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Kristen Foxen Defends Title In Final PokerGO Tour Kickoff Event

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Kristen Foxen already sits atop one of the most prestigious leaderboards in poker, with her five World Series of Poker bracelet wins being the most of any female player. The 38-year-old is now also on the verge of becoming the highest-earning female poker player ever.

The Canadian poker pro Kristen Foxen took down the $10,000 buy-in finale of the 2025 PokerGO Tour Kickoff series on Saturday, Jan. 25 for a $197,625 payday, bringing her lifetime tournament haul to $10,676,511. As a result, she now sits just $222,516 behind current women’s money list leader Vanessa Selbst ($10,899,027).

This was her second consecutive victory in this event, having also won the finale of last year’s PGT Kickoff Series as well, that time beating Daniel Negreanu heads-up for $165,000.

Kristen Foxen overcame a field of 93 entries in this no-limit hold’em event to secure her 14th recorded title and her 248th lifetime cash. This victory also came with 540 Card Player Player of the Year points.

It was her second final-table finish of the new year, with a runner-up showing in the $10,000 finale of the PGT Last Chance festival a couple of weeks earlier for $187,550 and 550 points. With 1,090 total points, Foxen is now ranked 10th in the 2025 POY standings presented by Global Poker.

Kristen Foxen cashed in three of the five PGT Kickoff events on this year’s schedule, accumulating a total of 525 PGT points along the way. As a result, she surged into first place on the tour’s season-long leaderboard.

The 93-entry turnout for this event built a $930,000 prize pool, with the top 14 finishers receiving a share. By the end of day 1 action on Friday, just seven players remained in contention.

Foxen held the chip lead when day 2 got underway inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas. Two-time bracelet winner Joao Simao scored the first knockout of the day, eliminating event no. 3 runner-up Neil Warren in seventh place ($37,200).

Nick Seward was the next to fall, with his A-J suited running into the A-K of Foxen. Neither player connected with the eight-high runout and Foxen’s superior high cards earned her the pot. Seward was awarded $46,500 for his sixth-place showing.

Foxen pulled even further ahead during early five-handed action, only to take a hit via a big three-way all-in. 2021 Wynn Millions champion Andrew Moreno’s last chips went in with AClub SuitKSpade Suit racing against Foxen’s 3Heart Suit3Club Suit and leading Simao’s AHeart Suit9Heart Suit. The board came down 7Heart Suit7Diamond Suit4Club Suit4Diamond Suit9Spade Suit to see Simao river nines up for the win. Moreno was eliminated in fifth place ($65,100) while Simao doubled up to move into second on the leaderboard behind Foxen, who was still out in front despite taking a hit in the hand.

Reigning PGT Player of the Year and recent PGT Championship winner Jeremy Ausmus bowed out in fourth place ($83,700). He lost the majority of his stack in a clash with Foxen, risking all but one 25,000 from his stack with a three-bet holding A-4 suited. Foxen called with A-J and made a queen-high straight on the end after it checked through on the flop and turn. Ausmus folded to her river bet and was left with a fraction of a small blind. He was automatically all-in from the small blind on the following hand and Foxen, who was in the big blind, made queens up to end Ausmus’ latest deep run. The six-time bracelet winner now has more than $24.7 million in career earnings to his name.

Bracelet winner and reigning European Poker Tour Barcelona champion Stephen Song got the last of his stack in with a cold four-bet shove from the big blind holding AClub SuitKHeart Suit. He was looked up by Simao, who had three-bet from the small blind with 5Spade Suit5Heart Suit. Song flopped a gutshot straight draw to go along with his overcards, but blanks on the turn and river resulted in a third-place finish for the $111,600. He now has nearly $9.2 million in total cashes.

The final two players ended up making a deal that evenly split the remaining prize money, resulting in $197,625 payouts for both Simao and Foxen. They then played out the tournament to determine who would secure the trophy and the ranking points that came with it.

