2019 World Series of Poker

Event #29: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
Day: 4
Event Info

2019 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Greg Mueller
Winning Hand
kqq823a
Prize
$425,347
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,616,800
Entries
172
Level Info
Level
28
Limits
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
0

Event #29: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship

Day 4 Completed

Greg Mueller Takes Down Event #29: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship for $425,347 and His Third Bracelet

Level 28 : 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Greg Mueller
Greg Mueller

He was all in with a bottom pair. No kicker. No fold equity. And it worked out magnificently. Greg Mueller got it right. He survived the critical situation and catapulted himself back to a playable stack in Event #29: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship. A few hours later, Mueller closed it out. He captured his third WSOP bracelet and the $425,347 top-prize, defeating a field of 172 entries.

In 2009, Mueller won his first bracelet. It took him only two weeks to claim his second. For number three, he had to wait ten years.

"A good attitude, a fortune of good luck, and good friends around made the difference," Mueller said.

Mueller's first two wins came in limit hold'em, and today was a testament to his success from the previous decade. Mueller's triumph was largely influenced by one particular play in limit hold'em.

With three players left, Mueller was nearly on his way out. He had fewer than four big bets, but an unorthodox play with five-three offsuit changed the fate of the tournament. Mueller check-raised a flop with a bottom pair. Then he faced a bet from Dario Sammartino on the turn with the board featuring straight and flush possibilities. Mueller check-shoved without the smallest chance to make Sammartino fold. He trusted his instincts, and it paid off.

It all came down to a tell.

"Technically, I'm dead. What can I beat? I just looked at him. He doesn't have a hand!"

Sammartino bricked the river with a double gutter, and Mueller's epic ride towards the glory had begun. It's one thing to get a value from a good hand. But make a double out of nothing, that is a massive confidence boost. With Mueller's history as a former professional athlete—he played hockey in Germany for nine years—the spirit can become crucial.

"I got instant confidence and swagger."

Mueller called it a turning point, and while there was still a long road ahead of him, it seemed that the script had been set in stone. Mueller suddenly started to make good hands, and he built his stack to overtake the chip lead.

Shortly after dinner, Mueller busted Sammartino in a hand of stud hi-lo, and the subsequent heads up lasted just one hand. Mueller made a flush to eliminate Daniel Ospina in second place.

Final table results:

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Greg MuellerCanada$425,347
2Daniel OspinaColombia$262,882
3Dario SammartinoItaly$184,854
4Scott ClementsUnited States$132,288
5Craig ChaitUnited States$96,378
6Mikhail SeminRussia$71,505
7Matthew GonzalesUnited States$54,043

While Mueller admitted that he doesn't have as much passion for poker as he used to, today's victory is an outcome of his grind off the felt. "I put a lot of effort not so much into studying the game, just into my own physical and mental state."

For Mueller, it's all about feeling good and following his healthy routine. He said he wouldn't run from tournament to tournament, trying to chase cashes and POY points as hard as many professional players at WSOP. That's why he doesn't have a strict plan.

Will he play the Poker Players Championship? Likely. But Mueller won't give any promises. Everything is a game-time decision. If he wakes up and thinks that he'd rather have a day off, he'll get it. There is no must-do on Mueller's mind.

"When I'm in Canada, I don't play one hand of poker. I do my thing: work out, play hockey three times a week, watch a ton of sports."

However, when the clock was ticking for the start of the 50th Annual World Series of Poker, something bugged Mueller's mind. His best results seemed to have been the thing of the past. Just like what happens in a career of professional athletes, Mueller started to question whether his shine at the felt was over.

"I just thought, 'Do I still have it? Has that game passed me by?' and I told myself that I will play a little bit and that I'll be focused."

And so Mueller did come and found his answer: he is still able to compete in one of the most complex tournaments on the WSOP schedule. Heck, he can win it outright.

WSOP 10k H.O.R.S.E. history:

YearWinnerCountryFirst prizeEntries
2010Ian GordonUnited States$611,666241
2011Fabrice SoulierFrance$609,130240
2012David "Bakes" BakerUnited States$451,779178
2014Chris WallaceUnited States$507,614200
2015Andrew BarberUnited States$517,766204
2016Jason MercierUnited States$422,874171
2017David BachUnited States$383,208150
2018John HenniganUnited States$414,692166
2019Greg MuellerCanada$425,347172

Tags: Daniel OspinaDario SammartinoGreg Mueller

Daniel Ospina Eliminated in 2nd Place ($262,882)

Level 28 : 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Daniel Ospina
Daniel Ospina

Stud Hi-Lo

Greg Mueller completed, Daniel Ospina raised, and Mueller called. Ospina peeled a low card on fourth street and he fired again. Mueller called and hit a third heart on fifth, so he led out. Ospina called and Mueller blasted again on sixth street. Ospina raised all in for 50,000 more and Mueller immediately called.

