Event #62: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (6-Handed)
Day 5 Completed
2017 World Series of Poker
Event #62: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (6-Handed)
Day: 5
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$50,000
Prize Pool
$4,800,000
Entries
100
Level
28
Limits
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
0
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
Elior Sion doesn't play many live tournaments, but there's one he looks forward to every year: the $50,000 Poker Players Championship at the World Series of Poker. This year, he made it count, topping a field of 100 of the toughest poker players on the planet to win $1,395,767, a gold WSOP bracelet and a place in poker lore forever on the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy.
"It feels amazing," a visibly drained Sion said after finishing off Johannes Becker in a heads-up match that went about five hours. "It's like a long journey. You take it a step at a time. There were a few blips along the way, but as long as you still have chips, anything can happen.
"At the final table, the cards fell my way and I was fortunate enough to win."
In fact, what Sion had to overcome on Day 3 was more than a mere blip. With limits at 25,000/50,000, he lost a pot-limit Omaha pot with a combo draw to the set of queens held by Mike Wattel, leaving him with 60,000.
Sion doubled back through Wattel, then doubled again in a no-limit holdem flip against James Obst. From there, he climbed all the way to the chip lead at the three-table redraw.
"I got very lucky," he said. "In tournaments, anything can happen. You just have to believe, and sometimes, things can fall your way. Just goes to show you."
Sion said he even thought the recovery strengthened his image in the eyes of his opponents.
"I wasn't really frustrated at all," he said. "I just took it in stride. They were kind of fearful of me in that sense, when they see that nothing really fazed me."
Sion has long been a top player online. He has been a regular for years in some of the highest stakes mixed games and triple draw games there under the screen name "Crazy Elior." Despite that status as a feared and recognizable crusher, he was an afterthought coming into the final table, though it wasn't through any fault of his own.
All eyes were simply fixed on Daniel Negreanu. The ultra-popular Canadian superstar, had a deep, vocal rail crowded around the small viewing area in Amazon Room. Gunning for bracelet No. 7 and perhaps the greatest single accomplishment of his storied career, Negreanu came in as the chip leader and wasn't shy about voicing his confidence heading into the final day.
"I do, I really do," he told PokerNews at the conclusion of Day 4 when asked if he felt he was the favorite.
However, he did single out Sion as the player he was most worried about, and Sion happened to be seated on Negreanu's immediate left.
"Kid Poker" wound up walking out the door massively disappointed, having outlasted only short stack Paul Volpe for a fifth-place finish. He wore his emotions on his sleeve throughout, and it wasn't hard to see how much he wanted it. He simply never got anything going, losing seemingly every major pot he played.
Apparently, though, the respect between he and Sion was mutual.
"The person I feared the most was Daniel Negreanu," Sion said. "He knows what's going on almost always. He was my biggest threat.
"To see him not getting any cards at the final table... he really didn't have a chance to win. That kind of opened the gates and let me do my thing."
Once Negreanu fell, Isaac Haxton looked like the man to beat. However, he fell victim to a massive cooler when he ran kings into Becker's aces three-handed, sending Becker into heads-up play against Sion with a 3-1 lead.
The two went on a dinner break and then returned, engaging in a back-and-forth war, with big pots played across all of the eight games in the mix.
Pot-limit Omaha and razz in particular seemed to be the battlegrounds where the players tussled for the most chips. Sion had Becker on the brink in a PLO pot only to see him hit the river and double into the lead. Sion doubled right back though, and a strong run in the limit games saw him move into a lead he wouldn't relinquish.
"Johnny played really, really well," Sion said. "I've played with him online a bunch. He's just shown he's able to compete with the best in the world. I have a lot of credit for him and everyone else at the final table."
Winning the PPC is a dream for many poker players, particularly many of the most famed and recognizable faces populating the felt. However the competition and the money are what motivated the soft-spoken 26-year-old Brit to pursue a place on the Chip Reese trophy.
Reminiscent of Fedor Holz's words after winning the $111,111 High Roller for One Drop in 2016, Sion said he finds himself playing less and less these days and will be looking to do other things going forward. He named starting a business and getting involved in property as future goals.
