Event #44: $3,000 6-Handed Limit Hold'em
Day 3 Completed
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #44: $3,000 6-Handed Limit Hold'em
Day: 3
Event Info
Level 28
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
On the third and final day of the 2021 World Series of Poker Event #44: $3,000 6-Handed Limit Hold'em, Ryan Hansen was crowned the champion as he defeated Kosei Ichinose in a back-and-forth heads-up battle for $109,692 that lasted over two hours. The event attracted 162 entries to create a $432,540 prize pool, with the majority of that money awarded to the remaining players today.
“I’m a little shell-shocked right now”, said Hansen. “I was kind of a Moneymaker-effect person. Came in after that like 2004-2005, and switched to limit hold'em. I think it’s a great game; I always liked that game the best. So I switched over to that and have been playing that ever since.”
Hansen’s rail described him as a “limit hold’em specialist”, and he normally plays cash games at Borgata.
“This is the dream. I never expected this to happen. Never expected this to happen. I was just having a shot, having some fun, and look what happened.”
Event #44 Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Hansen | United States | $109,692 |
| 2 | Kosei Ichinose | Japan | $67,796 |
| 3 | Kevin Erickson | United States | $46,669 |
| 4 | Ken Deng | United States | $32,864 |
| 5 | Kenny Hsiung | United States | $23,688 |
| 6 | Steve Chanthabouasy | United States | $17,486 |
Final Table Action
Ten players started the day and the remaining players quickly found themselves at an unofficial final table as three players were eliminated within fifteen minutes of starting. Those busts included John Cavanagh in tenth, Day 1 chip leader Ray Henson in ninth, and Justin Moeller in eighth.
At that point, seven players remained and those players waited an hour and a half for another elimination. John Hoang found himself with the short stack and doubled with queens as he attempted to pump up his rail, although he ultimately was the one to fall in seventh.
The six remaining players were sent off to dinner and returned for the PokerGO stream with Kevin Erickson leading the pack. When they returned, Short-stacked Steve Chanthabouasy was the first one to hit the rail and earned a sixth-place finish, and the remaining five players played for around two and a half hours before another player was eliminated.
Kenny Hsiung, who was the only bracelet winner at the final table, was the next casualty when he got his remaining chips in on the flop with top pair but fell to two pair, and soon after, Ken Deng was gone next in fourth. Erickson, who finished runner-up in Event #12: $1,500 Limit Hold'em, found himself with another deep run and was eliminated in third place when his cowboys were beaten by ace-king.
Heads-Up Action
When heads-up play began, Kosei Ichinose held twice the number of chips as Ryan Hansen, but that didn’t last long. Early in heads-up play, Hansen flopped quads to narrow the gap, and stacks were nearly even less than half an hour after the two began.
Hansen jumped into the lead and held more than two times as many chips as Ichinose, but once again, that lead didn’t last long. Ichinose found himself back in front and soon had a 3:1 chip lead.
Hansen was on the ropes but battled back and won a series of important hands, such as making trips and getting Ichinose to fold a number of decent-sized pots. It wasn’t long before Hansen once again took over the lead and this time, it was not one he would relinquish. Ichinose lost pots and continued to bleed chips before getting jack-ten in preflop against Hansen’s king-four. The board ran out blanks and Hansen was officially the winner and claimed his maiden bracelet.
This concludes the PokerNews coverage of this event but check out the WSOP Live Reporting Hub to follow all the exciting action here at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.
Level 28
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
It took just over 10 hours on the third and final day, but Ryan Hansen has captured his first WSOP gold bracelet in Event #44: $3,000 6-Handed Limit Hold'em. Hansen overcame a field of 162 players to take home the first-place prize of $109,692. Hansen defeated Kosei Ichinose in an epic heads-up duel that lasted nearly three hours of back and forth action.
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ryan Hansen | United States | $109,692 |
| 2nd | Kosei Ichinose | Japan | $67,796 |
| 3rd | Kevin Erickson | United States | $46,669 |
| 4th | Ken Deng | United States | $32,864 |
| 5th | Kenny Hsiung | United States | $23,688 |
| 6th | Steve Chanthabouasy | United States | $17,486 |
A full recap of the day's action and the tournament will be posted shortly.
Level 28
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Kosei Ichinose limped in on the button and Ryan Hansen raised from the big blind. Ichinose just called and the flop came 
. Hansen led out with a bet and Ichinose folded, leaving himself with just one big bet. Hansen tabled 
for two pair.
On the next hand, Hansen raised the button and Ichinose stuck in the last of his 135,000 chips.
Kosei Ichinose: 
Ryan Hansen: 
The flop of 
to leave Hansen in the lead with king-high. The 
on the turn gave Ichinose a couple of more outs but the 
on the river bricked out and Ichinose was eliminated in second place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
6,510,000
710,000
|
710,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 28
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Ryan Hansen raised and Kosei Ichinose called.
Both players checked the 
flop and Ichinose led on the 
turn, which Hansen called.
The 
fell on the river. Ichinose bet, Hansen raised, and Ichinose folded and was left with only a few big bets.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,800,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
735,000
-465,000
|
-465,000 |
Level 28
: 60,000/120,000, 0 ante
Ryan Hansen raised on the button and Kosei Ichinose re-raised from the big blind. Hansen just called and the flop came 
. Ichinose led out with a bet and Hansen called to see the on the turn.
Ichinose continued with another bet and Hansen raised this time. Ichinose thought for a minute but decided to send his cards to the muck. Hansen collected another pot, leaving Ichinose with just five big bets.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,300,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
1,200,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
Level: 28
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 0
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Kosei Ichinose raised on the button and Ryan Hansen re-raised from the big blind. Ichinose called and the flop came 
. Hansen led out with a bet and Ichinose called to see the 
on the turn.
Hansen fired again and Ichinose still called. The river brought the 
which slowed down Hansen who checked. Ichinose took the opportunity to bet and Hansen called. Ichinose showed 
for just ace-high and Hansen flipped over 
for a set of sevens.
The level has ended and the players are taking another quick break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,700,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
1,800,000
-800,000
|
-800,000 |
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Ryan Hansen raised and Kosei Ichinose called.
The 
flop saw a check-call by Ichinose.
The came on the turn. Ichinose led, Hansen raised, and Ichinose folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,900,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
2,600,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
Level 27
: 50,000/100,000, 0 ante
Kosei Ichinose limped on the button and Ryan Hansen raised from the big blind. Ichinose called and the dealer fanned the 
flop. Hansen led out with a bet and Ichinose raised which Hansen called.
The turn was the 
and Hansen check-called a bet from Ichinose. The 
paired the board on the river and both players knuckled the table. Hansen showed 
for two pair and Ichinose let his hand go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,300,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
3,200,000
-700,000
|
-700,000 |