2024 WSOP: Underdog Matthew Alsante Topples Top Pros to Win First Bracelet in Event #87: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em ($785,486)

In a stunning upset, Matthew Alsante (cover image) defied the odds and poker’s biggest names to capture his first WSOP bracelet and a life-changing $785,486 in Event #87: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP). The unlikely champion, whose previous winnings barely covered the tournament’s entry fee, outlasted a field of 1,041 seasoned players, including high-stakes poker legend Punnat Punsri heads-up.

Before this monumental win, Alsante’s poker resume was modest, with only three WSOP scores totalling $3,580. This stark contrast to his massive win highlights the extraordinary nature of his achievement. With this victory, his total WSOP earnings have skyrocketed to $789,066, and his lifetime tournament winnings now stand at $815,643.

Alsante, who has gradually increased his commitment to poker over the past decade, shared his preference for smaller field events like this compared to the record-breaking Main Event, stating, “This I liked because it was a smaller field, and those can be easier to navigate.”

Alsante entered the final table as the chip leader and proved formidable, orchestrating the exits of notables like Patrick Leonard (8th for $82,862) and Hirokazu Kobayashi (7th for $108,895). He then sent Philip Wiszowaty packing in third place ($372,446).

The final showdown pitted Alsante against Punnat Punsri, Thailand`s all-time money leader with $16 Million in lifetime winnings and a glittering poker legacy boasting victories in the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Cyprus 2022 Main Event, APT Taipei 2023 Main Event, and PokerGO Cup 2023 Event #7.

The crowd’s energy was palpable, with most favouring the seasoned high-roller. Despite the pressure, Alsante remained unfazed. “I think it was fun, they were having fun, and I was dancing,” he recounted.

Alsante is already eyeing his next challenge, the $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship. “I plan to play the $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship next,” he shared, and beyond that, the possibilities seem limitless. “After that, who knows?” he mused.

Four Indian players also performed commendably at the event. Leading the charge was India’s first solo bracelet winner, Abhinav Iyer, who soared to a 26th-place finish, pocketing $26,212 (~₹21.89 Lakhs). This impressive result marked Iyer’s 13th cash of the summer and boosted his total 2024 WSOP earnings to $58,530 (~₹48.88 Lakhs).

Iyer entered the final day carrying 710,000 chips (28 BBs). His journey was tumultuous. After facing some setbacks, Iyer, who was down to 305,000 chips, scored a clutch double up in the third level of the day (Level 24), where his held up against Brett Bassock’s after spiking a queen on the river, getting him back to 710,000.

However, Iyer`s impressive run came to an end two levels later. The hand in question saw Philip Wiszowaty raise to 160,000 from the hijack. Iyer moved all-in for 890,000 (11 BBs) from the button, and Wiszowaty called. Iyer turned over against Wiszowaty’s . The board crafted a full house for Wiszowaty, eliminating Iyer.

Aditya Systla, a WSOP regular, also made his presence felt, achieving his first cash of the 2024 WSOP with a 48th-place finish worth $15,729 (~₹13.14 Lakhs). In his final hand, Systla, holding , was ousted by Ueberton De Aquino‘s when the board offered Systla no salvation.

Although eliminated on Day 1, Akshay Bharadwaj and Sriharsha Doddapaneni both earned $9,952 (~₹8.31 Lakhs) for their efforts. Bharadwaj finished 109th not long after Doddapaneni fell out in 142nd place. This score pushed Doddapaneni`s series tally to $50,039 (₹41.79 Lakhs) from a busy 11 cashes.

The event was a massive success, generating a substantial prize pool of $4,793,200. The top 157 finishers made money finishes, each earning at least $9,952.

Day 1 saw numerous notable players hit the rail, including Stefan Lehner (93rd), Elie Nakache (97th), Simas Karaliunas (98th), Jim Willerson (101st), Fred Goldberg (108th), Barak Wisbrod (114th), Dimitar Danchev (115th), Michael Holtz (119th), Jack Duong (126th), Joey Weissman (144th), Liv Boeree (153rd), and Jack Sinclair (156th), each pocketing $9,952.

As the tournament progressed to Day 2, the competition intensified, with 88 hopefuls returning to the felt. The stakes were higher, and the dream of reaching the final table and, ultimately, the coveted WSOP bracelet fueled their determination.

