2024 WSOP Daily Recap: Series Concludes With a Bang: Jonathan Tamayo Crowned New World Champion

The 55th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas has finally concluded, wrapping up 51 days of non-stop poker excitement. It was a whirlwind of a series, with several new and repeat bracelet winners, poker legends reclaiming their glory, and a wave of Indian players leaving their mark on the global stage.

Team India put on an incredible show this year, racking up over 200 cashes, making it to eight final tables, and even snagging two shiny bracelets courtesy of Santhosh Suvarna and Aditya Agarwal.

The final day, July 17, was chaotic and action-packed. Even though Team India didn’t add another bracelet or final table to their impressive list, they still finished strong, with several players making deep runs in the remaining events.

Day 51 kicked off with a bang as Jonathan Tamayo, a seasoned pro from Texas, conquered the record-breaking field of 10,112 entries in Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship. He walked away with the coveted World Championship gold bracelet and a life-changing $10 Million. Jordan Griff and Niklas Astedt also made bank, finishing in second and third place for $6 Million and $4 Million, respectively.

Over in Event #93: $777 Lucky 7’s No-Limit Hold’em, Michael Liang pulled off an incredible comeback. Starting heads-up play as a massive underdog with a 9:1 chip disadvantage, Liang managed to outmanoeuvre Duc Nguyen, snagging his first-ever WSOP bracelet and a $777,777 prize.

Alex Livingston added another WSOP bracelet to his collection in Event #97: $3,000 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha, taking down Francisco Benitez in a thrilling heads-up match. Livingston, who had already racked up 11 cashes in this series but hadn’t reached a final table until now, walked away with $390,621 for his impressive performance.

Meanwhile, Ching Da Wu became the fourth Taiwanese player to win a WSOP bracelet, conquering a massive field of 3,214 players in Event #98: $1,500 The Closer. Wu’s victory earned him a sweet $525,500 prize. Indian players also made their presence felt in this event, with Ashish Munot (54th for ₹8.19 Lakhs), Siddarth Singhvi (221st for ₹2.94 Lakhs), and bracelet winners Nipun Java (224th for ₹2.94 Lakhs), and Abhinav Iyer (312th for ₹2.63 Lakhs) all making deep runs.

The last chance to grab a bracelet came in Event #99: $1,000 Super Turbo No-Limit Hold’em. With rapid 20-minute levels, players were under pressure from the start, and it only took one day to crown a champion. Lithuania’s Aneris Adomkevicius took down the event, winning $201,355 and his first gold bracelet. Indian players continued to impress, with PokerBaazi Team Pro Abhishek Goindi (32nd for ₹4.98 Lakhs), Rahul Melwani (69th for ₹2.18 Lakhs), Abhishek Paul (86th for ₹2.18 Lakhs), and Siddarth Singhvi (165th for ₹1.68 Lakhs) all adding to their series winnings with impressive performances in this event.

Even though the 2024 WSOP has wrapped up, poker players won’t have to wait until next summer for another shot at bracelet glory. The WSOP announced the return of WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas from December 6 to 19. This series is set to break records with the largest guarantee in live tournament history, featuring a $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em Championship Event with a jaw-dropping $50 Million guarantee. Online qualifiers and promotions for this Super Main Event are already underway on GGPoker.

But that’s not all. WSOP Paradise will also feature a variety of High Roller and Super High Roller tournaments, including the return of the jaw-dropping $1 Million buy-in event. A full schedule of events is expected to be released later this year.

WSOP PARADISE RETURNS WITH A $50M GUARANTEED “SUPER” MAIN EVENT🚨

The 2024 WSOP Paradise will run between December 6 – 19, with buy-ins ranging from $2,500 – $1,000,000, highlighted by the $25,000 Super Main Event with $50,000,000 in guaranteed prize money – the largest… pic.twitter.com/MpSndBXDHC

— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 17, 2024

Day 51: What Happened?