The final hand of the tournament began with Foxen limping from the button for 200,000 with 9Club Suit7Spade Suit. Simao raised to 700,000 from the big blind with ASpade Suit10Heart Suit and Foxen made the call. The flop came down 7Heart Suit4Spade Suit3Heart Suit and Simao checked. Foxen fired 550,000 with top pair, only to be met with a check-raise to 1,700,000 from her Brazilian opponent. Foxen called and the 8Club Suit rolled off on the turn. Both players checked and the 8Heart Suit completed the board. Simao moved all-in for 4,025,000, sending Foxen into the tank. She eventually made the call to lock up the title with her eights and sevens with a nine kicker. Simao grew his career earnings to nearly $8.2 million after collecting his negotiated payout.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded at the final table:

Place Player Earnings POY Points PGT Points
1 Kristen Foxen $197,625 540 484
2 Joao Simao $197,625 450 307
3 Stephen Song $111,600 360 223
4 Jeremy Ausmus $83,700 270 167
5 Andrew Moreno $65,100 225 130
6 Nicholas Seward $46,500 180 93
7 Neil Warren $37,200 135 74

Nick Schulman Wins First PokerGO Tour Event Held In 2025

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Nick Schulman ended 2024 on a high note, taking down the $5,000 turbo bounty event at the World Series of Poker Paradise for his sixth career bracelet. The 40-year-old poker pro Nick Schulman also started his 2025 off with a bang by emerging victorious in the first PokerGO Tour event held in the new year.

Nick Schulman overcame a field of 111 total entries in the kickoff event of the PGT Last Chance series. He earned $283,050 as the last player standing in the $10,100 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament. He now has nearly $22.1 million in career earnings after this triumph inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas.

Nick Schulman also earned 283 PGT points, enough to move him to ninth in that high-stakes-centric points race, which means that he has all but assured himself a spot in the forthcoming PGT Championship which will run next week.

The final day began with seven remaining and Schulman in the lead. The first knockout arose from a classic preflop race, with bracelet winner Aram Zobian (7th – $44,400) holding pocket fives against the K-Q suited of two-time bracelet winner Joao Simao, which ended up making king-high straight to narrow the field to six contenders.

The next big clash saw Nick Schulman attempt to use a key straight blocker to bluff Simao. Unfortunately for Schulman, Simao had made the straight himself on the end and quickly called Shulman’s shove to double into a sizable lead.

Nick Schulman ended 2024 on a high note, taking down the $5,000 turbo bounty event at the World Series of Poker Paradise for his sixth career bracelet.

The 40-year-old poker pro also started his 2025 off with a bang by emerging victorious in the first PokerGO Tour event held in the new year.

Schulman overcame a field of 111 total entries in the kickoff event of the PGT Last Chance series. He earned $283,050 as the last player standing in the $10,100 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament. He now has nearly $22.1 million in career earnings after this triumph inside the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas.

This victory came with 600 Card Player Player of the Year points, which gives Schulman the early lead in the 2025 POY standings presented by Global Poker.

Schulman also earned 283 PGT points, enough to move him to ninth in that high-stakes-centric points race, which means that he has all but assured himself a spot in the forthcoming PGT Championship which will run next week.

The final day began with seven remaining and Schulman in the lead. The first knockout arose from a classic preflop race, with bracelet winner Aram Zobian (7th – $44,400) holding pocket fives against the K-Q suited of two-time bracelet winner Joao Simao, which ended up making king-high straight to narrow the field to six contenders.

The next big clash saw Nick Schulman attempt to use a key straight blocker to bluff Simao. Unfortunately for Schulman, Simao had made the straight himself on the end and quickly called Shulman’s shove to double into a sizable lead.

Victoria Livschitz got her last chips in with AHeart Suit3Diamond Suit leading the KDiamond Suit5Diamond Suit of Simao, but a KSpade Suit5Heart Suit4Spade Suit4Club SuitKClub Suit runout gave Simao kings full and the knockout. Livschitz cashed for $127,650. This score saw her surpass $2.2 million in recorded live earnings.

Heads-up play began with Simao holding 9,800,000 to the 4,075,000 of Schulman. The gap had expanded slightly in the early going before Schulman found a double up with A-K holding against K-9 to nearly even the playing field.

As the stack depth decreased, the swings increased. Simao retook the lead and held it for a while, but it was Schulman who was out in front with better than a 3:1 advantage when the final hand arose. Simao shoved from the button for nine big blinds with JHeart Suit2Spade Suit and Schulman called with JSpade Suit7Spade Suit out of the big blind. The board came down KClub Suit6Spade Suit6Heart Suit5Spade Suit7Club Suit and Schulman made sevens and sixes to win the pot and the title.

Simao earned $177,600 as the runner-up. He is approaching $8 million in career earnings thanks to this latest deep run, which marked his 182nd recorded cash.

