2024 WSOP Daily Recap: Skarparis & Perkusic Win Maiden Bracelets; Santhosh Suvarna Takes 5th in $50K PLO High Roller; Sanat Mehrotra Bags in Main Event

Day 38 of the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas was ablaze with excitement as 831 hopefuls embarked on Day 1B of the Main Event, each vying for the coveted title of world champion. Amidst the electrifying atmosphere, Indian poker players stole the spotlight with their impressive performances and record-breaking achievements.

While the Main Event buzz surged through the venue, two players carved their names into WSOP history by clinching their first bracelets. Georgios Skarparis claimed victory in Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event, and Daniel Perkusic triumphed in Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha.

Indian poker sensation Santhosh Suvarna continued his remarkable run at the WSOP, securing a historic fifth-place finish in the $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha event. Fresh off his monumental $250K Super High Roller victory, Suvarna added a jaw-dropping $503,085 (~₹4.20 Crores) to his winnings, setting a new benchmark as the highest-ever PLO score by an Indian player.

In the Main Event Day 1B, Young Gun Sanat Mehrotra shone brightly, becoming the first Indian player this year to secure a Day 2 spot, bagging 52,000 chips (65 BBs). His progress flinches the hope of an Indian Main Event victory alive.

Adding to India’s success, three more players showcased their skills in Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold’em. Three-time WSOP bracelet winner Nipun Java (1.925 Million), along with Abhishek Paul (335,000) and Uday Kwatra (335,000), navigated the massive field with finesse, advancing to Day 2 with healthy stacks.

Day 38: What Happened?

Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship continued its thrilling ride on Day 1B, building on the drama-filled Day 1A that saw two players eliminated on the very first hand. WSOP Vice President Jack Effel kicked off the day with a Fourth of July welcome, reminding the hopefuls of the gruelling yet rewarding journey ahead.

“Over the next couple of weeks, you’ll get into some tense situations and have to make decisions that decide whether you win or lose the Main Event,” Effel projected to the crowd, setting the stage for another action-packed day. He hinted at the potential for one among them to leave a permanent mark on the walls of poker history with a championship banner.

🌟 It's Day 1B of the 55th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event, and we're thrilled to have Greg Raymer @FossilMan with us to kick off the action with a special "Shuffle Up and Deal"! 🃏✨

Join us as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of his incredible victory. 🎉#wsop2024… pic.twitter.com/0O7y411JeL

— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 4, 2024

Joining Effel was 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer, whose presence added a nostalgic touch. Raymer spoke about the unique spirit of camaraderie that permeates poker. “I’m sitting here staring at my banner, and it’s overwhelming to think about,” Raymer reflected. “Poker is a field where everyone can be friends, regardless of any differences. It’s a completely fair and even playing field for everyone.”

His speech underscored the community spirit of poker, encouraging players to compete fiercely but fairly and, most importantly, to enjoy the game. With the iconic words “shuffle up and deal,” Day 1B commenced.

Shortly after the cards hit the air, the echoes of the previous day’s rapid exits resurfaced. In a striking déjà vu, Tony Guglietti found himself on the unfortunate end of the first hand, echoing the dramatic exits from Day 1A. The hand unfolded with Guglietti and John Gutierrez committing 1.2K preflop, with blinds at 100/200. The flop came , Guglietti bet, and Gutierrez called. The turn brought the , leading to a check from Guglietti and a 3K bet from Gutierrez, which Guglietti called. The river delivered an , prompting Guglietti to shove. The final shove, likely over 55K given the previous betting, was met with a call from Gutierrez, who revealed for the nut flush, besting Guglietti’s rivered straight with . Guglietti’s early exit added his name to the list of those whose Main Event dreams were dashed in the blink of an eye.

Day 1B of the WSOP Main Event saw 831 players enter the fray, a slight decrease from last year’s 1,118 entrants, likely due to the Fourth of July celebrations across the nation. As the dust settled, 616 players bagged their chips and dreams, booking their seats for a return on Day 2 ABC.

Emerging as the day’s chip leader was George Dolofan, the only player to breach the 300,000 chip mark, ending with a commanding 314,000 chips (393 BBs). This impressive performance echoes his deep run and significant cash in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, hinting at a potential return to form for the seasoned pro.

Following closely behind were Matthew Sabia with 297,400 chips (372 BBs) and Patrick Hagenlocher with 270,300 chips (338 BBs).