After an intense two weeks of poker battles, Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship has crowned its new king! Jonathan Tamayo, a poker pro from Humble, Texas, walked away with the coveted World Championship bracelet and a jaw-dropping $10 Million prize.

“Joe McKeehen told me this tournament is impossible to win,” Tamayo said, reflecting on his victory, re-iterating the words of his good friend and roommate, the 2015 WSOP Main Event champion. “And with the field size being so massive, it felt even more impossible. But you just sit down on Day 1, thinking, ‘Eventually, I’m going to bust. It’s not going to be pretty, and I’ll move on with my life.’ I can’t believe I didn’t bust the Main Event.”

At 38 years old, Tamayo already had a successful poker career with $2.30 Million in earnings from 187 cashes. This win launches him into poker’s stratosphere with over $12.30 Million in total earnings.

Tamayo’s friend and 2015 WSOP Main Event winner Joe McKeehen was there to celebrate with him, even helping to present the bracelet. McKeehen and four-time bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche cheered on Tamayo’s rail during the crucial moments of the tournament.

This marks Tamayo’s first-ever bracelet, adding to his impressive collection of four WSOP Circuit rings. His previous best Main Event finish was 21st in 2009, where he won $352,832, and another top-100 finish in 2015.

“If you get one deep run, that’s often it,” Tamayo said about his second deep run in the Main Event.“I can’t believe I got a second chance and actually won.”

Tamayo’s win is the second consecutive year an American has won the Main Event, following Daniel Weinman‘s 2023 victory. This breaks a string of international champions, including Norway’s Espen Jorstad (2022), Germany’s Koray Aldemir (2021), Hossein Ensan (2019), and Argentina’s Damian Salas (2020), making it a huge win for American poker.

Tamayo came into the final day of this event second in chips among the last three contenders, but all of them were relatively evenly matched. There was still $20 Million in prize money left to play for from the $94,041,600 prize pool that was built by the record turnout for this event.

Swedish online poker legend Niklas Astedt began as the chip leader and the hot favourite, frequently clashing with short-stack Jordan Griff. Griff edged ahead by a single 500,000 chip for one of the biggest clashes. Astedt raised to 8 Million from the button with , and Griff three-bet to 28 Million from the small blind with . Astedt called, and the flop came , giving Griff a set of nines. The action heated up as Griff bet 28 Million, and Astedt called with overcards and a gutshot straight draw. On the turn , Astedt held top pair but was facing an all-in from Griff. After careful consideration, Astedt called with his remaining 159 Million, needing a queen on the river to survive. However, the river brought the , sealing Astedt’s fate in third place with a $4 Million consolation prize.

Heads-up play commenced, and on the second hand, Griff attempted a daring triple-barrel bluff that was ultimately picked off by Tamayo, who had flopped top pair of aces with a six kicker. Tamayo went deep into the tank before ultimately calling, seizing the chip lead.

Griff fought back, finding a double-up of his own after getting all-in on the turn with jacks and sixes, leading the pair of jacks with an ace kicker held by Tamayo. A safe river saw the tables turned again, with Griff taking a slight lead again.

Griff continued to extend his advantage and had a shot at closing out the win when he got all-in with racing against the of Tamayo. Nearly all the drama was drained from the situation when the flop came down to give Tamayo a king-high straight with a straight flush redraw. The on the turn left Griff drawing dead, and the river saw Tamayo double back in front.

Griff doubled up with pocket sixes against Tamayo’s to bring about yet another lead change. This lead was short-lived, though, as Tamayo doubled back to nearly even with his top pair against Griff’s middle pair after all of the chips went in on the flop.

Tamayo was able to get back out in front in time for the decisive hand of the tournament. Tamayo raised to 12.5 Million with , and Griff called with . The flop delivered , giving both players a pair. Tamayo bet 10 Million, and Griff check-raised to 40 Million. Tamayo shoved all in, and Griff called for his tournament life. The turn brought the , giving Griff additional outs, but the river sealed Tamayo’s victory.

