The river was the 
. Kim bet 100,000 and was called. Baker won with
Hand #191: Baker raised. Kim re-raised to 150,000 and Baker called. The flop came 
. Kim bet 50,000, Baker called. The turn was the . Kim bet 100,000. Baker called. The river was the . Kim bet and was called. Kim won with 
Hand #192: Kim raised. Baker called. The flop came , Kim bet 50,000 and Baker raised to 100,000 which was called. The turn was the 
. Baker bet 100,000, kim called. The river was the . Baker bet 100,000. Kim folded.
Hand #193: Baker raised to 100,000. Kim folded
Hand #194: Walk for Baker.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,700,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
790,000
-1,210,000
|
-1,210,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Hand #177: David Baker raised the small blind and Brian Kim called to see a 
flop. Kim check-called a bet and then checked the 
turn. Baker checked behind and the 
completed the board on the river. Kim bet and Baker folded.
Hand #178: Kim folded and gave Baker a walk.
Hand #179: Baker raised, Kim called, and the flop fell 
. Both players checked and then Kim bet on the turn. Baker called and the completed the board on the river. Kim bet and Baker folded.
Hand #180: Kim raised, Baker called, and the flop fell 
. Baker checked, Kim bet, and Baker raised. Kim called and the appeared on the turn. Baker bet, Kim called, and the river put four hearts on the board. Baker checked and Kim bet. Baker called with the for two pair and won the pot as Kim showed 
.
Hand #181: Baker raised, Kim called, and the flop fell . Action went check-check and Kim bet the 
turn. Baker folded.
Hand #182: Kim raised, Baker three-bet, and Kim called to see a flop. Baker bet, Kim called, and the 
appeared on the turn. Baker bet and Kim folded.
Hand #183: Baker raised, Kim called, and the flop fell . Both players checked and then Kim bet the turn. Baker called and the completed the board on the river. Kim bet again and Baker raised it. Kim made it three bets and Baker called. Kim showed the 
for a straight and Baker mucked.
Hand #184: Kim folded to give Baker a walk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,500,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
2,000,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Hand #176:
Dominzo Love was all in again from the button. Baker raised to 100,000. Brian Kim called from the small blind. The flop was the 
. Both remaining players checked. The turn was the . Baker bet 100,000 and Kim called. The river finished the board and Love was eliminated when his 
was no good against the straight of Baker.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,800,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,700,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Hand #175: Dominzo Love put his remaining 15,000 all in. David Baker called. Brian Kim checked. The board ran out
Love had the winning triple up hand with which bested the two 
hands of his opponents.