Event #17: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Dia 3 Terminado
Event #17: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Dia 3 Terminado
It was an all-out battle tonight at the final table of Event #17: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better at the 2023 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. On a final table that took close to nine hours to play out, half of those nine hours were a marathon back and forth heads up match between Nick Kost and eventual winner Jim Collopy.
Neither player was ever willing to give an inch, but after the dust settled, Collopy stood up from his seat with renewed energy at the realization that he had just taken down his third career WSOP bracelet and the first-place prize of $262,542 and with Limit Omaha 8 or Better being one of his favorite games, this win was special.
Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jim Collopy | United States | $262,542 |
2 | Nick Kost | United States | $162,266 |
3 | Kyle Burnside | United States | $117,404 |
4 | Qinghai Pan | United States | $85,977 |
5 | James Obst | Australia | $63,737 |
6 | Aubrey Gilbert | United States | $47,838 |
7 | Kyle Cartwright | United States | $36,358 |
8 | Igor Zektser | United States | $27,986 |
9 | Brian Kelley | United States | $21,821 |
Collopy is no stranger to the winner's circle. He told PokerNews that he likes to play hi-lo split games in general and has been working on these types of games a lot, so winning a bracelet in one of his favorite variants was not only a lot of fun, but also really rewarding.
When asked how it felt to get his third bracelet in a split event, he said, "It was terrific that over 1,000 people were here to play this event, so it's just really special to close out the bracelet in a tournament like this."
He's also no stranger to marathon heads-up matches as he was one-half of one of the longest heads-up battles in WSOP history a number of years ago, so when it came to his ability to wait out his opponent and maneuver his spots, he came well-equipped.
When the final table began, Kost held the chip lead and did so for most of the final table, but as heads-up play approached, Collopy made himself more and more of a force at the table.
Brian Kelley was the first finalist to fall, and only a few hands later, Igor Zektser bowed out in eighth.
Then came the untimely demise of Kyle Cartwright, who seemed to have too many outs against James Obst's two pair.
Aubrey Gilbert crashed out in sixth before Australia's Obst fell at the hands of Collopy in a massive pot.
Four-handed play ended when Kost eliminated Qinghai Pan, and heads-up was reached when start of Day 2 chip leader Kyle Burnside bowed out, with Collopy again doing the damage.
By the time heads-up play began, Collopy held a slight lead and would go on to trade blows for over four hours before the final hand came down
Collopy pulled away from Kost over and over again, and even though it was a back-and-forth battle, Collopy never let his opponent get him worse than even in chips. Kost would even go on to mention how strong of an opponent Collopy is, saying that he's incredibly tough to play against.
Collopy made the final push toward the bracelet over the course of the last dozen or so hands that would see him take Kost from close to even in chips to out of the tournament. By finding spots to draw extra bets out of his opponent that many others may not have found, he was able to close out a very special win and add to his legacy.
With how well Collopy is playing right now, we could very well see him making other deep runs this summer, and after the performance he put on at this final table, it would come as no surprise if he found himself with a shot at a fourth bracelet sooner rather than later.
As always, stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage of the 2023 World Series of Poker from Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas!
Jim Collopy is now a three-time WSOP bracelet winner after taking down Event #17: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better in an epic heads-up match against Nick Kost.
Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action.
After a couple of fast hands, Nick Kost had gotten short when on the button, he raised and was three-bet by Jim Collopy.
Kost called and the flop came 8♥K♣2♦. Collopy checked and Kost put out a bet. Collopy quickly raised and Kost called for the rest of his chips.
Nick Kost: A♠7♦6♠4♠
Jim Collopy: K♥8♣6♦3♥
The board ran out 10♥K♦, offering no improvement and sending Kost home in 2nd place for $162,266.
Jogador | Fichas | Progresso |
---|---|---|
Jim Collopy |
28,500,000
10,700,000
|
10,700,000 |
|
||
Nick Kost | Eliminado | |
|
Jim Collopy bet on the Q♥5♣4♠ flop and Nick Kost called.
The turn came the J♥ and Collopy bet again. Kost called, then called another bet on the 9♣ river.
"Straight," Collopy announced, showing 10♦8♣8♥A♥ to win the pot. "Finally I win a hand," he added.
"I believe I played the longest heads-up match in WSOP history. Fifteen years ago," Collopy told Kost as this match continued.
"Why don't you just chop the bracelet in half," a member of Kost's rail shouted.
"Do you realize this boy just bragged about playing the longest heads-up match in history? He's not going anywhere, and neither am I," Kost replied.
Jogador | Fichas | Progresso |
---|---|---|
Jim Collopy |
17,800,000
3,600,000
|
3,600,000 |
|
||
Nick Kost |
10,700,000
-3,600,000
|
-3,600,000 |
|
Jim Collopy limped the button and called a raise from Nick Kost to head to a flop of 9♥9♠8♣.
Kost bet and Collopy called to see the 8♦ hit the turn. Both players checked and did the same on the 6♣ river, leading to Kost tabling the A♣7♦6♦4♦, prompting Collopy to toss his cards in the muck.
Jogador | Fichas | Progresso |
---|---|---|
Nick Kost |
14,300,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
||
Jim Collopy |
14,200,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
Jim Collopy and Nick Kost went to the river on a board of K♦10♠9♠6♦K♣ when Collopy bet.
Kost came back with a raise before Collopy reraised. Kost called, then mucked as Collopy showed K♥2♥9♦9♣ for a full house to take the pot and climb to nearly even as the heads-up match progresses in its third hour.
Jogador | Fichas | Progresso |
---|---|---|
Nick Kost |
14,500,000
-4,000,000
|
-4,000,000 |
|
||
Jim Collopy |
14,000,000
4,000,000
|
4,000,000 |
|
On a flop of 5♥2♦4♣, Nick Kost bet and Jim Collopy called.
Kost continued betting on the J♥ turn and 7♠ river as Collopy called him down.
"Find a scoop," one of Kost's supporters yelled from the rail. Kost turned over 2♠10♠3♦6♣ for the flopped straight and a low as Collopy shook his head in frustration before mucking.
Jogador | Fichas | Progresso |
---|---|---|
Nick Kost |
18,500,000
4,300,000
|
4,300,000 |
|
||
Jim Collopy |
10,000,000
-4,300,000
|
-4,300,000 |
|
Jim Collopy raised the button and Nick Kost called to head to a K♣8♦J♥ flop.
Collopy check-called a bet from Kost to see a 7♥ turn card.
Both players checked and the dealer put out the Q♣ on the river. Collopy bet and Kost called to show the Q♦10♦10♠4♣, which caused Collopy to show some frustration as he tossed his cards into the muck.
Jogador | Fichas | Progresso |
---|---|---|
Jim Collopy |
14,300,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
||
Nick Kost |
14,200,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
|
Jim Collopy three-bet before the flop and Nick Kost called.
The flop came 6♥J♠J♦ and Collopy bet. Kost called to the A♦ turn and called another bet.
The 10♠ fell on the river and Collopy checked over to Kost, who put in a bet. Collopy quickly called and Kost turned over 10♣10♦ for the rivered full house.
"Are you serious? The only ten," Collopy cried out as he mucked A♣10♥. Kost has now pulled in front in the heads-up match with that pot.
Jogador | Fichas | Progresso |
---|---|---|
Nick Kost |
14,500,000
7,500,000
|
7,500,000 |
|
||
Jim Collopy |
14,000,000
-7,500,000
|
-7,500,000 |
|