Davidi Kitai outlasted a small-but-stacked field of 195 entrants to take down his second bracelet in Event #19: $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em, along with about a quarter of a million dollars. His other bracelet came also came in a PLHE event, a $2,000 buy-in, when he won $244,583.
Sixteen players entered Day 3, and Jesse Martin was the chipleader. He was unable to get much going however, and he busted in 10th place. Online legend Dan "djk123" Kelly was also an early casualty, as his fourth Day 3 of this World Series of Poker was cut short when he busted 12th.
The final table lasted a mere 90 hands, and Kitai was the chipleader almost from start to finish, despite facing a formidable row of opponents that included bracelet winners Dario Minieri (8th), Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier (7th) and Eugene Katchalov (5th). Kitai grabbed the chiplead shortly after the unofficial, 10-player, final table began when he made a big calldown against Minieri. He then turned up the aggression, opening pots constantly, and went into heads-up play against Cary Katz with a big lead after busting two players when his nines held up in a three-way all in against the of Vincent Bartello (3rd place) and the of Dimitar Danchev (4th).
Katz battled fiercely in the heads up, and even took over the chiplead. In the end, he got it all in with kings against Kitai's jacks when Kitai had him covered, and Kitai was fortunate enough to spike a jack on the flop to seal the tournament.
Kitai added a second bracelet to a collection of championships that also includes WPT and EPT titles.
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
Davidi Kitai
Belgium
$224,560
2
Cary Katz
USA
$138,794
3
Vincent Bartello
USA
$103,628
4
Dimitar Danchev
Bulgaria
$77,893
5
Eugene Katchalov
Ukraine
$58,912
6
Kristina Holst
USA
$44,844
7
Bertrand Grospellier
France
$34,341
8
Dario Minieri
Italy
$26,468
9
Chris Johnson
USA
$20,520
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Hand #89: Katz raised to 60,000. Kitai called. The flop came . Kitai check-called 50,000. Kitai then led out 65,000 on a turn. Katz folded.
Hand 90: Kitai raised to 60,000, Katz made it 160,000. Kitai came back with 360,000. Katz reraised pot, and Kitai snap-called.
Kitai:
Katz:
The flop came , and Kitai pulled massively ahead. The turn brought Katz no help, and neither did an on the river. Kitai had Katz slightly covered, and he is the champion of a Pot-Limit Hold'em event here at the World Series of Poker for the second time.
Hand #69: Cary Katz limped in on the button, Davidi Kitai checked, and then Kitai check-folded on a flop of .
Hand #70: Kitai raised to 60,000 on the button, and won the pot.
Hand #71: Katz had the button, and raised to 60,000. Kitai three-bet to 140,000, and Katz folded.
Hand #72: Kitai min-raised to 60,000 on the button, Katz defended, and the dealer fanned . Katz checked, Kitai continued for 45,000, and Katz called. The turn brought the , Katz check-called another 135,000 from Kitai. The completed the board, Katz checked, and Kitai bet the pot. Katz snap-folded.
Hand #73: Katz raised to 60,000 with the button, Kitai called and the flop fell . Both players checked and the turn was a repeat queen - the . Kitai led out for 70,000, and Katz folded.
Hand #58: Cary Katz had the button and raised to 48,000. Davidi Kitai called, and the flop came . Kitai checked, then folded when Katz fired out 52,000.
Hand #59: Kitai had the button and raised to 50,000. Katz called, then checked when the flop fell . Kitai fired 48,000, Katz called, and the turn brought the . Katz checked, Kitai tossed out other 105,000, and Katz folded.
Hand #60: Katz limped in on the button, Kitai raised to 84,000, and Katz called. The flop came , Kitai led out for 65,000, and Katz called. The turn was the , Kitai checked, and Katz knuckled behind. A third heart - the - completed the board, and Kitai flipped 40,000 forward. Katz raised to 100,000, Kitai called, and Katz showed for the nut-flush. Kitai mucked.
Hand #52: Davidi Kitai raised opened for a raise under the gun, and everyone else folded.
Hand #53:: Cary Katz completed the blind, and Kitai checked. Katz check-called . Both players checked the , and a hit the river. Katz slid out a tall stack of orange chips, and Kitai immediately folded.
Hand #54: Vincent Bartello raised to 52,000, and nobody called.
Hand #55: Kitai raised to 52,000 on the button, and both blinds folded
Hand #56: Dimitar Danchev raised to 48,000 on the button, and Katz called from the big blind. On a flop, both players checked. The turn came , and Katz fired 40,000. and Danchev called. The river was the , and Katz check-called. He showed to beat of Danchev.
