Glory For Glaser! Benny Glaser Wins $50,000 PPC for $1,343,764 and Ninth Career Bracelet
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The finale of the prestigious $50,000 Poker Players Championship (PPC) was held under the lights of the hallowed Horseshoe and Paris Casino in the heart of Las Vegas last night. The PPC attracted a total of 108 entrants, comprised mainly of the best Mixed Games players in the world, all of whom wanted to get their hands on the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy, the biggest and best trophy in the world of Mixed Games. A few of those players all have legitimate claims to be the “best Mixed Games player in the world”, but one player’s claims are now a bit more legitimate than others as the ever-versatile Benny Glaser took down his ninth bracelet and $1,343,764 for the win, his second biggest single career cash. Here is the rundown of the action.
How It Started
Glaser came into the fifth and final day atop the counts, as he did entering Day 4. Glaser was incredibly consistent, finishing second in the counts on Day 1 and 2. He came into Day 5 with 8,610,000, with Maxx Coleman being the Brits’ nearest competitor with 5,565,000. Team Dnegs representative for the $25,000 Fantasy Draft, Josh Arieh, former PPC final tablist Kristopher Tong, and GOAT status Hall of Famer Phil Ivey all had around 5,000,000 mark. Paul Volpe was the clear short stack with 2,725,000.
Glaser was the first to cross the 10,000,000 chip mark courtesy of a hand of Limit Hold’em. With the blinds at 100k/200k and the limits at 200k/400k, Glaser pulled in a 1,500,000 pot by going runner-runner to make the nut-flush versus Tong to send the latter down the counts. Tong was then left short by Arieh in a hand of Stud Hi-Lo, as Arieh got seven streets of value with Kings and Sixes to scoop without the presence of a lo hand. Tong then fell to Glaser in a pre-flop all in confrontation in No Limit Hold’em as Glaser called off a three-bet all-in from Tong with king-queen suited against Tong’s sevens. Two queens on the flop of the 9 Q Q 3 4 was good for Glaser and Tong became the first elimination of the day.
Volpe Vanquished, Coleman Crashes Out
Volpe was next on the chopping block, and he opened from the hijack to 400,000, leaving 50,000 behind in PLO Hi-Lo. Coleman reraised to put Volpe all in, and he made the call. Coleman’s A K J 3 gave him a superior two pair across the Q 7 5 K J to best Volpe’s A Q 4 3 . Again in PLO Hi-Lo, Ivey scooped a 2,400,000 pot versus Glaser and Coleman, as the Hall of Famer made the nut-low and two pair. It wasn’t long until Coleman was eliminated by Arieh in PLO.
Arieh set the trap after flopping a set of nines and check-calling v Coleman in a limped blind v blind pot. Arieh check-called again on the turn, which gave Coleman trip fours. Arieh checked once more on the river before Coleman committed the majority of his stack to the middle. Arieh quickly asked for the rest. Coleman was clearly in a world of hurt and reluctantly flicked in the call to be shown the bad news as Arieh’s nines full of fours was good to take a big pot and take play three-handed.
Ivey On the Up But Not for Long
Ivey was on the up heading into three-handed play, but the 11-time bracelet winner couldn’t mount a challenge on the top two. Ivey’s demise came in 2-7 Triple Draw. He was left short after raising to 750,000 over an Arieh button open to 500,000. Arieh called and drew two to his 8 6 2 draw, dashing the K J . Ivey drew one and bet out for 250,000, having made 8 7 6 5 2 . Arieh paired his eight and hit the 6 . Ivey pat and bet and Arieh drew one more after calling. Arieh drew the J and subsequently discarded it on the last draw. Ivey checked to Arieh, who bet. Ivey called and was shown 8 6 5 4 2 to give Arieh the pot.
Ivey was left short and he met his demise in the following hand, again to Arieh. Ivey put his final 300,000 in and drew four cards to a five. On the second draw, Ivey took two, as did Arieh, before the final draw came along. Ivey took one and Arieh patted. Arieh took the pot eliminated Ivey with a Ten-Eight as Ivey paired a four in hand.
Heads-Up
Arieh came into heads-up play with a slender advantage against Glaser. Heads-up play was a back and forth affair as to be expected in the Mixed Games streets. Arieh’s time was nearing an end courtesy of a hand of No Limit Hold’em. Glaser raised from the button and Arieh called. A 7 7 6 flop was checked through before Arieh check-called a bet of 675,000 on the Q turn. Arieh then led out for 1,300,000 on the 6 river and Glaser called with Q 10 to pick off Arieh’s bluff with 2 2 .
Glaser kept his foot on the accelerator all the way to the end, pushing Arieh off a chop in PLO Hi-Lo before sealing the deal in the same variant. Glaser raised with A Q 7 3 and called Arieh’s subsequent all in with A 7 3 4 . The K 4 3 Q J runout gave both players two pair but Glaser had the best of it. Glaser let his emotions show, and it was clear for all to see how much this win meant to him. The PPC is the crowning achievement for any Mixed Games player, and it is an accolade that Glaser well and truly deserves as he cements his place in the pantheon of Mixed Games greatest. Below are the final table payouts.
| Rank | Player | Country | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benny Glaser | | $1,343,764 |
| 2 | Josh Arieh | | $895,837 |
| 3 | Phil Ivey | | $600,698 |
| 4 | Maxx Coleman | | $417,607 |
| 5 | Paul Volpe | | $301,405 |
| 6 | Kristopher Tong | | $226,172 |
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