Samuel Bernabeu Wins $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Event At World Series Of Poker

Samuel Bernabeu – Photo Credit: WSOP / Omar Sader

Samuel Bernabeu emerged on top in the $2,500 no-limit hold’em event at the World Series of Poker late on July 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The player from Elda, Spain had a large rail of his countrymen to celebrate the victory with as he captured his first gold bracelet. It was also the largest score of his poker career by far, taking his overall earnings above $720,000.

“I used to play a lot in Spain, but when I moved to Mexico, I took a lot of time off, but I felt like something was missing in my life being away for so long. It just feels amazing to actually win one after everything that has happened,” said Bernabeu told reporters after the win.

The tournament took place over three days, with a total field of 2,068 entries creating a large prize pool worth $4,601,300. The top 311 players all scored at least $4,002 in prize money. There were 310 players that returned for Day 2, and that day of play saw things advance to the final 24 left in the tournament. Some notables that made it deep in the field included Nick Palma (21st), Galen Hall (24th), Viet Vo (28th), David Miscikowski (29th), Alex Greenblatt (31st), Eugene Todd (35th), and David Peters (54th).

Bernabeu was fifth in chips when the final table began after a couple of hours of play on Day 3, and he quickly improved his prospects by taking out Daniel Schill in ninth place. He was up to fourth in chips when seven players remained at the first break in play, and then Bernabeu claimed another knockout when he busted Ramon Fernandez in seventh place.

Bernabeu scored his third elimination at the final table before the dinner break, taking out Deigo Vaz Sorgatto in fifth place to move up to second in chips. Bernabeu also took out his most notable opponent at the final table when he bounced World Poker Tour champion and high-stakes tournament regular Seth Davies in fourth place. Davies holds close to $22 million in career earnings with the six-figures he cashed for at this final table.

Bernabeu took out Zlatin Penev in third place to take a nearly 4:1 chip advantage into the final match against James Anderson. Heads-up play lasted less than half-an-hour before the two players got all of their chips into the middle for the first time. Anderson pinned his tournament hopes on AQ, but Bernabeu had him covered holding pocket kings. The board ran out 9637K, and that was it for Anderson. He added $421,761 to take his career earnings over $3.65 million along with a trophy case holding a gold bracelet and WSOP Circuit gold ring.

Here is a look at the payouts awarded at the final table:

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