Ospina: {q-Diamonds}{8-Spades} / {8-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{10-Hearts}{k-Spades}
Mueller: {k-Hearts}{q-Spades} / {q-Hearts}{8-Hearts}{2-Hearts}{3-Clubs}

Mueller was ahead with a pair of queens versus pair of eights, and he was first to peel his river card. It was the {a-Hearts} and that left Ospina drawing dead as Mueller finished with an ace-high flush. Ospina opened a meaningless {3-Spades} to make official end to his run in the $10k H.O.R.S.E. Ospina took home $262,882 for his second-place finish.

Greg Mueller emerged champion, ten years after winning a double at WSOP. Mueller's third bracelet comes along with a $425,347 top-prize.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Mueller ca
Greg Mueller
10,300,000
1,500,000
1,500,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Daniel Ospina co
Daniel Ospina
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Daniel OspinaGreg Mueller

Dario Sammartino Eliminated in 3rd Place ($184,854)

Level 28 : 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Dario Sammartino
Dario Sammartino

Stud Hi-Lo

Dario Sammartino: {k-}{6-} / {6-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{5-Clubs} / {x-}
Greg Mueller: {9-Clubs}{6-Clubs} / {9-Hearts}{7-Spades}{3-Hearts}{9-Diamonds} / {2-Spades}

Dario Sammartino ended up all in for 650,000 on third and showed split sixes with a king, while Greg Mueller had nines. Sammartino failed to catch any help until sixth and Mueller improved to a set in order to leave Sammartino drawing dead. This made seventh redundant and Sammartino was already on his way out to collect $184,854 for his efforts.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Mueller ca
Greg Mueller
8,800,000
900,000
900,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Daniel Ospina co
Daniel Ospina
1,500,000
-200,000
-200,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Dario SammartinoGreg Mueller

Ospina Gets One in Stud

Level 28 : 200,000/400,000, 0 ante

Stud

Greg Mueller brought in and Daniel Ospina called. Ospina called a bet on fourth and they checked the following two streets. Mueller checked on the river again and Ospina took it down with an uncalled bet.

Ospina: {x-}{x-}{x-} / {10-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{5-Spades}{9-Spades}
Mueller: {x-}{x-}{x-} / {6-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}

Player Chips Progress
Greg Mueller ca
Greg Mueller
7,900,000
100,000
100,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Daniel Ospina co
Daniel Ospina
1,700,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
750,000
-50,000
-50,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Daniel OspinaGreg Mueller

Ospina Hits Wheel to Double

Level 28 : 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Dario Sammartino and Daniel Ospina clash once more
Dario Sammartino and Daniel Ospina clash once more

Razz

Dario Sammartino: {x-}{x-} / {2-}{a-}{q-}{9-} / {x-}
Daniel Ospina: {3-}{2-} / {5-}{k-}{a-}{4-} / {x-}

Dario Sammartino completed with a deuce and Daniel Ospina raised, Sammartino called. Sammartino bet fourth and Ospina called before they got it in on fifth.

Ospina showed trey-deuce in the hole and made the wheel on sixth to secure his double up, while Sammartino mucked his cards which included {10-}{10-}.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Mueller ca
Greg Mueller
7,800,000
-300,000
-300,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Daniel Ospina co
Daniel Ospina
1,700,000
1,100,000
1,100,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
800,000
-1,800,000
-1,800,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Daniel OspinaDario Sammartino

Mueller Adds with a Boat

Level 28 : 200,000/400,000, 0 ante
Greg Mueller
Greg Mueller

Omaha Hi-Lo

Greg Mueller raised on the button and both Dario Sammartino and Daniel Ospina called. Ospina fired on the {9-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{k-Clubs} flop and Mueller raised. Sammartino let his hand go and Ospina called.

The {2-Diamonds} turn was checked and the {9-Spades} completed the board. Ospina checked, Mueller fired, and Ospina called. Muller showed a strong hand with {j-Hearts}{9-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{2-Clubs} for a full house and Ospina was tackled to fewer than two big bets.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Mueller ca
Greg Mueller
8,100,000
2,200,000
2,200,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Daniel Ospina co
Daniel Ospina
600,000
-1,200,000
-1,200,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Daniel OspinaDario SammartinoGreg Mueller

Mueller Leads on Turn

Level 28 : 200,000/400,000, 0 ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

Dario Sammartino limped from the button and Daniel Ospina folded his hand. Greg Mueller checked and he checked again on the {5-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{2-Clubs} flop. Sammartino bet and Mueller called. The {2-Spades} landed on the turn and Mueller led out. Sammartino quickly folded.

Player Chips Progress
Greg Mueller ca
Greg Mueller
5,900,000
775,000
775,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
2,600,000
-700,000
-700,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Daniel Ospina co
Daniel Ospina
1,800,000
-100,000
-100,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Dario SammartinoGreg MuellerDaniel Ospina

Level: 28

Hold’em / O8 - 100,000/200,000 200,000/400,000
Razz/Stud/Stud 8 - 50,000 BI 50,000 200,000 200,000-400,000