Daniel Idema Captures Third Career Bracelet At WSOP 2015

Daniel Idema has taken down WSOP Event #35: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E., after overcoming a field of 376 players over four days on his way to capturing a third career gold bracelet, as well as the $261,774 first place prize. Following a winning performance which increases his tournament earnings to $2,125,747, the former Canadian hockey pro commented:
“I really like this format of mixed limit games. You don’t see that many players play all the games well, so I think this is suited to someone who has tried to develop in all of them, as I have.”
The $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. event offered a $1,026,480 prize pool, and amongst the notable pros reaching one of the 40 cash places available was Dan Kelly in 29th ($6,631), Ted Forrest in 28th ($6,631), Joe Hachem in 22nd ($7,903), Allen Kessler in 19th ($7,903), Mike Leah in 13th ($11,845), and David Benyamine in 12th ($14,801).
The final table of eight also featured a number of talented pros, such as Taylor Paur (8th), John Racener (4th), and Kevin Iacofano (3rd), but eventually Daniel Idema would face Matthew Vengrin for the title, a player who at this point had just reached his sixth career WSOP final table.
As the heads-up battle got underway the two players were fairly even in chips, and after some intense action the deciding hand was played during a Seven card stud round in which Idema’s two pair beat Vengrin’s pair of queens. Matthew Vengrin then had to settle for a runner-up finish worth $161,680, while Daniel Idema became one of just 73 three-times bracelet winners.
“It was amazing. Every time I looked down at a hand I had one. My rush came at the right time, I really got hit by the deck heads up, and that’s always a good recipe for winning a tournament,” explained Idema following his impressive victory.
Final Table Results:
1 Daniel Idema $261,774
2 Matthew Vengrin $161,680
3 Kevin Iacofano $104,280
4 John Racener $75,559
5 Nepomnyashchiy $55,553
6 Paul Sexton $41,438
7 Randy Ohel $31,358
8 Taylor Paur $24,070