John Racener Wins 2nd WSOP Bracelet in $10K Limit Hold'em Championship

John Racener won his second gold bracelet in Event #19: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship at the 2024 World Series of Poker. Racener captured the $308,930 first-place prize for topping the 133-entrant field on his way to surpassing $12.1 million in lifetime tournament earnings, according to The Hendon Mob.

Although known primarily for his runner-up finish in the 2010 WSOP Main Event for $5,545,955, Racener is one of the most feared mixed game players in the world. Racener's first WSOP bracelet came in 2017 when he won the $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship for $273,962. Since then, Racener has had many close calls to win his second WSOP bracelet, with ten appearances at WSOP final tables since his maiden victory. Nearly seven years to the day, Racener broke through to win his second WSOP bracelet while setting his sights on a bigger goal in 2024.

"I love winning more than anything in the world. I compete hard. I want to win. I don't like getting second," Racener said. "I told both my sons before I came here this Summer, 'Let Daddy go play poker' cause they miss me to death. Crying every day. I said, 'I want to win a bracelet for each one of you guys to wear to school to show to all your friends and teachers.' So this is the first one this Summer, and I plan on winning another for the other boy."

The final day of Event #19: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship began with 14 players and quickly saw Dan Shak and Nick Schulman eliminated. Following the elimination of PokerGO Podcast listener Louis Hillman in 11th, and Juha Helppi in 10th, the final table of nine was set with Shyamsundar Challa, Chad Eveslage, and Ronnie Bardah holding the majority of chips in play. Racener was the shortest stack, but it would be Maxx Coleman exited in ninth. Andrew Kelsall exited next before Limit Hold'em specialist Bardah fell in seventh place. Once Justin Kusumowidagdo was eliminated in sixth, Challa departed in fifth, and Anthony Marsico fell in fourth, it was a three-handed battle between the biggest names at the start of the day.

Eveslage sat with half of the chips in play as Racener and Johnson traded blows back and forth. While Racener began to close the gap on Eveslage, Johnson's chip stack headed in the opposite direction before he was eliminated in third place when his straight draw bricked out against Racener's top pair. After Racener and Eveslage exchanged the chip lead, it would be Racener who started to apply the pressure and surged out to a seven-to-one advantage. Eventually, Eveslage was down to just a few big bets and was forced all-in holding eight-three against Racener's ten-deuce. Racener flopped two pair and faded the outdraw to be crowned the Limit Hold'em Championship winner.

"Chad and I have a lot of history," Racener said about the relief he felt after winning his second WSOP bracelet. "We play a lot of limit hold'em, and he always says, 'you're the best limit hold'em player,' and next thing you know, we were heads-up."

"I couldn't let it happen again," Racener said about finishing fourth to Eveslage when he won the 2023 WSOP $1,500 Dealer's Choice bracelet.

2024 WSOP Event #19: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship Results

PGT Leaderboard Top 10

These are the leaderboard standings as of Saturday, June 8, 2024. The complete and current PGT leaderboard is at pgt.com/leaderboard.

Event #19 of the 2024 WSOP was the fourth PGT-qualifying event of the series, and with Racener's victory, he now climbs to 13th on the PGT leaderboard with 560 PGT points. Racener also cashed in the Event #10: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Championship in 11th place, and has three cashes at the recent PGT Mixed Games - including a victory in the Triple Stud for $151,200.

The final 20 players finished in the money, and those picking up PGT points also included Dustin Dirksen (20th), Maria Ho (19th), Dan Shak (14th), Maxx Coleman (9th), and Andrew Kelsall (8th).

The next eligible WSOP event to earn PGT points is Event #21: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller 6-Handed, followed by Event #26: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller 8-Handed.

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