The 2022 US Poker Open (USPO) kicks off today and will run through March 28. The series is comprised of 12 events, all of which will have their final tables streamed on PokerGO and will count toward the PokerGO Tour (PGT) Leaderboard.
The series features buy-ins ranging from $10,000-$50,000 in games including no-limit hold'em, pot-limit Omaha, big-bet mix, and 8-game. The first 11 tournaments will offer double re-entry and play 40-minute levels, while the $50K finale will be a single re-entry and up the levels to 60 minutes each. As usual, any players that register on time by Noo PT will enjoy a rake-free entry.
2022 U.S. Poker Open Schedule
| Date | Event | Tournament | Starting Stack | Re-entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 16 | 1 | $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 125,000 | Double |
| March 17 | 2 | $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 125,000 | Double |
| March 18 | 3 | $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 125,000 | Double |
| March 19 | 4 | $10,000 Big Bet Mix | 125,000 | Double |
| March 20 | 5 | $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 125,000 | Double |
| March 21 | 6 | $15,000 8-Game | 150,000 | Double |
| March 22 | 7 | $15,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 125,000 | Double |
| March 23 | 8 | $15,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 125,000 | Double |
| March 24 | 9 | $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 150,000 | Double |
| March 25 | 10 | $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 150,000 | Double |
| March 26 | 11 | $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 150,000 | Double |
| March 27 | 12 | $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 200,000 | Single |
Here’s a useful guide to the PokerGO-operated high roller series that takes place annually in Las Vegas.
What is the US Poker Open?
The US Poker Open is an annual series of high roller tournaments hosted by PokerGO and held in the PokerGo Studio next to the luxurious ARIA Resort & Casino.
Since its inception in 2018, the US Poker Open has attracted many of the biggest names on the high roller circuit, including Stephen Chidwick, Justin Bonomo, David Peters, Jake Schindler, Bryn Kenney, Daniel Negreanu and Ali Imsirovic.
Along with other popular PokerGO productions like “Poker After Dark” and “High Stakes Poker,” poker fans can watch their favorite high stakes crushers compete at the annual US Poker Open using the subscription streaming service.
Like most live events, the US Poker Open was canceled in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The high roller tournament series returned in June 2021 as Nevada’s coronavirus restrictions were lifted, and now the fourth iteration of the series is underway in Las Vegas.
2018 US Poker Open Recap
British pro Chidwick earned the inaugural USPO Championship title in 2018 after he topped the standings with two wins and $1.3 million in earnings, finishing ahead of Keith Tilston (one win and one million in earnings) and Jake Schindler (no wins and $643,400 in earnings).
2018 US Poker Open Championship Overall Standings
| Position | Player | Country | Cashes | Wins | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 5 | 2 | $1,256,600 |
| 2 | Keith Tilston | United States | 4 | 1 | $1,047,100 |
| 3 | Jake Schindler | United States | 4 | 0 | $693,400 |
| 4 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | 5 | 0 | $621,500 |
| 5 | Benjamin Pollak | France | 3 | 1 | $554,600 |
The first-ever USPO was all Chidwick as the high stakes crusher took down back-to-back titles in Event #3: $25,000 NLH for $374,000 and Event #4: $25,000 Mixed Game Championship for $382,500, in addition to making two other final tables.
Other highlights during the inaugural USPO included Bonomo winning Event #1: $10,000 NLH for $190,400, Peters winning Event #7: $25,000 NLH for $400,000 and Tilston, the USPO Champion runner-up, winning the $50,000 Main Event for $660,000.
2018 US Poker Open Full Results
| EVENT | WINNER | COUNTRY | PRIZE (IN USD) | |
| Event #1: $10,000 NLH | Justin Bonomo | United States | $190,400 | |
| Event #2: Pot-Limit Omaha | Mike Gorodinsky | United States | $179,200 | |
| Event #3: $25,000 NLH | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $374,000 | |
| Event #4: $25,000 Mixed Game Championship | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $382,500 | |
| Event #5: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em | Ben Tollerene | United States | $187,600 | |
| Event #6: $25,000 No Limit Hold'em | Benjamin Pollak | France | $416,500 | |
| Event #7: $25,000 No Limit Hold'em | David Peters | United States | $400,000 | |
| Event #8: $50,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event | Keith Tilston | United States | $660,000 |
2019 US Poker Open Recap
The 2019 US Poker Open was very favorable to Peters, who finished first in the overall standings with 550 points and $1.6 million in earnings, ahead of second-place finisher Sean Winter with 540 points and $747,900 in earnings and Chidwick in third place with 540 points and $705,950 in cashes.
