David Perry Defeats Chris Moorman in the 2022 WSOP $500 Freezeout ($241,729)

Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em at the 2022 WSOP at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas attracted 4,786 entrants generating a prize pool of $2,010,120. On Tuesday, June 21st, 202 hopefuls returned for Day 2, all of them with one eye on the first place prize of $241,729 and the much sought-after WSOP gold bracelet that accompanied it.

After fast-paced play over the course of 12 hours, defense attorney David Perry emerged victorious, claiming his first gold bracelet after defeating British poker pro and online phenom Chris Moorman in heads-up play.

"Blessed, grateful," a visibly emotional Perry said when asked how the win made him feel. "I've been in Vegas since 1985, came here with $612 and two suitcases; this is my community", he continued.

When asked about how he plans to celebrate, Perry said that before anything, he has to "fly back [to Columbus, Ohio] and give a bracelet to my 94-year-old mother". He does have some plans for the money though, saying that while normally he would fire a bullet in the $1,000 Seniors Event, he may choose instead to take his chances in the $10,000 Main Event, saying that while he could "never have rationalized or justified it in the past." This win has given him the opportunity to throw his hat in the ring.

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Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

Action was fast paced throughout the day but no more so than at the start, with the field slashed to just three tables within five hours. Play then slowed down a little, with the final table set four hours later. Notables to come into the day but fall short of the final table included two-time bracelet winner Anson Tsang (118th - $1,976), Women in Poker Hall of Famer Maria Ho (115th - $1,976) and 2014 WSOP Event #8: $1,500 Millionaire Maker winner Jonathan Dimmig (11th - $17,741). Day 1 chipleader Lorenzo Negri was also unable to re-capture his earlier momentum, ultimately falling in 24th for $9,126.

Final Table Action

The nine players who took their seat at the official final table were all short stacked, with the average depth sitting at less than 20 big blinds. In addition, the chips were fairly evenly divided amongst the competitors. As a result, ICM considerations dominated much of the play, with several players openly showing what could be considered tight folds.

Nevertheless, it did not take long for the first elimination to take place, with Daniel Marcus running his pocket nines into the aces of Moorman. Not long after, Henry Reyes could not get away from a flopped top pair, in so doing becoming Moorman's second victim of the final table.

The gap between Reyes' elimination and the next knockout was somewhat longer, with several short stacks getting their chips in the middle and surviving. However, as the blinds kept increasing, it was only a matter of time before someone would be forced to exit and that unfortunate individual was Elven Espinar, his ace-jack unable to hold against Moorman's queen-eight.

Phong Than Nguyen was the next player out the door and his elimination was perhaps the cruelest of the night after Moorman, notching a fourth straight knockout, hit a two outer on the river. Soon after Sebastien Guidez got his chips in bad against Josh Pregar and was sent to the rail in fifth.

Just a couple of hands later Prager too was forced to leave after his turned royal flush draw bricked out on the river against Moorman. Daniel Eichhorn, who had been riding a short stack for the entirety of the final table, got his last few chips in the middle shortly after in a blind on blind confrontation with Moorman but was unable to find a way to take down the pot.

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His elimination set up a heads-up battle between Moorman, who had been table captain for much of play, and Perry. Despite the slew of eliminations that had come at the hands of Moorman, the two began play roughly even in chips. Perry wasted little time ratcheting up the pressure on Moorman, shoving and getting folds in two big pots in quick succession. This helped him build up a lead that he never relinquished.

The final hand saw both players get all their money in on a flop of six-ten-king flop with two clubs, with Moorman's queen-jack ahead of Perry's jack-deuce of clubs. "Red card, red card", Moorman's rail could be heard chanting. They got their wish in one sense on the deuce of hearts turn that rocketed Perry into the lead. The four of spade river ended affairs, with Perry jumping up and down as his victory was cemented.

Moorman, meanwhile, chasing his third bracelet was instead forced to settle for a consolation prize of $149,405.

Congratulations to David Perry on winning Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em at the 2022 WSOP at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas! Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the WSOP as we continue live coverage of every bracelet event.