Duncan Bell Wins Event #13 of WSOP, $2,500 No Limit Hold’em

Duncan Bell came to the final table as the chip leader and walked away $666,777 in prize money. He also walked away with his first WSOP bracelet.

The seat assignments and chip counts for the final table were as follows:
Seat 1) Brent Hanks-$755,080
Seat 2) Steve Merrifield- $1,109,000
Seat 3) Shawn Buchanan- $1,133,000
Seat 4) Duncan Bell- $1,966,000
Seat 5) Jason Sanders- $1,099,000
Seat 6) Nathan Doudney- $113,000
Seat 7) Brent Ditzik- $384,000
Seat 8) Nicolas Levi- $233,000
Seat 9) Ariel Soffer- $191,000

On the second hand of play, Nicolas Levi got his last 227,000 chips into the middle. He was holding pocket sevens, and he was putting them against Steve Merrifield’s A-T. The flop: T 6 6, gave Merrifield the higher two pair. An 8 on the turn didn’t help Levi and another Ten on the river for Steve sent Levi walking in 9th place with a check for $59,442.

Duncan Bell went on a mean streak and knocked three opponents out, starting with Brent Ditzik. Ditzik was all-in pre-flop while holding A-Q , he was going against Duncan Bell’s pocket Jacks. As the flop was turned, there was a ray of hope for Ditzik by giving him a Queen at the door, but with a jack thrown in, Bell hit a set. Brent Ditzik went home in 8th place with $83,541.

Duncan Bell’s next victim was Ariel Soffer. Soffer was all in with pocket 6s and Bell called him with J-T off. The Q 9 2 on the flop, went with Duncan’s straight draw and the King on the turn ended Soffer’s tournament in 7th place with $107, 639.

Duncan Bell took care of Jason Sanders also, who began the day with over a million in chips but got down to 100k. Bell raised the pre-flop and Sanders, holding a T-7, and went all-in. Bell thought his pocket deuces looked good, but with a flop of 9 6 6 it opened the possibility of Sanders coming up with the win. But the 2 on the turn shattered any hopes for Mr. Saunders. He hit the rails in 6th place with $139, 770.

After Duncan Bell’s wild 3-streak knock out, he sat back and let Steve Merrifield take some players out. His first victim was Brent Hanks. Brent’s A-2 was dominated by Merrifield’s A-T, and with no help from the board, Brent Hanks was eliminated in 5th place with $178,327.

Shawn Buchanan was next in Merrifield’s sights. Buchanan was all in with A-K suited, but again just couldn’t get any help from the board. Merrifield’s pocket 9s improved on a board of 8 7 6 2 5, bumping up his pair to a straight. Steve Buchanan was eliminated in 4th place, earning $218,491 in his fifth WSOP cash.

The next to go by Merrifield’s hands was Nathan Doudney. Merrifield raised from the button, Doudney shoved, and Merrifield called with As 9s. Doudney showed Kh 8h and the flop brought a King for Doudney in the door, but followed it with an Ace for Merrifield. When an 8 came on the turn, Doudney fans couldn’t believe his luck in hitting two pair. But once a 9 hit on the river, Nathan Doudney was sent home in 3rd place with a check for $260,261.

On the final hand of the event, Merrifield bet 155k and Bell called. The flop was 8 6 2, Bell bet 150k and Merrifield came over the top to make it 500,000. Bell, of course, shoved all-in. Merrifield made the call and showed his pocket Tens but was disheartened when Bell flipped his pocket Aces. With no help from the turn or river, Merrifield was ousted from the tourney in 2nd place. Duncan Bell won $666,777 in prize money and his first WSOP bracelet.