Event #45: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship (8-Handed)
Day 5 Completed
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #45: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship (8-Handed)
Day: 5
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 5
2024 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,683,300
Entries
181
Level
29
Blinds
0 / 0
Ante
0
Entries
2
Players Left
1
Level 29
Maksim Pisarenko has overcome a 181-player field that created a prize pool of $1,683,300 and defeated Mike Leah heads up to claim his first WSOP gold bracelet and the $399,988 first-place prize in Event #45: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship.
Pisarenko��s victory came after a lengthy heads-up match that went back-and-forth several times inside the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Leah became notorious for how many times he was able to double up over the course of the tournament �� earning him the affectionate name of ��The Phoenix�� by Pisarenko.
However, it was Pisarenko��s day to shine and he was able to douse Leah after a three-hour heads-up duel. The victory marks Pisarenko��s largest tournament score to date, bringing the Russian pro��s live-tournament earnings to over $1 million and cementing his status as a mixed-game star.
Event #45: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maksim Pisarenko | Russian Federation | $399,988 |
| 2 | Mike Leah | Canada | $266,658 |
| 3 | Lawrence Brandt | United States | $183,049 |
| 4 | Steve Zolotow | United States | $128,863 |
| 5 | Benny Glaser | United Kingdom | $93,094 |
| 6 | Maria Ho | United States | $69,063 |
| 7 | Robert Wells | United Kingdom | $52,651 |
| 8 | Patrick Moulder | United States | $41,281 |
| 9 | Greg Mascio | United States | $33,313 |
Winner��s Reaction
��It feels surreal. I have no adrenaline,�� Pisarenko explained when asked how he felt about winning the event. ��Maybe tomorrow I��ll feel something. It��s unbelievable.��
The victory was extra sweet for Pisarenko as it was his first WSOP final table after a string of min-cashes. Prior to today, Pisarenko had cashed eight times in this year��s WSOP.
��I was getting upset with busting. My friends started calling me Mr. Min-cash,�� Pisarenko said. ��This one is very important. I just wanted to fu**ing win first place.��
Pisarenko was humble in victory despite overcoming a stacked final table that included multiple bracelet winners, including Benny Glaser, Steve Zolotow, and Lawrence Brandt in addition to Leah.
��I was nervous [at the start of the final table]. Benny [Glaser] is a very good player. After he busted, I felt a lot better. Leah is also a great player. If he beat me today, I would have nothing but respect for him.��
Heads-up Action
Pisarenko entered Day 5 with a slight chip lead over Leah, but the tone of the match was quickly set after Leah and Pisarenko exchanged leads several times within the first level of play.
Pisarenko pulled into a considerable lead after winning a pair of hands in Razz, but Leah fired right back after making a couple of full house in both variations of Stud.
Leah pulled into an over 3:1 chip lead after making another full house against Pisarenko��s flush in Omaha Hi-Lo, but Pisarenko hung tough and pulled back to even after a couple favorable hands in Razz and Stud.
Leah and Pisarenko were far from done, however, and took turns scooping each other in Stud Hi-Lo. A key hand occurred to give Pisarenko his largest lead of the match after both players made trips in Limit Hold��em. Pisarenko held the best kicker and Leah was left short.
��The Phoenix�� rose again in dramatic fashion, however, after drilling a set of jacks on the flop against Pisarenko��s queens in Limit Hold��em.
Despite Leah��s resilience, Pisarenko wouldn��t be denied. Leah found himself with crumbs after losing a large pot in Razz and, despite Leah doubling up his meager stack three more times, Pisarenko was able to finish the job in Stud with split aces against Leah��s split kings.
This concludes PokerNews event coverage. Be sure to check out our live-reporting hub for continuing coverage of the 2024 WSOP and other events around the globe.
Level 29
Seven Card Stud
Mike Leah: K?6?/K?Q?2?6?/5? 
Maksim Pisarenko: A?K?/A?6?2?5?/5?
Mike Leah two-bet all in on third street and Maksim Pisarenko instantly called. Leah had split kings but was up against Pisarenko's split aces.
Neither player improved until sixth street, where Leah made two pair. However, Pisarenko made aces up on seventh street for a higher two pair.
This left Leah with just one king and one six as outs, but he failed to peel either and had to make do with becoming the runner-up in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship for $266,658.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
10,800,000
1,150,000
|
1,150,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Level 29
Seven Card Stud
Mike Leah: XxXx/3?J?7?2?/Xx
Maksim Pisarenko: XxXx/K?A?4?9?/Xx
Mike Leah brought in, Maksim Pisarenko completed and Leah called. Leah then called down all the way to seventh street, after which the players showed down.
