WSOP Event #15 Recap – Frank Kassela Beats Allen Kessler to Win Stud 8 or Better World Champoinship
The first Stud 8 or Better event of the 2010 WSOP was Event #15, $10,000 Stud 8 or Better World Championship. An all-star field of 170 players turned out to take their shot at this split-pot bracelet, including defending champion Jeff Lisandro.
Frank Kassela - Event #15 Champion (Photo Courtesy of WSOP.com)
Only 16 players were paid in this event and the money was not reached until Day 3. From that point, players played on to the final table and ultimately the bracelet. Jennifer Harman became the 2nd woman this year to make a WSOP final table and Vladimir Schmelev made his 3rd final table of the year. Here are the final eight player and their chip counts at the start of the final table:
Kirill Rabtsov 882,000
Jennifer Harman Traniello 861,000
Frank Kassela 800,000
John Juanda 787,000
Steve Zolotow 684,000
Allen Kessler 467,000
Dario Minieri 316,000
Vladimir Schmelev 304,000
Dario Minieri was the first player eliminated from the final table. He put the last of his chips in with three diamonds and Kessler called with split three’s. Minieri would make a pair of aces, but Kessler drew sixes-up on sixth street to send Minieri out in 8th place. He received $52,366 for his final table cup of coffee.
Vladimir Schmelev was all-in on fifth street against both Frank Kassela and Jennifer Harman. Schmelev had a pair of fours showing on sixth, but at the river, Kassela showed trip tens for the high and Harman tabled a 7-5 low. As such, Schmelev was out in 7th place, good for $63,457.
Kirill Rabstov went out next as he was all-in on fourth with a four flush against kings-up of Frank Kassela. Kassela made kings-full on sixth street, leaving Rabstov drawing dead. Kirill Rabstov finished in 6th place and took home $78,142.
John Juanda was next out in 5th place. At the river, he put the last of his chips in and revealed kings-up, thinking that he had a potential scooped pot. However, Frank Kassela showed three aces and that sent Juanda out in 5th place and $97,989.
Kassela eliminated enough one from the final table when he took out Steve Zolotow. Zolotow was all-in on third street with split queens and Kassela made the call with split nines. Zolotow never improved his queens and Kassela made trip nines on sixth to send Zolotow out in 4th place. Zolotow received $125,379 for his 4th place finish.
Jennifer Harman made a strong run at this final table, but ultimately finished in 3rd place. She was all-in on sixth street with ace-high and a draw to a six-low. Allen Kessler made the call with a made seven low with redraws to both a seven-high straight and a wheel. Kessler made a pair of fours on the river and Harman caught a ten. Fours with a low were good enough to send Jennifer Harman out in 3rd place, good for $173,159.
Heads-up play between Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler and Frank Kassela started with Kassela holding a 4 Million to 1 Million chip lead. Kessler tried his best, but never got over his initial 1 Million in chips. In his final hand, Kessler went in with 10-8-9 and was against the buried sevens of Kassela. Kessler did make a pair of eights on fourth, but Kassela caught queens-up on fifth to retake the lead. Kessler never filled up and finished as runner up in this event. He took home $276,486 for his second place finish, the largest cash in his career.
Frank Kassela dominated this final table to win his first WSOP bracelet and $447,446 in prize money. Kassela almost didn’t play this event as he bubbled the final table of Event #12. However, he did bubble and then go on to win this event.
Congratulations to Frank Kassela, Event #15 Champion.
