Brian Rast wins his second $50,000 Poker Players Championship

The American pro defeated fellow tournament crusher Justin Bonomo in heads-up to claim his third WSOP bracelet and the $1,296,097 first place prize.

On Wednesday, six players returned for Day 5 of Event #55: $50,000 Poker Players Championship, one of the most prestigious tournament in the World Series of Poker schedule.

The 6-handed finale started with the chiplead of WSOP bracelet winner Justin Bonomo but two-time Poker Players Championship winner Michael Mizrachi and 2011 PPC champion Brian Rast were also in the hunt for the bracelet.

Seat 1: Lamar Wilkinson - 2.045.000
Seat 2: Ray Dehkharghani - 395.000
Seat 3: Eric Wasserson - 3.840.000
Seat 4: Justin Bonomo - 7.750.000
Seat 5: Michael Mizrachi - 5.535.000
Seat 6: Brian Rast - 3.185.000

Play began on Level 22 and the first elimination took place in a Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo hand (Limit: 100,000/200,000, Ante: 20,000, Bring-in: 30,000, Complete: 100,000).

Dehkharghani posted the bring-in, Wasserson completed, Mizrachi called and Dehkharghani raised. Both Mizrachi and Wasserson called and on fourth street

Dehkharghani decided to bet. Wasserson folded, Mizrachi raised, Dehkharghani went all-in for 210,000 and Mizrachi called.

Mizrachi: A-4/6-4-5-3/6
Dehkharghani: 7-7/3-A-Q-6/J
Wasserson: X-X/5-T (folded)

Mizrachi had the nut low going into 6th street and improved to two pair on the river to claim the high pot aswell, while Dehkharghani failed to improve.

Wilkinson finished in fifth place, he got in the last of his chips in a Limit Hold'em hand with A-K, unfortunately for him Mizrachi paired his seven with his K-7.

Mizrachi couldn't enjoy his new chips for long, during Level 25 he busted in a 2-7 Triple Draw hand.

Wasserson raised on the button, Bonomo 3bet from the small and Mizrachi 4bet from the big blind. Wasserson folded and Bonomo called. Bonomo drew two cards and Mizrachi drew one before deciding to bet.

Bonomo drew two cards on the second draw and Mizrachi drew one. Bonomo checked once again, Mizrachi bet and Bonomo check/raised. Mizrachi called and both players stood pat on the third draw.

Bonomo decided to bet and Mizrachi called leaving just a few chips behind. Bonomo showed 7-6-5-3-2 and Mizrachi mucked.

Mizrachi lost his remaining chips not much later and the heads-up was set with the elimination of Brian Wasserson, he busted in a Seven Card Stud hand.

Justin Bonomo - 14,235,000
Brian Rast - 8,515,000

Rast managed to turn things around and by Level 27, he was already in the lead.

Brian Rast - 15,365,000
Justin Bonomo - 7,385,000

The tournament was eventually decided in a No Limit Hold'em hand (80,000/160,000 - 40,000 ante). Bonomo raised to 400,000 from the button and Rast called. The flop was A-T-5 and Rast check/called a 350,000 bet. The turn was another Ace and Rast checked once again, then called a 2,200,000 bet.

The river was a King (A-T-5-A-K board) and Rast checked for a third time. Bonomo shoved all-in for 7,815,000 and Rast snapcalled with A-T. Bonomo showed Q-J for a rivered straight and received $801,048 for his runner up finish.

Brian Rast became the second player ever to win two Poker Players Championship events, his first title came in 2011 (he also won a bracelet in a $1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em event that year).

He received $1,296,097 for his win and increased his lifetime tournament winnings to $17,779,199, which puts him on 11th place on the all-time money list.

Final table results

1. Brian Rast - $1.296.097
2. Justin Bonomo - $801.048
3. Eric Wasserson - $545.772
4. Michael Mizrachi - $380.942
5. Wil Wilkinson - $272.558
6. Ray Dehkharghani - $200.027