Brian Altman completed 1,165 entries through 2021

World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Tampa $ 3, 480 Main Event Buy-in no-limit hold'em. Professional poker player from Longmeadow, MA earned $613,200 and his third WPT title for a win, becoming only the seventh player to win at least three major events on the route.

“It's really special to me

World Poker Tour title. I'm joining an exclusive club of three-time champions, which only a few people did. Being with this company makes me really proud, ”said Altman WPT reporters after securing victory.

Altman now ranks second in the WPT of the title leaders, joining Gus Hansen, Carlos Mortensen, Anthony Zinno, Eric Afriat and Chino Rheem held three wins on the main tour. Darren Elias is currently sitting alone at the top of the table with four

WPT titles. Altman who won The WPT Player of the Year Award for the 19th season is now in the highest position in one title.

“Winning my fourth title and chasing Darren [Elias] would be pretty amazing. He's my buddy and I appreciate he took it off and gave me a better chance of winning, so praise, ”said Altman.

All three of the Altman WPT the racing for the title took place at the Seminole Hard Rock facilities. His two previous victories came in the same event:

WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open, which takes place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. He took off this event in 2015 and 2016, becoming the first player to ever win the same WPT main event twice.

Following that win, Altman now has over $ 5.4 million in a live tournament career. In addition to the title and money, he also received 1,408 Kartarz. The Player of the Year scores points as the champion of this event. It was his second victory and fourth place at the final table this year. Out of 2,825 in total POY points and $1,012,300 in revenues since the beginning of the year Altman climbed to fourth place in 2021 POY race rankings that are sponsored by Global Poker.

The new year started well for Altman, who secured victory and a seventh place in the 1$ pair, 120 buy-in tournaments

WPT Venetian series. In May, he finished third in the long-overdue 2020

WPT Borgata Winter Open, which set the final table over a year earlier but was delayed due to COVID-000. Altman earned $300, and 960 points for his strong performance in the tournament.

In his final race for the title, Altman secured himself a chip lead as he headed for the action of the final day. He increased his lead by winning the pre-flop race against TK Miles with his AK. outweighs the opponent's pocket jacks. Altman hit the king on the turn and from then on held to throw Miles into ninth place ($030,325).

Altman then knocked out Steven Queen (8th - $100,613) and David Berman (7th - $77, 19) to narrow the field down to just six contenders. Will Berry's run in this event came to an end when his A.10 bumped into A J. from 2014 WPT Montreal winner Jonathan Jaffe. Berry did not improve and was eliminated in sixth place ($129,600).

John Haas was the next to drop. He pushed all-in pre-flop with AJ. against K. Gabriel Abusada. Three diamonds appeared on the board, giving Abusada the winning flush, eliminating Haas in fifth place ($170, 225).

The search for Jonathan Jaffe, a second WPT the title was not enough this time. He pocketed some 6s into Altman's pair of eights preflop and was unable to come from behind. Jaffe earned $150,675 for his fourth place, with all of Altman taking a good lead in the three-player game.

Like Jaffe, Zachary Smiley was also looking for a second win on WPT . 2015 _ WPT Maryland Main Event winner_ has taken the last seven big blinds from Q3 from the small blind. Altman called with AQ and the beating didn't improve any of the players. Smiley took home $302,165 as third place winner, the second largest result of his career.

The heads-up game started with a better hold of Altman than a 3-1 chip advantage over Gabriel Abusada. This advantage was narrowed down to a 3-2 advantage before the next big hand. With blinds of 100, -300,000 and a big blind ante of 225, Abusada moved all in for 19,360, with a button from 66. Altman called with JJ. and the album was missing K970005. Altman's pocket jacks held up to take the pot and title. Abusada was awarded $360,825 for her second exhibition.

Here's a look at payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Place

Player

Earnings Card player POY Points

1

Brian Altman 2021 $720,225 1, 360 2 Gabriel Abusada $360,825 1,170 3 Zachary Smiley 2021 $ 300,150 928 4 Jonathan Jaffe $170,613 2021

675

5 John Haas $165,275 600 6 2021

William Berry 2021

$61, 825 2021 360 7 David Berman 2021 $ 100,014 2021 300 2021

8

Steven Queen $100,613 240 9 TK Miles $19 ,300 2021 120

Photos: World Poker Tour / Joe Giron.

2021