Eli Elezra is now a four-time WSOP bracelet winner. The Israeli high-stakes legend shipped the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud tournament on Monday, the second time in his career he’s won this same event. He initially won it in 2015, his most recent World Series of Poker title.
Elezra earned the victory, and the $93,766 that went with it, by defeating a formidable opponent – Anthony Zinno – heads-up. And, most of all, he showed that even age 58, his poker game isn’t slipping one bit.
Tough Event, Worthy Champion
WSOP stud tournaments aren’t easy because the fields are stacked with the best stud players in the world. Pros such as Barry Greenstein, who mastered the art of seven-card stud years ago, entered this $1,500 event.
Greenstein, a long-time PokerStars Team Pro member who recently left the company, finished 14th out of 285 for $4,254, his 103rd WSOP cash.
WHO IS ELI ELEZRA?
AGE: 58
WPT Wins: 1
WSOP Final Tables: 16
Bracelets: 4
WSOP Cashes: 64
WSOP Winnings: $2,088,544
Career Earnings: $3.7 million
Largest Cash: $1,024,574 (2004 WPT Mirage)
Chris Ferguson also cashed for the 126th time in his career, busting in 41st place for $2,262. “Jesus” entered 2019 among the Player of the Year favorites. He won the POY award in 2017.
So, to pull off a victory such as this, Elezra had to earn it. The competition was stiff with some old-school and new-school legends chasing the coveted bracelet.
Elezra’s been there, done that. Over the years he’s won major events including now four WSOP tournaments, competes regularly in the highest stakes cash games in Las Vegas at Aria and Bellagio, and has proven his cash game prowess on televised shows such as “High Stakes Poker” and “Poker After Dark” during the poker boom era.
Hard Fought Victory
Eli Elezra and Anthony Zinno entered Monday’s final table in a virtual tie. Only a 2,000-chip differential separated these two poker greats when play began.
But neither player was guaranteed a gold bracelet. They still had to not only beat each other, but also four other talented pros including David Singer, Valentin Vornicu, and Rep Porter.
In the end, however, the start-of-day chip leaders found themselves locked in a tough heads-up battle. When the two-player match began, Elezra held a 2-1 chip advantage. But Zinno fought back and evened things up before long.
Elezra then caught a heater, eventually pulling away to a 3-1 chip lead before hitting an open-ended straight against Zinno, who missed his open-ended straight on seventh street. That put an end to a long heads-up battle between two worthy champions.
Zinno, a 2015 bracelet winner ($25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller for $1,122,196), earned $57,951 for second place.
WSOP $1,500 Seven Card Stud Final Table Results
- Eli Elezra (USA) $93,766
- Anthony Zinno (USA) $57,951
- Valentin Vornicu (USA) $39,830
- Tab Thiptinnakon (USA) $27,933
- Rep Porter (USA) $19,996
- David Singer (USA) $14,619
