Ching Da Wu Wins the 2024 WSOP Closer for $525,500

Event $98: $1,500 The Closer has ended after an exciting day of play at the 2024 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Ching Da Wu has emerged as the champion of one of the last bracelet events of the summer series, capturing a bracelet and a cool $525,500 cash. The event drew in 3,215 players, who generated a prize pool of $1,086,690. Only 361 squeaked through to Day 2, and all returning players were guaranteed a $3,001 payday.

Event #98: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold’em Results

The tournament’s final day unfolded with rapid-fire action as players navigated through two intense table redraws. As the field dwindled to 17 players, the pace of play eased slightly.

One of the most popular players at the table Lexy Gavin-Mather took her leave in 17th place when her nine-ten ran into Ching Da Wu‘s queens. Everyone applauded Gavin-Mather as she exited. During the game, everyone was talking about strategy and requesting her opinion as an amazing coach and strategic player.

The final table bubble burst dramatically when Michael Baltierra pushed his stack all-in, only to be called by Aaron Mermelstein holding ace-eight in the small blind.

With the ten-handed table redrawn, the action moved to the Events Center’s feature table. Mike Matusow, boasting four WSOP bracelets and over $10 million in earnings, was the first to depart, his tournament journey closely documented by filmmaker Frank Zarrillo since the 2021 WSOP.

Luis Yepez from Venezuela followed suit, making a bold move with his short stack by shoving with sevens, only to be bested by Chad Lipton.

Lipton’s journey ended in eighth place, falling victim to Bogdan Munteanu in a raising battle that saw Munteanu hit the board hard.

David Cabrera Polop of Andorra faced a similar fate in seventh place, his hopes dashed when Munteanu found a lucky queen on the board.

The sixth-place finisher, Michael Baltierra, affectionately known as “Ballz” by his cheering poker club from Central Valley, California, exited the tournament with pocket sixes in a hand against Ching Da Wu. Post-elimination, Baltierra planned a well-deserved massage to unwind with his winnings from the night.

Stanislav Zegal from Germany was knocked out in fifth place. Zegal won the 2023 WSOP Paradise Event #10: $5,000 Main Event Championship for $2 million but couldn’t capture his second piece of WSOP hardware in this event.

In fourth place was the 25K Fantasy Draft player John “Spikey” Racener, the runner-up in the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event, and a player with two bracelets. Racener had enjoyed a very successful summer at the 2024 WSOP, securing a bracelet in Event #19: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship (8-Handed) and making three additional final tables, the most recent being Event #91: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. (8-Handed), where he finished second.

There turned out to be no heads-up action as Wu managed to knock out both final opponents in one hand. He slow-played aces to encourage action, and it worked. He eliminated Munteanu from Romania in third place and Mario Colavita from Italy in second place.

Winner’s Interview

After his victory, Wu was still in shock and battling lingering nerves. He felt compelled to express his gratitude, starting with his steadfast wife, Jessie Chen, who had unwaveringly supported his decisions in poker and life. He also credited his parents for their encouragement in pursuing studies and work abroad. He extended heartfelt thanks to his poker comrades, particularly his mentor, Justin Chu.

The thrill of winning the bracelet and the prize money was heightened by Wu’s strategic use of Hendon Mob Database during the game, during which he discovered his opponents’ impressive credentials. Despite being relatively new to the poker scene, with only a few previous World Series of Poker (WSOP) appearances without notable results, Wu admitted to moments of self-doubt regarding his skills and abilities.

Originally from Taiwan, Wu was vacationing in Las Vegas to pursue more WSOP tournaments while navigating the complexities of obtaining a green card to reside permanently in the United States. Despite regulatory hurdles that briefly paused his plans, Wu dedicated himself to honing his game through intensive study, training videos, and collaborative sessions with his poker peers. His victory over 3,215 competitors was a testament to his perseverance, although he remained introspective about areas where he could improve.

Despite his success, Wu affirmed his commitment to his primary profession as a software engineer in California, ensuring that poker remained a cherished recreational pursuit rather than a full-time endeavor. Reflecting on his achievement, Wu described winning the bracelet as a profound honor and the entire experience as nothing short of exhilarating.

When asked about the turning point in the tournament where he felt like he was going to win, he was proud of the last hand where he coaxed one of the opponents into moving all in after he flat called the other opponent’s all-in and he held pocket aces.

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