Francis Anderson Wins Final Multi-Flight Poker Tournament of 2024

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Francis Anderson claimed the final multi-flight tournament title of 2024, just hours before the new year. The bracelet winner from Wappinger Falls, New York, emerged victorious in a 515-entry field at the 2024 Venetian New Year’s Extravaganza $250,000 Guaranteed $800 No-Limit Hold’em UltimateStack event. His impressive performance earned him $61,551 in the early hours of Dec. 31.

This marks Anderson’s sixth recorded tournament victory. Earlier this year, he secured his first World Series of Poker bracelet by winning the $800 Independence Day Celebration Event, taking home a career-best $501,040. Known for excelling in holiday-themed tournaments, Francis Anderson might be a strong contender if a Valentine’s Day tag-team event rolls around next year.

With this win, Anderson’s lifetime tournament earnings now exceed $3.6 million.

The tournament paid out the top 66 finishers, with the prize pool swelling to $355,350. The final stages featured stiff competition, including 2024 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian Poker Bowl champion Terry Fleischer (8th), Aaron Massey (6th), and bracelet winner Ryan Laplante (4th). Laplante, who recently placed second in the $1,600 mystery bounty during the WPT World Championship for $185,500, now approaches $4 million in career earnings after his second final-table finish of the month.

In the heads-up showdown, Francis Anderson faced Lokesh Garg, who began with a 3:2 chip advantage. Anderson seized control after making a flush against Garg’s jack-high straight. The final hand unfolded on a board of A♣ Q♠ 9♥ 9♣ J♣. Garg’s 10♥ 8♣ formed a straight, but it wasn’t enough to beat Anderson’s full house with J♠ 9♠. Garg finished as the runner-up, earning $44,245.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Place Player Earnings POY Points
1 Francis Anderson $61,551 420
2 Lokesh Garg $44,245 350
4 Ryan Laplante $23,785 280
5 James Agate $17,790 210

WATCH: Kristen Foxen vs. Andrew Robl in Epic $500,000 Poker Showdown

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The latest episode of PokerGO’s No Gamble No Future delivered an electrifying climax as Kristen Foxen and Andrew Robl faced off in a dramatic $500,000 showdown. The final hand of the night was a high-stakes clash that left viewers on the edge of their seats and cemented Foxen’s incredible run in 2023.

The Setup

The action unfolded with blinds set at $500/$1,000 and a $1,000 big blind ante, with Mike Volfson straddling for $2,000. Andrew Robl, holding A♣10♣ and a massive stack of $270,000, raised to $6,000—without even looking at his cards. Kristen Foxen, sitting on $247,000, peeked at A♥K♣ and responded decisively with a three-bet to $18,000.

The rest of the table folded, leaving Foxen and Robl to duel it out. Robl finally looked at his cards, assessed the situation, and asked for a count of Foxen’s remaining stack. Knowing the stakes, Robl moved all-in, and Foxen quickly called, building a jaw-dropping $497,500 pot.

The Odds

Heading into the showdown, Foxen held the advantage with a 68% chance to win, according to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator. Robl’s odds stood at 27%, while a chop was just a slim 5% possibility. Sean Perry, who was poised to claim a $200,000 bonus for the biggest profit over the three-episode stretch, now found himself watching helplessly, hoping for a rare chop to save his lead.

The Drama Unfolds

As the cards hit the felt, the tension soared.

  • Flop: J♦7♥2♣ — Foxen’s lead increased to 80%, leaving Robl in a precarious position.
  • Turn: 6♥ — The chance of a chop vanished, and Robl was down to just three outs.
  • River: 5♥ — The final card sealed Foxen’s victory, delivering her the massive pot and the coveted $200,000 profit bonus.

Robl, gracious in defeat, quipped, “Just for the record, I wanted to gamble,” after seeing how far behind he was in the hand.

A Stellar Year for Foxen

Kristen Foxen’s win in this hand is just the latest highlight in an extraordinary year.

  • WSOP Main Event: She finished 13th this summer, earning $600,000.
  • Fifth Bracelet: In October, she claimed her fifth WSOP bracelet in an online event, adding $356,412 to her impressive winnings.
  • Hall of Fame Recognition: Foxen was recently inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, cementing her legacy in the poker world.

