WSOP 2014: Roland Reparejo Wins Casino Employees No-Limit (Event #1)

Roland Reparejo has won the 2014 WSOP Event #1 – $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em, after overcoming a field of 876 players over three days to claim a prestigious gold bracelet, and collect the $82,835 first place prize. Following his impressive victory, Reparejo, said:
“This is my first win here after coming here a few years to play the Employees and Seniors events. It’s just a dream – it didn’t become a reality until now. I can’t believe I won.”
By the time Day 1 had been completed 51 competitors remained, which was further whittled down to just 2 hopefuls by the end of a grueling Day 2, thus forcing one extra day of play. Amongst the more notable names eliminated along the way was defending champion and PokerNews’ Senior Editor Chad Holloway, former Poker News Daily contributor Bernard Lee, and WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart.
Meanwhile, California-based poker dealer Corey Emery reached the final table of nine as the chip leader on a 50BB stack, with retired chef Roland Reparejo also making the cut. Emery (Q-Q) then proceeded to eliminate David Luttgeg (7-5) in 8th for $7,947, before Olivier Doremus was dealt pocket nines and did likewise to Martin Sobczak (A-8) in 7th for $10,308.
However, Corey Emery (K-K) then sent Doremus (Q-x) to the rail in 4th ($24,203), and three-handed play subsequently came to a head after Charles Nyugen (7c-6c) shoved all-in on a 7s-Kh-Kd-2c board only to be called in an instant by Emery with Kc-Qs. Following Nyugen’s departure in 3rd for $33,073, the heads-up phase of the tournament got underway between Corey Emery and Roland Reparejo.
Eight hands later and Reparejo (6-6) doubled up on a 7-8-3-K-6 board against Emery holding K-10, after which play on the day was halted with Roland Reparejo the heads-up leader with 1,795,000 chips to Corey Emery’s 735,000. Six hands after play resumed the following day, Emery went all-in holding J-8 and was called by his opponent with A-Q. The dealer subsequently put out an A-8-2-10-2 board to relegate Corey Emery to a runner-up finish worth $51,037, while Roland Reparejo was awarded a prestigious gold WSOP bracelet.
Commenting on the overnight break, Reparejo said: “I needed rest. When your tired you make mistakes – your mind is somewhere else. I got some rest and today I was ready.”
Final Table Payouts:
1 Roland Reparejo – $82,835
2 Corey Emery – $51,037
3 Charles Nguyen   $33,073
4 Olivier Doremus  $24,203
5 John Taylor      $17,975
6 Brian Wong        $13,528
7 Marcin Sobczak   $10,308
8 David Luttbeg    $7,947
9 Kevin Chiem        $6,192