2024 WSOP Paradise: PLO Specialist Lautaro Guerra Conquers Event #3: $100K PLO Super High Roller For First Bracelet & $2.13 Million

The poker community watched in awe as Spanish PLO specialist Lautaro Guerra (cover image) achieved a lifelong goal, winning his first WSOP bracelet in Event #3: $100K PLO Super High Roller at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise. Guerra, a dominant force in PLO, outplayed a field of 88 elite players to win an incredible $2,126,770 – the biggest score of his already impressive career!

And achieve it he did. He navigated the shark-infested waters at Atlantis Paradise Island, coming from behind on the final day to defeat Ben Tollerene heads-up for the win, achieving what he described as every poker player’s dream. Tollerene, an online poker legend who narrowly missed a bracelet this past summer when he finished second to Indian high-roller extraordinaire Santhosh Suvarna in the $250K Super High Roller at the 2024 WSOP, will have to keep chasing that elusive WSOP gold. He once again had to settle for second place, taking home $1,577,660.

A Historic Win

This victory also eclipsed his previous career-best score of $518,750 from winning the $25,000 finale at the inaugural PokerGO Tour PLO Series. That win earned him the series champion title, but this latest triumph is an even more significant breakthrough!

The $100K PLO Super High Roller was a historic event—the fifth-ever six-figure buy-in PLO bracelet event and the first at WSOP Paradise. The 88 entries generated an astounding $8.80 Million prize pool, a new record for this event. Guerra’s win now ranks as the fifth-largest payout in PLO history, highlighting the magnitude of his accomplishment.

Guerra’s skill in PLO is undeniable. With 40 of his 43 recorded tournament cashes coming in this ariant, he has clearly dedicated himself to mastering this exciting game. His focus on PLO has resulted in over $4.94 Million in earnings, placing him among the world’s elite PLO players.

He boasts an exceptional win rate, closing out nine titles in just 43 cashes – an unbelievable 21% conversion rate! With this latest victory, he now has four wins and eight final table appearances this year.

GGMasters Online Championship Crowns a Champion

Two of the 15 bracelet events at this year’s WSOP Paradise series are being held online at GGPoker, including Event #4: GGMasters Online Championship. The $2,750 buy-in tournament had a $2.50 Million guarantee. However, with only 813 entries, the field received an unexpected bonus – a substantial $467,500 overlay, adding significant value for the players. This two-day online event culminated in a victory for Brazil’s Matheus Cardoso Machado, who captured his first WSOP gold bracelet and a $432,623 top prize. Machado outlasted a tough field, with Russia’s Andrey Pateychuk finishing as the runner-up for $324,422.

Triton Main Event Draws Massive Field

The 2024 WSOP Paradise continues to deliver exciting action, and the partnership with Triton Poker is raising the stakes. Day 1 of the $100,000 Triton Main Event saw impressive numbers. The event has already surpassed last year‘s field of 111 runners, attracting an incredible 149 entries (107 unique players and 42 re-entries). Eighty players returned for Day 2 today, all with their sights set on WSOP glory.

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New Zealand’s David Yan currently leads the field, returning with a commanding 1.166 million chips.

Among the remaining contenders is India’s all-time money list topper, Santhosh Suvarna, who is still looking for his first cash in this series. Suvarna will begin Day 2 with 211,000 chips, hoping to turn his luck around.

Santhosh Suvarna hanging on by thread…phew 😅 #TritonMainEvent #wsopPARADISE pic.twitter.com/XFJtvAbpyE

— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) December 11, 2024

Mini Main Event Exceeds Expectations

The $2,500 Mini Main Event also saw its five starting flights conclude, exceeding expectations with 2,031 total entries. The event boasts a $5 Million guarantee, with 306 players advancing to Day 2, each guaranteed at least $5,630.

Sriharsha Doddapaneni, a veteran poker pro who finished 12th in the EPT Barcelona Main Event, emerged as the sole Indian to make the cut, carrying a healthy stack of 479,000 into Day 2.

$100K PLO Super High Roller Highlights

The $100K PLO Super High Roller was filled with drama. Day 2 welcomed 26 new entrants to join the 26 Day 1 survivors.

Poker legend Daniel Negreanu had a promising start, flopping a set of queens to crack Stephen Chidwick‘s aces for an early knockout and surging past the 2 Million chip mark. However, his luck soon soured. Negreanu took a big blow when he missed a flush draw against Pascal LeFrancois. Chidwick, who had quickly re-entered, sealed Daniel Negreanu’s fate with a brutal bust-out.

The road to victory was a challenging one, with top players like Chance Kornuth, Jesse Lonis, Bryn Kenney, Shaun Deeb, and Dylan Weisman all exiting before the money bubble burst. Josh Arieh‘s kings fell victim to Ben Tollerene’s rivered trips, while Jason Mercier‘s kings couldn’t hold up against Pascal LeFrancois’ aces.

