Haixia Zhang Wins 2014 WSOP Ladies Event Championship
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Haixia Zhang is the 2014 World Series of Poker Ladies Event Champion. Zhang defeated Mikiyo Aoki heads up to become the WSOP’s latest bracelet winner and claim the first-place prize of $153,470.
Coming into the final table, Zhang had $25,568 in live recorded tournament earnings. Her biggest previous cash was a sixth-place finish for $7,507 in a $235 Rio Daily Deepstacks event earlier this week. With her newest prize, Zhang has more than quintupled her career total winnings.
The day began with two very short stacks among the final nine as Stacey Sullivan and Patricia Cahill each entered play with less than 10 big blinds. On hand #13, Cahill soon ran into the pocket kings of Zhang, then on the very next hand, Sullivan got out-kicked by the bigger ace of Persia Bonella. Action didn’t slow down, as Kendra Wray was busted when she was outdrawn on the turn by Zhang in Hand #22.
Pat Landis was the next lady to put herself at risk. Landis open-shoved on the button, Zhang raised to 300,000 from the small blind, and Aoki folded her big blind.
Landis: 
Zhang: 
A classic race was underway for Landis’ tournament life and the dealer swept out a flop of 
. Zhang had flopped a flush and Landis needed a runner-runner combo to survive. The 
fell on the turn, giving Landis hope as the 
hit down on the river and a huge roar echoed through the rail.
Soon after, Bonella was eliminated in sixth place when her flopped bottom pair was beat by Meikat Siu turned top pair. Landis was the next to depart the final table. Her under-the-gun shove with pocket sixes ran into the pocket tens of Aoki. Two hands later, Elizabeth Montizanti’s open-shove on the button with pocket threes got out-flopped by Zhang’s ace-deuce and Montizanti hit the rail in fourth place.
During three-handed play, Zhang delivered a huge cooler to Aoki. Zhang opened her small blind to 45,000 and Mikiyo Aoki called in the big blind. The flop was dealt 
. Zhang led out for 100,000, Aoki raised to 200,000, and Zhang made the call.
The dealer delivered the 
on the turn and both ladies checked to the 
on the river. Zhang led again with a bet 200,000 and Aoki made the call. Zhang tabled 
for a turned flush and Aoki mucked 
.
The three remaining ladies battled for 30 hands before the elimination of Meikat Siu in third
Just a few hands into heads-up play, Aoki was coolered again. Zhang raised her button to 40,000 and Aoki called in the big blind. The flop dropped 
, Aoki bet 100,000 and Zhang called. The was the turn card and both ladies checked to the on the river. Aoki led out for 200,000, Zhang raised to 400,000, and Aoki called. Zhang announced she made a straight, tabling 
and Aoki mucked 
.
Aoki was left with around 300,000 and the very next hand, Aoki pushed all in from the button and Zhang eyed up her opponent's stack. After a minute of thought she decided to call and Aoki was facing elimination.
Aoki:
Zhang:
Aoki needed to connect with something on the board to catch up, but she didn't see anything that helped on the flop of 
. The turn card was the 
which added some gutshot outs for Aoki. The river card then brought the 
which locked up the pot for Zhang, and Aoki was eliminated from the tournament in second place.
Congratulations to Haixia Zhang and all the ladies who played in this prestigious event. Thank you for following along and keep it locked on PokerNews for the rest of the 45th annual World Series of Poker.