Final 2019 U.S. Poker Open Overall Standings
| Position | Player | Country | Cashes | Points | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Peters | United States | 3 | 550 | $1,584,000 |
| 2 | Sean Winter | United States | 5 | 540 | $747,900 |
| 3 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 4 | 540 | $705,950 |
| 4 | Nick Schulman | United States | 2 | 410 | $390,000 |
| 5 | Brandon Adams | United States | 3 | 365 | $314,750 |
| 6 | Koray Aldemir | Germany | 2 | 340 | $897,200 |
| 7 | Cary Katz | United States | 3 | 340 | $580,200 |
| 8 | Bryn Kenney | United States | 2 | 240 | $477,000 |
| 9 | Lauren Roberts | United States | 2 | 240 | $263,400 |
| 10 | Jordan Cristos | United States | 2 | 240 | $206,200 |
| 11 | Ali Imsirovic | United States | 1 | 200 | $442,500 |
| 12 | Ben Yu | United States | 3 | 200 | $262,800 |
Peters earned the USPO Championship title by taking down the $100,000 Main Event for $1.3 million, outlasting a field of 33 entrants to take down the biggest buy-in of the series.
Winter was a favorite to win the overall USPO honors, but his bust outside of the money in the Main Event left a sliver of a chance for Peters to pass him. Peters needed to finish first in the Main Event to pass Winter and he did so.
Also during the 2019 US Poker Open, eventual 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event winner Koray Aldemir took down USPO #9: $50,000 NLH for $738,000, Kenney won USPO #7: $25,000 NLH for $450,000 and Imsirovic won USPO #5: $25,000 NLH for $442,500.
2019 US Poker Open Winners
| Event | Entries | Winner | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPO #1: $10,000 NLH | 90 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $216,000 |
| USPO #2: $10,000 PLO | 64 | Jordan Cristos | United States | $179,200 |
| USPO #3: $10,000 NLH | 91 | Lauren Roberts | United States | $218,400 |
| USPO #4: $10,000 Short Deck | 42 | Sean Winter | United States | $151,200 |
| USPO #5: $25,000 NLH | 59 | Ali Imsirovic | United States | $442,500 |
| USPO #6: $25,000 PLO | 39 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $351,000 |
| USPO #7: $25,000 NLH | 60 | Bryn Kenney | United States | $450,000 |
| USPO #8: $25,000 8-Game Mix | 20 | Nick Schulman | United States | $270,000 |
| USPO #9: $50,000 NLH | 41 | Koray Aldemir | Germany | $738,000 |
| USPO #10: $100,000 Main Event | 33 | David Peters | United States | $1,320,000 |
2021 US Poker Open Recap
Peters is the reigning US Poker Open champion as he topped the US Poker Open Championship standings list back-to-back years in 2021 and 2019.
In his most recent victory, the Ohio poker pro completely crushed his competition and racked up an amazing three first-place finishes off of four cashes.
The first of those victories came in Event #7: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em, where Peters got through a field of 99 entrants to win the title and $217,800. Next, Peters locked up back-to-back wins in Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck ($124,200) and Event #11: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($465,750).
By the end of the series, Peters topped the US Poker Open standings with 646 points and $832,950 in earnings, well ahead of his closest competitors, Winter (484 points and $785,700 in earnings) and Imsirovic (483 points and $482,000 in earnings).
2021 US Poker Open Championship Overall Standings
| Rank | Player | Points | Wins | Cashes | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Peters | 646 | 3 | 4 | $832,950 |
| 2 | Sean Winter | 484 | 1 | 2 | $785,700 |
| 3 | Ali Imsirovic | 483 | 1 | 5 | $482,000 |
| 4 | Stephen Chidwick | 427 | 0 | 3 | $628,700 |
| 5 | Dan Shak | 371 | 0 | 4 | $459,750 |
| 6 | Jake Daniels | 323 | 1 | 2 | $391,000 |
| 7 | Sam Soverel | 316 | 1 | 4 | $382,300 |
| 8 | Andrew Lichtenberger | 308 | 0 | 3 | $308,000 |
| 9 | Joe McKeehen | 302 | 1 | 2 | $302,200 |
| 10 | Steve Zolotow | 289 | 0 | 3 | $289,000 |
Other highlights of the 2021 US Poker Open included Winter winning Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em for $756,00 after defeating Chidwick during heads-up play and 2015 WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen taking down Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em for $200,200.
2021 US Poker Open Full Results
| Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 95 | $950,000 | Jake Daniels | United States | $218,500 |
| Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 65 | $650,000 | Sam Soverel | United States | $175,000 |
| Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 77 | $770,000 | Joe McKeehen | United States | $200,200 |
| Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix | 48 | $480,000 | John Riordan | United States | $163,200 |
| Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 85 | $850,000 | Joey Weissman | United States | $204,000 |
| Event #6: $10,000 8-Game | 68 | $680,000 | Eli Elezra | United States | $183,600 |
| Event #7: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 99 | $990,000 | David Peters | United States | $217,800 |
| Event #8: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 63 | $630,000 | Jared Bleznick | United States | $189,000 |
| Event #9: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 99 | $990,000 | Ali Imsirovic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | $217,800 |
| Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck | 27 | $270,000 | David Peters | United States | $124,200 |
| Event #11: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 69 | $1,725,000 | David Peters | United States | $465,750 |
| Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 42 | $2,100,000 | Sean Winter | United States | $756,000 |
| Total | 837 | $11,085,000 |
