With the World Series of Poker (WSOP) winding down on GGPoker it’s time for PokerStars to enter the mental moorland of online poker mega multi-table tournament (MTT) series’s with the return of the World Championships of Online Poker (WCOOP).
It was a fantastic opening night for PokerStars with one of their own bagging his first-ever WCOOP title. Benjamin ’Spraggy’ Spragg delighted his Twitch stream who bore witness to his victory in a $5.50 No Limit Hold’em 8-Max. ’Spraggy’ conquered a field of 12,192-entrants to claim the $4,349.41 first prize. He also finished 9/1091 in the $530 version of that event in what would have been an incredible double.
On the high roller front, the biggest tournament of the first two days saw two former PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event winners trying to deprive each other of a WCOOP title.
The $10,300 No Limit Hold’em 8-Max, PKO Sunday Slam, attracted 136-entrants, and Dimitar Danchev out-duelled Mike Watson for the $400,495 first prize and WCOOP honours. The Bulgarian #1 in the All-Time Money List on The Hendon Mob claimed victory after A7o beat KQc when all-in pre-flop. Danchev began the heads-up phase with the dominant chip lead and collected a hefty purse thanks to gathering close to a quarter of a million bucks in bounties. It’s Danchev’s first WCOOP title, and in winning it, he denied Watson his third.
Watson comes into the WCOOP on the back of winning three titles in this year’s Spring Championships of Online Poker (SCOOP), taking his total SCOOP title account to five.
Here are the final table results.
Results
Dimitar Danchev – $400,495
Mike Watson – $198,463
Joao Vieira – $103,149
Javier Fernandez – $112,039
663Daur – $73,066
Ryhor Karapanau – $61,604
Pieter Aerts – $50,170
Jans Arends – $55,241
Andrey Novak – $40,483
Mike Watson
Had it not been for the Michael Phelps like-performance of Connor ‘blanconegro’ Drinan during the PokerStars Spring Championships of Online Poker (SCOOP) (his swimming and not his poker performances), Michael ‘SirWatts’ Watson would have blipped on more radar screens.
He’s blipping today.
The Canadian High Roller took down the third win of the series, and all three have been in different disciplines, demonstrating the incredible quality and diversity of this genius.
Watson vanquished 148-entrants in Event #113: $1,050 6+ Hold’em to claim the $29,997.02 first prize after beating ‘GODofHU’ in heads-up action. He adds the 6+ Hold’em title to Event #51: $1,0500 No Limit 2-7 Single Draw, and Event #66: $2,100 No Limit Hold’em. Watson has now won six career SCOOP titles.
Michael ‘iambest2’ Eibinger also secured a victory before we all settled down to watch the mayhem on CNN this past weekend. The Austrian star defeated 96-entrants in Event #105: $5,200 No Limit Hold’em Midweek Freeze Six Max. The win earned Eibinger $111,703.80 game points, and he will need them with the Super High Roller Bowl Online (SHRBO) submerging most people’s bankrolls deeper than they usually go.
Here are the results.
Event #105: $5,200 No Limit Hold’em Midweek Freeze Six Max
Entrants – 96
Results
Matthias ‘iambest2’ Eibinger – $111,703.80
Simon ‘Igorkarkarof’ Ronnow – $88,064.44
Giorgos ‘Geokarak’ Karakousis – $67,612.03
FouEnculePL – $51,909.50
great dant – $39,853.52
shuhpat – $30,598.03
Event #113: $1,050 6+ Hold’em
Entrants – 148
Results
Mike “SirWatts” Watson – $29,997.02
GODofHU – $22,831.67
Bo$$ D4wg – $17,377.98
Hatrick1991 – $13,226.98
sry2good4u – $10,067.50
Zapahzamazki – $7,662.72
The poker community has whizzed fervently through 360- SCOOP tournaments like a London cabbie with ‘The Knowledge.’ The series has seen 2,662,376 entrants compete, and the total prize money stands at $175,717,483 with 11-events left to run.
