Juanda beats Hellmuth for fifth WSOP bracelet

Of all the poker tournaments he’s won, of all the prize money he’s collected, and of all the gold bracelets he’s earned in what has become an illustrious playing career, the most recent victory by international poker superstar and tournament veteran John Juanda most certainly ranks right up there among the most memorable.

Juanda won the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw Lowball World Championship, which concluded late on a Saturday night in front of a packed gallery of spectators. Alas, when the final heads-up battle commenced, half the stargazers at the Rio Las Vegas appeared to be cheering for Juanda. The other half were cheering for poker icon Phil Hellmuth. More than a few in the standing-room-only crowd were also rooting against Hellmuth.

Most certainly, Hellmuth is well-accustomed to his detractors and even relishes the role of villain. All great athletes and legendary sports teams divide the public's rage and fancy. But there was one thing everyone in the crowd could agree upon – that the Rio was the place to be at this very special moment in the poker universe. Each spectator was one of a few hundred lucky souls potentially witnessing poker history being made by two of the most skilled craftsmen at the very top of their games.

The path down to the final two players wasn’t easy. The field of 126 might have seemed relatively small in number when juxtaposed against the multi-thousand player fields in monster-sized Hold'em events. But measured in terms of skill and experience, this was as tough a tournament as had ever been played.

Consider for a moment that of the final eight players who made it to the final table, seven were former gold bracelet winners. Two finalists had won this same event previously, including the defending champion David Baker. In all, the top seven players held a total of 19 gold bracelet wins. Even the final table bubble player was no slouch. His name was Greg “Fossilman” Raymer. Johnny Chan finished 12th. It was a tough tournament.

This conquest marked Juanda’s fifth WSOP gold bracelet career victory, which now places him amongst even more elite poker royalty. He joins seven other players who have achieved five gold bracelet victories – including Stu Ungar, Berry Johnston, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Jeffrey Lisandro, Allen Cunningham, “Bones” Berland, and Scotty Nguyen. That’s pretty select company and ties him for 12th place all-time.

But it wasn’t just the win, it was how he managed to triumph and make his own night of history. With the victory, he prevented Hellmuth from taking a comfortable – and some might say insurmountable – two-bracelet lead over his two closest rivals – poker legends Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan, who have 10 career wins each.

As for Hellmuth, that's an entirely different chapter. Not too many players would turn down a second-place finish and a six-figure score at the World Series of Poker. But Hellmuth wasn’t buying any of it. Following defeat, he was gracious towards Juanda, who certainly has earned the respect of everyone within the poker world, including Hellmuth. But what may continue to plague Hellmuth is that he’s yet to win a WSOP title in any game other than Hold’em. Indeed, all of Hellmuth’s 11 previous gold bracelet wins had taken place in one form of Hold’em or another – Limit, Pot-Limit, and No-Limit.

Nevertheless, he’s become an international dynasty that transcends the green felt and remains arguably the most famous poker player in the world. But if there’s one player who wasn’t intimidated by any of the Hellmuthisms, the bright lights, or the cheers of adoring worshipers on this night, it was Juanda. Juanda was cast in the perfect – one could even say, “secondary” – role. It takes quite a player to potentially upstage someone with Juanda's talent, and Hellmuth ultimately proved he was not quite Juanda’s match on the biggest stage in poker when it counted most.

“I was impressed with the way that (Hellmuth) played," said Juanda. "He made one really great play against Joe (Cassidy), who had the winning hand and he became the chip leader after that. So, overall I was very impressed with the way he played. You know, a lot of people said he couldn’t play anything besides Hold’em, but tonight he played really well. If the cards would have fallen his way he could be standing here doing the interview instead of me.”

The two poker giants – polar opposites in terms of disposition and imagery – traded the chip lead back and forth like two prizefighters deadlocked in the middle of the 12th round. Hellmuth had his chances to win a few times. He had Juanda down by nearly a 2-1 margin, but was never able to close out the victory.

Meanwhile, Juanda played what seemed to be a near-perfect game. Never emotional, always in control, consistently pushing even the smallest edges and putting Hellmuth to the test on virtually every decision.

With everything on the line and the entire poker world watching and waiting, out of nowhere – it happened. It all came so quickly. Suddenly, Hellmuth was all-in. Juanda called. The crowd rose to its feet. There were screams and shouts. Then, there was one final draw and Juanda ultimately triumphed, which was a final fisted glove to the hopeful chin of a noble fellow champion.
It was a great match. It was a memorable night. It was one of John Juanda’s finest hours in a stellar career filled with victories and memorable moments. One can only hope that someday there will be a re-match.

Juanda is a 40-year-old professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nev. His last WSOP victory took place at 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event Championship, held in London. Before that, his previous win was back in 2003.

Juanda was born in Indonesia. He arrived in the United States as a teenager. Juanda earned his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University. He received his MBA from the University of Seattle.

Juanda’s first WSOP cash occurred in 1999. Juanda has won many other major poker tournaments, most notably the 2005 Aussie Millions $100,000 buy-in poker challenge and the 2001 World Poker Open Main Event. He has now accrued over $10 million in career lifetime winnings worldwide.

Juanda’s victory at WSOP Europe included one of the most memorable matches in poker history. Clocking in at a mind-numbing 19 hours and 10 minutes, it was the longest final table in the 42-year history of the World Series of Poker. The final table lasted 484 hands.

For this victory in this tournament, Juanda collected $367,170 for first place. He was also awarded his fifth WSOP gold bracelet.

Hellmuth collected $226,907 as a consolation prize. With this cash, Hellmuth now has 80 in-the-money finishes. This ranks as the most cashes by any player in WSOP history. He also holds the record for most final table appearances, now at 41.

Following his defeat, Hellmuth took the loss in stride. He shook Juanda’s hand a few times and waved to the crowd. There were no Hellmuthisms, for which he has become famous. Many of Hellmuth’s most memorable moments have occurred in previous years when he has busted out of WSOP events. Such moments have generated a near-cult following.

Richard Ashby, from Watford, U.K., who won a gold bracelet in the $1,500 buy-in
Seven-Card Stud event last year, finished third for $143,333.

Steve Sung, from Torrance, Calif., who won a gold bracelet in a $1,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event in 2009, finished fourth. Nick Schulman, from New York, N.Y., who won this event in 2008, was fifth, while the defending champion, David “Bakes” Baker, from Irmo, S.C., was sixth. Hasan Habib, who won the $1,500 buy-in Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split event in 2004, was seventh, and Joe Cassidy, the only non-bracelet holder in the final eight players, was eighth.

This was perhaps one of the most accomplished payout lists of players in-the-money in the modern era of poker. Many years ago, big names routinely packed the top of the tournament standings, since fewer players were paid due to field sizes being smaller. Now, it’s increasingly difficult for even the best players to make it to the top 10 percent and receive a payout. The law of large numbers and averages means many of the names in the money are not recognizable. This tournament was a monumental exception. Ten of the 14 players who finished in the money were former gold bracelet winners, with a combined 30 wins.

Tournament summary provided by Nolan Dalla, WSOP Media Director, reprinted by permission.