2015 event number 5 US Poker Open attracted field 51 entries total to form the $850 prize pool, in the $, 000 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament. The top 13 finishers made money in this event, with the biggest discount for eventual champion Joey Weissman. The Las Vegas resident earned $204, his first live poker title this year as the champion of the event.
It was the fourth-largest result in Weissman's career and pushed his earnings from live tournaments to over $ 3.7 million. His biggest cash came when he pushed through a field of 1,607 runners in 2012 World Series of Poker $2,480 buy-in paused unlimited 'em event to earn $694,501 and his first WSOP gold bracelet.
In addition to the title and money, Weissman was also awarded 260 Card Player Player of the Year points for winning this event. It was his fourth final qualified for POY seat on the table of the year, including second place in Wynn Spring Classic $1,600 Main Event Buy-in for $230, 43 and 740 Points. With 1,480 points and a $526,893 in earnings since the start of the year, Weissman is now ranked 21st in 2015 POY a race sponsored by Global Poker.
This victory was Weissman's first win US Poker Open, and his second high score in 2021 thanks to which he won PokerGo Tour ranking points. The inaugural run of this high-stakes tour involves tracking down hundreds of events with a buy-in of $,000 or higher. He scored 204 ranking points for this victory, which was enough for him to advance to third in the USPO classifications and 21st place in PokerGo Tour Leaderboard.
The final day of the tournament started with Cara Katz leading the final seven, with Weissman among the three players who were close together in the fight for second place, joining Alaska pro poker pro Adam Hendrix and three WSOP bracelet winner and 2015 world champion Joe McKeehen.
Spanish professional poker player Vicent Bosca was eliminated first, with Brock Wilson AQ beating QJ to pack seventh ($43,260). Despite Wilson's victory in that hand, he quickly found himself over the top of the hand as the first of several players to be knocked out by the rising Hendrix. Wilson took home the $43, for sixth place in the event.
Hendrix then knocked out Frank Funaro (5th - $ , 000) and the leader at the beginning of the day Cary Katz (4th - $ ,) to get more than 70 percent of the chips in a three-player action game with McKeehen and Weissman. McKeehen pushed his last 11 big blinds from the small blind in Q3 and Hendrix called with K.9. Neither player improved on the river and McKeehen was eliminated in third place, earning $85, and 090 USPO sightseeing points. As a result, McKeehen took the lead in the series' standings, winning competition no. 3 just a few days early for $120,200 and 200 ranking points. He now has 240 series points and $240, 200 in earnings. His 480 PokerGO Tour enough points to move him to the 7th place on this leaderboard.
McKeehen also made 302 Card player POY points for your last deep run. He has four now POY2015 final qualifying tables including his USPO win, second place in World Poker Tour Venetian and winning a high roller tournament on Wynn Spring Classic. With 2,607 total points and 1,018,260 in terms of earnings since the start of the year, McKeehen is now ranked 4th in POY race.
Hendrix had a more than 5-1 chip lead heads-up against Weissman after his elimination frenzy. Weissman turned quickly on his own streak, ensuring a multiple doubling up, eventually winning a race against AK against Hendrix's pocket eights to stay ahead of the lead. He extended that advantage even further by picking Hendrix's bluff, which was left with crumbs when his missed flush draw was spotted by Weissman's second pair.
Hendrix managed to do some doubling of his own, but in the final hand his AJ. did not hold out Q2Weissman pushed in from the button. There were 8 missing from the board54 93 and Weissman took a flush to secure the pot and title. Hendrix earned $85,480 as the runner-up.
Here is a breakdown of the payouts and ranking points awarded at the final table:
Place
POY Points
Joey Weissman
240
2015
2
Adam Hendrix
$144, 500
302
2015
Joseph McKeehen
320
85
2015
4
Cary Katz
$80,10
230
80
5
Frank Funaro
$029,000
145
43
Brock Wilson
$43, 10
120
43
2015
7
Vicent Bosca
$42,480
120
34
2015
8
Nick Schulman
$34,000
80
2015
Photo courtesy of PokerGO.
2021