It seems that Connor ‘blanconegro’ Drinan is not going to hog the entire limelight of the PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP).
Mike ’SirWatts” Watson wants some.
The Canadian high-roller busted out the party decorations for the fifth time in his SCOOP career, becoming only the tenth person in history to reach that milestone, a few days shy of Drinan becoming #9.
Watson moved through 199 entrants like an apparition to take down Event #66: $2,100 No Limit Hold’em. Amongst those unable to land a blow on the eventual winner was online star Conor ‘1_conor_b_1’ Beresford, who finished fifth.
Results
Mike ‘SirWatts’ Watson – $80,642.40
hotmark777 – $62,088.88
Black88 – $47,804.00
nofingclue11 – $36,805.64
1_conor_b_1 – $28,337.72
MarToMchat – $21,818.00
XMorphineX – $16,798.32
IgorKarkarof – $12,933.48
If it weren’t for the heads-up skills of Noah ‘Exclusive’ Boeken, Watson would have joined the merry band of three men who have won six SCOOP titles, after finishing runner-up to the Dutchman in Event #65.
The $1,050 8-Game attracted 193-entrants to the virtual felt like smoke to a dragon’s burp, and Watson collected $29,098.08 for his second-place finish.
Results
Noah ‘Exclusive’ Boeken – $38,494.94
Mike ‘SirWatts’ Watson – $29,098.08
nilsef – $21,995.18
Kelvin_FP:AR – $16,626.10
Gjeddekongen – $12,567.63
Nor-Wiking – $9,499.84
Charlie Carrel Wins Event #70: $530 No Limit Hold’em PKO
Charlie ‘Epiphany77’ Carrel has enjoyed afflicting maximum pain on his online poker pals this past fortnight. Nine days removed from taking down a $25,000 No Limit Hold’em event at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Online Championships High Roller for $600,000, Carrel has won a SCOOP event.
The former SCOOP Main Event winner secured his third SCOOP title after clamouring through a field of 2,112 entrants in a $530 No Limit Hold’em PKO event.
Results
Charlie ‘Epiphany77’ Carrel – $67,468.09 + $43,912.43
Joao Simao Wins Event #71: $1,050 Six Max Turbo NLO8
Finally, the former PocketFives World #1, and occasional $25,000 seat taker, Joao ‘IneedMassari’ Simao, took down Event #71: $1,050 Six Max Turbo NLO8.
The event pulled in 194-entrants, and the Brazilian star added a further $38,694.35 to his $9m+ in online winnings.
Results
Joao ‘IneedMassari’ Simao – $38,694.35
Pardosh – $29,248.85
rompsa – $22,109.15
BigTreeStump – $16,712.24
Us_Alex – $12,632.75
IAmSoSo – $9,549.06
Some take out a bank loan to compete in the PokerStars Spring Championships of Online Poker (SCOOP). Then some toss around SCOOP titles with the same nonchalance of someone tossing the lettuce and tomato from a burger.
Here are two of them.
Every series has someone that shines brightest, and currently, the man shining like sunburn is Connor Drinan. ‘Blanconegro’, as he is known to online poker aficionados, has won three titles in four days, and we’re not talking about high stakes Sit n Go’s.
Drinan poured gasoline and then flicked his engraved Zippo lighter on the 378-entrant field in Event #34: $530 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better earning $34,420.52. Next, he pummelled the 150-entrant field to win the $152,011.45 first prize in Event #40: $5,200 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Max, beating 150-entrants for $152,011.46. Drinan continued raking in titles like a Craps stickman dragging in the coin by beating the 1,051 entrant field in Event #45: $215 No-Limit O8 6-Max PKO for $28,358.58.
Drinan who once rose to a high of fourth in the PocketFives World Rankings has now earned four career SCOOP titles, and more than $8.4m playing online multi-table tournaments (MTTs) with $7.4m coming on Stars.