Jonathan Tamayo emerged as the 2024 WSOP Main Event World Champion, claiming the prestigious gold bracelet and a staggering $10 Million. Jordan Griff, the runner-up, walked away with an impressive $6 Million, blowing away his previous top score of $18,104 for a final-table finish in a WSOP Circuit event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort last year. The 30-year-old data and analytics supply chain manager for Meta came close to living out the dream of every amateur poker player but ended up falling one spot short of hoisting the bracelet. The New City, New York native, now based in Arizona, was playing in just his third Main Event.

The 2024 WSOP Main Event kicked off with a wave of optimism for India as 25 hopefuls advanced to Day 2 (ABC & D). This diverse group of players, each carrying the hopes of a nation, set their sights on poker’s ultimate prize. However, the tournament proved to be a rollercoaster ride filled with both triumphs and setbacks.

Day 4 marked a bittersweet moment for the Indian contingent. Siddarth Singhvi, a WSOP rookie, became the first Indian player to cash in this year’s Main Event, finishing in 1,388th place for $15,000 (~₹12.53 Lakhs). While Singhvi celebrated his hard-earned cash, several other Indian players saw their Main Event dreams dashed, adding a tinge of disappointment to an otherwise promising start.

Another highlight for India was Santhosh Suvarna, the top-ranked Indian player, on an absolute heater. The two-time bracelet winner navigated the shark-infested waters of the record-breaking tournament, ultimately finishing in 607th place for $30,000 (~₹25.08 Lakhs) – a remarkable achievement as his first-ever WSOP Main Event cash.

As Day 5 approached, the Indian contingent dwindled to just two remaining players. Tarun Goyal, another WSOP newcomer, fought valiantly but ultimately bowed out in 347th place, earning a respectable $45,000 (~₹37.58 Lakhs).

All eyes then turned to Kavin Shah, the renowned live circuit reg, who carried the weight of a nation’s poker aspirations on his shoulders. Fresh off a seventh-place finish in Event #44: $2K NLHE and a triumphant victory in the ARIA High Roller Series $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha for a career-best $168,300 (~₹1.41 Crores), Shah had his sights set on a deep Main Event run. However, fate intervened in a dramatic hand on Day 5. Shah flopped a set of eights only to be outdrawn by Kyosuke Nagami’s rivered flush. Shah’s Main Event journey ended in 191st place, with a $60,000 (~₹50.11 Lakhs) consolation prize.

Despite the early exits of several Indian pros, including notable names like Aditya Agarwal, Rahul Melwani, Arun Sriram, Sreekanth Narayan, Kunal Punjwani, Zarvan Tumboli, Sriharsha Doddapaneni, Akshay Bharadwaj, and Deepankur Gupta, the Main Event witnessed a strong showing from players of Indian origin. Kalyan Chivukula emerged as a standout performer, securing a six-figure payout with a 114th-place finish worth $100,000.

Manas Gandhi (315th for $45,000), Shashi Ramakrishna (361st for $40,000), and Nitesh Rawtani (366th for $40,000) also made commendable runs, falling out on Day 5.

The much-awaited money bubble burst on Day 4, with Lucas Reeves and Christian Stratmeyer hitting the rail at the same time on separate tables. The two unfortunate players split the 1,518th place prize, each pocketing $7,500 for their deep run. The real prize awaited the winner of a high-card draw to determine who would receive a coveted free entry into the 2025 WSOP Main Event. In a moment of elation, Stratmeyer won the draw, his bubble woes momentarily forgotten as he earned a golden ticket back to the grandest poker tournament.

Several other notables finished in the money, including Kristen Foxen (13th for $600,000), who came close to becoming the first woman to make the Main Event final table in over three decades. Brian Rast (24th for $350,000), Brandon Cantu (39th for $250,000), Tony Dunst (144th for $70,000), and Jesse Lonis (176th for $60,000) also made notable finishes.