The top ten was a tight crowd with Vladas Tamasauskas (268,300), Aaron Werner (246,900), Junfeng Wang (223,300), Frode Alfredsen (221,200), Nicolaas Thielman (217,300), Florian Ribouchon (215,400), and Daniel Neilson (214,900), also posting impressive totals. Werner, in particular, made a significant leap in the last level with a strategic river raise, catapulting his stack into the upper echelon.

Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel, known for his quiet but deadly play, also made a statement, finishing with 183,600 chips (230 BBs). Seidel’s day included a memorable hand where he busted pocket aces with a set of kings.

From the Indian contingent, Young Gun Sanat Mehrotra stood out as one of the first from Day 1B to advance to Day 2. He wrapped up the day with a modest stack of 52,000 chips (65 BBs). Despite an underwhelming start, Mehrotra is no stranger to WSOP pressure, having made it to Day 3 in last year’s Main Event without registering a cash. This year, however, has been fruitful for him; Mehrotra has cashed in seven events so far—four live and three online—already boasting $32,340 (~₹27 Lakhs) in total earnings for the trip.

Joining Mehrotra on Day 2 are fellow Indian-origin players Kinesh Pather (87,000), Veeraswamy Malireddy (51,160), and Sameer Desai (18,500), who barely scraped through.

As expected, the Day 1B field was a who’s who of poker royalty. Notable players like Artur Martirosian (166,300), 2019 Main Event champion Hossein Ensan (166,000), Dan Shak (153,500), David “Bakes” Baker (145,200), Tyler Cornell (143,000), John Reading (138,800), Xixiang Luo (135,500), and four-time bracelet winner Ben Yu (125,600) all bagged healthy stacks.

Other familiar faces like Lukas Pazma (113,700), Toby Lewis (106,000), Max Pescatori (97,300), Koray Aldemir (94,300), Seth Davies (73,900), Jean-Robert Bellande (68,900), Romain Lewis (66,600), Timur Margolin (54,400), Denis Strebkov (48,300), Anthony Zinno (45,700), Simeon Spasov (21,000), and British online phenom Patrick Leonard (18,800) also secured their spots in Day 2.

However, the poker gods weren’t smiling on everyone. 2021 WSOP Player of the Year Josh Arieh and Greg Raymer were among the notable players who saw their Main Event dreams dashed early.

PokerGO had a live stream running on Day 1B of the Main Event. You can watch the replay below.

All Day 1B survivors will reconvene at 12 PM (local time) on Sunday, July 7, joining forces with players who advanced from Days 1A and 1C for Day 2ABC. The action will resume with five intense levels of play, and with late registration open for the first two levels of Day 2, the tournament could still see a surge in entrants.

Although the initial turnout is lower than in 2023, there’s a palpable optimism that this year’s event could yet approach or exceed last year’s record-breaking numbers.

In a heartwarming and emotional victory, Georgios Skarparis of Cyprus claimed his first-ever WSOP bracelet in Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event, taking home a life-changing $554,925 prize. In the three-day event, Skarparis outlasted a colossal field of 6,076 players, solidifying his place in poker history as the third player from his country to win a WSOP title.

The final heads-up battle saw Skarparis face off against Italy’s Alexandre Barbaranelli, who secured his largest career payout with a second-place finish worth $369,994. However, it was Skarparis who shone brightest, fueled by the support of his students and dedicated the win to his late friend and mentee, Kyriakos Oxinos, adding a poignant touch to the victory.

His path to winning his first WSOP bracelet is a classic underdog tale. Just four years ago, he left his career as a lawyer to play poker full-time, and he’s come a long way since. Day 2 of this event was tough for him; his chip stack took a hit, but he didn’t fold. Instead, he fought back, climbing up the ranks to win the bracelet. His win was more than just a career milestone—it was a personal triumph, a promise fulfilled to a friend he’d lost, which made his victory all the more emotional and meaningful.

The other final-day finishers included Mikhail Zavoloka (3rd for $276,695), Kyle Williamson (4th for $208,444), and Dirk Bruns (5th for $158,191). Other notable finalists were Joshua Prager (6th for $120,950), Kaihung Hu (7th for $93,171), Stefan Widmer (8th for $72,316), Hunter Frey (9th for $56,557), and Seungjun Noh (10th for $44,573).