Mike “SirWatts” Watson Wins Event #51: $1,050 No-LImit 2-7 Single Draw
Mike “SirWatts” Watson was another high roller blistering his way through a SCOOP field this week. The Canadian star made weasels of 84-entrants to win the title described in the title.
PocketFives have declared that this is Watts’s fourth career title, but I can only find evidence of three in his back catalogue. Both previous wins came in 2015, and both at the Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) tables. Watson won a $2,100 PLO Hi/Lo for $65,320 & $215 PLO 6-Max for $58,368
Watson has earned more than $4.8m playing online MTTs, including $3.8m playing on Stars.
Results
Mike ‘SirWatts’ Watson – $22,050
Alexander ‘joiso’ Kostritsyn – $15,330
Luke ‘lb6121’ Schwartz – $10,500
ptisan – $7,560
Rui ‘RuiNF’ Ferreira – $5,670
serkku21 – $4,200
Naoya ‘nkeyno’ Kihara – $3,360
It was a case of pistols at noon and 1 pm on Day 2 of the event that’s currently occupying the minds of the high stakes brethren and those taking a shot.
The 2020 Poker Masters Online, created by Poker Central, and hosted by partypoker, has blazed through two more events with its riding crop in hand and a healthy turnout to boot.
Event #4: $10,300 No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) enticed 102 players to the virtual baize, making it the most substantial field size of the opening quartet. The $1,020,000 in prize money is the second-largest loot behind the $1,375,000 raised in Event #1 (a $25,000 event).
The heads-up battle for the title saw Mike Watson with a dagger strapped to his thigh, and Sam Greenwood holding the pepper spray. Of the Canadians, Watson was making his first in the money (ITM) finish of the series. It was Greenwood’s second.
Watson chopped down the Greenwood to take the title, but a runner-up finish keeps the twin in the Poker Masters Championship Standing Top 5.
The win moves Watson’s all-time online tournament earnings to within a nostril hair of $5m, and it’s his second most significant score trailing the $280,238.52 Watson banked for winning the $10,300 Eight-Game Championship at the 2016 World Championships of Online Poker (WCOOP) at PokerStars.
Here are the ITM results.
Results
Mike Watson – $249,900
Sam Greenwood – $178,500
Jorryt van Hoof – $127,500
Orpen Kisacikoglu – $89,250
Wiktor Malinowski – $66,300
Karim Khayat – $51,000
Patrick Leonard – $40,800
Pauli Ayras – $33,150
Zachary Clark – $25,500
Darrell Goh – $25,500
Alexander Kolonias – $25,500
Matthias Eibinger – $25,500
Andras Nemeth – $20,400
Vicent Bosca Ramon – $20,400
Simo Mattsson – $20,400
Simon Pedersen – $20,400
Andras Nemeth Wins Event #5: $10,300 NLHE
The second event of the day (see above) attracted 83-entrants like toddlers in wellies to a puddle and raised $830,000 in prize money.
Orpen Kisacikoglu made money for the second successive time, finishing runner-up to the eventual winner, Andras Nemeth. Kisacikoglu ends the day fifth in the Poker Masters Championship Leaderboard.
To have a Poker Masters Online without a few results from Nemeth is unfathomable. He is a former PocketFives World #1, and in the past few years has been picking up six-figure scores both online and live with the speed and grace of one of Fagin’s pickpockets.
Nemeth collected $259,629 for the win and will have added incentive to don the Purple Jacket after coming so close to Australian Poker Open glory, losing out to Stephen Chidwick in the final stages of the series earlier in the year.
Here are the results in full.