Final Standings

The session ended with mixed fortunes for the players:

  • Kristen Foxen: Secured the biggest profit, earning the $200,000 bonus and the title of “Cash of the Titans.”
  • Sean Perry: Finished with a respectable $240,000 profit, despite missing the bonus.
  • Mike Volfson: The only other profitable player, ending $65,000 ahead.

Andrew Robl’s daring gamble fell short this time, but it added to the high-stakes drama that makes No Gamble No Future a must-watch series.

Watch the Hand

Relive the thrilling moment as Kristen Foxen triumphs in one of the most exciting poker showdowns of the year. Watch the full hand below!

Travis Egbert Wins WPT World Championship High Roller

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Travis Egbert entered 2024 with just under $263,000 in recorded tournament earnings. However, the Northern California native has taken the poker world by storm this year, amassing nearly $1.3 million in winnings, capturing four titles, and making eight final table appearances.

Egbert’s stellar year culminated on December 19 with his largest career victory yet: triumphing over a field of 111 entries in the 2024 World Poker Tour World Championship Alpha8 $25,800 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller. Held at Wynn Las Vegas, Egbert secured a career-high payout of $684,684 for his impressive performance.

Egbert’s Player of the Year Standings Boost

The victory also added 840 Card Player Player of the Year points, bringing Egbert’s total to 3,290 points. This moved him to 86th place in the Global Poker Player of the Year rankings.

A Year of Firsts

This marked Egbert’s first recorded cash in a high roller event with a buy-in of $25,000 or more. It was also his first win outside of Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento, where he claimed three World Series of Poker Circuit rings in 2024. His victories at Thunder Valley included the $1,700 buy-in Main Event in October, which earned him $214,565.

The High Roller: Star-Studded Field

The Alpha8 event generated a $2,775,000 prize pool, paid out among the top 13 finishers. Notable players who made deep runs included:

  • Alexandros Kolonias (13th), 2019 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion
  • Brian Rast (10th), six-time WSOP bracelet winner
  • Shannon Shorr (9th), two-time WSOP bracelet winner
  • Igor Kurganov (8th), WSOP bracelet winner
  • Sean Winter (7th), high-stakes regular

Key Final Table Highlights

Egbert built momentum during the final stages, including a pivotal hand where his sixes full of sevens catapulted him into the chip lead. He further consolidated his position with trip nines, leaving Noel Rodriguez short-stacked. Rodriguez exited in third place, earning $354,488, when his A-8 failed to hold against Naj Ajez’s J-9 suited.

In heads-up play, Egbert and Ajez agreed to an ICM deal, locking in $600,000 each, with $84,684 and the trophy left to play for.

The deciding hand saw Egbert pick up pocket aces and steadily build the pot on a Q♣ J♦ 6♥ 5♥ A♣ board. Ajez ultimately called Egbert’s all-in river shove, only to see Egbert’s rivered set of aces. Ajez was eliminated in second place, taking home $600,000.

Egbert’s Stellar 2024: A Year to Remember

With four titles, a career-best score, and a breakout year, Travis Egbert has firmly established himself as a player to watch in the poker world.

$25,800 WPT Alpha 8 Final Table Results

Place Player Prize
1 Travis Egbert $684,684*
2 Naj Ajez $600,000*
3 Noel Rodriguez $345,488
4 Sam Soverel $253,219
5 Brock Wilson $190,781

Mike Gorodinsky Captures Fourth World Series of Poker Bracelet

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Mike Gorodinsky has added his name to the elite list of players with four or more World Series of Poker gold bracelets. The Russian-born mixed games professional and 2015 WSOP Player of the Year emerged victorious from a field of 200 entries in the 2024 WSOP Paradise $10,000 pot-limit Omaha event, earning the hardware and $393,250. Mike Gorodinsky now has more than $4.9 million in career tournament earnings.

This triumph came more than a decade after he secured his first WSOP win. That breakthrough took place back in 2013 in a $2,500 Omaha eight-or-better and stud eight-or-better mixed event. Two years later he secured the largest tournament win of his career, taking down the $50,000 Poker Players Championship for $1,270,086. His third bracelet was earned in 2023 in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. championship. Mike Gorodinsky became just the 77th player to have earned at least four bracelets with his most recent title run.

This PLO win at the Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas also came with 900 Card Player Player of the Year points for Mike Gorodinsky, who had finished third in the $25,000 dealers choice championship at the same series a handful of days earlier. He now has four final-table finishes and one title on the year.

