WSOP 2024 Day 32 Recap: Two Bracelets Won as Checkwicz and Berry Take Gold in Las Vegas

The action was intense on Day 32 of the 2024 World Series of Poker with nine bracelet events in action. Wins for first-time victors Mark Checkwicz and Hector Berry were joined on last night's schedule by the $1,000 Ladies Championship and the $10,000 PLO Championship among other tournaments that thrilled poker fans around the world.

Mark Checkwicz Raises Stakes for Wife's Reward

Mark Checkwitz (pictured above) was the latest WSOP champion in Event #65, the $5,000-entry Seniors High Roller. Winning the top prize of $573,876, Checkwicz dedicated his first WSOP bracelet victory to his wife, who he said could look forward to one less year working towards retirement upon his success. 

When the final ten gathered, 20% of the field were female, but successive eliminations for Judith Bielan and Angela Jordison saw an all-male final eight battle for the bracelet. The French Winamax Pro Bruno Lopes encountered a big defeat to the eventual winner when he missed out on the really deep stages of the final day, busting in sixth place for $99,203.

By the time heads-up came along, Israel's Arie Kliper was the opponent as Checkwicz closed it out with a nut straight on the flop going a lot of the wa to paving the way to victory and by far the biggest prize of his time playing poker so far.

Checkwicz, whose wife is a teacher, dedicated the victory to his partner. 
“She's got nine more years to work. I promised her if I won this tournament, I would buy her a year more of retirement. She now has eight years more to work! It's awesome.”

Heading home after a 'smash and grab' trip to Vegas, Checkwicz is another big winner in this year's WSOP and timed everything perfectly for an amazing journey to Sin City where he won gold. 

WSOP Event #65: $5,000 Seniors NLHE High Roller Final Table Results

Berry Hits the Juice and Picks Win 

British poker player Hector Berry won the 5,110-entry $600 Event #62, the PokerNews Deepstack Championship for a career-high score of $282,876 on a dramatic final day where he beat Canada's Luke Varrasso heads-up. A busy final day saw Berry, who had previously survived a close shave for all of his chips with 45 players left, doubling early through Darryll Fish.

The British winner was down to just 15 big blinds at that stage but used that hand to propel himself to victory, watching as the overnight chip leader Branden Shimamoto was eliminated before an intense heads-up match against Varrasso. 

Varrasso battled back braveley but was still behind in chips when he moved all-in with a dominated hand. Calling and winning, Berry was ecstatic as he ended up winning, overflowing with emotion at the final moment.

“Heads-up I was just so engrossed in the moment, it's so draining. I came here for three weeks last year and played about twenty tournaments. I played about five this year and won one, which is kind of insane; very lucky, very fortunate. I don't know where I go from here. It's a lot of money for anyone.” 

WSOP Event #62: $600 PokerNews NLHE Deepstack Final Table Results

Joshua Adkins Leads Final Five in PLO Championship

Just one day's play remains in the $10,000-entry PLO Championship and after the exits of players such as  Michael Mizrachi (44th) Niklas Astedt (22nd) and Stephen Chidwick (17th) on the penultimate day of action, American player Joshua Adkins (27,085,000) leading just five players still in with a chance of lifting the gold WSOP bracelet and taking home the $1,320,945 top prize.

From a total of 811 players, Adkins leads from four rivals, as Elie Nakache (9,505,000), Jonathan Bowers (5.93m), Manh Nguyen (4.66m) and Oshri Lahmani (1,425,000) all chase the leader as they battle to become the latest players to win gold.

WSOP Event #66: $5,000 PLO Championship Final Day Chip Counts

Nacho Barbero Tops NLHE Event 

There were three Day 2s in action on Friday night, with Event #67, the $500-entry Salute to Warriors event hosting 678 players who battled down to just 17 players for a third and final day of the event. Paul Serrate leads the field with 27.53 million, while Tolga Gesli (24m) and Rafael Takeda (21.8m) are closest in atendance. Ben Collins (15.8m) and Vladas Tamasauskas (15.6m) are among the chasing pack of players hoping they become the next first-time bracelet winner, with no-one who is left having achieved the accolade before. 

Day 2 of the $2,500-entry NLHE Event #68 was an exciting one, with 335 players reduced to just 23 survivors. Chief amongst them is the popular Argentinian poker professional Nacho Barbero (9,935,000), who leads from players such as Ivan Stankov (6.4m), Andre Akkari (5.05m), Peter Park (4.54m) and Carl Shaw (4.5m) in the top 10. On a huge day at the felt, legends such as Phil Ivey, Alex Foxen and Joao Simao crashed out a day from the finish line. 

Event #69 saw 157 players do battle in the $1,500 buy-in Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better event. Only 17 of them are left chasing gold, with Christian Roberts (2.38m) leading from Jon Turner (1.73m), Yuval Bronshtein (1,135,000), Joey Couden (970,000), and the Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra (450,000) with a $153,730 top prize up for grabs tomorrow. 

Ladies Event Highlights Day 1s of Other Events

In Event #71, there were 1,245 entries in the $1,000 Ladies Event. A total of 309 players survivied as Irene Carey (413,500) bagged the lead and reigning champion Tamar Abraham (68,500) managed to make Day 2. The Austrian 2022 event winner Jessica Teusl (154,000) surged at the end of the day, while WSOP bracelet winner Kathy Liebert (105,000), Loni Hui (91,500), Lexy Gavin-Mather (61,000) and Ebony Kenney (52,000) will all be threats on Day 2. There was no place in the Day 2 seat draw for stars such as Kyna England, Melanie Weisner, Robbi Jade Lew or Nikki Limo.

The opening day of action in Event #70 saw 4,650 players gather to battle for the title of Colossus champion. The $400-entry Colossus is one of the iconic 'Weekend Warrior' events that pepper the 2024 WSOP schedule, and on Day 1a, Dohang Na (1,659,000), Daniel Lowery (1,037,000) and WSOP bracelet winners Craig Varnell (740,000), Jason Simon (621,000) and Kartik Ved (521,000) all survived to Day 2 with healthy stacks, Na looking like the leader as circa 600 players bagged up at the end of the night.

Lastly, Event #72 saw 129 entries in the $10,000-entry No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship and ended with just 47 players in seats. Japanese player Naoya Kihara (379,000) leads from fellow podium-placed players Team Lucky’s Matt Glantz (365,000) and Taylor Paur (360,000). Other sharks are close in the water, with Shaun Deeb (327,000), Alex Foxen (303,500), Robert Mizrachi (272,500), Erik Seidel (178,500), Dario Sammartino (176,000), and Nick Schulman (165,000) all making the grade on Day 1. Some to depart were Chance Kornuth, Jeremy Ausmus and Maxx Coleman. 

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