WSOP 2019: Germany’s Hossein Ensan is the New World Champion; Wins 50th Annual Main Event For $10 Million!

The 50^th-anniversary special $10K Main Event has finally crowned a champion in Germany’s Hossein Ensan (cover image)! The Iran-born 55-year-old player triumphed over the second-largest field of 8,569 entries in WSOP history. He is now the third player to bank a payday of $10 Million or more at the WSOP Main Event after secured a career-best score of $10 Million following his emphatic victory.

Ensan had dominated the final table right from the get-go. He had entered the nine-player final table as the chip leader and retained his top seat till the very end. He eliminated Timothy Su, Nicholas Marchington, Kevin Maahs and Alex Livingston, to comfortable cruise into the heads-up finale against Italy’s Dario Sammartino. Though Ensan did lose the chip lead to Sammartino early on, he managed to win it back and held on to it till the very end. Sammartino was never out of the woods and was sporting the shortest stack on Day 8 and Day 9. But he played exceptionally well to finish in the runner-up spot, pocketing an impressive $6 Million payday in the process.

When asked what it feels like to become the ‘World Champion’, Ensan said, “It is the best feeling I have in all my life.”

Talking about his heads-up opponent, Sammartino, Ensan stated, “He’s a big name and he’s a very good player. But short-handed you need cards. You need hands and for sure luck. Luck and hands [were] on my side.”

“I am so happy I am here with bracelet in hand,” the champion concluded.

Team India at the 2019 WSOP Main Event

Since the largest-ever contingent of Indian players was in attendance at the WSOP this year, the number of Indians that participated in the biggest poker tournament of the year was also higher than last year. While the exact number of Indians who had featured in the event is unknown, a total of 15 Indians had advanced to Day 3 from Day 2AB and 2C. Ultimately, only 10 Indians managed to finish in the money in the Main Event.

PokerGuru Ambassador Kartik Ved was the only challenger to make it through to Day 6. He had entered the day with the 43^rd biggest stack of 5,085,000 and following swingy day on the felts, eventually busted out in 51^st place for $173,015 (~₹1.18 Crores). Nevertheless, not only did Ved make back-to-back deep runs in the Main Event, but he also surpassed his previous best finish of 128^th for $57,010 (~₹39.20 Lakhs) at the series!

A total of 10 Indian cashes were registered at the 2019 Main Event, and besides Ved, another notable score belonged to PokerStars India Team pro Aditya Agarwal who clinched his eighth score at the WSOP Main Event, finishing 844^th for $18,535 (~₹12.70 Lakhs). Despite this series being a rough one for India’s poker pioneer, he is still the country’s most experienced Main Event campaigner. He is now just three cashes away from surpassing Berry Johnston’s record of 10 Main Event cashes.

Team India Cashes at the 2019 WSOP Main Event

Team India’s deep run in the Main Event may have fallen short of the final table; however, Young Gun Abhinav Iyer’s remarkable win in The Closer was consolation enough. Iyer not only brought home India’s first-ever solo gold bracelet, but he also banked the biggest score of $565,346 (~₹3.87 Crores) posted by an Indian at any poker tournament in recent history!

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Hossein Ensan – 177,000,000

2. Garry Gates – 99,300,000

3. Zhen Cai – 60,600,000

4. Kevin Maahs – 43,000,000

5. Alex Livingston – 37,800,000

6. Dario Sammartino – 33,400,000

7. Milos Skrbic – 23,400,000

8. Timothy Su – 20,200,000

9. Nick Marchington – 20,100,000

Final Table Recap (Day 7 – 9)

The nine-handed final table was convened at the end of Day 7 following the elimination of Robert Heidorn in 10^th place for $800,000.

Following a rest day on July 13, play resumed for Day 8 on July 14. the nine finalists started off the final table proceedings where after about five hours of playing, the field was narrowed down to five finalists.

Zhen Cai (6^th for $1,850,000), Nicholas Marchington (7^th for $1,525,000), Timothy Su (8^th for $1,250,000) and Milos Skrbic (9^th for $1,000,000) were eliminated on Day 8, while Ensan retained his chip lead heading into Day 9.

Day 9 saw fan-favorite Garry Gates (4^th for $3,000,000), and American player Kevin Maahs (5^th for $2,200,000) hit the rail, narrowing the field further down to the three remaining players. Ensan yet again emerged as the chip leader for a third consecutive day.

Final Day Chip Counts

1. Hossein Ensan – 326,800,000

2. Alex Livingston – 120,400,000

3. Dario Sammartino – 67,600,000

Final Day Recap

Day 10 which was the final day of the Main Event, opened with three finalists returning to the fray. Germany’s Hossein Ensan had retained the chip lead for three consecutive days and entered the final day with the biggest stack of 326,800,000 (163 big blinds). Trailing him were Canada’s Alex Livingston (120,400,000 – 60 big blinds) and Italy’s Dario Sammartino (67,600,000 – 33 big blinds).

Day 10 kicked off from the 121^st hand of the final table. On the 179^th hand, Livingston lost a massive pot to Sammartino which saw the latter overtake the Canadian in chips. Livingston raised to 5.5 Million from the button and Sammartino called from the big blind. The flop fell . Sammartino check-called 5 Million to see the turn . Sammartino checked again as Livingston fired a huge bet of 23 Million. Sammartino thought for a while before announcing all-in for 79 Million. Livingston promptly called tabling . Sammartino turned over . The on the river completed the board and Sammartino with his two pairs of tens and sixes on the turn doubled up through Livingston. Sammartino’s stack swelled to 182,600,000, while Livingston’s fell to 114,000,000.

From then onwards, it was a downward spiral for Alex Livingston, and finally, on the 200^th hand of the final table, his run came to an end. Livingston jammed from the button for 41.1 Million, and Ensan quickly called from the small blind. Livingston showed while Ensan tabled . The board brought both players a pair on the flop, but Ensan’s pair of queens was stronger than Livingston’s pair of jacks, ending the latter’s run in third place.

The heads-up play commenced with Hossein Ensan (279,800,000) maintaining his chip lead from the start-of-the-day, while Dario Sammartino (235,000,000) fought hard to close the gap. Sammartino did manage to whisk the chip lead away from Ensan early into the heads-up battle, but Ensan won it back by the end of level 41. The showdown played out for 101 hands and lasted nearly five hours. In the end, the Italian pro lost out the title to Ensan on the 301^st hand of the final table.

On the final hand, Ensan raised to 11 Million from the button and Sammartino called from the big blind to see the flop open . Sammartino check-called a bet of 15 Million from Ensan. The turn brought , and Sammartino checked once more. Ensan led out for 33 Million, and Sammartino shoved all-in for 140 Million. Ensan immediately called, and both players tabled their cards.

Dario Sammartino

Hossein Ensan

Ensan was in the lead with pocket kings, but Sammartino had the outs for a spades flush. But the on the river spelled the end of Sammartino’s Main Event run, crowing a champion in Ensan. The German superstar walked away with a life-altering $10 Million in prize money, along with the coveted honor of becoming the ‘World Champion!’

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Hossein Ensan – $10,000,000

2. Dario Sammartino – $6,000,000

3. Alex Livingston – $4,000,000

4. Garry Gates – $3,000,000

5. Kevin Maahs – $2,200,000

6. Zhen Cai – $1,850,000

7. Nicholas Marchington – $1,525,000

8. Timothy Su – $1,250,000

9. Milos Skrbic – $1,000,000

Content & Images Courtesy: World Series of Poker

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