"I don't see poker as a longtime goal for me," he said. "Poker's always been a stepping stone in life to be able to do things I really want to do. I think with this win, I'm finally able to do a few things that I have in the back of my mind."
| Place | Player | Country | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elior Sion | United Kingdom | $1,395,767 |
| 2 | Johannes Becker | Germany | $862,649 |
| 3 | Isaac Haxton | United States | $595,812 |
| 4 | Ivo Donev | Austria | $419,337 |
| 5 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | $300,852 |
| 6 | Paul Volpe | United States | $220,111 |
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Johannes Becker limped in and Elior Sion checked. On the 
flop, Sion checked and Becker bet. Sion check-raised and Becker called. The 
fell on the turn and Sion bet. Becker had less than two big bets behind, gave it brief consideration and moved all in, which Sion quickly called.
Johannes Becker: 
for a flush and low draw
Elior Sion: 
for a flopped full house
Becker was looking for a low card to chop it up and stay in contention, but instead the 
on the river gave Sion quads instead and Becker was eliminated in 2nd place for a payday of $862,649. The German missed out on his first gold bracelet on the 27th birthday, while Sion has been crowned champion.
A recap of today's action is to follow shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
25,005,000
2,220,000
|
2,220,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Elior Sion limped in, and Johannes Becker raised. Sion called, and they saw 
flop. Becker check-called, then did so again on the 
turn. He checked a final time on the river and faced a bet.
Becker exhaled a deep breath, put his head in both hands, and thought for about 30 seconds before folding.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,785,000
1,480,000
|
1,480,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,220,000
-1,480,000
|
-1,480,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
No-Limit Hold'em
Elior Sion raised to 450,000 from the button and Johannes Becker called from the big blind.
They checked to the turn of a 
board where Becker bet 400,000. Sion called, the 
river completed the board, Becker checked and Sion bet 1,200,000. Becker folded instantly and Sion collected the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,305,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,700,000
-800,000
|
-800,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
No-Limit Hold'em
Elior Sion raised to 450,000 and Johannes Becker called. On the 
flop, both players checked and did so again on the 
turn. After the 
river, Becker checked and Sion bet 600,000. Becker quickly tossed in a single chip for the call and Sion flipped over 
for sevens and sixes with an ace kicker.
Becker mucked the and dropped below five million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,505,000
1,070,000
|
1,070,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,500,000
-1,070,000
|
-1,070,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
2-7 Triple Draw
After winning a 2-7 triple draw hand, Johannes Becker lost the last hand of the same game type to see Elior Sion pull away further.
Becker raised and Sion made it three bets, which Becker called. Sion drew one card and Becker drew three cards, Sion bet and Becker called.
Sion drew one card again and Becker drew two cards. Sion bet and Becker called.
Sion drew one card for the third and final time, and Becker stood pat. Sion bet and Becker folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,435,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,570,000
-900,000
|
-900,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
2-7 Triple Draw
Johannes Becker raised, Elior Sion reraised, and Becker called. Sion took one.
"Take two," someone from Sion's rail shouted.
Becker laughed and did indeed ask for two, but he said they should have told him to take three.
"Want to keep it realistic," came the response.
Sion bet and Becker called, and then each drew one. Sion bet again and Becker called, and Sion was pat. Becker still needed a card, and both checked on the end. Becker threw in 
, and Sion revealed 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,535,000
2,930,000
|
2,930,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
6,470,000
-2,930,000
|
-2,930,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
Stud Hi-Lo
Sion: 
/ 
/
Becker: / 
/
Elior Sion was the bring-in on third street and Johannes Becker called. Both players checked the same board on fourth street before Becker bet his open pair on fifth street. Sion raised, Becker called, and Becker led out again with his open two pair on sixth street. Sion called, Becker checked on seventh street, Sion bet, and Becker called.
Sion tabled 
for trip tens, Becker mucked, and Sion won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,605,000
3,780,000
|
3,780,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,400,000
-3,780,000
|
-3,780,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 400,000/800,000, 0 ante
Stud Hi-Lo
Elior Sion: / 
/
Johannes Becker: / /
Johannes Becker completed with the and Elior Sion called with the . Sion checked fourth street when he picked up the and Becker bet with the , Sion then check-raised and becker called. Sion bet fifth street and Becker called before both checked sixth street.
On seventh street, Sion bet and Becker called. Sion showed 
for a flush and 9-8 low and took three quarters of the pot, as Becker only had for a pair of nines and the same low.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,180,000
-1,645,000
|
-1,645,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
11,825,000
1,645,000
|
1,645,000 |
|
|
||