Hand #57: Danchev raised to 84,000 under the gun. Bartello repotted all in, and Kitai called all in. Danchev went all in as well.
Kitai:
Danchev:
Bartello:
The board ran out , and Kitai eliminated two players.
Hand #49: Eugene Katchalov was first to act, and raised to 48,000. He received no callers.
Hand #50: Cary Katz raised to 48,000 in the cutoff, Dimitar Danchev three-bet the pot out of the small blind, then showed queens when Katz folded.
Hand #51: Katz was first to act, and raised to 50,000. Katchalov three-bet the pot (174,000) out of the small blind, Vincent Bartello tanked for nearly a minute before folding in the big blind. Katz moved all in and Katchalov called.
Katz:
Katchalov:
Katchalov was dominated, and after the flop fell , he was drawing very slim. The Ukranian native would need the to make a set or running non-spade straight cards to survive. Unfortunately for him, the turned, leaving him drawing dead. A meaningless completed the board, and Katchalov hit the rail in fifth place.
Hand #48: Dimitar Danchev raised to 48,000, Cary Katz raised the pot (174,000) from the small blind, and Danchev moved all in. Katz called for 258,000.
Danchev:
Katz:
The flop didn't change anything, but the on the turn gave Katz a leading pair of kings. The bricked on the river, and Katz doubled to 540,000 chips. Danchev slipped to 237,000 chips.
Hand #32: The action folded to Kristina Holst in the small blind, and she gave Cary Katz a walk. He showed .
Hand #33: Eugene Katchalov raised to 40,000 in the hijack, Katz called in the small blind, and the dealer fanned . Both players checked. The turn was the , the two checked again, and the completed the board. The pair checked a final time, and Katchalov won with .
Hand #34: Vincent Bartello raised to 50,000 in the hijack. Kristina Holst moved all in for less (32,000) in the hijack and Cary Katz three-bet to 100,000 on the button. Bartello called.
The flop fell , Bartello checked, Katz slid forward 70,000, and Bartello tanked for over a minute before calling.
The turn brought more paint as the hit the felt. Bartello moved all in and Katz snap-folded.
Bartello:
Holst:
The completed the board, and Holst was eliminated in sixth place.
Hand #28: The action folded to Davidi Kitai in the small blind, and he raised to 50,000. Dimitar Danchev surrendered his big blind.
Hand #29: Vincent Bartello raised the pot (70,000) from under the gun, Kristina Holst moved all in on his direct left for around 140,000. The action folded back to Bartello, who called all-in for less.
Bartello:
Holst:
Bartello was ahead, and increased his lead when the flop fell . Holst was drawing dead when the turned, and a meaningless completed the board.
Bartello doubled, while Holst is now severely short stacked.
Bertrand Grospellier watches the river on his all in bet
Hand #23: Cary Katz raised to 40,000, and Davidi Kitai made the call. Dimitar Danchev reraised to 180,000. Katz and Kitai folded, and Danchev took the pot.
Hand #24: Kitai opened to 40,000. Danchev three-bet to 150,000. Kitai folded.
Hand #25: Kitai opened to 40,000 once again. Eugene Katchalov did the three-betting this time, to 92,000. Kitai tanked for a couple of minutes before folding.
Hand #26: Katchalov minraised from the button, and nobody called him.
Hand #27: Bertrand Grospellier raised, and Katchalov repopped to 240,000. Grospellier called off with . Unfortunately, Katchalov held . The board came . Katchalov's kings held up, and Grospellier hit the rail.
of Vincent Bartello (3rd place) and the 
of Dimitar Danchev (4th).
turn. Katz folded.
, and Kitai pulled massively ahead. The 
turn brought Katz no help, and neither did an 
![[user101598]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
.
. Katz checked, Kitai continued for 45,000, and Katz called. The turn brought the 
, Katz check-called another 135,000 from Kitai. The 
. Both players checked and the turn was a repeat queen - the 
Team Pro
. Kitai fired 48,000, Katz called, and the turn brought the 
, Kitai led out for 65,000, and Katz called. The turn was the 
, Kitai checked, and Katz knuckled behind. A third heart - the 
- completed the board, and Kitai flipped 40,000 forward. Katz raised to 100,000, Kitai called, and Katz showed 
of Danchev.
, and Kitai eliminated two players.
turned, leaving him drawing dead. A meaningless 
Team Pro
hit the felt. Bartello moved all in and Katz snap-folded.
. Katchalov's kings held up, and Grospellier hit the rail.