Results
Andras Nemeth – $259,629
Orpen Kisacikoglu – $161,850
Eelis Parssinen – $99,600
Fedor Holz – $72,625
Dan Shak – $51,875
Sami Kelopuro – $35,275
Christoph Vogelsang – $26,975
Carlos Sanchez – $26,975
Joni Jouhkimainen – $26,975
Sergi Reixach – $27,740
Artur Martirosian – $27,740
Ian Engel – $27,740
The Global Poker Index (GPI) World #1, Alex Foxen, didn’t make money in either event, but still tops the leaderboard thanks to his victory in Event #3. Nemeth, Greenwood and Kisacikoglu make their presence felt in the top five, and Elias Talvitie holds onto his #2 berth after winning the opening event.
Poker Masters Online Championship Standings
Alex Foxen – $309,677 (310 pts)
Elias Talvitie – $481,250 (289)
Andras Nemeth – $285,129 (280)
Sam Greenwood – $302,250 (253)
Orpen Kisacikoglu – $251,100 (251)
Australian Poker Open
It’s time to put your seat back into an upright position, stow your tray table, and stop watching whatever crap you’re watching – the Australian Poker Open (APO) is about to kick into gear.
It’s the first time that Poker Central has brought their unique brand of broadcasting to Australia, and The Star Gold Coast is going to be their home for the next few days. There’s nothing bitter about this lemon, but it will still pull your lips over your teeth with a ‘Wow!’
The melody kicked off with Event #1: AUD 10,000 No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE). 59-entrants created a prizepool of $402,785, and Mike Watson sat alone amid the smouldering wreckage, after beating Michael Grady in heads-up action.
It’s Watson’s tenth live tournament title of his career, and the $120,836 he bagged for the win tipped his total live earnings over the $12m mark. Although there were no red, white and blue flashing lights, Watson will be relieved with the win, his first since winning the 928-entrant PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event in 2016 for $728,325.
And ‘SirWatts’ defeated a solid End Boss in Michael O’Grady, who won the opening event of the Aussie Millions, defeating 867-entrants to collect the $130,365 first prize in the AUD 1,200 NLHE Accumulator.
Let’s see how Watson took it down the Gold Coast town.
The Nutshell Action
Final Table Seat Draw
Seat 1: Andras Nemeth – 615,000
Seat 2: Mike Watson – 1,355,000
Seat 3: Orpen Kisacikoglu – 1,100,000
Seat 4: Jamie Lee – 675,000
Seat 5: Michael O’Grady – 1,815,000
Seat 6: Benjamin Shannon – 400,000
The first person to feel like the deck had stuck a knife in his back was Andras Nemeth. The Hungarian made his last stand with the teeny-tiny looking deuces, and O’Grady called and hammered him with those giant-looking pocket aces.
Jamie Lee fell short before moving all-in holding jack-nine-suited, and Watson took him apart with ace-queen to create four-handed action. Orpen Kisacikoglu arrived in Sydney fresh off a third in the AUD 50,000 NLHE Challenge at the Aussie Millions and put in another sharp showing finishing in fourth after an ill-timed bluff ran into Watson’s flush on the river.
The tournament slipped into the heads-up phase after Benjamin Shannon exited in third. Still, what a display from the man who arrived at the gate after winning two satellites (the first was AUD 250!). Shannon moved his little stack into the middle with ace-deuce, and O’Grady’s big stack gobbled him up with eight-four-suited.
Heads-Up
Watson had lost 13 of his 26 heads-up encounters, with a barrage of them happening in world-class events whereas O’Grady had won 16 of his 26 End Boss battles and was undefeated in his previous four match-ups.
According to the little we know gleaned from the Poker Central website, the final was entertaining. The chip lead moved from one stack to the other until Watson’s ace-queen finally battered the ace-eight of O’Grady into submission, and it was all over.
It’s the third time that Watson has won a live tournament on dirty Australian casino floors. In 2010, he won a 108-entrant AUD 1,150 NLHE event for $119,911, and in 2013 he won a 99-entrant AUD 2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha side event at the Aussie Millions for $76,010.
