The Third Rail: Kahle Burns Wins His Second Bracelet at the WSOPE

Kahle-Burns

No epigrams.

No complicated language.

No need.

Kahle Burns is the business, and his actions speak far louder than anything these fingers can produce. 

The Australian star has defeated 179-entrants to win the €101,834 first prize in Event #13: €2,500 buy-in €250,000 guaranteed Short-Deck No-Limit Hold’em at the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE). It’s his second bracelet of the series after winning the €25,500 No-Limit Hold’em Platinum High Roller. Burns also finished ninth in the €2,500 8-Game Mix, and 12th in the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Main Event at the same venue. 

Day 1 ended with Arturs Scerbaks leading the final 35-entrants. Scerbaks made money, finishing in 15th place. The following high rollers didn’t: Dario Sammartino, Anthony Zinno, Anson Tsang, Shaun Deeb, Alex Foxen, Sam Grafton, and Phil Hellmuth.

Burns began the final table with the chip lead.

He was the only one left seated at the end of Day 2. 

Let’s see how he managed it.

The Nutshell Action

Final Table Seat Draw

Seat 1: Oshiri Lahmani – 950,000
Seat 2: Kahle Burns – 2,171,000
Seat 3: Felix Schulze – 2,083,000
Seat 4: Federico Anselmi – 754,000
Seat 5: Vladimir Peck – 364,000
Seat 6: Manig Loeser – 906,000
Seat 7: Pierre Neuville – 1,681,000

The first big hand to take place at the official final table saw Federico Anselmi double-up at the expense of Pierre Neuville. 

Kahle Burns limped into the pot from early position, Anselmi did the same from midfield, Manig Loeser followed suit in the cutoff, and Neuville joined the fray from the button. 

A soaking wet flop of JdTh8h greeted the family, and the action checked through to Neuville who bet 65,000. The action folded to Anselmi who check-raised to 240,000, and after Loeser folded, Neuville made the call. The Belgian held Tc9h for a pair and a straight draw; Anselmi was ahead with 9s7s for the straight. Neuville’s hand never improved, and Anselmi had doubled-up.

The next big hand was also a double-up.

It was another family pot as six of the seven players turned into bloodhounds hoping to find something to lock a jaw. The dealer splayed AhAs7c onto the flop, and Schulze lit the first firework with a bet of 67,000, Loeser moved all-in for 886,00, and Schulze made the reluctant call. Both players had an ace, but Loeser’s queen hung Schulze’s jack on a hook, and the former Triton Champion became a significant force in this event.

Vladimir Peck made it three double-ups in succession when he got it in pre-flop holding Td7d against the KdJc of Burns. The Australian strengthened his lock on the hand after flopping a pair of jacks, but Peck picked up a pair and gutshot that filled up on the river. 

Then we lost our first player.

Loeser started things off with a raise to 24,000 from the hijack seat, and Neuville and Burns called. The dealer placed TdTh6h onto the flop before releasing the harness, and Loeser bet 34,000; only Neuville called. The 8c landed on the turn, Loeser moved all-in, and Neuville called. 

Loeser was ahead with 9d7d for the straight, and Neuville was not, holding AsTc. Neuville needed a boat to stay afloat. The 7c hit the river, and the other six players watched as he drowned. 

Then we lost Lahmani.

Schulze opened shoved, and Lahmani made the call with the smaller stack. Schulze held AhKc, and Lahmani had pocket kings. Lahmani dodged the rockets on the flop and turn until one arrived on the river, blowing him to smithereens. 

Five soon became four when Peck hit the deck. 

The American moved all-in for 556,000, and Burns made the call. Peck showed 9d8d, and Burns tabled pocket jacks. Peck did pick up a pair on the flop, but the jacks remained the dominant hand by the time the dealer had done his job.

Loeser then doubled through Burns when JsTc beat AdJd when all-in pre-flop. Loeser rivered trip tens to come from behind after Burns had flopped a second ace.

Loeser wasn’t the only player coming from behind to win a vital pot. Anselmi and Schulze both got it in pre-flop with Schulze’s AdTs well behind the AhKc for Anselmil, only for Schulze to flop two more tens to eliminate the Italian in fourth.

Chip Counts

  1. Kahle Burns – 4,850,000
  2. Felix Schulze – 2,500,000
  3. Manig Loeser – 1,800,000

Loeser continued doubling-up, this time when KcJd beat the AdJh of Burns, and Loeser made it to heads-up when Burns eliminated Schulze in the third position. Once again the action took place, pre-flop, with the pair getting it in. Schulze held 9h8h and Burns Ts8s. The Australian hit a straight on the turn, and it was good for a 6,340,000 v 2,560,000 heads-up chip lead against Loeser.

Heads-Up

The Tale of the Tape

Kahle Burns – 6,340,000

Manig Loeser – 2,560,000

Heads-up lasted two hands.

In the only one worth talking about, the pair got it in with Burns ahead of Loeser with AhJh up against KhJc. Burns improved his hand after flopping a second ace. Loeser didn’t improve his hand and exited in second place. 

Final Table Results

  1. Kahle Burns – €101,384
  2. Manig Loeser – €62,929
  3. Felix Schulze – €42,344
  4. Federico Anselmi – €29,027
  5. Vladimir Peck – €20,444
  6. Oshiri Lahmani – €14,764
  7. Pierre Neuville – €10,939

Seven more high rollers who went deeper than a pirate wearing lead boots who’s just walked the plank were John Cynn (11th), Thai Ha (14th), Phil Ivey (18th), Ryan Riess (21st), Yake Wu (23rd), Jonathan Depa (24th) and Tony G (27th).