Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2021 US Poker Open

Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em

Day 1 Completed

06-08-2021 13:34 UTC

A Look Back at the 2019 USPO

Chad Holloway

The success of the 2018 series and the opening of PokerGO Studios led to a bigger USPO in 2019, which was back at the Aria Casino and Resort with two more tournaments and a $100,000 Main Event. The second annual USPO awarded an additional $100,000 prize to the series champion using the High Roller of the Year points system, a change from the previous year’s championship having been awarded to the overall money leader at the end of the series. The ten events in 2019 included an additional $50,000 NLH tournament and a brand new $10,000 Short Deck event.

Short Deck was introduced at the 2019 USPO and Sean Winter won $151,200 for first in the brand-new event that attracted 42 entrants for a prize pool of $419,900. Short Deck will be back in the 2021 USPO as a $10,000 event as part of the twelve-tournament lineup.

Chidwick began his title defense with a win in the opening $10,000 NLH event, but David Peters ultimately won the 2019 USPO Championship with a dramatic victory in the $100,000 Main Event. Peters beat 32 other players in the finale and brought his total series winnings to $1,584,000, more than doubling any other player in the field.

Chris Hunichen had an impressive run in the Main Event finishing in second place for $858,000, while 2018 USPO Main Event champion Keith Tilston placed third. Nick Schulman won the $25,000 8-Game Mix Championship, beating a field of 20 entrants for $270,000. Other 2019 tournament winners included Bryn Kenney, and this year’s current PokerGO Tour points leader, Ali Imsirovic.

Despite his massive series winnings, Peters had no easy path to the 2019 championship, needing a victory in the Main Event to claim a place at the top of the overall leaderboard. Winter, winner of the $10,000 Short Deck tournament, went into the Main Event as the points leader, looking to stave off a finale run from Schulman and Peters. Winter finished eighth and watched as Peters, who needed the win to pass him on the overall points leaderboard, won the tournament and the series by just 10 points.

2019 U.S. 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

Pandemic Preempts 2020 USPO

Prior to COVID-19, the 2020 USPO was set to be the first leg of the High Roller Triple Crown, which included the Super High Roller Bowl and the Poker Masters, a relatively new high roller series that was launched in 2017. The plan was to offer a USPO with twelve events and a $50,000 prize to the series winner, with an additional $100,000 prize to the High Roller of the Year. The shutdown of casinos in Las Vegas put plans for the 2020 series on hold, but the USPO is back in 2021 as part of the brand new PokerGO Tour.

The 2021 USPO will include twelve events, with buy-ins from $10,000 to $50,000, and the player that accumulates the most PokerGo Tour points over the course of the series will be crowned the US Poker Open Champion. All twelve 2021 USPO final tables will be broadcast live on PokerGO and PokerNews will offer daily recaps.

Remember, an annual subscription to PokerGO costs $99.99, but you can save $20 off by using promo code “USPO21” at checkout. Sign up by going here.

06-08-2021 10:11 UTC

Cary Katz Leads the Final Seven in Event #5 $10,000 No-Limit Hold’Em

Jaxon

Poker Central and PokerGO founder Cary Katz leads the final seven players in the U.S. Poker Open Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em after bagging a chip leading stack of 2,230,000 in chips on Saturday at the PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino.

While Katz is well-known as a businessman, he is also well-known in the poker world as one of the most successful players with more than $31 million in live poker earnings as tracked by The Hendon Mob placing him in 11th place on the All Time Money List.

Meanwhile, Event #2 winner Joe McKeehen, could become the first two-time winner in the 2021 U.S. Poker Open as he will kick off the action with the second biggest stack of 1,905,000.

Adam Hendrix (1,905,000) and Joey Weissman (1,860,000) are both just inches behind McKeehen, while Frank Funaro (1,105,000), Brock Wilson (1,070,000), and Vicent Bosca (560,000) will aim to spin up their shorter stacks.

Event #5 Final Table Seat Draw

Seat	Name	Country	Chip Count
1	Frank Funaro	United States	1,105,000
2	Joey Weissman	United States	1,860,000
3	Joe McKeehen	United States	1,905,000
4	Cary Katz	United States	2,230,000
5	Adam Hendrix	United States	1,900,000
6	Vicent Bosca	Spain	560,000
7	Brock Wilson	United States	1,070,000

Action of the Day

Event #5 attracted 85 entries to generate a $850,000 prize pool with 13 players getting paid at least a min-cash of $17,000.

Vanessa Kade was not only the last woman standing but also the final player to leave the tournament empty-handed. Kade jammed her short stack with queen-jack and didn't improve against Hendrix's ace-nine to finish in 14th place.

Jordan Cristos and Shannon Shorr were the first players eliminated in the money for a min-cash of $17,000 while GGPoker Ambassador and six-time WSOP bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu and Ali Imsirovic laddered up to a payout of $25,500.

Dan Shak then hit the rail in ninth place for $34,000 after his king-ten suited proved to be no good against McKeehen's ace-jack before Weissman eliminated three-time WSOP bracelet winner and poker commentator Nick Schulman in eighth place for the same payout.

Where to Watch the Final Table?

The final seven players will return to the PokerGo Studios on June 8 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.

Remember, an annual subscription to PokerGO costs $99.99, but you can save $20 off by using promo code “USPO21” at checkout. Sign up by going here.