Event #77: $777 Lucky 7's No-Limit Hold'em

Tears and emotion. That was the feeling of Shawn Daniels when he called on the river to win Event #77: $777 Lucky 7's No-Limit Hold'em of the World Series of Poker in Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

With his first WSOP bracelet, he claimed the first-place prize of $777,777. This win today surpasses his lifetime WSOP cashes which totaled $734,611 until now, which includes two WSOP Circuit ring wins on WSOP.com.

Finishing in second place, Julien Montois also exceeds his previous largest prize and even his total live earnings as he returns home with $400,777.

Event #77: $777 Lucky 7's Final Table Results

Sadly for Daniels, in the seconds after he secured his win, his mind was far from the poker table. "I recently lost my fiancé so it's been a tough summer," he confessed. "I just wish she was here to celebrate it also. But it is what it is, it's nice to get it done."

Even with this feeling, Daniels "enjoyed it and played well" saying that the moment felt "pretty unreal."

"I ran really well," Daniels admitted. "On Day 1, I bagged almost the chip lead [second with 2,945,000 chips] so I was pretty comfortable. I got short on Day 2, and back to the chip lead, so it was swinging. I had a couple of three-outers on the river, so no complaints," he said.

He arrived at the final table with 47,000,000 chips, the third-largest stack among the five remaining players. "But there weren't many chips in play at the final table, around 100 big blinds in total," Daniels explained. "So all the hands had a significant impact."

In the end, he was the one who collected all the chips and won the tournament.

Final Table Action

There were only 5 players remaining on Day 3 of the Lucky 7's. At the start of the final table, Anthony Scarborough was in the lead with twice the stack of Julien Montois, who was second in chips. However, in the first few hands, Scarborough experienced a descent into hell as he lost almost all of his hands.

Istvan Briski doubled through him, as did Charles La Boissonniere. But it wasn't enough for La Boissonniere, who was the first player to be eliminated (finishing in fifth place for $125,777).

After La Boissonniere's elimination, it was Shawn Daniels' turn to double up against Scarborough, leaving him short-stacked. Then, from being the chip leader at the start of the day, Scarborough finished in fourth place ($168,777), eliminated by Briski.

Conversely, Briski had an amazing start as he took the lead and further increased it in the first level. With three players remaining, he held 50% of the chips in play. However, like Scarborough before him, Briski couldn't maintain his chip lead, as Daniels closed the gap. Eventually, it was Daniels who eliminated Briski with two pair against Briski's single pair and the ace-kicker. Briski finished in third place, winning $226,777.

In heads-up play, Daniels had twice the stack of Montois. Just before the break, the French player made a comeback and took the lead. After the restart, Daniels won a few big pots to regain the top spot, but this time, he kept the lead until the end, calling Montois' all-in bet on the river.

Right after the break, Shawn Daniels on the button and Julien Montois in the big blind discovered a     flop.

After a check by Montois, Daniels bet 5,000,000 and was called a first time. Then he was called a second time when he fired out a second barrel of 8,000,000 on the turn  .

On the river  , Daniels sized it up to 29,000,000. Montois took a few seconds, and called. But he could only muck his cards when Daniels flipped    for two pair.

Shawn Daniels	154,000,000	42,275,000
Julien Montois	138,000,000	-42,275,000

Shawn Daniels raised to 6,000,000 from the button and Julien Montois defended.

The flop came    , Montois check-called the 8,000,000 continuation-bet of Daniels.

The turn was the   and Montois checked again. This time, Daniels fired out a bet of 17,500,000. Montois called.

The   completed the board on the river and Montois checked for the final time. Daniels barreled a bet of 43,000,000 over the line and Montois responded with a shove. Daniels asked for a count and the dealer confirmed Montois had 71,275,000 in front of him. Daniels looked pained and dove into the tank.

"I wasn't planning on bet-folding," Daniels commented. He then cut out calling chips before adding: "You looked so sad, and then you jammed!"

He took some more time before reluctantly pushing his cards over the line for the fold. Montois' rail cheered loudly before the two players decided to take a 15-minute break.

Julien Montois	180,275,000	105,275,000
Shawn Daniels	111,725,000	-105,275,000

Shawn Daniels opened from the button to 6,000,000 and Julien Montois called in the big blind.

On    , Daniels bet 8,000,000 and Montois check-called.

Montois checked again on the turn   and Daniels checked back. There was no more action on the river  , as both players checked once more.

When he had to show his cards, Montois revealed    for a pair of sevens and won the pot, as Daniels mucked.

Shawn Daniels	192,000,000	-20,000,000
Julien Montois	100,000,000	20,000,000

After a limp by Shawn Daniels in the small blind, Istvan Briski three-bet to 10,500,000 from the big blind.

Daniels called and a     flop landed on the table. Briski made a continuation bet of 8,000,000 and Daniels check-called.

No more action occurred on the turn  , as both players checked.

Then, on the river  , Daniels took the lead and bet 6,700,000. After some time, Briski decided to fold, giving the chip lead to Daniels.

Shawn Daniels	107,000,000	17,000,000
Istvan Briski	91,000,000	-21,000,000
Julien Montois	72,000,000	17,000,000

Anthony Scarborough shoved from under the gun for his last 7,900,000 and Istvan Briski called from the small blind while the rest folded.

Anthony Scarborough:   
Istvan Briski:   

"The fives have been running hot," Shawn Daniels commented.

The board ran out       for Briski to flop the pair of tens and hold through the rest of the runout to eliminate the Day 2 chip leader in fourth place for $168,777.

Istvan Briski	158,000,000	12,000,000
Anthony Scarborough	0	-7,900,000

After he took the lead, Istvan Briski opened every hand and won the blinds each time except in two hands: when Shawn Daniels moved all in, and when Julien Montois three-bet in the big blind in a blind versus blind situation.

At some point, it was Charles La Boissonniere who open-shoved from the cutoff for a total of 13,000,000 chips. Briski called on the button, and the blinds folded.

Charles La Boissonniere:   .
Istvan Briski:   .

Charles La Boissonniere stayed behind on the flop     and on the turn  . He was definitively eliminated after Briski hit the   on the river, giving him a pair.

Finishing fifth, La Boissonniere earned $125,777.

Istvan Briski	146,000,000	26,000,000
Charles La Boissonniere	0	-19,300,000

Anthony Scarborough raised to 5,000,000 from the cutoff and Charles La Boissonniere was sitting in the small blind. He counted out his stack and then decided to three-bet jam for 7,150,000 in total. Istvan Briski folded his big blind and Scarborough quickly made the call.

Charles La Boissonniere:   
Anthony Scarborough:   

The flop came     for both players to hit top pair but for Scarborough to stay ahead with the ten kicker.

The turn was the   which brought chop outs, but the   came on the river instead for La Boissonniere to hit two pair and double up.

Anthony Scarborough	94,000,000	-8,000,000
Charles La Boissonniere	19,300,000	5,900,000

The five remaining players have taken their seats, and the dealer has been instructed to shuffle up and deal.