For those eager to relive the excitement, the replay of the final day’s over four-hour-long live stream is available on PokerGO. You can also catch the 25-minute preview below.

Event #93: $777 Lucky 7’s No-Limit Hold’em (7-Handed) just wrapped up, and what a finale it was! After three intense days of poker action, Michael Liang emerged victorious, clinching his very first WSOP bracelet and a whopping $777,777 in prize money.

Liang’s win was nothing short of a miracle. Starting the final heads-up match against Duc Nguyen with a 9:1 chip disadvantage, the odds seemed stacked against him. But Liang, fueled by determination and a healthy dose of luck, turned the tables in a nail-biting back-and-forth battle that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

“It feels amazing,” Liang said after his win, beaming with pride. “I’ve had a few close calls in the past. I’ve had a second place, a third place and a fifth place, so it feels good to finally break through.”

Duc Nguyen, while not taking home the gold, played an exceptional tournament and was rewarded with a respectable $300,777 for his second-place finish.

The day began with five players remaining, all hungry for their first taste of WSOP gold. Duc Nguyen was the dominant chip leader with a colossal 119.20 Million chips, while Liang held a distant second with 52.50 Million.

Nguyen’s aggression was evident as he swiftly eliminated Mitch Garshofsky in fifth place. Garshofsky, a seasoned player with three WSOP Circuit rings to his name, found himself short-stacked and shoved with , only to be outmatched by Nguyen’s , taking home $105,777 for his efforts.

Nguyen continued his relentless pursuit, ousting Indo-American Manoj Batavia in fourth place. Batavia’s initially looked promising against Nguyen’s , but a king on the board of dashed his hopes, earning him $141,777.

The chip leader’s dominance continued as the other Indo-American on the final table, Rajesh Mehta fell victim to Nguyen’s aggression. Mehta moved all in with , only to be called by Nguyen holding . A queen on the flop sealed Mehta’s fate in third place, but not before he walked away with a $190,777 consolation prize.

With only two players remaining, the heads-up battle commenced, and it was a true rollercoaster. Nguyen, armed with an overwhelming chip lead, seemed poised for victory. However, Liang orchestrated a remarkable comeback, beginning with a timely double-up with the ‘lucky’ trip sevens.

The two players exchanged blows, each winning significant pots until Liang secured another vital double-up. This time, his top pair held up against Nguyen’s straight draw.

Liang’s momentum grew as he continued to chip away at Nguyen’s stack, making calculated moves and forcing his opponent into difficult decisions. Nguyen, despite a few double-ups with ace-six and pocket queens, ultimately faced defeat in the final hand. Liang’s made two pair, crushing Nguyen’s and securing the coveted WSOP bracelet and the $777,777 top prize.

Jorge Postigo and Lukas Hafner were the first to exit the final table on Day 2, finishing sixth ($80,777) and seventh ($60,777), respectively.

The event also saw a strong performance from Indian players, with Abhishek Paul finishing 30th for $14,030 (~₹11.72 Lakhs), Himmat Singh claiming 119th place for $3,300 (~₹2.76 Lakhs), and Ashish Munot securing 267th place for $2,319 (~₹1.94 Lakhs).

The tournament attracted a massive field of players, with 296 of them sharing in the $4,302,218 prize pool. Among those who cashed were some familiar faces like Jason Daly (11th for $35,980), Domnick Sarle (27th for $17,530), Dan Heimiller (78th for $4,470), and Kathy Liebert (185th for $2,870).

Event #97: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed was a nail-biter, but Alex Livingston emerged from the poker battlefield victorious, snatching his second WSOP bracelet and a handsome $390,621 in prize money.

Livingston went head-to-head with Francisco Benitez in an intense final duel, beating out a field of 844 entrants that generated a prize pool of $2,253,480. Benitez put up a good fight, scoring a hefty $260,403 as the runner-up.

