Anthony “Tongni” Rivera wins WSOP Event #8, $10,000 Mixed Event

The starting chip count and seat assignment were as follows:
Seat 1) James Mackey-$742,000
Seat 2) Matt Glantz-$1,115,000
Seat 3) Sam Farha-$374,500
Seat 4) Michael DeMichele-$434,000
Seat 5) Tom “Durrrr” Dwan-$642,000
Seat 6) Eli Elezra-$76,000
Seat 7) Anthony “Tongni” Rivera-$274,000
Seat 8) Jeff Madsen-$149,000
Anthony Rivera beat out a whole table of heavy-hitters and walked away with a WSOP bracelet. There were six WSOP bracelets won just between four of his opponents, but Rivera never lost his cool or looked intimidated. Rivera had only two other recorded tournament cashes before this win. He also had a formidable cheering force on the rails. In the end he walked away with $483,688 and his first WSOP bracelet.
The first to go was Jeff Madsen in 8th place with $54,144 in prize money. Madsen raised all in pre-flop, and Matt Glantz called from the small blind. Sam Farha raised from the big blind and Glantz called. The flop presented a Kh, 6h, 2h and both players checked. The turn: 5d, they checked again. The river: 8s, they checked it down again. Madsen showed 9c, 10c and Farha showed As, 2c. Farha won a pair of deuces and sent Madsen to the rails.
Micheal DeMichele raised from the cutoff, and Tom Dwan raised all in from the button. Rivera called from the big blind and DeMichele called. The flop was a 10, 9, 3, Rivera bet and DeMichele called. The turn threw out a 5 and Rivera led again, then DeMichele folded. Their hands were turned over. and with a 6 on the river it sent Dwan home in 7th place with $67,680 in prize money. Rivera won the pot with a pair of threes.
The chip counts thus far in the event:
Matt Glantz – 1,221,000James Mackey – 814,000Anthony Rivera – 720,000Sam Farha – 582,000Michael DeMichele – 362,000Eli Elezra – 138,000

It was while playing Razz that Sam Farha was eliminated in 6th place with $85,728. Anthony brought it in with Jx, James completed showing a 5x, Sam Farha raises with a 5x up and Eli Elezra was on the action. Eli re-raises all in with a 7x. Rivera folds, Mackey calls and Farha calls all-in.
Mackey:(Ax 2x) 5x, 4x, Ax, Ax
Farha: (4x 6x) 5x, Qx, Kx, Qx
Elezra: (5x 8x) 7x, 6x, 4x, 9x (8x)
Mackey bricks making trip aces, even though he picked up a wheel draw on fourth street. Farha bricks as well and Elezra makes 8-7-6-5-4 to take it down and eliminate Farha.
In a game of Stud-8, Anthony Rivera had the bring-in with a 2d. Michael DeMichele completed with the 3c, and Eli Elezra raised with the 7h. Rivera then folded, and DeMichele re-raised and Elezra went all in. Eli showed a Kc Ks in the hole, but DeMichele had rolled-up threes and made threes full of deuces by the river, when Elezra couldn’t do any better he was eliminated in 5th place with $108,288.
Michael DeMichele was all in pre-draw with $40,000. Rivera and Mackey both called and drew three while DeMichele drew two. Rivera led out and Mackey called. With the second draw all three players drew one. Rivera bet and Mackey called. The third draw caused Rivera and Mackey rapped pat and DeMichele drew one. Rivera and Mackey both checked. Rivera turned up 8-7-6-4-2, Mackey mucked and DeMichele showed a 10 before mucking his cards and hitting the rail in fourth place with $139,872.
Matt Glantz was eliminated in 3rd place with $184,992 after a game of No-limit hold’em. The flop was 7c, 6d, 3c, Mackey bet $125,000 and Glantz moved all in and Mackey called.
Glantz: 5s, 6c
Mackey: Js, 7s
The turn: Qs
The river: 3d
On the first hand of heads-up play Mackey raised to $87,000 and Rivera re-raised it to $287,000. Mackey moved all-in and Rivera called and turned over As, Kh. Mackey showed Ac, 9h. The flop was a Qs, Qc, 2s. A turn of 4c and river of 5d did anything but help Mackey. When the river was turned, Rivera and his supporters went wild. Mackey went home second with $297,792 but Rivera went home with a bracelet and $438,688.