Suddenly Italy arrives. At World Series of Poker we dozed and played until the night of Dario Sammartino and, as we wrote, we had three events in which we could play excellent chances to win the bracelet. Super Dario made it, Alioto and Ale Astone did not and there was a certain Paul Boi excellent player but certainly not an established champion like the Neapolitan. For him 182 thousand dollars won in career to which we must add a good amount $676,900 because he won event no. during the night. 60 $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em It has been one of the most close-run events of the 2024 World Series of Poker so far.
It is the tenth title in Las Vegas and live for Italy and the 20th overall bracelet (the list below includes those won online and at the WSOP Europe) and it is truly a dream that imposes our game in the world and in the home of Hold’em. Yes because, as mentioned, so far little or nothing had arrived thanks to a perhaps lower presence in the States compared to previous years. There is a lot of live poker in Europe and a lot of value and many players have decided to delay their start close to the Main Event. But now the blues are there and they growl loudly.
Boi’s victory is the truest statement of our poker. If Sammartino definitively consecrates himself (but there was no need, obviously) Paolo makes it clear how Italy can win anything at any time. We are strong, many players are equipped and able to get to the end.
But let’s finally move on to chronicle of a bitter battle, as reported by the Wsop chronicles. Following Boi we saw how he was always in the lower reaches of the count since the beginning of Day4. A very complex tournament for him and for everyone that kept the 5 players left glued to the table for four hours.
Boi defeated a pool of 1,773 entrants which generated a prize pool of $4,733,910. He eventually beat Noel Rodriguez heads-up, who had started the day as the chip leader and who takes $451,299 for second place.
“I still don’t realize it. It’s been a very tough four days,” said Boi as he waited to take photos of the winner with the bracelet in his hands to WSOP journalists. He explained that he “didn’t think about the bracelet” because “he was short-stacked the entire tournament.”
Things changed after he doubled up four times and eventually became the chip leader with four players remaining. “I started thinking that I could win from this point,” he said. He never gave up first place until he made the winning call. “When I called, I didn’t realize I had won. I had a little bit of confusion in my mind,” explained the Italian player, who plays mainly in Europe, especially on the EPT circuit.
Now that he has won his first bracelet, will he try to win a second? “Well, next week I have to go back to work,” he smiled, confirming the power of this victory for the Italian movement. A success that ignites the dream in all players. We will never instigate gambling, but we are referring to a rather large field that can prevail in many events that live poker offers daily in a golden moment for our sector.
With 10 left Paolo Boi immediately doubled up for the first time and it was the push we needed to stay in the tournament. Vanessa Kade also doubled up, but not Benjamin Gold who lost a flip against Brandon Mitchell to finish the tournament in 9th place for $60,088.
After the first break of the day, Victor Paredes doubled up on Vanessa Kade, leaving her with five blinds. A few hands after the player who got Dan Bilzerian fired from GGPoker, she failed to make it in a three-way all-in and call situation and was eliminated in eighth place for $77,378.
Then it was Marc Foggin’s turn to double up, leaving Victor Paredes very short. Paredes tried to survive against Vecino, but it didn’t work and he exited in 7th place for $100,840. Despite doubling up a few hands earlier, Foggin found himself once again at risk with 77 vs. Mitchell’s JJ. His hand didn’t improve and he left the tournament in 6th place for $132,978.
From this point on, the tournament entered a new phase as the situation remained unchanged for more than four hours. Each of the five remaining players doubled up at least once. And after a 60-minute dinner break, Justin Belforti was eliminated in 5th place for $177,416.
After being the chip leader, Mitchell ran out of chips and lost his last with Boi’s A6 vs A10 (4th – $239,451) and the light was starting to show. Boi is now a river in flood and eliminated Vecino (3rd, $326,883) K10 vs AQ. We’re heads up.
If part 60 million to 10, a ratio of 6 to 1. However, Rodriguez immediately doubled his lead and seems to want to extend the tournament a bit. A5 vs KJ and Ace faceted for the foreigner who rises to 27.6 million against Paolo’s 43.3.
But shortly afterwards he arrives immediately the decisive hand.
Boi opens for 1.8 million from the button and Rodriguez plays.
Flop: JJ3 rainbow and Rodriguez check/raise at 4.8 million. Call Boi.
Turn: 6 spades, Rodriguez again for 5.6 million and Boi calls.
River: K spades, jam Rodriguez and Boi thinks about it for 30 seconds before calling and discovering his opponent’s mega bluff with Q9. We had 10 and we are champions! Congratulations Paolo Boi!
Event #60 Final Table Results:
Place Player Country Prize
1 Paolo Boi Italy $676,900
2 Noel Rodriguez United States $451,299
3 Juan Vecino Spain $326,883
4 Brandon Mitchell United States $239,451
5 Justin Belforti United States $177,416
6 Marc Foggin United Kingdom $132,978
7 Victor Paredes United States $100,840
8 Vanessa Kade Canada $77,378
9 Benjamin Gold United States $60,088
Italian bracelets at the WSOP:
Valter Farina, 1995
Max Fishermen, 2006, 2008, 2015 (2)
Dario Alioto, 2007 [WSOPE]
Dario Minieri, 2008
Rocco Palumbo, 2012
David Suriano, 2014
Enrico Camosci, 2020 [Online]
Nicholas Molinelli, 2020, 2021 [Online]
Armando D’Avanzo, 2021 [Online]
Antonello Ferraiuolo, 2021 [WSOPE]
Simone Adrian, 2021 [WSOPE]
Alessandro Pichierri, 2021 [WSOPE]
Jacopo Achille Olivieri, 2022 [Online]
Fabio Peluso, 2022 [WSOPE]
Herman DiNicola, 2023 [WSOPE]
Dario Sammartino, 2024
Paul Boi, 2024
