Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
Day 5 Completed
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
Day: 5
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 5
2021 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$50,000
Prize Pool
$3,016,125
Entries
63
Level
28
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
5
Players Left
1
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Dan Cates has won his first WSOP gold bracelet in Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship after overcoming a stacked final table and defeating Ryan Leng heads-up. The mixed game contest attracted an elite field of 63 entries and the top 10 finishers earned a portion of the $3,016,125 prize pool.
In addition to a bracelet, Cates will also take home the $954,020 first-place prize and the right to have his name engraved into the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy. It was only Cates' third cash ever at the WSOP, after a deep run in the 2015 WSOP Main Event and a sixth-place finish in the 2019 Poker Players Championship for $168,305.
Final Table Result Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Cates | United States | $954,020 |
| 2 | Ryan Leng | United States | $589,628 |
| 3 | Paul Volpe | United States | $404,243 |
| 4 | Eli Elezra | Israel | $286,983 |
| 5 | Chris Brewer | United States | $211,235 |
| 6 | Josh Arieh | United States | $161,422 |
Cates was one of many players to take advantage of the extended late registration period and ran up a stack on Day 2. He even predicted his own victory and showed up for the final table ready to battle with his hair dyed in green and a streetfighter costume.
"I said I was gonna win, so I won. But it was pretty important because now I have more money to help the world and to continue a career outside of poker," Cates said in his interview after the hard-fought victory. The endurance challenge on the final day lasted for more than 13 hours, with Cates denying Leng his fourth career bracelet and earning his maiden one in the early morning hours in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
The victory may have never happened if it wasn't for a gutsy play of Cates against Leng when he check-raised the river on an ace-high board for just half a big bet more. Leng folded and showed his top pair for Cates to vault out of his chair and triumphantly smash his inferior pair of kings on the table.
When asked if that was one of the life-changing hands he has ever played, the high stakes player replied with "maybe, one of them, yeah actually" — the call with massive pot odds by Leng would have resulted in the certain elimination of Cates in third place. Leng was labeled by his opponent as the sunflower king as he was indeed wearing a sunflower for most of the final table.
"It is actually pretty cool and I am glad to have won one. I think I have one of each now, the Alpha 8, the World Poker Tour, and I have a Triton [victory]. I think that gives me the trifecta, I am not sure how that works. But it is pretty cool, especially a tournament that's named after Chip Reese who has passed away," Cates remarked with regards to the importance of his first-ever WSOP gold bracelet.
As far as his plans for the rest of the ongoing WSOP 2021 in Las Vegas is concerned, Cates is looking forward to do some charity efforts, do a hike and go to the gym a lot to get strong and play some poker. "I may play the Main [Event]. I can't be in god mode for the Main, that's not fair," the high stakes pro concluded.
The Action of the Final Day
The live-streamed final table on PokerGO kicked off with five players, with Eli Elezra entering the final day as the chip leader in pursuit of his fourth WSOP bracelet. However, he quickly became the shortest stack with Leng chipping up early to go in the opposite direction. Chris Brewer was the first casualty when his dominated pair of sevens found no help against the pocket jacks of Leng.
Elezra survived numerous all-in showdowns and jumped back into the middle of the pack with four players remaining. A string of costly big bet games reduced the stack of Elezra once more and he bowed out in fourth place in a Razz hand against Paul Volpe.
Three-handed play saw the lead change back and forth. Neither Leng nor Cates were able to close out a commanding lead before Volpe's fortune ran out against Cates. Heads-up play commenced with an overwhelming lead for Cates. Leng would double twice but couldn't turn the tide in his favor.
For Leng, it was the second runner-up finish of the ongoing festival in Las Vegas during which he also earned his third WSOP gold bracelet in Event #23: $1,500 Eight Game Mix 6-Handed. "I had a blast and the most fun in a long time when playing poker," he said leaving the main stage with a smile on his face.
This concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event but the WSOP 2021 has now all eyes set on the flagship $10,000 Main Event, which has already concluded the first two of six starting days.
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Limit Hold'em
Dan Cates received a walk and turned over the 
. One hand later, Ryan Leng was in the big blind and had 400,000 in already from the big blind ante. Cates raised and Leng called as they got it in after the 
flop.
Ryan Leng: 
Dan Cates: 
The 
turn gave Cates the superior pair and the 
river only improved Cates to two pair. Leng's run comes to an end in 2nd place for a payday of $589,628 while Cates records his third WSOP cash, first WSOP gold bracelet and top prize of $954,020.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
18,900,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Limit Hold'em
Dan Cates raised on the button and Ryan Leng called.
Leng check-called bets from Cates on the 
flop, 
turn, and 
river.
Cates showed 
for two pair and Leng mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,800,000
2,800,000
|
2,800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,100,000
-2,800,000
|
-2,800,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Pot-Limit Omaha
Dan Cates raised the button to 600,000 and Ryan Leng called. The flop brought 
and Leng checked after 17 seconds. Cates then bet 800,000 and Leng instantly let go.
Leng limped in and Cates raised the pot to 600,000, which resulted in a call from Leng. The 
flop was bet by Cates for 700,000 and Leng folded once more to drop below four million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,000,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,900,000
-1,900,000
|
-1,900,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Razz
Ryan Leng: 
/
/
Dan Cates: /
/
Dan Cates completed and Ryan Leng raised. Cates called.
Leng called a bet from Cates on fourth and then Cates called bets from Leng on fifth and sixth.
Cates folded facing a bet from Leng on seventh and Leng took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,100,000
-3,300,000
|
-3,300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,800,000
3,300,000
|
3,300,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Dan Cates raised on the button and Ryan Leng called.
The flop came 
and Leng check-folded to a bet from Cates.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,400,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,500,000
-1,000,000
|
-1,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Dan Cates raised the button and was called by Ryan Leng as they headed to the 
flop on which Leng check-raised. Cates called and they checked down the turn and 
river. Cates tabled the 
and that won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,400,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
-1,600,000
|
-1,600,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Seven Card Stud
Ryan Leng: /
Dan Cates: /
- folded on fifth street
Dan Cates completed and Ryan Leng raised. Cates called.
Leng called a bet from Cates on fourth and Cates then check-folded on fifth and Leng took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,800,000
-1,500,000
|
-1,500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,100,000
1,500,000
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Seven Card Stud
Dan Cates: /
/
Ryan Leng: /
/
Dan Cates completed and Ryan Leng called.
Leng called a bet from Cates on fourth and Cates checked-called a bet from Leng on fifth.
Both players checked on sixth and Cates led out for a bet on seventh. Leng folded after some thought and Cates took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,300,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,600,000
-1,900,000
|
-1,900,000 |
|
|
||