India’s high roller sensation Santhosh Suvarna, fresh off a tough run in the Triton Million Invitational, entered the tournament with high hopes. Unfortunately, he was eliminated in 15th place, just two spots shy of the money. Suvarna made his last stand by moving all in for 480,000 (4 BBs) with but was eliminated by Ben Tollerene`s that made two-pair on the runout . Tollerene got a measure of revenge for his heads-up loss to Suvarna in the summer’s Super High Roller bracelet event.

Chris Brewer became the unfortunate bubble boy, jamming with two kings only to run into Pascal LeFrancois’ seemingly unstoppable aces. With Brewer’s exit, the remaining 13 players were guaranteed a share of the record-setting prize pool, each taking home at least $213,590.

Jason Koon rivered a set of jacks to crack Nick Schulman’s kings, eliminating the five-time bracelet winner in 13th place.

Biao Ding then busted Isaac Haxton in 12th with a nut flush but later fell in 11th place when his aces were cracked by Lautaro Guerra’s trip queens.

Veselin Karakitukov doubled to nearly 8 Million in chips, while Jared Bleznick and Sorel Mizzi also scored clutch double-ups. Koon and Karakitukov surged past 10 Million, with Karakitukov busting Dirk Gerritse in 10th place with a rivered nut flush.

Jeremy Ausmus became the final table bubble boy, eliminated in ninth place with $243,340 after losing to Karakitukov’s aces!

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Veselin Karakitukov – 15,000,000
2. Jared Bleznick – 8,750,000
3. Jason Koon – 8,400,000
4. Lautaro Guerra – 6,700,000
5. Sorel Mizzi – 4,550,000
6. Patrik Antonius – 3,675,000
7. Ben Tollerene – 2,650,000
8. Pascal Lefrancois – 1,950,000

Final Table Recap

Veselin Karakitukov entered the final table as the runaway chip leader with 15 Million chips, dwarfing his nearest competitor.

The action started fast and furious. Ben Tollerene scored an early double-up with pocket kings against Jared Bleznick, while Pascal LeFrancois spiked a set of tens on the river to double through Karakitukov.

Sorel Mizzi was the first casualty. He shoved his into Lautaro Guerra’s . Guerra’s pocket aces held, sending Mizzi to the rail in eighth place.

Jared Bleznick then pulled off a dramatic double-up, hitting a running straight to crack Jason Koon’s pocket aces. Tollerene also laddered up after flopping a full house to win a healthy pot off Guerra.

The action exploded as Karakitukov delivered a stunning double knockout. Patrik Antonius, down to his last 50,000, shoved with , and Pascal LeFrancois went over the top with . Karakitukov called with , making for a three-way showdown. The board ran out , giving Karakitukov a full house and eliminating both Antonius in seventh place and LeFrancois in sixth.

Jason Koon was the next to fall. His couldn’t beat Veselin Karakitukov’s flopped nut flush with when the board came . This hand boosted Karakitukov’s stack to over 20 Million.

In a tough break, Lautaro Guerra and Ben Tollerene both held aces, but Guerra rivered a flush to double through Tollerene. But Tollerene battled back, finding a double-up of his own through Veselin Karakitukov with a flopped top set. He eventually eliminated Karakitukov in fourth place when the latter’s failed to improve against Tollerene’s .

The three-handed play saw Guerra fight back, doubling through Bleznick with a turned nut flush. Jared Bleznick‘s tournament ended shortly afterwards when his was outdrawn by Ben Tollerene’s rivered straight with on a board of .

The heads-up battle began with Ben Tollerene holding a commanding 36 Million-to-17 Million lead over Lautaro Guerra. However, the Spaniard quickly turned the tables, winning the first few pots to pull ahead. By 3 AM on Day 2, the match was paused, with Tollerene ending with a slight edge at 29.8 Million to Guerra’s 23 Million.

Final Day Chip Counts

1. Ben Tollerene – 29,800,000
2. Lautaro Guerra – 23,000,000

Final Day Recap

When play resumed the next day, the momentum shifted decisively in Guerra’s favour. Just three hands in, Guerra doubled with pocket aces, taking a commanding chip lead. The very next hand would prove to be the decisive one.

Short-stacked and desperate, Ben Tollerene moved all-in with , only to be met with Guerra’s . The dealer spread the board: . Guerra’s pocket sixes held up, and with that, he had achieved his dream, winning his first-ever WSOP bracelet.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Lautaro Guerra – $2,126,770
2. Ben Tollerene – $1,577,660
3. Jared Bleznick – $1,170,360
4. Veselin Karakitukov – $868,220
5. Jason Koon – $644,070
6. Pascal LeFrancois – $477,800
7. Patrik Antonius – $354,440
8. Sorel Mizzi – $277,230

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP & PokerNews

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