Event #88: $10,000 Eight Game Mix (6-Handed)

After a pair of podium finishes earlier this summer, Calvin Anderson had to sleep on the chip lead for one extra night in Event #88: $10,000 Eight Game Mixed Championship. The added Day 4 at the 2024 World Series of Poker was well worthwhile for the American pro, as he conquered a difficult field of 189 players to claim career bracelet number five and the top prize of $413,446 at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

Anderson returned for an additional day of action against Japan's Dai Ishibashi, sitting with a sizeable chip lead in his quest for another WSOP title. It took just less than a single 90-minute level to finish the job, sending his rail into celebration while Anderson just took it in stride.

"I've never really taken down a big eight-game tournament, this is what the player's championship used to be," Anderson told PokerNews after his victory. "To win this is certainly a great accomplishment, what I set out to do. I have a lot of titles in different games, but then you throw them all in the mix and to navigate a field like this, it's rewarding, it feels really good actually to accomplish something like that."

$10,000 Eight Game Mixed Championship Final Table Results

Third Time's the Charm

Anderson entered the day having already earned his third final table of the summer, holding an almost two-to-one chip lead over Ishibashi. After a third-place finish in Event #10: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship (8-Handed) and a runner-up result in Event #37: $10,000 Big O Championship, Anderson was able to close out one of the most significant titles of his career.

"I'm happy, excited, I'm happy that I won," Anderson said after posing for winner photos. "If I had lost heads-up given how much I've played and how much experience I have, I would have been upset - given I came in two-to-one chip lead, played these games so much."

The win brings Anderson's total to five WSOP gold bracelets, but this one seemed to stand out a bit more. "Five bracelets doesn't mean any more than two or seven, you know, but this tournament is actually a bit more special, and I normally don't say that."

Anderson took a moment and explained how grateful he felt to take down this title. "Just winning eight games, a 10k buy in, this is a championship event."

"You're playing a bunch of different games against all of the top players, I played against tons of really, really good players along the way. I ran good but I think I played really well too, there's a lot of spots where I'm super happy with the way that I played. Feels good to do all of the things right."

Anderson then finished his thought by saying "This bracelet is worth three to me, probably."

Day 4 Action

Anderson and Ishibashi returned to the felt having locked up at least $271,351. The event had a total prize pool of $1,757,700 , with the top prize of $413,446 still to be decided.

Once Anderson increased his chip lead, both players knew which games to target. "He played well, he held his own for the most part. In the end he knew, I knew, everyone knew that he needed to go high variance in no-limit and PLO games, and even limit hold'em is a big game too."

"In PLO I was only limping, in hold'em I was playing pretty freaking passive," Anderson continued, "where normally, throughout the tournament, I was actually bullying other people in those games."

"The last hand of the day, I did not want to get it in with ace-king-queen-nine, but he knew he needed to gamble there. Maybe my hand was a little bit better than I thought it was, but it's just not a situation I want to be in where I can hand-read so well in every other game."

That final hand saw Anderson surprised to be ahead on the flop when the chips hit the middle, with his hand holding up to end Ishibashi's run.

Just minutes after claiming the title, Anderson was already looking ahead to his next event. "The summer is long, I don't really celebrate in the same way that other people do, the journey of it all is so rewarding to me, playing, winning. I feel happy."

That concludes our coverage of this championship event, but stay tuned to PokerNews for continuing coverage of the WSOP Main Event from the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

Seven Card Stud

Calvin Anderson:   /   
Dai Ishibashi:   /    - folded on fifth street

Dai Ishibashi completed and called when Calvin Anderson slid out another bet. Ishibashi checked fourth street and raised after Anderson continued with a bet.

The call was made the fifth street, where Ishibashi checked again. Anderson fired out a bet, taking down the pot as Ishibashi quickly folded.

Calvin Anderson	8,950,000	550,000
Dai Ishibashi	2,350,000	-550,000

No-Limit Hold'em

After they've played rounds of Stud Hi-Lo and 2-7 Triple Draw with very little action, they've switched to no-limit hold'em for the next four hands.

Dai Ishibashi raised to 130,000 from the small blind and Calvin Anderson called.

The flop was     and Anderson checked to Ishibashi who continued with a bet of 90,000. Anderson called again and the turn was the  .

Another check by Anderson followed and a fold shortly after because Ishibashi bet out a quick 155,000 which was enough to take the pot.

Calvin Anderson	8,800,000	50,000
Dai Ishibashi	2,500,000	-50,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Calvin Anderson raised to 125,000 on the button before Dai Ishibashi three-bet to 375,000 in the big blind. Anderson called and the dealer fanned out the     flop.

Both players checked to the   turn, where Ishibashi bet 300,000. Anderson took some time before laying his hand down, as Ishibashi recovered some lost chips.

Calvin Anderson	8,750,000	-1,000,000
Dai Ishibashi	2,550,000	1,000,000

Life Outside Poker is a new podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.

In the 12th episode, Connor speaks with actress and conservationist Shannon Elizabeth on the 25th anniversary of American Pie, in which she played the iconic role of Nadia. Elizabeth talked about her roles in films like Scary Movie and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, playing poker with the cast of That '70s Show, finishing third in the 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship and taking part in Phil Hellmuth's 2024 WSOP Main Event entrance.

Elizabeth also spoke about her conservation efforts in South Africa through the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation, including caring for and providing a sanctuary for a blind black rhino named Munu.

The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Shannon Elizabeth by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.

Learn More About Life Outside Poker!

Seven Card Stud

Calvin Anderson:    /    
Dai Ishibashi:   /    / 

Calvin Anderson brought in with a queen and raised after Dai Ishibashi completed with his ace. Ishibashi called to fourth street, where he check-called a bet from Anderson.

A pair of checks followed on fifth street before Ishibashi checked again on sixth. Anderson bet and was met with a check-raise, calling to see seventh street.

Ishibashi checked and just called after Anderson fired one last bet. Anderson showed two pair, good enough to take down the pot and regain a sizeable chip lead.

Calvin Anderson	8,450,000	1,450,000
Dai Ishibashi	2,850,000	-1,600,000

2-7 Triple Draw

Calvin Anderson limped on the button and Dai Ishibashi checked his big blind option.

Both players drew three and Ishibashi checked. Anderson bet and was met with a check-raise from Ishibashi.

The call was made and Ishibashi stood pat. Anderson asked for two cards, folding after Ishibashi led out with a bet.

Calvin Anderson	7,200,000	-345,000
Dai Ishibashi	4,250,000	345,000