WSOPC Event #11: $1,700 MAIN EVENT

While Brad Ruben is used to acquiring World Series of Poker hardware, the seasoned pro has made a new addition to his trophy case by winning the WSOPC Choctaw Main Event. Finishing on top of a competitive 934-player field that included fellow bracelet winners and many former WSOPC Main Event champions, Ruben not only added a Circuit ring to his finger but won the lucrative $250,140 top prize.

With every event of the WSOPC Choctaw series surpassing guarantees, the series’ Main Event was no different as the overall prizepool grew to $1,415,010. Scoring his largest WSOP event cash to date, Ruben’s career WSOP winnings now stand at over $1.6 million.

Action of the Day

Day three of the WSOPC Choctaw Main Event began with 12 poker players all vying to reach the final table and have their shot at becoming champion. Coming into the day as chip leader, Ruben would lose the chip lead briefly on several occasions, but always found a way to reclaim it with his excellent play.

Early in the day, Ruben would not be the one to eliminate his opposition, letting his fellow poker players battle it out amongst themselves as they were eliminated one by one. All of that changed at the final table, however, when Ruben squared off with 2022 WSOPC Choctaw Main Event champion Danny Marx. On a paired board that included two aces and two eights, Ruben played Marx perfectly when he went all-in on the river. Flipping over ace-jack offsuit, Marx assumed the two poker pros would be chopping, only to see Ruben flip over pocket eights for quads, eliminating him in 7th place. Having finished in 4th place in the Choctaw Main Event the year Marx won his title, Ruben jokingly told his peer that it was simply payback.

Playing well but also running good, Ruben built even more momentum when he got it all-in preflop against 5th place finisher Will Nguyen. Calling off Nguyen’s three-bet shove preflop with pocket sixes, Ruben was delighted to see Nguyen had pocket fives. With his sixes holding, Ruben continued to further his chip lead and add pressure to his opponents.

En route to the title, Ruben would have to face off against defending champion Harvey Castro, who was determined to become Choctaw Casino’s first-ever back-to-back Main Event winner. Having lost a significant amount of chips to 3rd place finisher Kaleb Harwell in a recent hand, Castro attempted to squeeze his ace-nine offsuit with a three-bet shove. Getting snap-called by Ruben and his pocket tens, Castro could not catch up and relinquished his chips and eventually the title of defending champion to Ruben.

With three players remaining, it seemed a heads-up match between Ruben and Harwell was imminent as David “Lefty” Diaz was nursing an incredibly short stack. Despite being third in chips, Diaz refused to go quietly, as the WSOP bracelet winner doubled twice through Ruben. Having gained just enough chips to be dangerous, Diaz became the second biggest stack after cracking Harwell’s aces with flopped two pair. Taking all of the wind out of Harwell’s sails, it seemed Diaz had set him up perfectly to be eliminated next. Soon after being coolered by Diaz, Harwell shoved over Ruben’s preflop limp with ace-jack suited, only to be snapped off by pocket aces. On the negative side of variance, Harwell was eliminated in 3rd place.

Heading into heads-up play, Ruben’s staggering chip lead made it seem like the outcome had already been decided. After only a few hands, Diaz would get it in good with ace-jack offsuit to Ruben’s ace-ten. While it seemed Diaz may be able to start some sort of comeback, the deck had other plans, as Ruben turned a ten to claim the title.

While certainly not Ruben’s first WSOP event victory, his win in the WSOPC Choctaw Main Event serves as his largest career cash to date. On behalf of Poker.org, congratulations to Brad Ruben for winning his first career WSOP Circuit ring and $250,140. 

After Bradley Ruben limped from the small blind, Kaleb Harwell moved all-in and was snapped off by the chip leader.

Harwell:   
Ruben:   

The Runout:      

After losing with pocket aces then losing to them just a few hands later, Harwell was eliminated in 3rd place.

Brad Ruben - 31,885,000
Kaleb Harwell - Eliminated

Folded to in the small blind, David Diaz moved all-in for his 2,150,000 remaining chips and was snap called by Bradley Ruben.

Diaz:   
Ruben:   

The Runout:   Ks]  

Finding the card he needed yet again, Diaz doubled up to remain alive in the Choctaw Main Event.

David Diaz - 4,300,000
Bradley Ruben - 21,575,000

Bradley Ruben raised 400,000 first-to-act preflop. Following a fold from Kaleb Harwell, Harvey Castro moved all-in from the small blind for his 4,300,000 remaining chips. Entering the tank, it appeared David "Lefty" Diaz may make the call, but he ultimately decided to fold. Ruben quickly called.

Bradley Ruben:   
Harvey Castro:   

The Runout:      

Unable to catch up to Ruben's pocket tens, the reigning Choctaw champion was now the former champion, as he was eliminated in 4th place.

Bradley Ruben - 22,800,000
Harvey Castro - Eliminated

Folded to on the button, Kaleb Harwell raised 300,000. Harvey Castro moved all-in for his 3,980,000 remaining chips, and was snapped by Harwell.

Harwell:   
Castro:   

When the dealer was scooping the folded cards and dealing the flop, the folded cards were inadvertently spread on top of the flop, causing confusion as to what cards were a part of the flop and which cards were dead. After confirming with David Diaz and Bradley Ruben the cards they had folded, the Tournament Director removed the folded cards from the board with the following flop standing:    .

Turn:  

River:  

With the board running clean for Harwell, he would successfully double-up and take a significant chunk of chips from Castro.

Kaleb Harwell - 8,100,000
Harvey Castro - 4,300,000

Will Nguyen raised 275,000 from the cutoff, with only David Diaz calling from the big blind.

Flop:    

Diaz check-called Nguyen's 225,000 bet.

Turn:  

Both players checked.

River:  

Checked to, Nguyen bet 625,000. Contemplating for some time, Diaz eventually found the call and scooped the pot with two pair.

David Diaz:   
Will Nguyen:   

David Diaz - 2,680,000
Will Nguyen - 3,256,000