Event #6: $800 NLH Ultra Deepstack
Day 1 Completed
2022 WSOP Online
Event #6: $800 NLH Ultra Deepstack
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Players Info - Day 1
2022 WSOP Online
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$282,960
Entries
393
Entries
362
Players Left
1
Vito "thesuitbig29" Distefano Wins Event #6: $800 NLH Ultra Deepstack ($57,355)
It took just over eight hours for Vito "thesuitbig29" Distefano to overcome a 393-player field and claim his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet in Online Event #6: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Ultra Deepstack. Distefano defeated Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo heads-up and took home $57,355 for his efforts.
Distefano is a regular WSOP.com grinder and just recently cashed in Event #2: $500 No Limit Hold'em - MonsterStack. Today's victory marks a career-high online score for Distefano, who will add to his $366,439 in previous tournament earnings.
Players began the day with over 1,000 big blinds, but as a result of the event's turbo-like structure, eliminations came fast and furious. It took approximately six hours to go from 393 entries (including 119 rebuys) to 48 players and burst the money bubble. From that point, the field dwindled to fewer than 15 players just one hour after the money bubble burst.
Notables who managed to cash include Jesse "Dangerous22" Lonis (42nd - $2,009), former Main Event Champion Ryan "BitC0in" Riess (30th - $2,065), and WPT Commentator Tony "Panoramic" Dunst (17th - $2,235).
Online Event #6: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Ultra Deepstack Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vito "thesuitbig29" Distefano | United States | $57,355 |
| 2 | Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo | United States | $41,453 |
| 3 | Michael "MMenz08816" Menzer | United States | $30,135 |
| 4 | "deadmoney88" | United States | $21,816 |
| 5 | William "Hutch" Hutchinson | United States | $15,817 |
| 6 | John "Slapshot1085" Forlenza | United States | $11,544 |
| 7 | "banderson0" | United States | $8,432 |
| 8 | Katie "katelin" Lindsay | United States | $6,196 |
| 9 | Kevin "Samiam5" Lemmer | United States | $4,555 |
The final table began with an average stack of just about 25 big blinds and Mercaldo in the chip lead. As expected, the shorter stacks fell in short order, with Mercaldo responsible for five final-table eliminations.
Mercaldo was able to enter head-ups with an almost 5-1 chip lead, thanks largely to his eliminations of "deadmoney88" (4th place - $21,816) and Michael "MMenz08816" Menzer (3rd place - $30,135).
Heads-up looked to be short with the big chip disadvantage for Distefano but after a few double ups in a row the rolls reversed and Distefano found himself in the drivers seat. The final hand came when Distefano moved all in with ace-ten and was called by Mercaldo with queen-ten. The board did not improve Mercaldo as he finished in runner-up position and Distefano scored WSOP gold.
That's a wrap here at Event #6: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Ultra Deepstack. Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring you full coverage of this series on WSOP.com!
Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo Eliminated In 2nd Place ($41,453)
Blinds: 80,000/160,000/16,000
After starting heads-up with an almost 5-1 chip advantage Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo lost a couple all ins and found himself the short-stack. Vito "thesuitbig29" Distefano moved all in on the button and Mercaldo made the call for his tournament life.
Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo: 
Vito "thesuitbig29" Distefano: 
The board ran out 
and the ace-ten high held up for Distefano to score the victory and eliminate Mercaldo in runner-up position.
A full recap will be available shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
19,650,000
16,454,288
|
16,454,288 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Michael "MMenz08816" Menzer Eliminated In 3rd Place ($30,135)
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/12,000
Michael "MMenz08816" Menzer moved all in from the small blind for roughly 1,400,000 and was quickly called by the big stack of Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo in the big blind.
Michael "MMenz08816" Menzer: 
Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo: 
Menzer got it in ahead but when the board ran out 
, it was the pair of sevens that scored the knockout and Menzer was eliminated in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,454,288
2,684,130
|
2,684,130 |
|
|
3,195,712
2,089,892
|
2,089,892 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
"DeadMoney88" Eliminated In 4th Place ($21,816)
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/12,000
"deadmoney88" moved all in from the cutoff for roughly six big blinds and Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo made the call in the small blind.
"DeadMoney88": 
Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo: 
The board ran out 
and the eights for Mercaldo held to eliminate "deadmoney88" in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,770,158
4,667,927
|
4,667,927 |
|
|
Busted |
William "Hutch" Hutchinson Eliminated In 5th Place ($15,817)
Blinds: 50,000/100,000/10,000
William "Hutch" Hutchinson became short-stacked and moved all in for roughly five big blinds and Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo made the call.
William "Hutch" Hutchinson: 
Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo: 
The board ran out 
and Hutchinson was eliminated in fifth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,102,231
1,905,746
|
1,905,746 |
|
|
Busted |
John "Slapshot1085" Forlenza Eliminated In 6th Place ($11,544)
Blinds: 50,000/100,000/10,000
A three-way all in happened between John "Slapshot1085" Forlenza, Michael "MMenz08816" Menzer and "deadmoney88", the biggest stack.
John "Slapshot1085" Forlenza:
Michael "MMenz08816" Menzer: 
"deadmoney88":
The board ran out and the flush for Menzer won the pot sending Forlenza out in sixth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,049,927
3,168,885
|
3,168,885 |
|
|
3,945,875
3,107,289
|
3,107,289 |
|
|
Busted |
"banderson0" Eliminated In 7th Place ($8,432)
Blinds: 50,000/100,000/10,000
All the chips went in the middle preflop between "banderson0" and John "Slapshot1085" Forlenza, the bigger stack.
"banderson0": 
John "Slapshot1085" Forlenza:
On the flop of 
, it was "banderson0" well in the lead pairing the ace, but when the turn came the 
and river it was the set for Forlenza that scored the pot and eliminated "banderson0" in seventh place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,590,701
2,224,325
|
2,224,325 |
|
|
Busted |
Katie "katelin" Lindsay Eliminated In 8th Place ($6,196)
Blinds: 50,000/100,000/10,000
Katie "katelin" Lindsay opened to 200,000 from under the gun and Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo three-bet next to act to 515,000. It folded back to Lindsay who moved all in for 2,423,138 and Mercaldo made the call with a bigger stack.
Katie "katelin" Lindsay: 
Michael "stiltwalk" Mercaldo:
The board ran out 
and Lindsay was sent to the rail in eighth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,196,485
2,513,138
|
2,513,138 |
|
Busted |
Break Time
Players are on a 5-minute break.