Despite facing challenges yesterday with the GGPoker segment of the 85-event World Series of Poker Online series, the bracelet events on WSOP.com have maintained their daily progression throughout July.
The initial 31 events of the WSOP Online series are exclusively open to players from WSOP Nevada and WSOP New Jersey. In the meantime, the global GGPoker site, accessible in various countries (excluding the United States), is hosting an additional 54 events till early September. The first couple of these bracelet events on GGPoker were postponed yesterday due to server problems, but a third tournament managed to conclude late last night.
Over 25,000 total entries, including re-entries, have been made through the first 19 tournaments on WSOP.com, averaging 1,343 entries per tournament. The combined prize pools for these 19 events amount to over $16.1 million.
To participate in WSOP Online bracelet events on WSOP.com, players don’t have to be residents of Nevada or New Jersey. However, they must be physically present in either of these two states to be able to play on the respective sites.
Following the review of results from Events #1-5 and Events #6-12, this is a summary of the past week’s action in the WSOP Online series.
Event #13: Michael Lech adds bracelet to WSOP-C ring collection
Michael “miguelfiesta” Lech, a standout in the WSOP Circuit, secured his first WSOP bracelet last Monday in Event #13. This was a $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout event and was one of the two “high rollers” in the series.
The tournament, which had 649 participants, boasted a prize pool of almost $925,000. The victory, earning just over $164,000, went to Lech who has previously won eight WSOP Circuit rings and was a runner-up in a bracelet event in 2017.
Connor Drinan, also known by his nickname “666666”, made the final table and won nearly $30,000, a result seemingly predicted by his nickname as he finished in sixth place.
Daniel “DNegs” Negreanu, in the meantime, ended up in 27th place, earning over $6,000. This is his largest cash prize from the eight he’s won during the WSOP.com part of the WSOP Online series. As an ambassador for GGPoker, Negreanu is expected to join others in opting to participate in the rest of the WSOP Online events on GGPoker.
Event #14: 2015 Main Event champ Joe McKeehen wins High Roller, third career bracelet
The next event scheduled on WSOP.com this month is the largest buy-in WSOP event, the $3,200 High Roller. In Event #14 on Tuesday, a number of well-known players progressed far into the game. However, it was 2015 WSOP Main Event champion Joe “fanofdapoker” McKeehen who outperformed everyone else, securing his third career bracelet.
The field, consisting of 496 entries, resulted in a prize pool exceeding $1.5 million, marking it as the highest in the series to date. McKeehen emerged victorious, securing the largest portion of the pool, nearly $353,000.
Roland “prngls12” Israelashvili, a frequent WSOP casher, secured the third position, winning nearly $149,000. Clayton “NevarLucky” Maguire, who bagged a WSOP online bracelet in 2016, finished in sixth place, earning over $52,000.
Farid Jattin (known as “GatoVolador”), who placed 14th, Blake Bohn (“CheeetahGirl”), who came in 15th, Ryan Depaulo (“joeyisamush”), the champion of Event #12 and the 16th placer, and Loren Klein (“BabyJesus”), who came in 18th, all made it to the final two tables.
Event #15: Guy Dunlap wins PLO High Roller, Daniels denied again
Guy “PhilLaak” Dunlap claimed his first bracelet in the second non-hold’em event of the series, specifically during Wednesday’s Event #15, the $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller.
A prize pool of nearly $630,000 was built from a field of 663 entries. From this, Dunlap won just under $134,000 for coming in first place.
Shane “danish01” Daniels came in second place, earning just above $82,000. This was Daniels’ second time finishing as runner-up in two weeks. He also secured the second position in another non-Hold’em tournament of the series, the $600 PLO8 6-Handed event, which was won by Nathan Gamble.
Three-time bracelet winner Matt “jacksup” Matros, who finished seventh, and two-time bracelet winner Anthony “heheh” Zinno, who took eighth, also made it to the final table.
Event #16: Terrell Cheatham earns swift $500 Turbo win
On Thursday, Terrell “Heezahustla” Cheatham won Event #15, a $500 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo, in just seven-and-a-half hours.
Cheatham secured a victory worth just over $116,000 by outperforming a field of 1,528 entries, generating a prize pool of slightly more than $687,000.
Calvin “projector52” Anderson, who has won two bracelets, made it far but fell at 11th place.
Event #17: Pat Lyon captures $777 event for $173,000
On Friday, in Event #17, a $777 No-Limit Hold’em tournament that drew 1,382 total entries, Pat “IchiiKawawa” Lyon had a stroke of luck.