Several renowned players, such as Galen Hall (11th for $50,056), Harrison Gimbel (16th for $32,041), Nick Maimone (17th for $32,041), Artur Martirosian (18th for $32,041), Giuseppe Pantaleo (19th for $32,041), Alex Foxen (23rd for $32,041), Moshe Refaelowitz (37th for $21,770), Yuri Dzivielevski (38th for $21,770), Danny Wong (46th for $18,361), David Peters (47th for $18,361), Robert Mizrachi (53rd for $15,729), Gregory Jensen (54th for $15,729), Faraz Jaka (66th for $12,109), Simon Lofberg (67th for $12,109), Darius Samual (70th for $12,109), Yueqi Zhu (71st for $12,109), Renan Bruschi (83rd for $9,952), and Martin Raus (86th for $9,952), made significant strides on Day 2. However, their journeys ended before reaching the final table, highlighting the unforgiving nature of high-stakes poker tournaments.

The path to the final table was a gruelling one, spanning nine intense levels of play. In the end, Owen Dodd became the unfortunate final table bubble boy, finishing in 10th place with $50,056.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Matthew Alsante – 12,400,000
2. Philip Wiszowaty – 9,500,000
3. Ramin Hajiyev – 6,560,000
4. Oleg Vasylchenko – 5,750,000
5. Patrick Leonard – 5,500,000
6. Jon Vallinas – 4,100,000
7. Punnat Punsri – 3,750,000
8. Ueberton De Aquino – 2,350,000
9. Hirokazu Kobayashi – 2,050,000

Final Table Recap

The action started with a bang as Ueberton De Aquino’s were cracked by Philip Wiszowaty’s . The board ran out , giving Aquino a set on the flop, but Wiszowaty’s diamond flush on the turn sent him to the rail in ninth place.

Moments later, former WSOP bracelet winner and Run It Once coach Patrick Leonard was eliminated in eighth place when his four-bet shove with ran into Alsante’s and failed to catch a break on the runout .

Hirokazu Kobayashi, the underdog of the final table, made two jumps before his final stand in seventh place. His short-stack gamble with backfired against Alsante’s on a heart-heavy board of that completed Alsante`s flush.

Jon Vallinas‘ tournament life ended in sixth place when his couldn’t beat Philip Wiszowaty’s , which rivered a straight on a board of .

Ramin Hajiyev experienced a heartbreaking exit in fifth place. His was cracked by Wiszowaty’s when a king appeared on the river of a board.

In the four-handed play, Alsante clinched a pivotal double-up with against Wiszowaty’s for a commanding chip lead with nearly 75% of the chips in play. The board ran out , giving Alsante a straight on the river and devastating Wiszowaty`s set of tens.

Philip Wiszowaty bounced back, doubling up before eliminating Oleg Vasylchenko in fourth place. Vasylchenko’s bold shove with was met by Wiszowaty’s , and the board delivered a pair of deuces right on the flop, sending Vasylchenko packing.

The tables turned quickly for Philip Wiszowaty, who fell to third place after a couple of crucial hands. First, he lost a massive pot to Punnat Punsri, who doubled through with against Wiszowaty’s . The board offered no aid. On the very next hand, Wiszowaty was forced all-in with and got ousted by Matthew Alsante’s when the community cards opened .

In the heads-up battle, Matthew Alsante started with a significant 3:1 chip lead over Punnat Punsri, but the latter fought back, even taking the lead at one point. However, a limped pot changed everything. On a flop of , Alsante three-bet shoved with , and Punsri called with . The turn gave Alsante two pair, which held against Punsri’s top pair through the river, giving Alsante a massive double-up.

Punsri managed one last double-up before the final showdown. In the decisive hand, Punnat Punsri‘s couldn’t stand against Alsante’s as the board ran out , giving Alsante a flopped full house for the victory.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Matthew Alsante – $785,486
2. Punnat Punsri – $523,648
3. Philip Wiszowaty – $372,446
4. Oleg Vasylchenko – $268,407
5. Ramin Hajiyev – $196,024
6. Jon Vallinas – $145,107
7. Hirokazu Kobayashi – $108,895
8. Patrick Leonard – $82,862
9. Ueberton De Aquino – $62,945

Content & Images Courtesy: World Series of Poker

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