Shortest WSOP Tournament in 2013 - Norbert Szécsi Wins WSOP $1,000 NLHE

The final day of the WSOP Event #42 - $1,000 NLHE was held on 25 June. 11 players were still fighting for the bracelet. The chipleader was Rory 'Mafews' Mathews with 898,000. 2 players had to be eliminated for the 9-handed final table.

Dealing started on the 22nd blind level (2,000-8,000/16,000). The first to go came to be the Romanian player Dan Murariu, who was beaten with A-K against Ariel Celestino's pocket jacks. Not much later Dana Buck went bluff all-in with 9-6 after it was folded to him, the BB Daniel Neilson called with K-J but a nine fell on the dry board, Neilson was out.

Szécsi lost a major put, he paid Kirby Martin's straight, and dropped back to 510,000 chips, starting the final table from the 7th place.

On the 23rd blind level (3,000-10,000/20,000) the short-stacked Bennett went all-in with 249,000, to which DeMaci sitting next to him also shoved. The rest folded. Bennett showed A-J, DeMaci A-K, a dry board came, eliminating Bennett.

Martin doubled up on Buck, who had 320,000 total after the hand. Buck pushed the remainder of his stack in a following hand: he went all-in from the button to Landier's 55,000 raise from the button with T-8. Landier called with jacks; his hand held.

In the next hand (29th hand of the final table) DeMaci ran into a cooler, when he lost the majority of his stack with a pair of kings to Mathews' aces. DeMaci was left with 350,000.

The remaining players started the 24th blind level with the following stacks:

• Kirby Martin - 1.718.000 
• Rory Mathews - 1.255.000 
• Bryce Landier - 1.078.000 
• Ariel Celestino - 670.000 
• Denis Gnidash - 585.000 
• Norbert Szécsi - 585.000
• Chris DeMaci - 405.000 

By the beginning of the level, Celestino took a major hit from Martin, then 8 hands later Celestino went all-in with 234,000 chips, Landier called. Celestino showed pocket threes, Landier pocket kings, the board was dry. Celestino finished 7th.

Szécsi managed to climb back up, but in the 62nd hand ha lost a flip against Gnidash, dropping back to just 264,000. He doubled up in a flip soon, he got a king to his K-Q hand, Mathews showed sixes. By the 25th blind level he doubled up again, lady luck was on his side now. He raised all-in with 495,000, Martin reraise shoved with 1,500,000, the rest folded.

Szécsi: 9 9 

Martin: A A

Board: 9 2 5 3 9

Szécsi won the hand with a four of a kind. He was now up 1,000,000.

Landier finished 6, followed by Mathews. In the 93rd hand Szécsi had the action again. Martin opened to 75,000, the SB Szécsi called. The flop came 6 A 8, Martin bet 85,000, Szécsi check called. The turn came J. Szécsi checked again, Martin shoved with 860,000, the Hungarian called after long tanking.

Martin: A 8 

Szécsi: K J 

River: T 

Szécsi hit his flush, now he was sitting on a 3,250,000 stack. Martin finished 4th.

The leaderboard by the beginning of blind level #26 (5,000-20,000/40,000)

The heads-up formulated in the 125th blind level. Gnidash folded, DeMaci went all-in, Szécsi called. DeMaci showed A T, Szécsi K K; the kings held.

The heads-up lasted for 7 hands only. In the last hand, Szécsi opened to 80,000, Gnidash 3bet to 205,000, Szécsi called. The flop fell 9 T A. Gnidash bet 225,000, Szécsi called. On the 3 turn Gnidash checked, Szécsi bet 340,000, Gnidash called. The river brought 6, Gnidash checked again, Szécsi went all-in, Gnidash called. Gnidash showed A A, but Szécsi took the victory with A T two pairs.

Norbert Szécsi won his first bracelet in this year's shortest heads-up, winning the fourth WSOP bracelet for Hungary. He joined Hungarian pros such as Péter Traply, Péter Gelencsér and Ákos Kwaysser Valdemár. With its extremely short final table and hand count, Event #42 is currently the shortest WSOP tournament in 2013.

Final results:

1. Norbert Szécsi - $345.037
2. Denis Gnidash - $214.760
3. Chris DeMaci - $149.281
4. Kirby Martin - $107.512
5. Rory Mathews - $78.576
6. Bryce Landier - $58.126
7. Ariel Celestino - $43.564
8. Dana Buck - $33.065