Sik wins WSOP Mini Main Event

The final table of Event #66: $1,000 Mini-Main No-Limit Hold'em at Bally's - Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas Nevada came to a close after 60 minutes Monday afternoon. Out of 5,833 entrants, which created a prize pool of $5,190,480, only five returned to Day 3.

Just weeks ago, Young Sik came in second place for his career best score of $203,949. Now, weeks later, he stands as the winner of the Mini Main event for $594,189 and his first WSOP bracelet.

"I came into today with a 10 big blind stack," the new champion said. "I wasn't expecting too much out of it, but it turned out great." The California resident prior to this victory, possessed $716,460 in career tournament earnings. He will now see his earnings climb to over $1,000,000 on Hendon Mob, cracking the top 200 on the California all time money list. "I liked it better being on the short stack," he said about his play. "When there is a shorter stack, you feel more ICM pressure, but when you are the shortest, you can just play." Sik ended by saying he will play the main event this year.

Out of the gate, chip leader Cosmin Joldis raised in the cutoff and Kei Nitta moved his final 31 million in chips over the raise and Joldis called. Nitta's pocket fours looked to be in good shape against Joldis' king-nine, but a rivered ten-high straight for Joldis saw the pot go to the overwhelming chip leader and Nitta ended his run in fifth place for $158,515.

Phillip Lee was next to go when he got in his remaining chips against Young Sik with ace-nine versus Sik's ace-eight. The flop flipped the script though as it came with an eight. The flopped flush draw of Lee did not improve and the start of day short stack found his run coming to an end in fourth place for $208,275.

The last remaining bracelet winner was Kartik Ved and he found his stack dwindling down as time went on, until he was a clear short stack. In his final hand, he saw his pocket fours up against Sik's ace-three offsuit. The flop did not change the strength of either hand, but the turn ace gave Sik the winning pair after the river did nothing to help the fours and Ved ended his run in third place for $275,593.

Joldis came into the day as the overwhelming chip leader, having a three to one chip lead on the next closest stack. Sik, however, doubled up through him multiple times throughout the day, and by the time they got heads up, Sik held an over three to one lead over Joldis. One double up for Joldis brought them closer together, but the final hand saw Sik four-bet shove with king nine and Joldis called with pocket tens. The turn brought a black king to put Sik way in the lead and the river changed nothing, leaving Joldis eliminated in the tournament in second place for $367,233.

Final Table Results
1st Young Sik United States $594,189
2nd Cosmin Joldis Romania $367,233
3rd Kartik Ved India $275,593
4th Phillip Lee United States $208,275
5th Kei Nitta Japan $158,515
6th Theodore Lee United States $121,504
7th Adam Velez United States $93,803
8th Keith Littlewood United Kingdom $72,941
9th Sergio Ochoa United States $57,133

(Article courtesy of World Series of Poker)