Steven Wolansky Wins WSOP $1,500 2-7 Lowball (Event#36)

Steven Wolansky has won $1,500 no-limit deuce-to-seven lowball (Event#36), after topping a field of 241 players on his way to capturing a prestigious gold bracelet, and collecting the $89,483 first place prize.
As well as representing a monumental achievement for the 26-year-old pro, the victory also came as sweet relief as last year in the $2,500 eight-game mix event Wolansky made it all the way to heads-up with an overwhelming chip lead only to see the title slip away from him. Commenting on what his latest victory means to him, Wolansky, said:
“I held a massive chip lead the last time I was in this spot, and couldn’t close it out then I couldn’t sleep after that happened, being that close. I’d go back and look at the coverage and see myself with 2.8 million in chips and him with 100,000 all in. I still wonder, ‘how didn’t I win that?’ But this definitely helps that feeling.”
Event#36 attracted a top class field to create a prize pool worth $325,350. Recognizable names then making a deep run in the tournament was Mike Leah in 22nd ($2,837), Eli Elezra in 19th ($3,471), Phil Hellmuth in 18th ($3,471), Brian Rast in 16th ($3,471), Ali Eslami in 11th ($5,371), and Scott Abrams in 9th ($5,371).
The final table was no less packed with talent and Steven Wolansky had to manoeuvre himself past such sharks as Scott Bohlman (7th), Orjan Skommo (5th), and Max Kruse (3rd) before eventually facing off against 2010 WSOP ME finalist Joseph Cheong for the title.
As the final battle commenced both players were roughly even in chips, but Wolansky soon managed to reduce Cheong to a short-stack before eventually consigning him to a runner-up finish worth $55,309. Meanwhile, Steven Wolansky earned a bracelet in a discipline he had precious little experience playing before, and as he explains:
“I’ve played this micro stakes online a few years ago and then I played it last year in the 10-Game. I cashed in the 10-game somewhere around 20th place so I got to play about 30 hands of it there. Then I just started Day 1 and got 15 hours of practice and sort of figure it out as you go. It’s just a pure form of poker.”
Final Table  Results:
1 Steven Wolansky $89,483
2 Joseph Cheong   $55,309
3 Max Kruse       $36,494
4 Chris Meklin       $24,908
5 Orjan Skommo       $17,445
6 Samuel Touil       $12,529