Eli Elezra has once again proven he is one of the best mixed-game players in the world after emerging victorious on a star-studded final table to win the U.S. Poker Open: Event #6: $10,000 8-Game for $183,600.
The title comes nearly two years to the day of when he won his fourth WSOP bracelet in Event #20: $1,500 Seven Card Stud in 2019. Elezra's three other bracelets were also in mixed game events with two seven-card stud titles and one title each in stud hi-lo and limit 2-7 triple draw.
Making the win even more impressive, Elezra defeated six-time bracelet WSOP champion and GGPoker Ambassador Daniel Negreanu during three-handed play before coming from behind to oust two-time WSOP bracelet winner Steve Zolotow in heads-up play.
The event itself was widely received by the high roller community after attracting 68 entries to create a $680,000 prize pool. The final table was broadcasted to poker fans around the world at the subscription-based PokerGO.
Event #6: $10,000 8-Game Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eli Elezra | United States | $183,600 |
| 2 | Steve Zolotow | United States | $136,000 |
| 3 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | $88,400 |
| 4 | Richard Sklar | United States | $68,000 |
| 5 | Erik Sagstrom | Sweden | $54,400 |
| 6 | Nick Guagenti | United States | $40,800 |
| 7 | David "ODB" Baker | United States | $34,000 |
Final Table Action
David "ODB" Baker began the final table with the chip lead but things fell apart quickly as he went from hero to zero to find himself on the rail after just four hands.
According to the Poker Central blog, Baker first doubled up Negreanu before suffering a colossal bad beat to exit in seventh place for $34,000 when his aces failed to hold against Zolotow's suited big slick.
Just before the final table stream kicked off at PokerGO, Elezra eliminated a short-stacked Nick Guagenti in sixth place for $40,800 and was neck and neck with Zolotow for the chip lead.
While Elezra was busy building his stack, Negreanu was busy eliminating opponents as he took the short stacks of Richard Sklar (fourth - $68,000) during a round of no-limit hold'em on a coinflip with ace-jack suited vs. eights and Erik Sagstrom (fifth - $54,400) during a round of pot-limit Omaha hi-lo.
Negreanu's momentum ended during a round of pot-limit Omaha with the three players remaining all closely bunched. He first lost a hand to Zolotow to leave him short on chips when he called a pot-sized river bet with top two pair against Zolotow's broadway straight. Elezra dusted off the stack of "Kid Poker" two hands later to send him packing in third place for $88,400.
Zolotow kicked off the heads-up battle with a small chip advantage against Elezra. That didn't last long as Elezra appeared to have all the momentum at the final table. Zolotow did regain the lead at one point before Elezra regained control and stormed ahead to a 9:1 chip advantage.
Elezra then sealed the deal for the victory in a hand of stud hi-low with Zolotow committing his stack on fifth street with a pair of fives. Elezra had a solid low draw but all he needed was a seven on sixth street to improve to a pair of sevens to beat Zolotow's fives to eliminate his opponent in second place for $136,000 and win the title.
Andrew Lichtenberger Leads Final Table of the Record-Breaking Event #7: $10,000 NLHE
Congratulations are in order to the U.S. Poker Open as Event #7: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em established a new festival attendance record with 99 entries generating a $990,000 prize pool.
Andrew Lichtenberger will kickoff the eight-player final table with a huge chip lead after bagging 3,510,000 in chips for more than double that of his nearest competition in Jared Jaffee with 1,685,000 in his overnight chip bag.
Alex Foxen (1,630,000) and David Peters (1,620,000) are just inches behind Jaffee with Ivan Zufic (1,370,000) and Dan Shak (1,250,000) not too far behind.
Meanwhile, Brock Wilson (730,000) and Kristina Holst (700,000) advanced with short stacks with hopes to spin it up at the final table.
Event #7 Final Table Chip Counts
| Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kristina Holst | United States | 700,000 |
| 2 | Brock Wilson | United States | 730,000 |
| 3 | Alex Foxen | United States | 1,630,000 |
| 4 | Jared Jaffee | United States | 1,685,000 |
| 5 | David Peters | United States | 1,620,000 |
| 6 | Ivan Zufic | Croatia | 1,370,000 |
| 7 | Dan Shak | United States | 1,250,000 |
| 8 | Andrew Lichtenberger | United States | 3,510,000 |
Where to Watch the Final Table?
The final eight players will return to the PokerGo Studios on June 10 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. Sign up by going here.
Final Table Payouts
All returning players are guaranteed at least a $39,600 payout with the eventual winner slated to take home a huge $217,800 top prize.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $217,800 |
| 2 | $136,000 |
| 3 | $118,400 |
| 4 | $89,100 |
| 5 | $79,200 |
| 6 | $59,400 |
| 7 | $49,500 |
| 8 | $39,600 |
2021 U.S. Poker Open Championship Standings
USPO Event #3 champion Joe McKeehen was sitting on top of the 2021 U.S. Poker Open Championship Standings for the second straight day.
Meanwhile, Steve Zolotow hopped from seventh to second place on the leaderboard thanks to his third final table appearance capped off with a runner-up performance in Event #6.
Event #1 winner Jake Daniels, who was on top of the leaderboard after each of the first four events, is still in good shape in third place with Event #5 winner Joey Weissman and Event #2 winner Sam Soverel rounding out the top five spots.
| Rank | Player | Points | Wins | Cashes | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe McKeehen | 302 | 1 | 2 | $302,200 |
| 2 | Steve Zolotow | 289 | 0 | 3 | $289,000 |
| 3 | Jake Daniels | 219 | 1 | 1 | $218,500 |
| 4 | Joey Weissman | 204 | 1 | 1 | $204,000 |
| 5 | Sam Soverel | 195 | 1 | 2 | $194,500 |
| 6 | Dan Shak | 186 | 0 | 2 | $186,000 |
| 7 | Eli Elezra | 184 | 1 | 1 | $183,600 |
| 8 | John Riordan | 182 | 1 | 2 | $182,200 |
| 9 | Barry Hutter | 153 | 0 | 2 | $152,500 |
| 10 | Jordan Cristos | 147 | 0 | 2 | $147,000 |
2021 U.S. Poker Open 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 |
*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