The winner of the WSOP-C ring bagged his first bracelet and more than $173,000. Jim “BOCARATONE” Collopy, a one-time bracelet winner, also made it to the final table, securing the fifth position and slightly more than $40,000.
Roland Israelashvili has made it to the end in another tournament, finishing in 12th place and earning slightly over $10,000. This summer, Israelashvili has received cash prizes in nine WSOP events on WSOP.com, including six out of the seven that took place just last week.
Event #18: Scott Hempel wins $1,000 Turbo in seven hours
Scott “BudLightLime” Hempel won over $181,000 and his first bracelet by taking down Event #18, a $1,000 NLHE Turbo, on Saturday.
It took Hempel just over seven hours to outperform a field of 987 entries. Originating from Ontario, Canada, Hempel is the second non-American to win a bracelet in the series. The winner of Event #11, Raman Afanasenka, is from Belarus.
Prominent players who made it far in the competition included WSOP bracelet winner Barry “puigmyfriend” Hutter who finished fifth, two-time World Poker Tour champion Aaron “TightisRight” Mermelstein who finished 11th, and WSOP bracelet winner and online legend Chris “Benfleet” Moorman who finished 27th.
Event #19: Kenny Huynh wins $400 NLH for almost $134,000
Event #19, a $400 No-Limit Hold’em event, eventually took place yesterday. The title was won by Kenny “Chopuh” Huynh, who secured his first bracelet and almost $134,000 in winnings.
The Sunday tournament attracted a substantial number of 2,545 participants, generating a prize pool slightly exceeding $916,000. Vincent “meatball44” Ablahani and Sang “youngkoi” Lee were among the competitors that Huynh had to face towards the end to secure the victory.
Huynh, based in New Jersey, achieved his largest career score, surpassing the just over $80,000 he won for coming in second place at a Parx Big Stax event in February.
2020 WSOP Online Series by the numbers (through Event #19)
| Event | Event | Buy-In | Players | Re-Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | First Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Limit Hold’em Kick-Off | $500 | 1,195 | 520 | $771,750 | Jonathan Dokler | $130,425.75 |
| 2 | No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Deepstack | $1,000 | 647 | 272 | $873,050 | Louis Lynch | $168,585.95 |
| 3 | No Limit Hold’em | $400 | 1,450 | 641 | $752,760 | Robert Kuhn | $115,849.76 |
| 4 | No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo | $500 | 828 | 351 | $530,550 | Matt Bode | $97,090.65 |
| 5 | No Limit Hold’em Freezeout | $1,000 | 854 | 0 | $811,300 | Allen Chang | $161,286.44 |
| 6 | Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 6-Handed | $600 | 497 | 336 | $449,820 | Nathan Gamble | $89,424.21 |
| 7 | No Limit Hold’em Knockout Deepstack | $800 | 989 | 0 | $731,860 | Joon Kim | $106,126.98* |
| 8 | No Limit Hold’em Freezeout | $500 | 1,479 | 0 | $665,550 | Alan Goehring | $119,399.67 |
| 9 | No Limit Hold’em 6-Max | $1,000 | 658 | 368 | $974,700 | Ron McMillen | $188,214.57 |
| 10 | No Limit Hold’em MonsterStack | $600 | 1,505 | 569 | $1,119,960 | Ryan Torgersen | $172,361.84 |
| 11 | No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed | $500 | 1,081 | 610 | $760,950 | Raman Afanasenka | $128,600.55 |
| 12 | The BIG 500 No Limit Hold’em | $500 | 1,624 | 803 | $1,092,150 | Ryan Depaulo | $159,563.11 |
| 13 | No Limit Hold’em High Roller Freezeout | $1,500 | 649 | 0 | $924,825 | Michael Lech | $164,248.92 |
| 14 | No Limit Hold’em High Roller | $3,200 | 368 | 128 | $1,507,840 | Joe McKeehen | $352,985.34 |
| 15 | PLO 8-Max HR | $1,000 | 386 | 277 | $629,850 | Guy Dunlap | $133,780.14 |
| 16 | No Limit Hold’em Turbo | $500 | 1,044 | 484 | $687,600 | Terrell Cheatham | $116,204.40 |
| 17 | No Limit Hold’emæ | $777 | 917 | 465 | $967,400 | Pat Lyon | $173,551.56 |
| 18 | No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Turbo DeepStack | $1,000 | 697 | 290 | $937,650 | Scott Hempel | $181,060.21 |
| 19 | No Limit Hold’em | $400 | 1,757 | 788 | $916,200 | Kenny Huynh | $133,856.82 |
*includes knockout bounties
