WSOP Main Event: Damian Salas Champions 2020 World Series of Poker $10K Main Event International Tournament For $1.55 Million!

Argentinian pro Damian Salas (cover image) conquered the international leg of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event on December 15 at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, the Czech Republic. Salas triumphed over a field of 674 total entries to bank a mouth-watering $1,550,969 top prize!

Before we get into the details of how the final table played out, here’s a fun fact, Salas was the first Argentinian to make it to the WSOP Main Event final table in 2017. He had busted out in seventh place for $1.42 Million. And now, three years later, he has won the WSOP Main Event! What an achievement!

A total of nine players had made it to the final table of the international leg of the online/live hybrid WSOP Main Event. However, only eight players made the trip to the Czech Republic to claim a piece of the $6,470,400 prize pool.

The fight for the coveted title came down to Salas and start-of-final table chip leader Brunno Botteon.

And it’s HEADS UP in the #WSOP Main Event @GGPoker edition!

It’s Argentina v Brazil !

It’s Damian Salas v Brunno Botteon!

24M plays 12M.#GGPoker @PokerroomKings pic.twitter.com/48hnhH0vGi

— GGPoker – HOME OF ONLINE POKER’S LARGEST PRIZEPOOL (@GGPoker) December 15, 2020

It was a close match, but in the end, Salas sailed through to clinch his career-first WSOP title, while Botteon settled for a runner-up payout worth $1,062,723.

@WSOP Main Event International Champion Damian Salas! pic.twitter.com/5bABc6SFTZ

— GGPoker – HOME OF ONLINE POKER’S LARGEST PRIZEPOOL (@GGPoker) December 15, 2020

In the post-event interview, Salas talked about his performance. “I was very confident in my game and that hand was important,” he said. “It was a tough spot but I also knew he is also very capable of bluffing.”

A lawyer by profession, Salas, said that despite winning the prestigious WSOP title, he plans to continue working in his home country.

“I don’t want to spend all my energy playing poker,” he said. “I like to take my time to also do other things and not just poker.”

A family man through-and-through, Salas believes he was already a winner because of his family’s unwavering support. His daughter Sol even created a handmade bracelet, which he wore for the winner’s photos as he thanked everyone back home, rooting him on.

“I was already a winner because I received all this energy,” he said. “I want to thank all my friends, my wife, and my children. I cannot say enough thank you for all the support I have received.”

Salas will now head to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to play the winner of the concurrently-running ‘Domestic Tournament’ for this year’s World Champion title. The eventual winner of that heads-up showdown will be awarded the championship bracelet and $1 million in added prize money.

The US-facing tournament plays its final table on Monday, December 28, with Joseph “kolebear” Hebert headlining the nine finalists.

Final Table Recap

Right from the start, Salas let his aggressive intentions known. Draped in his country’s flag, Salas won the first hand of the final table against Manuel Ruivo. The former’s stack jumped from 5.65 Million to 6.97 Million, taking him from the sixth to second position in chips.

The Argentinian claimed his first victim on the final table in Hannes Speiser. The Greek pro had started out as the shortest stack, and unsurprisingly was the first to be eliminated when his could not hold up against Salas’s pocket tens. Speiser walked out in eighth place.

By Level 36, Salas had accumulated 10.2 Million in chips and was quickly catching up to final table chip leader Botteon who was sitting behind a 13.10 Million stack.

Soon enough, Salas boosted his stack to 11.6 Million after eliminating Stoyan Obreshkov in seventh place.

About 20 minutes later, Dominykas Mikolaitis was knocked out in sixth place by Ruivo.

After the first break of the day, Salas (12 Million) won a pot against Ramon Miquel Munoz that propelled him to the top, with a very narrow gap of 700,000 separating him from Botteon (11.3 Million).

However, Salas quickly pulled ahead further after winning a massive hand against Botteon. Salas led out for 525,000, and Botteon defended his big blind to see the flop open . Both players checked to see the turn . After that, Botteon fired a bet of 450,000. Salas called to see the river card open . Botteon checked, and Salas announced a bet of 1.5 Million. Botteon raised it to 5 Million. Salas tanked for a while before making the call. Botteon revealed for a pair of nines and a missed gutshot draw. Salas rejoiced as he turned over the and raked in the pot with a pair of kings. Salas jumped to 18.57 Million in chips, with Botteon sliding down to 5.1 Million.

About an hour later, it was Marco Streda‘s turn to depart from the final table when his Big Slick lost out to Ruivo’s pocket rockets. Streda exited in fifth place.

At the time of the dinner break, Salas had taken on a commanding lead at the table with a stack of 23.5 Million.

After returning from the break, Salas continued with his aggressive style of play. He won yet another big pot to take his chip lead to 25.57 Million, while Munoz was left with just one 800,000 chip.

Predictably, Ramon Miquel Munoz was easy pickings, and Botteon sent him on his way in the very next hand. Munoz’s lost out to Botteon’s which bettered to trip treys on the board . Munoz walked out in fourth place.

Three-handed play continued for a little over an hour before Manuel Ruivo‘s dismissal in third place. Ruivo’s ran into Salas’s . The runout brought , and Salas rivered a flush, bringing about Ruivo’s elimination.

The heads-up between Salas (24.17 Million) and Brunno Botteon (14.1 Million) started with the Brazilian on the backfoot. Botteon fought back and won the first two hands to even take over a narrow lead against Salas. The advantage was short-lived as Salas won back the chip lead almost immediately. After that, the Argentinian continued to extend his lead, and by Level 41, Salas had 26.52 Million in chips, against Botteon’s 11.75 Million.

On the final hand, with the flop open , Botteon and Salas checked to see the turn . Botteon checked again, and Salas fired a bet of 1 Million. Botteon raised it to 2.8 Million and Salas called to see the river . Botteon jammed all-in. Salas asked for a count on the shove, which was deemed to be 6.65 Million. Salas took some time before ultimately calling. Botteon immediately tapped the table and turned over , revealing a bluff gone wrong. Salas showed for the top two-pair.

And just like that, Botteon had to contend with a runner-up finish, while Salas went on to claim his first-ever WSOP title, along with a colossal $1,550,969 payday!

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Damian Salas – $1,550,969

2. Brunno Botteon – $1,062,723

3. Manuel Ruivo – $728,177

4. Ramon Miquel Munoz – $498,947

5. Marco Streda – $341,879

6. Dominykas Mikolaitis – $234,255

7. Stoyan Obreshkov – $160,512

8. Hannes Speiser – $109,982

9. Peiyuan Sun – $75,360

*China’s Peiyuan Sun opted not to travel and finished in ninth place ($75,360) as per the rules

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