It took just a single day for this tournament to whittle its 200-entry field down to a champion. The fast-paced affair awarded $2,000,000 in prize money across the top 30 spots. Big names that ran deep included three-time bracelet winner Alex Foxen (25th), reigning WSOP Player of the Year Scott Seiver (23rd), Ren Lin (21st), recent dealers choice event winner Eric Wasserson (20th), two-time bracelet winner Chris Brewer (19th), bracelet winner Danny Tang (17th), and two-time bracelet winner Artur Martirosian (10th).

Seven-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu was eliminated by Mike Gorodinsky in eighth place, with Negreanu’s double-suited pocket aces bested by a single-suited J-10-9-4, which made a jack-high straight on the end. The $45,710 Negreanu earned for his latest deep run moved his career tournament earnings up over $53.5 million.

Armin Ghojehvand bowed out in seventh place ($65,530) before Gorodinsky once again got involved in an all-in confrontation. The chips went in after a king high flop with poker triple crown winner Michael Watson holding top pair and the highest kicker. Mike Gorodinsky had the same top pair and shared one kicker with Watson, but had two other live side cards. Gorodinsky ended up making kings and sevens on the river to eliminate Watson in sixth place ($88,330). This was the 17th final-table finish of 2024 for Watson, with four titles won along the way including his first bracelet. The Canadian pro now sits in fifth place in the POY race standings presented by Global Poker.

Mike Gorodinsky then proceeded to eliminate Rui Neves (5th – $119,070) and rising high-stakes star Biao Ding (4th – $160,510) to take a big lead into three-handed play. 2022 WSOP POY award winner Daniel Zack scored the next knockout, busting bracelet winner Roman Hrabec ($216,380) in third place. This was the 11th final-table showing of 2024 for the Czech player, who climbed to 13th in the POY standings thanks to this deep run.

Heads-up play began with Gorodinsky holding better than a 2:1 chip advantage over Zack. The final hand arose with blinds at 40,000-80,000 with an 80,000 big blind ante. Zack raised to 300,000 on the button with AHeart SuitADiamond SuitQClub Suit7Club Suit and Gorodinsky called from the big blind with KHeart Suit5Heart Suit4Spade Suit3Spade Suit. The flop came down KClub Suit8Heart Suit2Heart Suit and both players checked. The 5Spade Suit turn gave Gorodinsky kings and fives with a heart redraw. He bet 400,000 and Zack called. The AClub Suit completed the board and Gorodinsky checked with his five-high straight. Zack bet the pot with his rivered set of aces, firing 1,500,000. Mike Gorodinsky moved all-in and Zack called off his remaining 1,225,000, only to be shown the wheel. Zack earned $291,680 as the runner-up. The three-time now has more than $4.5 million in lifetime tournament cashes to his name.

Alejandro Lococo Triumphs at WSOP Paradise Triton Million

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Argentinian rapper and poker player Alejandro Lococo claimed victory at the $1,000,000 Triton Million Event during the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise in the Bahamas. The high-stakes tournament awarded Lococo $12,070,000 and his first WSOP bracelet, solidifying his place in poker history.

The Triton Million event brought together 96 entrants, including top professionals and VIP players, creating a $44,603,000 prize pool. Among the competitors were stars like Alex Foxen, who finished 6th ($2,795,000), and runner-up Benjamin Heath, who walked away with $8,160,000. Wealthy VIPs such as David Einhorn and Sosia Jiang also joined the field, with Jiang earning $1,605,000 for her 8th-place finish.

Battle to the Final Table

The tournament’s final day began with 14 players, all guaranteed payouts. Notable eliminations included poker pro Stephen Chidwick (14th, $792,000) and Adrian Mateos (11th, $985,000). Chance Kornuth and Sosia Jiang also exited before the final table, showcasing the event’s intense competition.

Lococo’s Road to Victory

Lococo, known for his passion for the game rather than reliance on advanced poker tools, displayed exceptional skill throughout the event. Key moments included eliminating Daniel Dvoress (4th, $4,390,000) and Sinan Unlu (3rd, $5,304,000) to enter heads-up play with a commanding chip lead.

In the decisive hand, Lococo’s K♦2♥ bested Heath’s A♦K♣, thanks to a fortunate flop that delivered a pair of deuces. This victory earned Lococo his first WSOP bracelet and one of the largest cash prizes in WSOP history.

