In 2017, Yunpeng Zhou and Rong Long went heads up in the 2017 World Series of Poker China Main Event to become the first pair of Chinese players in WSOP history to go heads-up with a bracelet on the line.

On Sunday night, two players from China worked their way through a field of nearly 45,000 in Event #71 ($50 Big 50) to get heads-up for a bracelet with Huahuan Feng conquering all to take home more than $200,000 and the sixth bracelet in Chinese history. The Big 50 had 15 starting flights and was the lowest buy-in event in the 51-year history of the Series.

Feng was in control when the final table began and wasted little time putting his chip lead to work. Max Veyga raised to 2,000,000 from UTG, Feng called from middle position and Wade Gillett moved all in for 18,031,944 from the cutoff. Veyga called and after Feng folded, tabled while Gillett showed . The board ran out to eliminate Gillett in ninth.

Feng picked up his first elimination just a few minutes later. Feng raised to 2,000,000 the button and Dean Lipscombe moved all in for 7,091,606 from the small blind. Feng called and showed and Lipscombe tabled . The flop moved Feng in front and Lipscombe didn’t find any help on the turn or ]jc] river and was sent to the rail in eighth place.

Those two quick eliminations were followed by 32 minutes of seven-handed action without any players being sent packing. That changed when Xiong Huang opted to defend his small blind. Action folded to Xue Giao Zhao on the button and he raised to 3,219,999 and Huang called. The flop came and Huang moved all in for 1,538,818 and Zhao called. Huang showed for second pair but Zhao showed for top pair. The turn was the and the river the to end Huang’s tournament with a seventh place finish.

Zhao was the player responsible for the next elimination as well. Zhao raised to 2,940,000 from the cutoff and Di Lu called from the big blind. After the flop, Lu checked and Zhao bet 3,815,000. Lu re-raised all in for 13,557,666 and Zhao called. Lu showed but Zhao turned over . The turn gave Lu some additional outs but the river was not one of them and he was eliminated in sixth.

Feng found another victim 15 minutes later. Veyga moved all in from the button for 15,095,380 and Feng called from the big blind. Veyga showed and Feng held . The board ran out to give Feng trip kings and eliminate Veyga in fifth place.

A few minutes later, Feng used Big Slick to end another player’s tournament. Daniel Montagnolli raised to 20,000,000 as the first to act and Zhao moved all in for 40,568,926 from the button. Montagnolli called off the last 6,711,441. Zhao showed and Montagnolli held . The flop gave both players a pair with Zhao holding top pair and the nut flush draw. The turn was the and the river improved Zhao to a flush and eliminated Montagnolli in fourth.

Feng continued to apply pressure and a few minutes added to his stack on his way to heads up battle. Ronald Haverkamp called from the small blind before Feng raised to 6,750,000 from the big. Haverkamp responded by moving all in for 58,457,901 and Feng took some time before calling. Haverkamp flipped over but found himself well behind Feng’s . The runout offered Haverkamp no salvation and he was finished with a third place result.

Holding a 2.5-1 lead over Zhao, Feng needed just five minutes of heads up play to lay claim to the bracelet. Zhao opened to 4,000,000 and Feng responded by re-raising to 12,500,000. Zhao moved all in for 70,030,367 and Feng called. Zhao showed and found his hand dominated by Feng’s . The runout changed nothing and Zhao was eliminated in second place while Feng earned his first career bracelet and $211,282.

Final Table Payouts

1. Huahuan Feng – $211,282
2. Xue Giao Zhao – $159,705
3. Ronald Haverkamp – $114,237
4. Daniel Montagnolli – $81,714
5. Max Veyga – $58,450
6. Di Lu – $41,809
7. Xiong Huang – $29,906
8. Dean Lipscombe – $21,392
9. Wade Gillett – $15,302