This win wasn’t just another notch on Livingston’s belt. He’d already snagged a bracelet in the 2022 WSOP Event #9: $1,500 Seven Card Stud, but this PLO victory was extra special. This was basically my last chance, so it’s definitely awesome to do it,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “I love all the games, like the 10-game, 9-game mix, and H.O.R.S.E. are my best formats, but it’s really nice to win one in PLO because it’s probably the game I’ve played the most.”

Talking about his heads-up strategy against Benitez, Livingston revealed, “He said this was his second-ever live PLO tournament, so I don’t know why he gave me that information, but it made me want to play as much post-flop as possible. I just would limp a lot of buttons and see where the action played out on the later streets, and it wound up working in my favor.” He added with a laugh, “This truly was a summer saver.”

India’s PLO star, Jagdeep Singh, also made a commendable run. He started Day 2 with a very short stack of 40,000 chips but clawed his way back, finishing in 97th place for $6,021 (~₹5.03 Lakhs), bringing his total series winnings to a nice $11,286 (~₹9.43 Lakhs).

Some of the game’s most recognizable names also got in on the action. Gary Bolden and Pavel Plesuv both finished in the money, each taking home $16,454 for their 18th and 22nd place finishes, respectively. Jim Collopy narrowly missed out on the final two tables, finishing 24th for $13,439. Poker veterans Erick Lindgren and David “ODB” Baker also made deep runs, each scoring $11,227 for their 32nd and 34th place finishes.

Day 3, the final day of the tournament, began with 17 PLO masters ready to rumble. The action was fast and furious, with four players getting knocked out right off the bat. Zachary Reinbold (17th), Murilo Milhomem (16th), Oswin Ziegelbecker (15th), and Shai Elbaz (14th) all exited early, each pocketing $20,595 for their efforts. Shaun Deeb followed shortly after in 13th place, also taking home $20,595, leading to the final two tables.

PLO savant Dylan Weisman met his match in Hokyiu Lee. Lee flopped a straight, cracking Weisman’s two pair and sending him packing in 11th place with $26,341.

With just ten players left, the game slowed to a crawl on the two tables of five players each, forcing the floor to introduce a soft hand-for-hand play format to keep things moving. This brief pause ended with German pro Ronald Keijzer‘s elimination in tenth place with $26,341, guaranteeing the remaining players a nice pay jump.

The game picked up steam again as short-stacked Alex Foxen fell to Benitez in ninth place with $34,411. Ari Engel followed him to the rail in eighth for $34,411, courtesy of Martin Zamani, setting up the final table.

Zamani came in swinging with a massive chip lead, taking part in almost every hand and using his advantage to eliminate Tolga Demirel (7th for $45,892), Christopher Roth (6th for $62,457), and Hokyiu Lee (5th for $86,709) in quick succession.

But Benitez wasn’t going down without a fight. He wrestled the lead away from Zamani with an overpair and a flush draw, beating Zamani’s two pair. He then knocked out Day 2 chip leader Andrew Watson in fourth place, whose flopped two pair were bested by Benitez’s ace-high hand. Watson’s fourth-place finish earned him $122,746.

Livingston had been playing a patient game, picking his spots carefully, avoiding clashes with the big stacks until he faced Martin Zamani in a pivotal hand. Livingston’s set prevailed over Zamani’s straight draw. Zamani completed his straight on the turn, but Livingston made quads on the river, sending Zamani out in third place with $177,114.

The heads-up battle between Livingston and Francisco Benitez was an epic four-hour-long struggle. Benitez started with a 2:1 chip lead, but Livingston’s steady play saw him prevail. The decisive hand saw Alex Livingston hit straight and flush draws on the flop. He completed the flush on the turn and avoided a board pairing on the river, clinching the victory. He raised the coveted gold bracelet high above his head amidst cheers from his supporters.

The 2024 WSOP went out with a bang, especially with the thrilling conclusion of Event #98: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em – The Closer. Taiwan’s Ching Da Wu emerged as the unlikely hero, outplaying a massive field of 3,215 entries to claim his first-ever WSOP gold bracelet and a staggering $525,500 prize.