Final Table Results and Payouts

Place Player Country Prize
1 Alejandro Lococo Argentina $12,070,000
2 Benjamin Heath United Kingdom $8,160,000
3 Sinan Unlu Turkey $5,304,000
4 Daniel Dvoress Canada $4,390,000
5 Elias Talvitie Finland $3,542,000
6 Alex Foxen United States $2,795,000
7 Aleksejs Ponakovs Latvia $2,140,000

Lococo’s Legacy in Poker

With this win, Alejandro Lococo, a rapper with a love for poker, has proven that passion and drive can lead to greatness. This $12M victory, combined with his prior accomplishments, makes him a standout in the poker world.

WSOP Main Event Champ Wins European Poker Tour High Roller

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Espen Jorstad’s name became synonymous with poker greatness when he won the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, taking home an eye-watering $10,000,000. But the Norwegian pro has proven he is no one-hit wonder, adding nearly $7.7 million in earnings across 49 in-the-money finishes since that career-defining moment.

Today, Jorstad’s lifetime winnings stand at nearly $18.6 million, making him the undisputed Norwegian all-time money leader. Even without his WSOP Main Event victory, his results surpass second-ranked Kayhan Mokri, who has $7.8 million in recorded scores.

European Poker Tour Prague Triumph

Jorstad’s most recent success came at the 2024 European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague festival, where he claimed victory in a €25,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em high roller event.

This marked Jorstad’s second POY-qualified score of the year. While he secured a massive $2.2 million payday at last month’s $200,000 buy-in Triton Monte Carlo invitational, that result did not contribute to his POY standings.

The European Poker Tour Prague high roller boasted an $855,950 prize pool, distributed among the top seven finishers. Fellow Norwegian Morten Klein was the first to cash, finishing seventh after a deal was struck. Viacheslav Buldygin (6th – $59,890) and Nikita Kuznetsov (5th – $76,002) followed shortly after.

Key Hands and Final Standings

Roman Hrabec, a Czech poker standout, exited in fourth place ($97,414) after his J-8 couldn’t overcome Jorstad’s pocket aces in a blind-on-blind showdown. Hrabec has enjoyed a remarkable 2024, reaching 10 final tables and claiming three titles, including a $4.3 million win at the Triton Jeju Main Event.

The tournament ended in a thrilling three-way all-in:

  • Ilya Nikiforov shoved with J♣10♦ for 5.5 big blinds.
  • Enrico Camosci re-shoved with 9♥9♣ from the small blind.
  • Jorstad called with A♥10♥ from the big blind.

The board ran out Q♣8♥5♣J♠A♣, giving Jorstad a pair of aces and the win. Nikiforov finished third ($131,652), while Camosci secured second place ($191,542).

Dominance on the Global Stage

With his latest win, Jorstad has solidified his reputation as one of poker’s elite players. His consistency and adaptability across formats and stakes are a testament to his skill and determination.

As the 2024 season unfolds, Jorstad’s journey continues to inspire, proving that his WSOP triumph was only the beginning of a legendary poker career.

Super High Roller Final Results

Rank Player Country Prize
1 Espen Jorstad Norway $294,150
2 Enrico Camosci Italy $191,542
3 Ilya Nikiforov Estonia $131,652
4 Roman Hrabec Czechia $97,414
5 Nikita Kuznetsov Russia $76,002

Dylan Smith Wins WPT Seminole Rock’n’Roll Poker Open Main Event

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Rock N Roll Poker Open

Dylan Smith narrowly missed capturing a World Poker Tour (WPT) title earlier in May 2024, finishing fifth in the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown main event. Remarkably, just 188 days later, Smith seized another chance at glory, winning the $3,500 buy-in WPT Rock’n’Roll Poker Open main event. Outlasting a field of 1,435 entries, Smith earned the prestigious title and a career-best payday of $662,200.

“It feels phenomenal,” Smith said after his victory. “I didn’t know when I’d get a chance at redemption, and I’m really grateful it happened so quickly.”

Both of Smith’s WPT final tables have taken place at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in South Florida, a venue where he has earned eight of his 14 highest tournament cashes. With this win, Smith’s total live tournament earnings now approach $3.5 million across 103 recorded cashes.