The $1,000 Mini Main Event was a resounding success. It generated a massive $5,361,840 prize pool and awarded payouts to the top 912 finishers, starting at $2,001.

The $1,000 Mini Main Event not only crowned a new champion but also showcased the growing prominence of Indian poker players on the international stage. Six talented contenders from India made their mark in this prestigious event.

Paawan Bansal, who began Day 2 as the chip leader, finished in a respectable 46th place, earning $12,587 (~₹10.51 Lakhs). This impressive performance marked his sixth cash of the series, bringing his total winnings to a remarkable $67,139 (~₹56.08 Lakhs).

Varun Iyer and Yudhishter Jaswal also made significant strides, securing 91st and 110th places, respectively, and adding valuable earnings to their poker resumes. Iyer took home $5,483 (~₹4.58 Lakhs), while Jaswal earned $4,760 (~₹3.98 Lakhs).

Although eliminated on Day 2, Kunal Patni, Deepankur Gupta, and Ankit Wadhawan all managed to secure a cash finish. Patni finished in 487th place ($2,257 ~₹1.89 Lakhs), Gupta in 599th place ($2,102 ~₹1.76 Lakhs), and Wadhawan in 807th place ($2,002 ~₹1.67 Lakhs).

The star-studded field saw notable finishes by Stoyan Madanzhiev (51st for $12,587), Ryan Hughes (89th for $6,365), and Svetlana Gromenkova (118th for $4,758). Further deep runs were made by Landon Tice (219th for $3,680), Ismael Bojang (262nd for $3,278), and Steve Gross (365th for $2,946). Other seasoned players like Sammy Farha (519th), Shannon Shorr (634th), Adam Hendrix (726th), Georgios Sotiropoulos (799th), and Jeff Madsen (894th) each earned $2,001.

Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha was a high-stakes spectacle where 187 entrants battled for a share of the $8,929,250 prize pool. But when the dust settled, Germany’s Daniel Perkusic emerged as the undisputed king, snatching his first-ever WSOP bracelet and a jaw-dropping $2,100,325 in prize money.

Perkusic, who entered the final day without a WSOP bracelet to his name, claimed his first-ever live WSOP cash and more than tripled his career earnings in one fell swoop. Hong Kong`s Danny Tang, the formidable runner-up, wasn’t left empty-handed, pocketing a whopping $1,400,217.

The Indian rail had high hopes pinned on Santhosh Suvarna, who entered the final day with the shortest stack among the five finalists. Despite his tenacious effort, Suvarna’s quest for a third bracelet ended with a fifth-place finish on just the second hand of the day, adding a hefty $503,085 (~₹4.20 Crores) to his already impressive winnings. While the elusive PLO bracelet remains out of reach for now, Suvarna etched his name in the history books with the highest finish by an Indian in a PLO bracelet event.

Moreover, his fifth-place payday is the second-highest score by an Indian at the 2024 WSOP, just behind his own $250K Super High Roller win, and the third-highest Indian WSOP score in Las Vegas, trailing Abhinav Iyer’s $565,346 bracelet win.

Suvarna’s 2024 WSOP journey has been nothing short of legendary, amassing a staggering $6.025 Million (~₹50.30 Crores) in just four events and bringing his lifetime tournament earnings to an eye-popping $13.687 Million. With more high-stakes bracelet events and the Main Event on the horizon, the poker world is eager to see his next move as he pursues his third gold bracelet and cements his reign atop India’s all-time money list.

The road to the final table was paved with the fallen dreams of numerous poker legends, including defending champion Jesse Lonis, Michael Duek, Jared Bleznick, Eelis Pärssinen, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, and Shaun Deeb, all of whom exited before reaching the money.

The money bubble burst dramatically, leaving Dylan Smith as the last player to exit empty-handed.

Sean Winter (10th for $144,975), Cary Katz (12th for $121,768), Christopher Frank (13th for $121,768), Viktor Blom (16th for $105,000), Jason Mercier (18th for $105,000), Anthony Zinno (20th for $105,000), and Dylan Weisman (25th for $100,000) were among the other poker titans who secured a payout, but their journeys eventually ended before reaching the final showdown.

Ben Lamb‘s ninth-place exit ($177,085) paved the way for the eight-handed final table. The eliminations of Brian Rast (8th for $221,778), David Benyamine (7th for $284,604), and Gabriel Andrade (6th for $374,020) concluded Day 2, with the final five advancing to Day 3.

