Event #67: $500 SALUTE to Warriors - No-Limit Hold'em

Event #67: $500 Salute to Warriors No-Limit Hold'em at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) saw a staggering 4,517 entries, generating a total prize pool of $1,851,970. In the end, everyone in this event was a warrior of sorts, but only one could be left standing. That man was Ben Collins from the United Kingdom and he had $207,486 to celebrate with as well as the elusive gold bracelet.

Winner's Reaction

An overwhelmed and elated Collins had this to say:

"It's just surreal still… like, all along the way you think about holding the bracelet, you get the support from everyone which then keeps you going as you get further… to actually do it, is just ridiculous."

Collins has a long history with the game of poker – from dealing games for his dad as a teenager, to playing online professionally from 2009-2012, to winning a bracelet at the 2024 World Series of Poker hosted by Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, cementing him in the history of the game.

Collins went on to dedicate this victory to his wife and daughter, who spent the first week of his poker trip with him but had to head home back over the pond. Collins was eager to give them a call to celebrate his victory.

Event #67: $500 Salute to Warriors Final Table Results

Final Table Action

Despite the American theme of this particular tournament, it proved to be quite an international affair with six countries represented at the final table. Two American short stacks' luck ran out shortly after consolidating to one table, as Richard Juliano (10th - $15,759) and Gerald Schnierer (9th - $20,052) were quickly dispatched.

Siavash Bahri appeared to be building traction when he got a full double-up holding black aces. Only two orbits later, Bahri had aces again and it seemed he would be getting the maximum again but the rivered straight of Ben Collins left him flabbergasted and on his way to the payouts window in eighth.

Funnily enough, two players at the table shared a birthday on this very day of the final table in Ben Snodgrass and Tolga Gesli who got to talking and realized they'd both been smiled upon in a happy coincidence. Snodgrass was the first birthday boy to fall when he got looked up by the better hand of his birth mate, Tolga Gesli and had to settle for seventh place.

New Zealand's, Dane Harnett, had been down to only one big blind late in the tournament but somehow converted it to a deep run. Ultimately, his luck ran out when he got short and ran into the ace-high of Paul Serrate to be eliminated in sixth place.

Rami Hammoud fell in fifth place to Ben Collins and was quickly followed by Paul Serrate in fourth who relinquished the majority of his chips to Collins before getting felted by Petychakis.

Three-handed was anyone's game for a moment but Collins luck was insurmountable when he cracked the kings of Tolga Gesli to enter heads up with a significant lead.

Heads Up Play

Heads up, the pendulum swung back and forth, as both players held the chip lead at different points during the match. Stavros Petychakis had come into the day with the chip lead and spent most of the day top three in the counts. Petychakis had a chance to win the bracelet but his sixes were outran by the overcards of Collins. Towards the end of the match it seemed Petychakis would run away with it but over a series of just a few hands, Collins went from having 24,000,000 in chips to the full count of 225,000,000.

Salute To Warriors

The Salute to Warriors event was unique in that $40 from every entry was donated to the United Service Organizations, generating a tremendous boon for them of $180,680.

Plenty of notables and pro players were in the fray in this particular event but it feels right to honor those who served their country and dedicated themselves to something greater than the great game; kudos to all the veterans, weekend warriors and lovers of poker.

The 2024 World Series of poker is only two-thirds of the way through, so make sure you're checking back with PokerNews for all the live action and results.

Ben Collins was on the button and wagered 88,500,000 enough to put Stavros Petychakis all in. Stavros Petychakis made the call from the big blind.

Stavros Petychakis:   
Ben Collins:   

The board ran out       sending Stavros Petychakis to the payout desk in second place, bringing Event #67 to a close.

Ben Collins	225,000,000	89,000,000
Stavros Petychakis	0	-89,000,000

Ben Collins shoved all in on the button. Stavros Petychakis called out of the big blind.

Ben Collins:   
Stavros Petychakis:   

The board ran out       giving Collins a much needed double up to keep his bracelet hopes alive in Event #67.

Stavros Petychakis	170,000,000	-20,000,000
Ben Collins	55,000,000	20,000,000

Action was picked up on the turn with a board reading     , Stavros Petychakis bet 7,500,000 and Ben Collins made the call.

The river was the   and Petychakis checked. Collins decided to wager 22,000,000. After some thought Petychakis made the call. Collins tabled   , Stavros Petychakis flipped over    for the winner.

Petychakis appears to be in the zone as his daring call with ace-high has helped extend his chip lead over Collins.

Stavros Petychakis	165,000,000	29,000,000
Ben Collins	60,000,000	-29,000,000

Ben Collins raised to 6,000,000 from the button. Stavros Petychakis then three-bet to 18,000,000 from this big blind and Collins made the call.

Petychakis led out for 10,000,000 on a     flop. Collins made the fold after some deliberation. Petychakis has been trying his best to get this heads up match on an equal playing field but he will need to acquire some more chips from Collins to do so.

Ben Collins	146,000,000	-21,000,000
Stavros Petychakis	79,000,000	21,000,000

Ben Collins raised to 5,000,000 from the button and was called by Stavros Petychakis in the big blind.

Action checked through on a     flop.

The turn was the  , Petychakis checked, Collins bet 8,000,000 and Petychakis called.

The river was the  , Petychakis checked once again. Collins decided to wager 24,000,000, after some deliberation Petychakis made the call. Collins tabled    and Petychakis quickly mucked his hand

Ben Collins	130,000,000	39,000,000
Stavros Petychakis	95,000,000	-39,000,000

Ben Collins raised to 4,500,000 from the button. Tolga Gesli then three-bet from the small blind to 12,000,000. Collins decided to go all in. Gesli quickly called and was at risk.

Tolga Gesli:   
Ben Collins:   

Gesli had a lock on the hand as the dealer fanned a     flop. An icey cold   on the turn quickly changed things as Gesli couldn't believe what he just saw. The   river card ended an impressive run for Gesli in Event #67. We can only hope he will use some of his new found wealth to celebrate his birthday in style.

Ben Collins	154,000,000	71,100,000
Tolga Gesli	0	-73,000,000