Stefan Bittger open shoved all in for his remaining 5,000,000 from middle position. Paul Saso then re shoved all in from the hijack, the rest of the players folded and the hands were tabled.
Stefan Bittger: K♥9♥
Paul Saso: J♣J♦
The board ran out with some drama as Bittger flopped a pair and turned a flush draw when the dealer spread 9♠4♥8♣A♥, but unfortunately for Bittger he could not improve on the river 2♦ sending him to the payout desk.
Earlier this year on an ordinary Monday afternoon, a bespectacled man walked into the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop on Las Vegas Blvd. Tucked under his arm was an uninteresting box that only he knew contained something rather interesting – a pair of gold watches dating back more than 40 years.
These were not your run-of-the-mill wristwear, but rather evidence of a unique and often overlooked time of poker history, a year when the World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet, now the game’s highest accolade, was replaced in favor of watches.
1982 WSOP watches
The man holding the box was David Sklansky, who in 1978 forever changed poker by advocating a mathematical approach to the game in his groundbreaking book The Theory of Poker. Nicknamed “The Mathematician,” he proved his prowess just four years later when he won two WSOP tournaments in five days.
First, he won the 1982 WSOP Event #7: $800 Mixed Doubles Limit Seven Card Stud, a tournament that paired one man with one woman, alongside Dani Kelly, and followed that up by taking down Event #12: $1,000 Limit 5-Card Draw High. A year later, the Binions reverted back to the beloved bracelets players know today, and Sklansky captured his third piece of WSOP hardware by winning Event #11: $1,000 Limit Omaha.
It was a remarkable accomplishment, and for more than four decades he’s kept safe the evidence of his victories, both of which still worked. So, why was Sklansky carrying his 1982 WSOP gold watches, two of only 15 ever awarded, into a pawn shop? Well, he was looking to sell them of course, but not to just any of the dozens of pawn shops spread across Las Vegas. Oh no, he was walking into arguably the most famous pawn shop in the world, the home to the wildly popular television show Pawn Stars, and he was there to do it with cameras rolling.
Harvey Jackson raised to 1,600,000 from early position. Owen Savir moved all in for 6,000,000 out of the small blind and after getting a count from the dealer, Jackson made the call.
Owen Savir: A♥A♦
Harvey Jackson: Q♦9♦
The dealer put out the board of 10♠5♠2♥5♦K♠. Jackson couldn't improve and Savir had doubled up with aces.
Stephen Dauphinais raised to 1,600,000 in late position, and then watched as Christopher Klementis moved all in for his remaining stack, which was a little more than 8,000,000.
The action folded around the table back to Dauphinais, who called to put Klementis at risk.
Christopher Klementis: A♣K♦
Stephen Dauphinais: K♠Q♥
The dealer fanned 5♠4♠7♥ on the flop, leaving Klementis ahead. But things got interesting on the turn, where 2♠ gave Dauphinais more out in the form of a flush draw.
Klementis' fate was sealed when 7♠ hit the river, completing Dauphinais’ runner-runner flush and sending Klementis to the rail in 13th place.
Adam Croffut raised under the gun to 1,600,000 and Harvey Jackson defended from the big blind.
Jackson checked to Croffut on the Q♣Q♠8♦ flop and Croffut bet 800,000. Jackson raised to 2,400,000 and Croffut made the call.
The 7♣ turn saw Jackson bet out for 4,000,000 and Croffut called.
Jackson opted to check the J♦ on the river and after a few moments, Croffut moved all in for 4,200,000. Jackson didn't take long to call and was shown 8♠8♥ by Croffut for a flopped full house. Jackson turned over K♠Q♥ for trip queens as his chips were sent over to Croffut.
Michael Jordan. Tom Brady. Tiger Woods. Serena Williams. Phil Ivey. What do these five superstars have in common? They're all widely considered the best to have ever done it in their respective sports.
PokerNews asked some players at the WSOP why they think Ivey is the G.O.A.T., and we received some interesting answers from some of the best in the game.
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