Stunning Six-Max Dealers Choice Event Won by Ryan Hoenig

A thrilling final table in the $10,000-entry Dealers Choice Championship saw American player Ryan Hoenig win his first-ever WSOP bracelet and the $354,444 top prize. Battling for gold alongside players such as Dylan Smith, Brandon Cantu and PLO specialist Dario Alioto, Hoenig’s victory came the hard way as he sealed the first WSOP bracelet win of his poker career.

WSOP Event #18 $10,000 Dealers Choice Results:

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1^st	Ryan Hoenig	United States	$354,444
2^nd	Dylan Smith	United States	$230,374
3^rd	Philip Sternheimer	United Kingdom	$154,460
4^th	Dario Alioto	Italy	$106,935
5^th	Matthew Vengrin	United States	$76,525
6^th	Brandon Cantu	United States	$56,671

Another Popular Championship Event

With 152 entries, the $10,000-entry Dealers Choice Championship featured some of the biggest names in poker all trying to prove their mixed game prowess. In a week where Benny Glaser won not one but two WSOP bracelets, Ryan Hoenig’s debut WSOP title inside the Horseshoe Las Vegas goes down as an incredible achievement.

With a prize pool of over $1.4m, the final table of six saw their actions played out live on PokerGO as fans around the world tuned in to see who would be the latest to grab a gold bracelet in Sin City. Brandon Cantu, a friend of Phil Hellmuth’s, reached sixth place for $56,671 but missed out on his latest bracelet victory.

So too did the popular mixed game player Matt Vengrin (5^th for $76,525), whose recent efforts in live tournaments have seen him win money for PokerStake investors. After Dario Alioto busted in fourth place for $106,935, the first six-figure score of the event, the remaining three players retired for the evening, one final sleep to prepare for a day of glory to follow.

Sternheimer and Smith Sent Home

The British player Philip Sternheimer was the short deck when play resumed, holding just 1.91 million chips to Dylan Smith’s 2.22 million and the chip leader Hoenig’s 4.99m. The opening two hands both went the chip leader’s way and play moved heads-up. In Pot Limit Omaha, Hoenig flopped a queen-high straight, and Sternheimer could only find a nine-high straight busting in third place for $154,460.

At the start of the final duel, Hoenig led Smith by around 5:1 in chips, with 7.65 million to Smith’s 1.4m. Soon, a pot in Badeucy put Smith below a million chips and in a following hand in PLO, Hoenig made a flush on the turn, leaving Smith drawing dead to the river as Hoenig locked up his first WSOP bracelet.

For Hoenig, it was something of a redemption story, as he took a break from poker some years ago. Working in a warehouse, he rediscovered his love of the game and has since climbed the ladder to put himself in a position to capture his first-ever bracelet.

“When I was 15, I fell in love with Omaha Hi-Lo, said Hoenig “My first love that wasn’t a girl. So that was my entry into mixed games, and that’s still my favorite game, all the versions of it. I just love all the games now. I’m just ready. Whenever I see a new plaque in this tournament, I’m like, yeah, let’s go!”

The First Time Bracelet Winner

Hoenig’s success thrilled his rail as friends and family celebrated with him. He called the final table both ‘crazy’ and ‘exhausting’.

“[It was] so exhilarating, so fun. I just love to play. I felt in my element. Last year I skipped this event because I was a little unsure of some of the games. This year, I was ready for every game. The competition is incredible. Dylan [Smith] is an incredible competitor. It went quick because I hit every hand, so that helps.”

Back when he began, Hoenig confessed to ‘dreams’ of turning pro as a teenager, but he admits that he didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with it at the time. After his recent comeback, poker has treated the more mature Hoenig all the better.

“I always loved the game, but I came to it with a different mindset as an adult. Now I just want to win every time I play and I’m willing to win whenever possible. It’s an unreal experience.”

With one win and a third-place finish already this summer, Ryan Hoenig could be the surprise horse in the race to become WSOP Player of the Year. One thing is for sure - he won’t stop running.

Paul Seaton, an esteemed figure in the poker community with over ten years of experience, has provided live coverage from renowned poker tournaments like the World Series of Poker, European Poker Tour, and World Poker Tour. His involvement goes beyond observation; he has served as the Editor of BLUFF Europe Magazine and Head of Media for partypoker.