Pisarenko showed A?K?10? for aces and kings, leaving Leah's Jx3x for a lower two pair in the dust. Leah was left with just one big bet.
Mike Leah: Q?8?/K?9?J?8?/9?
Maksim Pisarenko: A?J?/2?3?Q?2?/5?
The rest of Leah's chips went in the next hand on third street. He made a pair on sixth street to take the lead, and two pair on seventh street to rake in the double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,650,000
1,350,000
|
1,350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,150,000
-1,350,000
|
-1,350,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
Razz
Mike Leah: Jx8x/Ax3x3x5x/7x
Maksim Pisarenko: 8x2x/6xKx10x4x/7x
Mike Leah completed and Maksim Pisarenko raised. Leah called.
Pisarenko bet blind on fourth steet and Leah called all in to put himself at risk.
Leah��s board left him best with an eight and he doubled up.
Mike Leah: 6x3x/10x2xJx8x/6x
Maksim Pisarenko: 8x7x/3x9x3x9x/10x
On the next hand, Pisarenko completed and Leah called.
Leah bet on fourth and Pisarenko raised. Leah called all in and boards were run.
Leah ended with a ten-eight, which was good for another double up against Pisarenko��s worse ten.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,300,000
-1,750,000
|
-1,750,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,500,000
1,750,000
|
1,750,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
Razz
Mike Leah: XxXx/6x10x5x7x - folded sixth street
Maksim Pisarenko: XxXx/8xKx4x5x
Maksim Pisarenko brought in, Mike Leah completed, and Pisarenko called. Leah continued betting on fourth street and Pisarenko called, after which the same happened on fifth street.
On seventh street, with one and a half big bets behind, Leah checked to Pisarenko, who fired a bet. Leah thought it over for a bit before folding, showing another 6x as he did so.
Pisarenko raked in the chips to cross the eight-figure mark, letting Leah see his 7x before doing so.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,050,000
1,350,000
|
1,350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
750,000
-1,350,000
|
-1,350,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
Omaha Hi-Lo
Mike Leah raised on the button and Maksim Pisarenko called.
Both players checked on the 9?3?3? flop and then Pisarenko check-called a bet from Leah on the 9? turn.
The Q? completed the board and Pisarenko again check-called a bet from Leah.
��Kings,�� Leah said, prompting Pisarenko to table J?9?8?4? for trip nines to take down the pot.
��Check,�� Leah joked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,700,000
1,450,000
|
1,450,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,100,000
-1,450,000
|
-1,450,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
Limit Hold'em
Maksim Pisarenko raised his button and Mike Leah called in the big blind. Leah then check-called Pisarenko's continuation-bet on the 4?2?J? flop before the 7? hit the turn.
Leah checked once more and Pisarenko bet. Leah counted out his chips before putting in a raise, having only a single T-25,000 chip behind. Pisarenko then put him all in and Leah called.
Mike Leah: J?J?
Makism Pisarenko: Q?Q?
Both players had monsters preflop, but Leah had flopped a set for a massive lead. The 2? river did not bring Pisarenko a queen, and Leah doubled up to stay in contention for his second bracelet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,250,000
-1,650,000
|
-1,650,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,550,000
1,650,000
|
1,650,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
Limit Hold��em
Maksim Pisarenko raised on the button and Mike Leah called.
Leah check-called a bet from Pisarenko on the J?Q?2? flop and then both players checked on the 2? turn.
The 6? filled the river and Leah led out for a bet. Pisarenko raised and, undeterred, Leah made it three bets to go.
Pisarenko quickly called and Leah turned over 8?2? for trip deuces. Pisarenko revealed A?2? for trip deuces with an ace-kicker and was sent the large pot to leave Leah with under two million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,900,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,900,000
-1,600,000
|
-1,600,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
Stud Hi-Lo
Mike Leah: XxXx/7?9?7?K? -folded on sixth street
Maksim Pisarenko: XxXx/A?10?J?8?
Maksim Pisarenko completed and Mike Leah called.
Leah called a bet from Pisarenko on fourth street and then both players checked on fifth.
Pisarenko went back to betting on sixth and Leah let his hand go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,300,000
575,000
|
575,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
-575,000
|
-575,000 |
|
|
||