Event #50: $1,500 Razz
Day 3 Completed
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #50: $1,500 Razz
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2018 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$525,150
Entries
389
Level
28
Limits
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Not many people would consider themselves a "Razz specialist," especially with the game not being easily accessible to play these days, but Jay Kwon is an exception. For Kwon, who had previously cashed in WSOP Razz tournaments in 2011 and 2016, his win on Tuesday night cements his standing as a WSOP Razz champion.
"Razz is like my favorite game, and I feel like it's an underappreciated game and people get frustrated at it," Kwon said after his victory. "But I love the game and yeah, this means more to me than a lot of tournaments. I started playing it and it was really interesting, so I kind of got into it and just started playing it a lot. I'm somewhat of a Razz specialist."
Kwon received $125,431 for his accomplishment as well as a coveted gold WSOP bracelet. Poland's star Dzmitry Urbanovich finished in second place ($77,526), while renowned British mixed game specialist Adam Owen claimed bronze ($52,536). Start-of-the-day chipleader Kevin Iacofano finished in fifth place ($25,637).
Official Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jay Kwon | United States | $125,431 |
| 2 | Dzmitry Urbanovich | Poland | $77,526 |
| 3 | Adam Owen | United Kingdom | $52,536 |
| 4 | Michael McKenna | United States | $36,324 |
| 5 | Kevin Iacofano | United States | $25,637 |
| 6 | Thomas Taylor | Canada | $18,477 |
| 7 | Jeff Mitseff | United States | $13,605 |
| 8 | Jeanne David | United States | $10,240 |
| 9 | Kyle Montgomery | United States | $7,881 |
Event #50: $1,500 Razz drew 389 players and after Day 1, only 118 players remained. At that point, Kwon was 56th in chips with a slightly above average stack. He immediately chipped up on Day 2, amassing one of the larger stacks in the room by the time the bubble was reached. By night's end, Kwon was in the middle of the pack of the final nine players, sitting fifth in chips entering the unofficial final table on Day 3. Kwon helped solidify his Day 3 standing by eliminating two-time bracelet winner David Singer in 12th place.
Kwon's path to victory at the final table was from smooth sailing, though, as after the first break he was sixth of the remaining seven players. At the second break, with just four players remaining, Kwon held less than four big bets and held less than 7% of the chips in play. Eventual third-place finisher Owen had more than half the chips in play at that point, but Razz is a game where the chips can be easy-come and easy-go.
"I could wait for a good hand as I ante'd down and just go with it and play good razz. I didn't have to panic and get it in with a bad hand. This is a tournament where the chipleader only has like 20 bets. I've won and lost 20 bets so many times in Razz. I've lost like 50 bets in one sitting. I've won 50 bets in one sitting. So I knew that anything could happen. I've caught breaks like that and went on runs like that, so I just calmed down and tried to give myself the best chance at doubling up. It looks like he has a big lead, but he only has like 10 bets more than me, which is like nothing. So that's what my mentality was."
After Owen exited in third place, Kwon began heads-up play against Polish prodigy Urbanovich with a slight chip lead. The battle was back-and-forth, with Urbanovich opening up about a 2.5:1 lead. However, Kwon battled back to take the lead and with the limits as big as they were, he closed it out shortly thereafter.
"Because it's so top heavy, the optimal strategy is to just go for the win."
Kwon did play to win, and he'll forever have a WSOP bracelet to remind him of that.
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Jay Kwon: 
/ 
Dzmitry Urbanovich: / 
Jay Kwon was the bring in, Dzmitry Urbanovich completed and Kwon called.
Both checked on fourth street before Kwon bet on fifth street. Urbanovich tanked for a bit before he called, Kwon bet on sixth street, Urbanovich raised all in for 15,000 more and Kwon called.
Jay Kwon: 
/
Dzmitry Urbanovich: /
Kwon was ahead with a nine-seven, while Urbanovich trailed with a jack-seven. Kwon caught a on seventh street to remain at nine-seven, while Urbanovich turned over a meaningless to bust in second place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,915,000
270,000
|
270,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Dzmitry Urbanovich completed and Jay Kwon called.
Dzmitry Urbanovich: /
/
Jay Kwon: //
Urbanovich bet on fourth and fifth street and Kwon called both times. Both players checked on sixth, and they checked again on seventh.
Kwon showed down his 
and his eight-six low was good to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,645,000
430,000
|
430,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
270,000
-430,000
|
-430,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Jay Kwon: / 
/
Dzmitry Urbanovich: / /
Jay Kwon was the bring in, Dzmitry Urbanovich completed and Kwon called.
Urbanovich check-called a bet on fourth street before calling bets from Kwon the rest of the way.
Kwon tabled for an eight-seven, Urbanovich mucked and Kwon won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,215,000
520,000
|
520,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
700,000
-520,000
|
-520,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Dzmitry Urbanovich completed and Jay Kwon called over his bring it.
Dzmitry Urbanovich: //
Jay Kwon: //
On fourth Urbanovich bet and Kwon called. On fifth, Urbanovich bet and Kwon made it two bets. Urbanovich called. Both players checked on sixth and seventh and Urbanovich mucked when Kwon showed for a jack low.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,695,000
330,000
|
330,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,220,000
-330,000
|
-330,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Jay Kwon: / /
Dzmitry Urbanovich: / /
Jay Kwon was the bring in, Dzmitry Urbanovich completed and Kwon called.
Both checked on fourth street, Kwon bet with the better board on fifth street and Urbanovich raised. Kwon called, then bet sixth street. Urbanovich called and both players checked on seventh.
Kwon tabled for an eight-five and Urbanovich mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,550,000
-375,000
|
-375,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,365,000
375,000
|
375,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Jay Kwon completed and Dzmitry Urbanovich made it two bets over his bring in. Kwon called.
Jay Kwon: //
Dzmitry Urbanovich: //
Kwon bet on fourth and Urbanovich called. On fifth, Kwon checked. Urbanovich bet and Kwon called. On sixth, Kwon bet and Urbanovich called. On seventh, Kwon bet and Urbanovich decided to call.
Kwon showed his for an eight-seven low. Urbanovich held on to his cards for a bit, but eventually mucked his hand, so Kwon took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,925,000
-160,000
|
-160,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
990,000
160,000
|
160,000 |
|
|
||
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Jay Kwon: / - fold
Dzmitry Urbanovich: /
Jay Kwon was the bring in, Dzmitry Urbanovich completed and Kwon called.
Both checked on fourth street, Kwon bet on fifth street, Urbanovich raised and Kwon called to see sixth street where he check-folded to a bet from Urbanovich.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,085,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
830,000
-170,000
|
-170,000 |
|
|
||