Eli Elezra completed the field 68 entries to win
US Poker Open $, 000 buy-in for an eight game event. Fourfold World Series of Poker bracelet winner earned $184,302 after beating the final table which included several other multiple bracelet winners such as Card Player columnist Steve Zolotow (two-time bracelet winner) and Daniel Negreanu (six-time bracelet winner).
The 60-year-old poker player and businessman who was born in Israel but now lives in Las Vegas now has over $ 3.9 million in lifetime live tournament winnings in his name. It was Elezra's first live result since summer 2019.
In addition to the title and money, he was also awarded 302 Player card Player of the Year points for a win.
183 USPO in the ranking, the points he scored as a champion of this event were enough to see him in seventh place in the series leaderboard. He also scored the same number of points in the classification PokerGO Tour.
He started the second and last day of this event with the other seven players, z WSOP bracelet winner i World Poker Tour Main Event Winner David 'ODB'Baker in the lead and Elezra in second place. Baker lost a coinflip pre-flop to Daniel Negreanu early on and lost the lead, then lost a massive hand to Zolotov to finish the day seventh in just a few hands a day. Baker moved all in and was exposed with AAND against A.K. from Zolotov. The record ended on 1083J.Q and Zolotov made a backdoor nut to send Baker to the railing with $029,000.
Elezra bracelet winner Nick Guagenti in sixth place ($029,800) to keep up with Zolotov. Swedish mixed-game star Erik Sagstrom was the next to be eliminated with an overpayment and a flush draw to two pair Negreanu in Omaha with an eight or better. Sagstrom did not improve and was eliminated in fifth place ($41,289).
Richard Sklar entered the last day as a clean short stack but managed to outlast a few opponents to make it to the final four. His run was over when his pocket eights lost the flip to AJ. Negreanu, who floped a jack to take the lead, which he never gave up. Sklar paid out $68 as fourth place winner.
The last three players from 12 WSOP the bracelets between them fought for about 45 minutes before another elimination took place during the pot-limit Omaha round. With shutters 10, -68,000, Elezra raised to 240,000 from little blind with KQJ.9 and Negreanu saved his big blind with A755 . The flop came out on 833 and Elezra raised enough to put Negreanu all in on his last 700. Negreanu called and so far he had the upper hand. 7 on the turn he kept Negreanu ahead, but Q on the river he gave the pot to Elezra. Negreanu received $88,302 for the third place.
Zołotów started the one-on-one game from 4,700.10 to Elezra 3,700.10. The two fought for over an hour and Elezra overtook the lead early and basically never looked back. The final hand was played in a seven-card studio with eight or better cards. Zolotov moved all in on street five with a split pair of fives against Elezra's four low cards and backdoor flush opportunities. Elezra hit a pair of sevens on street six to take the lead of the hand. Neither player improved on street 7 and Elezra took the pot to secure the title.
Zolotov earned $120, and 150 USPO ranking points as runner-up. It was his third win in the series, finishing fifth in the kickoff tournament for $41, and fourth in event no. 3 for another $77 ,. With $184, earnings so far and 240 total points, Zołotów is now in second place in USPO series classification, behind Joe McKeehen himself ($302,180 in earnings, 302 ranking points). The ultimate winner USPO the ranked race will be awarded with $50, in an additional prize pool and a new Golden Eagle trophy.
Here is a breakdown of the payouts and ranking points awarded at the final table:
Player
Steve Zołotów |
80 |
$41,400 |
Nick Guagenti |