Following Suvarna’s early departure on the final day, Ronald Keijzer (4th for $692,232) and Jim Collopy (3rd for $973,882) were also eliminated, leading to the heads-up battle between Perkusic and Tang.

Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit lived up to its name, delivering fireworks at the tables as Day 1B saw a massive field of 3,928 players dwindle to 206 after 22 gruelling levels of play. With a combined 6,792 entrants across two starting flights, the competition has been fierce, but only 356 remain standing as Day 2 approaches.

William Zaiss emerged as the Day 1B chip leader with a monstrous stack of 2.280 Million chips (57 BBs), making him the second-largest stack among those advancing for Day 2. Hot on his heels is Indian poker superstar Nipun Java, sitting comfortably with 1.925 Million chips (48 BBs), placing him fourth overall as Day 2 beckons.

Java, a decorated veteran with three WSOP bracelets and two WSOP circuit rings to his name, is no stranger to the grand stage. He first struck gold in 2017, sweeping Event #10: $1,000 Tag Team live along with Aditya Sushant and Online Event #71: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Championship. Java expanded his impressive bracelet collection in 2023 with a victory in Online Event #20: $777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s.

This year, Java has continued his impressive run, cashing in 12 tournaments—ten online and two live—bringing his total earnings for the series to $15,082 (~₹12.59 Lakhs). Currently ranked third on India’s all-time money list, Java is poised for another deep run and a chance to add a fourth bracelet to his illustrious collection.

The top ten stacks from Day 1B also included Che Chun Chu (1.88 Million), Yuchung Chang (1.825 Million), Juan Alfines (1.73 Million), Joel Deutsch (1.70 Million), Hamid Izadi (1.695 Million), Ging Pang (1.695 million), former WSOP bracelet winner Benjamin Ector (1.69 Million), and Indian-origin player Srikanth Yadlapati (1.69 Million).

From the Indian contingent, alongside Java, Abhishek Paul and Uday Kwatra also made it through Day 1B, bagging short stacks of 335,000 (8 BBs) and 305,000 chips (7.5 BBs), respectively. Paul, with two earlier cashes in the series, will be looking to add to his tally, while Kwatra eyes his fourth cash this series.

Joining them from Day 1A are notable Indian players Sreekanth Narayan, the 2023 POY #2, who bagged 885,000 chips (22 BBs), and Premnath Kasinath, the owner of the PSL’s Gujarat Falcons, who secured 825,000 chips (21 BBs). These five skilled players are ready to represent India on Day 2, battling against a diverse and talented field.

Adding to the Indian presence are several players of Indian origin who also made it through Day 1B. Srikanth Rajagopal Sankaranarayanan (1.32 Million), Harshvardhan Baghel (1.175 Million), Vikrant Shah (560,000), Santhosh Amingad (180,000), Srikanth Aleti (35,000), and Sayan Mondal (25,000) also made the cut.

Despite the allure of the ongoing Main Event, seasoned players such as John Riordan (1.1 Million), Kenny Hallaert (830,000), Bradley Gafford (755,000), Jeremy Becker (350,000), and Brett Apter (340,000) have also navigated their way to Day 2, adding star power and fierce competition to the mix.

Day 39: What’s Happening?

Day 39 of the 2024 WSOP is shaping up to be a day of high-stakes action and drama, headlined by Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship, with Day 1C kicking off at 12 PM (local time). Although current attendance is trailing last year’s record by about 19%, a significant surge is anticipated for this penultimate starting flight. In 2023, Day 1C attracted 3,080 entrants, and this year’s numbers are expected to be equally impressive, if not higher.

Importantly, Day 1D typically draws the largest crowd, and with late registration open through the first two levels of Day 2, players still have a chance to enter with a competitive stack of 50 big blinds, even as blinds escalate to 600/1,200 on Level 8 with a 1,200 big blind ante.

Simultaneously, the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas will host the finale of Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold’em. The remaining 356 players from the two starting flights will return on July 5 at 11 AM (local time), resuming play at Level 23 with blinds at 20K/40K and a 40K big blind ante. Competitors will face a series of 15-minute breaks every four levels, and a longer 60-minute break is scheduled just before the final table is set. By the end of the day, one player will emerge as the champion of this exciting event, taking home a coveted WSOP bracelet and a substantial cash prize.

Here’s what went down on Day 38.

Content & Images Courtesy: World Series of Poker

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