James Obst Wins 2nd WSOP Bracelet in $10K Stud Championship

James Obst is establishing himself as one of the best stud players in the world after winning his second WSOP bracelet in Event #42: $10,000 Stud Championship at the 2024 World Series of Poker. Obst defeated three-time WSOP bracelet winner Paul Volpe in heads-up play to win the $260,658 first-place prize. 

Obst won his first WSOP bracelet in 2017 in the $10,000 Razz Championship for $265,138 and is one leg away from winning the Stud triple crown, as just a Stud Hi-Lo bracelet is needed. Obst now has amassed more than $3.9 million in live lifetime tournament earnings, according to The Hendon Mob, and moves into 10th on the Australia All-Time Money List after leaping over Mel Judah, Martin Kozlov, and David Steicke. 

Event #42 attracted 107 entrants and created a prize pool of $905,100. The final 17 players finished in the money, including Bradley Ruben, Matt Grapenthien, Hal Rotholz, Chad Eveslage, Andrew Kelsall, Alex Livingston, and Yuval Bronshtein, before the final table was set. Kane Kalas was eliminated in ninth place and was soon followed by Yuri Dzivielevski in eighth place. Andre Akkari exited next at the hand's of Volpe before Juha Helppi exited in sixth place. The final five players headed on a dinner break, and when play resumed, the PokerGO livestream would begin.

Obst held the chip lead ahead of Volpe before Robert Mizrachi would be the first casualty when he was all-in on third and finished with a pair of tens, but lost out to Obst's jacks and nines. Mike Lang was eliminated in fourth place when Jason Daly had a flush on sixth street to leave Lang drawing dead. Obst and Volpe traded the lead back and forth before Daly cracked Volpe's aces-up with a full house to see all three players tied in the chip counts. Obst began trending up the counts, and he was soon followed by Volpe. Daly was on the losing end as his stack was shorter and shorter before he was eliminated in third place when he bricked a diamond draw against Obst's split nines that improved to two pair. 

Obst held a slender lead over Volpe and immediately pushed out to a two-to-one advantage and then eventually a three-to-one lead. Volpe clawed back, but a huge pot saw Volpe river broadway while Obst rivered a full house. Three bets entered on seventh, and Obst was back in command. Volpe won a big pot of his own when he rivered a straight against Obst's trips and flush draw, but he was soon back to a five-to-one disadvantage after Obst went on a rush.

Down to just a few bets, Volpe's final hand would see him all-in on third street. Obst finished with a pair of fours, while Volpe needed a pair or spade to stay alive. He bricked out on seventh and would have to settle for second place, while Obst was crowned the winner and recipient of his second WSOP bracelet.

2024 WSOP Event #42: $10,000 Stud Championship Results

PGT Leaderboard Top 10

These are the leaderboard standings as of Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The complete and current PGT leaderboard is at pgt.com/leaderboard.

This was James Obst's second cash of the season, and with his win, he moves into 66th place on the PGT leaderboard with 282 PGT points. Paul Volpe enters the Top 100 with 173 PGT points, while third-place finisher, Jason Daly, sits 134th on the PGT leaderboard with 119 PGT points.

Fifth-place finisher, Robert Mizrachi, is 42nd on the PGT leaderboard with 419 PGT points from his one victory and three cashes. Yuri Dzivielevski picked up his second PGT cash of the season and is now in 85th place on the PGT leaderboard. Alex Livingston finished in 11th place and moves to 65th on the PGT leaderboard with 283 PGT points. Chad Eveslage finished in 14th place and moves to 80th on the PGT leaderboard with 226 PGT points, while Bradley Ruben finished in 17th place and is now 71st on the PGT leaderboard with 262 PGT points.

The next eligible WSOP event to earn PGT points is Event #45: $10k H.O.R.S.E. Championship, beginning on June 17, with late registration open through June 18. Following that will be Event #47: $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller, beginning on June 18, and then Event #50: $10,000 Razz Championship, beginning on June 19.

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