WSOP Main Event 2013 - Ryan Riess Is Champion

23 years old Ryan Riess is the new world champion of poker and also the first player ever born in the 1990s to win the WSOP Main Event. He booked $8,361,570.

On 4 November, play started on the single most prestigious Final Table of the year, that of the World Series of Poker Main Event. On Day 1, they played it down to the heads-up, leaving Jay Farber and Ryan Riess to decide the fate of the world champion’s bracelet.

On Tuesday, the two players returned to the Penn & Teller room of the Rio, Las Vegas and resumed playing for the title. While last year’s heads-up took a mere 17 hands, it could be expected that this year, it would take considerable more, with “shortstack” Ryan Riess sitting on 85 Big Blinds.

Jay Farber – 105,000,000
Ryan Riess – 85,675,000

Bruce Buffer shouted "shuffle up and deal" and play continued on Level 39 (150,000/500,000/1,000,000). The first pot went to Riess and the young US player moved on to scoop in a couple more. In just a few minutes, the two stacks were equal.

The 204th hand of the Final Table saw a gargantuan pot of 58.5 million in chips. From about equal stacks, Farber raised to 2,000,000, Riess 3-bet to 5,000,000, Farber 4-bet to 8,800,000 and Riess called. The flop came 8 4 3, Farber bet 6,700,000 and Riess check-called. He also checked the 2 turn, Farber fired 13,600,000 and Riess called again. They both checked the 7 turn and Riess showed a winnings J J hand. Farber mucked.

Ryan Riess – 130,025,000
Jay Farber – 60,650,000

Riess continued to increase his lead and it was pure luck that saved Farber from elimination in the 229th hand; on a K-5-Q flop, they moved all-in and Riess tabled K-T, while Farber had J-T. On the turn, one of Farber’s outs fell with a 9 for a straight and the Q on the river did not change anything.

Ryan Riess – 153,800,000
Jay Farber – 36,900,000

Farber managed to come back to over 70 million in chips on Level 40 (200,000/600,000/1,200,000) but Riess regained control o f the game and diminished his opponent’s stack to only 12,300,000.

In the 261st hand, the fate of the title got sealed: Riess opened to 2,500,000, Farber shoved for 14,000,000 and Riess called.

Farber: Q 5
Riess: A K

Board: J T 4 3 4

Riess won with ace high.

The 23 years old American became the poker world champion of 2013 as the first player ever born in the 1990s to do so. He earned $8,361,570 with his WSOP Main Event victory. Jay Farber won $5,174,357 with his runner-up finish.

The end results are as follows:

1st: Ryan Riess – $8,361,570
2nd: Jay Farber – $5,174,357
3rd: Amir Lehavot – $3,727,823
4th: Sylvain Loosli – $2,792,533
5th: JC Tran – $2,106,893
6th: Marc–Etienne McLaughlin – $1,601,024
7th: Michiel Brummelhuis – $1,225,356
8th: David Benefield – $944,650
9th: Mark Newhouse – $733,224