Jake Daniels came from behind against Dan Shak in heads-up play to win the U.S. Poker Open Event #1: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em for $218,500 at the PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino.
This was the second biggest live poker tournament cash for Daniels. According to The Hendon Mob, Daniels has accumulated nearly $1.6 million in live tournament earnings with his biggest win coming more than a year ago when he shipped the WPT L.A. Poker Classic Event #65: $25,000 No Limit Hold'em - PokerGO High Roller for $281,390.
The event proves live poker is alive and well in the gambling capital of the world as it established a new U.S. Poker Open record with 95 entries battling it out in hopes of winning the first title of the festival.
Event #1 Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jake Daniels | United States | $218,500 |
| 2 | Dan Shak | United States | $152,000 |
| 3 | Barry Hutter | United States | $114,000 |
| 4 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $95,000 |
| 5 | Steve Zolotow | United States | $76,000 |
| 6 | Sergi Reixach | Spain | $57,000 |
| 7 | Tim McDermott | United States | $47,500 |
Final Table Action
The final table was broadcast on a short delay exclusively at the subscription-based streaming service PokerGO. Shak began the action with the chip lead with Daniels and Barry Hutter closest on his tail.
Tim McDermott was just behind this trio but quickly was short on chips and was eliminated by Spain's Sergi Reixach in seventh place for $47,500.
Reixach entered the final table with the shortest stack and eliminating McDermott didn't increase his stack by much. The Spaniard was the next player to go in sixth place for $57,000 when his nine-five suited didn't get there against Hutter's sevens.
Hutter was then at it again eliminating a short-stacked Zolotow in fifth place for $76,000 when his nine-seven suited got there against his opponent's big slick.
Stephen Chidwick was the winner of the inaugural U.S. Poker Open in 2018 but was unable to repeat that performance last night. Instead, he hit the rail in fourth place for $95,000 after his treys were outmatched by Daniels' fives.
Hutter then was down to just 13 big blinds after a long three-handed battle. He got it in with king-seven for middle pair on a ten-seven-six flop against the five-four held by Shak with five-four. A three spiked the river and Hutter was ousted in third place for $114,000.
Shak began heads-up play with a 3:2 chip advantage against Daniels. Daniels quickly doubled on a cooler of a hand where both players held a straight to take the lead. Shak then fell short of the title and instead claimed the runner-up prize of $152,000 after his king-seven didn't improve against Daniels' ace-trey.
Congrats to Jake Daniels for an amazing start to the 2021 U.S. Poker Open with a win in the opening event for $218,500.
Sam Soverel Leads Final 6 in USPO Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
Sam Soverel will head into the final table of six players with a commanding chip lead in the USPO Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha at the PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino after bagging a massive stack of 3,480,000 in chips on the opening day.
This will be the second U.S. Poker Open cash this festival in as many events for Soverel who already took 12th place in the USPO Event #1: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em for $19,000.
His cash in this event will be at least twice as much with the final six already locking up $39,000 with their eyes on the $175,500 top prize.
Soverel was not only the only player with more than 3 million in chips to start the final table but will also be the only player over 2 million with Dylan Weisman (1,735,000) and Marc Brody (1,185,000) being the only other players to bag more than 1 million in chips.
Joining this trio at the final table will be Jordan Cristos (645,000), Matthew Ploof (640,000), and Maxx Coleman (440,000).
Event #2 Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marc Brody | United States | 1,185,000 |
| 2 | Sam Soverel | United States | 3,480,000 |
| 3 | Dylan Weisman | United States | 1,735,000 |
| 4 | Maxx Coleman | United States | 440,000 |
| 5 | Jordan Cristos | United States | 645,000 |
| 6 | Matthew Ploof | United States | 640,000 |
Event #2 Day 1 Action
The USPO Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha attracted 65 entries to generate a healthy $650,000 prize pool with 10 players cashing for at least a min-cash of $19,000.
Players were in the money after Joseph Sanders sent Shawn Daniels packing on the bubble in 11th place. Sanders hit the rail near the end of the day in eighth place for $26,000 with Ben Yu (ninth - $26,000) and Johan Guilbert (tenth - $19,000) already on the rail.
The action progressed to an unofficial final table of seven players before the day ended with Alex Foxen claiming the seventh-place prize of $32,500 when his k♣️
Where to Watch the Final Table?
The final six players will return to the PokerGo Studios on June 4 with the action expected to begin at 3 p.m. EDT. PokerGO will live stream what promises to be some of the most exciting poker action of the year beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.
Final Table Payouts
All returning players are guaranteed at least a $39,000 payout with the eventual winner slated to take home a whopping $175,500 top prize.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $175,500 |
| 2 | $130,000 |
| 3 | $84,500 |
| 4 | $65,000 |
| 5 | $52,000 |
| 6 | $39,000 |
*Images courtesy of Poker Central
In this Series
- 1 2021 U.S. Poker Open Begins Thursday With First of 12 Events
- 2 The USPO is Back: A Historical Look at PokerGO’s US Poker Open (USPO)
- 3 Dan Shak Leads Star-Studded Final Table in U.S. Poker Open Event #1: $10,000 NLHE
- 4 Jake Daniels Wins the U.S. Poker Open Event #1: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em ($218,500)
- 5 PokerGO Point Standings Leading Into 2021 US Poker Open; Imsirovic Leads
- 6 Sam Soverel Wins USPO Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha ($175,500)
- 7 Joe McKeehen Wins USPO Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($200,200)
- 8 Chris Brewer Transitions from Collegiate Runner to High-Stakes Poker Pro
- 9 John Riordan Wins U.S. Poker Open $10K Big Bet Mix ($163,200)
- 10 Joey Weissman Mounts Comeback for the Ages to Win USPO Event #5: $10K NLHE ($204,000)
- 11 Eli Elezra Defeats Zolotow & Negreanu to Win the USPO $10K 8-Game ($183,600)
- 12 David Peters Wins Record-Breaking USPO Event #7: $10,000 NLHE ($217,800)
- 13 No Gamble, No Future: Jeff Platt & Brent Hanks Chemistry Shines During USPO
- 14 Jared Bleznick Wins USPO Event #8: $10K PLO ($189,000)
- 15 Brock Wilson Banks on Building a Name for Himself at the USPO
- 16 Ali Imsirovic Catapults into USPO Lead after Winning Event #9: $10K NLHE ($217,800)
- 17 Inside Jared Bleznick’s Bizarre "Sports Cards" Interview After USPO Victory
- 18 David Peters Wins $10K Short Deck for his Second 2021 USPO Title ($124,200)
- 19 David Peters Wins Third USPO Title in Five Days in the Event #11: $25K NLHE ($465,750)
- 20 Sean Winter Defeats Stephen Chidwick to Win USPO Event #12: $50K NLHE ($756,000)
- 21 David Peters Wins Back-To-Back U.S. Poker Open Championships; Imsirovic Extends PokerGO Tour Lead
