WSOP 2013 - Event #42 - Norbert Szécsi Wins 4th Bracelet for Hungary

Another of the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em tournaments in this year’s schedule, WSOP 2013 Event #42 $1,000 NLHE had 2,100 entrants building a prize pool of $1,890,000. With 216 in the money finishes, the bubble burst on Day 1 and only 168 players were returning on Day 2. The chipleader was three times WSOP champion Matt Matros (stack: 145,000) but he got railed during the day that had a mere 11 survivors. The top of the chipcount was occupied by Rory ‘Mafews’ Mathews by the end of the day, with 898,000 in chips.

Play started on Level 22 (2,000/8,000/16,000) and it only took two quick eliminations to form the official Final Table.

The seat draw was as follows:

Seat 1: Denis Gnidash - 675.000
Seat 2: Rory Mathews - 808.000
Seat 3: Kirby Martin - 760.000
Seat 4: Jonathan Bennett - 464.000
Seat 5: Chris DeMaci - 612.000
Seat 6: Ariel Celestino - 1.102.000
Seat 7: Bryce Landier - 495.000
Seat 8: Norbert Szécsi – 510,000
Seat 9: Dana Buck – 869,000

On Level 23 (3,000/10,000/20,000), the first elimination of the finale occurred: shortstack Jonathan Bennett shoved his remaining 249,000 preflop. Chris DeMaci called all-in and the rest of the table folded. Bennett held A-J against DeMaci’s A-K and the board came neutral, sending Bennett to the cashier in 9th.

Dana Buck, Ariel Celestino, Bryce Landier and Mathews followed; the latter lost the majority of his chips to Norbert Szécsi, when he called the Hungarian’s all-in on the T 3 4 8 7 board and the latter showed 8d 9d for a flush. Mathews mucked his hand and lost his remaining 80,000 two hands later.

Only a couple of hands played and Szécsi moved on to eliminate Kirby Martin as well: Martin opened to 75,000 preflop, Szécsi called and the flop came 6 A 8 . Martin bet 85,000 and Szécsi check-called. The latter also checked the J turn, Martin went all-in with 860,000 in chips and Szécsi, tanking a bit, called.

Martin: A 8
Szécsi: K J

River: T

Szécsi improved to a flush and he further increased his chiplead for the three-handed play.

The heads-up was formed on Level 26 (5,000/20,000/40,000), when shortstack DeMaci pushed all-in with A-T and Szécsi called with pocket kings that held out on the board.

Szécsi Norbert – 3,800,000
Denis Gnidash – 2,500,000

The final duel only took seven hands to conclude. In the last one, Szécsi opened to 80,000, Denis Gnidash 3-bet to 205,000 and Szécsi called. The flop came 9 T A , Gnidash bet 225,000, Szécsi called and they saw the 3 turn. Gnidash check-called Szécsi’s 340,000 bet and the 6 came on the river. Gnidash checked again, Szécsi bet his opponent’s all-in and he called.

Gnidash: A Q
Szécsi: A T

With two pairs, Szécsi eliminated Gnidash in 2nd place and won the tournament for $345,037.


In the shortest finale of this year’s World Series, Szécsi earned his first ever golden bracelet, or the 4th for Hungary in total.

The end results are as follows:

1st: Norbert Szécsi - $345.037
2nd: Denis Gnidash - $214.760
3rd: Chris DeMaci - $149.281
4th: Kirby Martin - $107.512
5th: Rory Mathews - $78.576
6th: Bryce Landier - $58.126
7th: Ariel Celestino - $43.564
8th: Dana Buck - $33.065
9th: Jonathan Bennett - $25.392