As we transitioned into the fifth week of the renowned 5th annual World Series of Poker Online (WSOP-O) hosted on GGPoker, the excitement reached a fever pitch. The poker world watched, riveted, as 6 more illustrious World Series of Poker bracelets were awarded to the international poker community. And, in the Ontario-exclusive WSOP, the Main Event concluded, awarding its much-coveted bracelet.
Anticipation was palpable as the week’s events unfolded. Particularly catching everyone’s attention is Event #28: WSOP Online Main Event. With its astonishing $25,000,000 guarantee, it serves as a beacon for players worldwide. The technical issues from the previous week have given all players an extra full week to qualify as, to date, 4,135 players have paid the $5,000 buy-in, of which only 471 have survived thus far to day 2. The other noteworthy tournament, Event #33: GGMillion$ High Roller, the final event on the schedule, offers players the option of a $10,000 buy-in tournament with a $10 Million Guarantee.
The week also boasted the conclusion of 4 Continental freerolls. These tournaments distributed a whopping $260,000 in poker rewards. With 2,860 avid poker participants in the fray, 778 players managed to earn a portion of the lucrative prize pool. A tip of the hat to the 11 fortunate players who secured $10,000 packages, setting their sights on the exciting 2023 WSOP Paradise event in the Bahamas.
The week’s events began with the WSOP Online Event #24: Pot Limit Omaha Championship. This competition, complete with its $10,000 entry fee, drew 153 poker aficionados and accumulated a prize pool that reached $1,484,100. While the top 5 finishers of the event all earned over $100,000, it was, among this sea of talent, Y Dzivielevski’ who distinguished themselves, pocketing a World Series of Poker bracelet and a more than respectable $368,342.81 for the victory.
WSOP Bracelet Events
The week’s next bracelet event in the WSOP Online ran on Thursday, September 21st. Event #25: Superstack Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold’em, attracted significant attention. This unique $525 buy-in event offered participants super deep stacks, creating significant strategic depth. Attracting 2,516 players, all eyeing the WSOP Championship Bracelet and a share from the $1,258,000 prize pool. When the final hand was completed, it was ‘Symmetry’, flying the Canadian flag, defeating ‘Nevan Chang’, and claiming the victory. ‘Symmetry’ earned $50,392.52 to go along with the championship bracelet and an additional $59,228.98 in earned bounties.
The next event, in the series, the only bracelet event on the Saturday, was Event #26: Heads Up No Limit Hold’em Championship. This tournament, unlike most, did not allow for late registration and capped the player pool to 128. When the event started, 127 had joined knowing that only the top 8 would be paid, with 5th through 8th earning $75,838.84 from the $10,000 buy-in. The 3rd and 4th place finishers were consoled with $121,342.15 and ‘Petr Knopp’ had to settle with $242,684.30. The eventual Heads up winner and bracelet champion, was ‘A Martirosian’ who slept well knowing the top prize of $424,697.54 was safe in his account.
Adding to the exhilaration of this week’s series was Event #27: FIFTY STACK Pot Limit Omaha. With a moderate buy-in of $500, this event attracted a commendable 1,080 poker enthusiasts, eager to test their skills in the intricate game of Pot-Limit Omaha. Amassing a significant prize pool of $513,000, the stakes were undeniably high. The limelight, however, was firmly captured by ‘karma tova’. Representing Israel with pride, ‘karma tova’ showcased exceptional skill and strategy, eventually clinching the first place. For this masterful display, the player was rewarded with a substantial $76,702.52 and the WSOP Online Bracelet.
Two Delayed Events
The weekend also saw the conclusion of the two WSOP Online events that were suspended due to a technical issue. The first of these was Event #20: DOUBLE CHANCE No Limit Hold’em which was halted with just 20 players remaining. The tournament restarted with ‘MaShallah’ holding a significant lead with 5,415,007 (77.4BB) in chips but at the end, it was ‘Real Nickname’ claiming the victory and the $145,522.95 along with the bracelet while the overnight chip leader had to settle for 5th and $46,018.13.
Event # 21: WSOP GGMasters HR Freezeout No Limit Hold’em was also suspended, but this tournament was still in the late registration phase. The $1,500 price tag had attracted 1,023 contenders to battle for supremacy and a WSOP Bracelet when the tournament was paused, of which 950 players still remained. When late registration finally closed, 1,358 players had bouth in and created a prize pool of $1,935,150. The chip leader at the time of the pause, ‘raMAINcALLINas’, was eventually KO’ed in 50th, while ‘SvenCalls’ ended the event atop the field, earning $253,823.05 for the effort.
The last event of the week was event #29: GGMillion$ Super High Roller Championship. A $25,000 championship event, this Super High Roller event attracted 97 players, creating a prize pool of $3,552,500. At the time of publishing, the tournament was still going. With only 13 players left and the bubble already popped, it is current chip leader ‘Felipe Ketzer’, who has a 20BB lead over 2nd place, with the best chance to win the top prize of $760,396,10. Don’t feel too bad for the rest of the players as everyone at the fimal table is guaranteed over $100,000.
Ontario
The Ontario-only leg of WSOP ran only 1 event this week, the $1,000 buy-in Event #7: WSOP Ontario Main Event. Drawing 642 poker lovers, they built a noteworthy prize pool of $609,900, well exceeding the $500,000 guarantee. The top honor, including the bracelet and top prize of $111,666.46, went to ‘Magical Panda’.
As we bid adieu to the fifth week of WSOP Online 2023, it’s clear that the poker world is excited to be part of this unmatched spectacle. The forthcoming final week promises continued thrills with the final events lined up, 1 for Ontario and the final 6 in Ontario. Keep an eye on the schedule, and you might just find yourself a tournament that fits your schedule leading you to be the proud owner of a WSOP bracelet. Remember, every event you play also propels you closer to a piece of the massive $2,000,000 in freerolls, and perhaps, a seat at the WSOP Paradise come December.