Wu, a software engineer based in California, clinched the title in a dramatic three-way showdown on the final hand. With the poker gods smiling upon him, he was dealt pocket aces – the holy grail of starting hands. Like a true poker shark, he patiently baited his opponents, Mario Colavita and Bogdan Munteanu, into pushing all their chips into the middle. Wu’s aces held up, and he swept the table, eliminating both Colavita and Munteanu in a single, exhilarating moment. Munteanu earned a well-deserved $261,170 for his third-place finish, while Colavita walked away with a hefty $350,370 for second place.

Overwhelmed with emotion after his victory, Wu expressed his gratitude to his wife, Jessie Chen, for always supporting his poker dreams (and pretty much everything else in his life). He also gave a special shoutout to his parents, who encouraged him to pursue his studies and career abroad, leading him to this extraordinary moment. Wu also thanked his poker buddies and mentor, Justin Chu, who played a crucial role in shaping him into the poker powerhouse he is today.

It hasn’t been an easy road for Wu. Originally from Taiwan, he’s been working hard to get a green card so he can stay in the U.S. and play more WSOP tournaments. Despite the challenges, he’s totally dedicated to improving his poker game. He studies, watches training videos, and talks strategy with his friends. It’s clear that poker isn’t just a hobby for him; it’s a passion that consumes him, even though he insists it’s not his main career focus.

When asked about the defining moment of the tournament, Wu didn’t hesitate—it was that unforgettable final hand in which he brilliantly outplayed his opponents, luring them into an all-in showdown that ultimately secured his victory.

The Closer was a massive success, boasting a prize pool of $1,086,690. Out of the initial field, only 361 players made it to Day 2, each guaranteed a minimum payout of $3,001.

The tournament’s final day was a whirlwind of rapid-fire action as players navigated through two intense table redraws. As the field whittled down to 17 players, the pace eased slightly, allowing for more strategic play.

Several notable players made their mark on Day 2, including Allyn Shulman (12th for $32,940), Svetlana Gromenkova (20th for $21,260), and Jared Bleznick (39th for $14,190).

Four Indian players had made it through to Day 2 from Day 1B, with Ashish Munot leading the pack. This seasoned pro had an impressive run, finishing in 54th place and pocketing $9,800 (~₹8.19 Lakhs). This was his ninth cash of the series, bringing his total earnings to a whopping $53,474 (~₹44.72 Lakhs) on his very first WSOP trip.

Fellow Indian players Siddarth Singhvi and Nipun Java, a three-time WSOP bracelet winner, weren’t far behind, finishing 221st and 224th for $3,520 (~₹2.94 Lakhs) each. Abhinav Iyer, the 2019 WSOP The Closer champion, also joined the cashing crew, snagging 312th place and $3,150 (~₹2.63 Lakhs).

Ankit Ahuja, riding high on his fifth-place finish in Event #95: $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty No-Limit Hold’em, jumped into Day 1B of The Closer. While he didn’t make it to Day 2, he still managed to grab a min-cash of $3,000 (~₹2.51 Lakhs) for his 465th-place finish.

Indian-origin players also had some success, with Ashish Gupta (37th for $14,190), Rohit Kwatra (43rd for $14,190), Jaspal Brar (121st for $4,510), Mukul Pahuja (150th for $4,510), Rajan Baheti (269th for $3,150), and Soheb Porbandarwala (464th for $3,000) all cashing in.

The final table bubble burst in a dramatic fashion when Michael Baltierra shoved all-in with , only to be called by Aaron Mermelstein holding . Baltierra’s turned two pair ended Mermelstein’s run in 11th place, earning him $41,500.

With the ten-handed table redrawn, the action moved to the Events Center’s feature table. Mike Matusow, boasting four WSOP bracelets and over $10 Million in earnings, was the first to depart, finishing tenth for $41,500.