The victory also earned Smith 1,440 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points, his first title and fourth final-table finish of 2024. With 2,689 total points, he is now within striking distance of the top 100 in the 2024 POY standings presented by Global Poker.

The event featured a $3 million guarantee, but the impressive turnout boosted the total prize pool to $4,592,000, distributed among the top 181 finishers. Notable deep runs included two-time bracelet winner Jesse Lonis (29th), 2015 WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen (26th), and WPT champions Matthew Wantman (8th) and Darryll Fish (7th).

Final Table Action:

The final day began with Matthew Beinner in the lead and bracelet winner Francis Anderson as the short stack. Paul Domb was the first to bust when his pocket jacks fell to Beinner’s pocket kings, earning him $140,000 for sixth place.

Anderson briefly gained momentum with a double-up but was later eliminated in fifth place for $184,000 when his pocket queens lost to Beinner’s ace-king. This boosted Anderson’s lifetime earnings to nearly $3.6 million.

Landon Tice, runner-up in the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, exited in fourth place. His pocket nines couldn’t hold against Florian Ribouchon’s pocket tens, earning Tice $245,000 and pushing his career earnings beyond $2.3 million.

Ribouchon’s run ended in third place ($325,000) after his pocket sixes lost to Beinner’s pocket nines, which improved to a full house. This marked the Frenchman’s second-largest career score, following his $1,003,554 runner-up finish in the 2023 WSOP Millionaire Maker event.

Heads-Up Showdown:

Beinner started heads-up play with a nearly 2:1 chip lead over Smith, but Smith quickly closed the gap. A series of pivotal hands, including a rivered straight and a king-high flush, swung the momentum in Smith’s favor, giving him a commanding lead.

The final hand saw Smith shove from the button with 7♣6♣. Beinner called with Q♥J♦, but the 7♦6♦ on the flop gave Smith two pair. Beinner turned a gutshot straight draw with the 9♣, but the 3♠ on the river sealed his fate. Beinner finished as runner-up, earning $440,000—more than double his previous best cash of $204,601.

Smith’s incredible run secured his first WPT title, cementing his status as a rising star in the poker world.

David Jackson Takes Down WSOP Circuit Main Event

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The World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) made a thrilling stop at Horseshoe Las Vegas, offering 18 gold rings and hefty prize pools during its 12-day festival. The centerpiece was the $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event, which drew 455 entries and concluded with two-time WSOP bracelet winner David Jackson taking home the title, $139,996, and his second WSOPC gold ring. Jackson’s first ring came in a $580 buy-in event at Harrah’s Cherokee in 2017.

Jackson’s Career Earnings Surpass $5 Million

This victory pushed the Jacksonville, Florida resident’s career earnings to $5,025,130, with over $1.5 million coming from WSOP bracelet events and more than $500,000 from WSOPC cashes. Jackson also earned 720 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points, marking his third title and seventh final-table appearance of the year. He now sits in 121st place in the 2024 POY race, with 2,588 total points and $362,000 in POY earnings to date.

Final Table Highlights

The final table showcased top-tier talent. Three-time bracelet winner Upeshka De Silva narrowly missed the final nine, finishing 10th for $8,279. Jacob Mendelsohn (9th – $10,451) and Martin Cornero (8th – $13,470) were the first eliminations.

Terry Fleischer, the 2023 Mid-States Poker Tour Venetian Poker Bowl champion, exited in seventh place ($17,717) when his 10-9 suited ran into pocket jacks. Matt Affleck, a notable 2010 WSOP main event deep runner, was eliminated in sixth place ($24,146) when his ace-jack fell to king-nine suited.

Three-time bracelet winner Ryan Leng exited in fifth place ($32,526) after his king-queen couldn’t hold against ace-four suited. Brian Battistone finished fourth ($45,364), losing to Jackson’s top pair.

Heads-Up Showdown

After eliminating Walter Connors in third place ($64,470), Jackson entered heads-up play with a strong chip lead over Yaniv Livnat. In the final hand, Jackson’s J♦7♣ triumphed over Livnat’s 8♣7♣ on a 7♠6♣2♣ board. Livnat’s hopes for a comeback ended when the river brought the 6♥, securing his runner-up finish and a career-best $93,329 payday.

A Stellar Year for Jackson

This latest win solidifies Jackson’s place as one of poker’s elite, adding another chapter to his impressive career and bolstering his position in the 2024 POY race.

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