2007 WSOP Event #25 – Ben Ponzio Wins $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Ben Ponzio came back from starting the final table as the second shortest stack (which was one-third the size of the big stack) to win his first World Series of Poker bracelet last weekend in the $2,000 no-limit hold’em event. 

Ponzio was patient at the outset, not getting involved in many hands.  He was so patient, in fact, that his stack fell by about one-third within the first twenty-five hands.  It took him until the thirtieth hand of the final table, with eight players remaining, to make his first big move.  He moved all-in pre-flop from the small blind with A-K and was called by Danny Noam with 3-3.  We had a race.  Ponzio flopped an Ace and no card smaller than an 8 appeared the rest way, allowing him to double-up to almost $700,000, good for fourth place at the time. 

After that, he once again took it easy, playing only a hand or two while two more opponents fell by the wayside.  On the fifty-seventh hand, he was down under $500,000 and once again found a spot in which to double-up.  This time, he pushed from the big blind with a weak Ace, A-6 to be exact, and Evan Schwartz, who more than twice the chips of Ponzio and was perhaps thinking he was trying to steal the blinds, called with J-9 (he had actually raised earlier, though).  Schwartz could not find anything to help him out. 

As was his pattern, Ponzio watched as other players were eliminated, largely staying away from the action himself. When he did get involved in pot, he lost chips, but after the next break, he found himself in third out of four.  He, Schwartz, and David Hewitt, were all clustered in the vicinity of $1 million, while Justin Rollo led the way with over $3 million.  $1 million wasn’t all that much, however, as the big blind was up to $80,000.  A couple raises and you’re pot committed.   

Somehow, Ponzio was still able to avoid playing many hands at the start of four-handed play.  He played a couple, losing a couple.  And once again, he made a big move to double-up.  On a 10-9-6 flop, he moved all-in with A-9 of clubs, while Schwartz called with J-10.  Schwartz caught the Jack of clubs on the turn for two pair, but that gave Ponzio more outs, as he now had a flush draw.  The river produced his runner-runner flush, and just like that, he was the chip leader. 

After Schwartz was eliminated in 4^th place a short while later, the three remaining players were almost dead even, all between $2.1 and $2.2 million in chips. 

On the fifth hand of three-way play, Ponzio doubled through Rollo, Q-Q versus A-3.  Par for the course, Ponzio’s big hand is another double-up.  Rollo was gone on the next hand. 

Heads-up, Ponzio went on a rush of cards, actually winning some pots without a double-up.  He was dealt K-K, Q-Q, Q-Q, and A-Q (not consecutively), to build a $4 million lead about seventeen hands into play.  Hewitt held strong, though, lasting another eighteen hands despite the big blind rising to $120,000.  He finally made his last stand, needing to make a move, with 10-3, called by Ponzio and his K-Q.  Neither hand improved and Ponzio’s King-high gave him the bracelet.

Final Table Standings 

1. Ben Ponzio -- $599,109
2. David Hewitt -- $373,985
3. Justin Rollo -- $244,415
4. Evan Schwartz -- $164,907
5. Travis Rice -- $111,901
6. Danny Noam -- $82,453
7. Adam Ross -- $61,840
8. Ken Einiger -- $45,644
9. Darryl Ronconi -- $34,748