Luis Yepez from Venezuela followed in ninth place for $52,705, making a bold move with his short stack by shoving with sevens, only to be bested by Chad Lipton. Lipton’s journey ended in eighth place for $67,480 after falling victim to Bogdan Munteanu in a raising battle that saw Munteanu hit the board hard.

David Cabrera Polop of Andorra finished seventh for $87,080, his hopes dashed when Munteanu found a lucky queen on the board.

Michael Baltierra, affectionately known as “Ballz” by his cheering poker club from Central Valley, California, exited in sixth place with pocket sixes against Ching Da Wu, earning $113,270.

Stanislav Zegal from Germany was knocked out in fifth place for $148,480. Zegal, who won the 2023 WSOP Paradise Event #10: $5,000 Main Event Championship for $2 Million, couldn’t repeat his victory.

Two-time bracelet winner John Racener also came close but ultimately had to settle for fourth place and $196,170. Racener had earlier claimed victory in Event #19: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship (8-Handed), and this was his fourth final table finish of the series.

The final hand was a nail-biter. Ching Da Wu, holding pocket aces, expertly lured his opponents, Bogdan Munteanu and Mario Colavita, into an all-in showdown. Wu’s aces held up, securing him the title and a whopping $525,500 in prize money while simultaneously eliminating both Munteanu (3rd place) and Colavita (2nd place).

Aneris Adomkevicius emerged as the final champion of the 2024 WSOP, taking down Event #99: $1,000 Super Turbo No-Limit Hold’em, besting a field of 1,544 hopefuls to win his first bracelet and $201,355 in prize money after a marathon day. Mark Newhouse put up a good fight, finishing in second place for $134,228.

The final heads-up match between Adomkevicius and Mark Newhouse was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair, lasting just twenty minutes. In the final hand, Newhouse, holding , shoved his 15 BB stack only to be called by Adomkevicius, who had him dominated with pocket sixes. The board ran out clean for Adomkevicius, making him the champion!

This turbo event, with its lightning-fast 20-minute levels, was a wild ride from start to finish. Players had to be quick on their feet and experts at short-stacked play, as the average stack size barely hovered above 20 big blinds for most of the tournament, shrinking even further at the final table.

Adomkevicius was understandably thrilled after winning his first bracelet. “It feels blissful, and it’s the best feeling,” he said, beaming. “I feel very blessed and grateful for the opportunity I had. I tried to play my best and was fortunate.”

But luck wasn’t the only factor in his victory. Adomkevicius played a smart and aggressive game, maintaining a healthy chip stack throughout the day. “I have been playing for over 15 years, both live and online,” he explained. “I try to go to Vegas every chance I get.”

When asked about the unique turbo format, Adomkevicius chuckled, “It was quite a lot of different players. Some were very gambley, so you have to adjust. People come to win the bracelet.” He also gave a heartfelt shoutout to his wife and kids for their unwavering support.

Indian players made a strong showing in the event, with Abhishek Goindi leading the way. The PokerBaazi Team Pro finished in 32nd place for $5,954 (~₹4.98 Lakhs), marking his sixth cash of the series and boosting his total earnings to an impressive $22,076 (~₹18.46 Lakhs).

Rahul Melwani followed closely behind in 69th place, earning $2,714 (~₹2.18 Lakhs), while Abhishek Paul (86th for $2,602; ~₹2.18 Lakhs) and Siddarth Singhvi (165th for $2,004; ~₹1.68 Lakhs) both added to their series winnings.

It wasn’t just Indian players making waves, though. Harsheel Kothari (20th for $7,182), Navin Kamal (34th for $5,954), and Dinesh Alt (133rd for $2,104), all of Indian origin, had great runs too.

Other notable players who cashed included Dong Chen (8th for $22,448), Denis Strebkov (16th for $8,784), Michael Savakinas (24th for $7,182), and Justin Liberto (39th for $5,004).

Here’s what went down on Day 51.

Content & Images Courtesy: World Series of Poker