WSOP Online 2020: India’s “Alex_52” Finishes Runner-Up in Event #52 (~₹1.55 Crores); Alek Stasiak Wins 2nd Gold Bracelet

Since 2017, Indian players have set a trend of winning gold bracelets in the world’s biggest poker festival, the World Series of Poker (WSOP)! Keeping the streak alive, “Alex_52,” displayed a fierce performance in Event #52: $1,000 NLHE at the ongoing 2020 WSOP Online series taking place GGPoker and Natural8. He was just a hair’s breadth away from capturing for the country its first bracelet for 2020. Alas! A brutal bad beat on the river of the final hand saw Canada’s Alek ‘astazz’ Stasiak walk away with the title and top prize of $273,505. Instead, “Alex_52” banked a career-best $207,190 (~₹1.55 Crores) for his runner-up finish. This is also the best score by an Indian at the inaugural online series thus far!

The tourney logged in 2,006 entries, creating a prize pool worth $1,095,700. The top 278 runners received payouts.

The champion Stasiak is the first player to have won two bracelets at the ongoing series. In fact, he is the only player in WSOP history to win two online bracelets! He had shipped Event #33 $1,111 Every 1 for COVID Relief on July 26 for $343,203.53. India’s first-ever solo bracelet winner ‘OBellaCiao’ had placed fourth in that event for $127,571.28 (~₹95.42 Lakhs).

With this win, Stasiak claimed his second gold bracelet and won a WSOP Europe package!

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Dejan “627265” Kaladjurdjevic – 13,410,830
2. Alex_52 – 10,467,781
3. Jimmy “KOBE_BRYANT8” Guerrero – 5,952,894
4. Thomas “IplayYpay” Hueber – 5,613,306
5. Federico “elputoamo!” Molina – 5,103,052
6. Vincas “seimininkas” Tamasauskas – 4,363,987
7. Jesse “AAGenius88” Mercado – 2,038,064
8. Denis “FXOpen” Peganov – 1,939,991
9. Alek “astazz” Stasiak – 1,260,095

Final Table Recap

Having started out with the second biggest stack, “Alex_52” quickly took the chip lead away from Dejan “627265” Kaladjurdjevic. The hand in question saw him raise to 400,000 from the hijack and Kaladjurdjevic 3-bet to 1.6 Million from the big blind. “Alex_52” called to see the flop . Kaladjurdjevic led out for 881,250. He called again, and the turn brought the . Both players checked through to see the river. Kaladjurdjevic fired a bet of 1.12 Million and “Alex_52” called tabling . Kaladjurdjevic turned over . Both players had flopped a pair of kings, with “Alex_52” claiming the pot and the chip lead with his nine-high kicker. The Indian player’s stack reached 15.31 Million, while Kaladjurdjevic came down to 9.19 Million.

Soon after that, the first elimination took place when Federico “elputoamo!” Molina‘s ran into “Alex_52’s” . The board ran out , and once again, both players rivered a pair of aces. For a second time, “Alex_52’s” better kicker won him the pot, eliminating Molina in ninth place.

About five minutes later, Jimmy “KOBE_BRYANT8” Guerrero jammed from the cutoff for 2.74 Million with . Vincas “seimininkas” Tamasauskas 3-bet shoved from the small blind for 3.81 Million, holding . The big blind got out of the way. The runout came and Tamasauskas flopped a top pair, dismissing Guerrero in eighth place.

Next to go was Jesse “AAGenius88” Mercado in seventh place when his pocket eights were cracked by Denis “FXOpen” Peganov’s .

Towards the end of Level 31, Thomas “IplayYpay” Hueber moved all-in from the small blind for 6.29 Million. Peganov called from the big blind with a slightly bigger stack.

Thomas “IplayYpay” Hueber

Denis “FXOpen” Peganov

The community cards revealed . Though Hueber spiked a queen on the river, Peganov’s flopped a set of tens resulted in the former’s elimination in sixth place.

Less than 10 minutes later, Vincas “seimininkas” Tamasauskas joined Hueber at the rail. His was no match for Kaladjurdjevic’s which bettered to a two-pair on the board , knocking Tamasauskas out in fifth place.

Just before Level 32 ended, the lone WSOP bracelet winner on the final table Alek “astazz” Stasiak doubled up through Peganov taking his stack to 12.47 Million. He was second only to “Alex_52”, who was sitting at the top with 20.40 Million, with four players in contention.

At the start of Level 33, “Alex_52” raised to 1 Million from the button and Stasiak 3-bet to 3.6 Million from the big blind. Alex_52 called to see the flop . Stasiak fired a bet of 3.8 Million, prompting ‘Alex_52’ to fold. Stasiak took down the pot, and with that, the chip lead with a stack of 20.83 Million. “Alex_52” came down to 14.18 Million.

Soon after that, Denis “FXOpen” Peganovi shoved from UTG for 5.71 Million. Stasiak called from the big blind with . Peganov showed . The board saw Stasiak pairing his ace on the flop, ousting Peganov in fourth place.

Down to three-handed play, Dejan “627265” Kaladjurdjevic had the shortest stack of 11.70 Million. He managed to stay afloat after doubling through Stasiak, taking his chip count to 14.96 Million. However, that wasn’t of much help. After the players returned from a six-minute break, Kaladjurdjevic dream run came to an end in third place. His was no match for Stasiak’s which improved to a two pair on the runout .

The heads-up between Alek “astazz” Stasiak (34,207,038) and “Alex_52” (15,942,962) began with the former enjoying a commendable lead. At the start of Level 34, “Alex_52” won a big pot to whisk the chip lead away from his Canadian rival, taking his chip count to 33.39 Million. Stasiak also doubled up towards the end of the level, but “Alex_52” still retained the lead.

At the start of Level 35, the tide turned in Stasiak’s favor as he won a massive pot to gain a commanding lead over “Alex_52”.

Left with just 13 BBs, “Alex_52” decided to risk his tournament life with . He jammed from the button for 7.90 Million, and Stasiak called with . The flop kept “Alex_52” ahead. On the turn, “Alex_52” had an 86% chance of taking down the pot. But the on the river was brutal for “Alex_52”, as Stasiak went on to pair his king.

“Alex_52” eventually finished runner-up for a career-best $207,190 (~₹1.55 Crores). Meanwhile, Stasiak went on to create WSOP history by becoming the first player ever to win two online bracelets.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Alek “astazz” Stasiak – $273,505*

2. Alex_52 – $207,190

3. Dejan “627265” Kaladjurdjevic – $150,358

4. Denis “FXOpen” Peganov – $109,114

5. Vincas “seimininkas” Tamasauskas – $79,184

6. Thomas “IplayYpay” Hueber – $57,464

7. Jesse “AAGenius88” Mercado – $41,701

8. Jimmy “KOBE_BRYANT8” Guerrero – $30,263

9. Federico “elputoamo!” Molina – $21,962

*includes WSOP Europe Package

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP.com and PokerNews.com

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