2021 World Series of Poker

Event #75: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2021 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
88
Prize
$270,877
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,589,985
Entries
1,191
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
1,191
Players Left
118

Level: 13

Blinds: 2,000/3,000

Ante: 3,000

ClubGG Qualifier Vasu Amarapu Deep in WSOP Main Event: "Best $50 I Ever Spent"

Level 12 : 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Vasu Amarapu
Vasu Amarapu

Vasu Amarapu went from $50 into potentially millions in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which you can follow here, thanks to signing up for the Club GG poker app.

On the dinner break of Day 7, Amarapu was at around 25 big blinds, a bit below the average stack. He was well in contention for the gold bracelet and the $8 million prize. With 20 players remaining, he's guaranteed at least $241,800, an incredible return on investment (ROI) for what he paid to get into poker's world championship event.

"The fifty bucks that I spent, that's the best thing that happened to me in my life," Amarapu told PokerNews in a Day 6 interview, referring to the monthly fee to play on the Club GG app.

The Next Chris Moneymaker?

If not for an article on PokerNews, Amarapu might not be in this position. That's not us tooting our own horn, the potential future world champion said as much.

"I read an article on PokerNews, and right away I downloaded the app," the poker player said. "The steps were very clear."

Amarapu is referring to a September article written by our Jason Glatzer, which explains how to download and play on the Club GG app. He read the article, signed up, paid his $49.99 monthly fee, and won his way into the WSOP Main Event, along with a number of other Club GG members.

Amarapu's story has the potential to end up similar to Chris Moneymaker, the 2003 world champion who famously parlayed an $86 online poker satellite into poker glory.

Moneymaker's victory 18 years ago helped spark a poker boom and attracted millions of new players to the game. Much like Moneymaker, Amarapu is a Regular Joe who the average poker fan could relate to.

Not a Fluke

The current Main Event contender is no slouch on the felt. He entered the tournament with over $88,000 in live tournament earnings, and also has a $45,000 score for a third-place finish in WSOP.com Event #28: $1,000 Omaha 8 or Better in 2020.

"I've played cash games in other casinos, and tournaments here and there," Amarapu said. "But for an online thing, this is the best thing that I did in Massachusetts."

He's referring to joining Club GG in September, where he played under the screen name "Tight." Amarapu had no luck in his first Main Event qualifier on the app, but earned his way back into a qualifier the following week, and the rest is history.

The Illinois native is ecstatic to be in this position, and he's also thankful for the opportunity just to compete in the WSOP Main Event for the first time.

"I usually don't play no-limit hold'em, but I've been working on the game for a long time without playing live," he told PokerNews.

Winning the bracelet would be a dream come true for Amarapu, as would earning life-changing money. He now has a chance to climb to the top of the poker mountain, all because of the Club GG app, which he proudly acknowledges.

"Club GG app is the best app that can happen to you," Amarapu claims. "Please install, please try tournament poker for $50 for the rest of your life."

Magnus Chipping Up

Level 12 : 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Nadya Magnus
Nadya Magnus

Nadya Magnus raised to 5,000 from the button and both the cutoff and big blind called.

The flop was {5-Hearts}{10-Spades}{6-Spades} and the action checked to the cutoff who bet 8,500. Both Magnus and the big blind called.

The big blind led for 17,500 on the turn {k-Clubs} and only Magnus called to see the river {9-Clubs}. Both players checked and Magnus showed {k-Spades}{q-Spades} for a pair of kings and the big blind mucked his {8-}{6-}.

Player Chips Progress
Nadya Magnus us
Nadya Magnus
168,500 65,500

Tags: Nadya Magnus

Hall Pays One Off

Level 12 : 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Cate Hall faced a bet of 18,000 on the river {5-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{8-Hearts} with 26,500 in the middle.

Hall thought it over before making the call and she saw the bad news as her opponent tabled {k-Hearts}{q-Hearts} for a heart flush.

Player Chips Progress
Cate Hall us
Cate Hall
120,000 -50,000

Tags: Cate Hall

Strelitz Shoves the Flop

Level 12 : 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Daniel Strelitz
Daniel Strelitz

Daniel Strelitz opened to 4,000 from the hijack and only the big blind called to see the flop {2-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{10-Spades}.

His opponent check-raised a 7,000 bet up to 18,500 and Strelitz shoved for 47,500 total.

The other player folded and Strelitz dragged the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Daniel Strelitz us
Daniel Strelitz
WSOP 2X Winner
71,000 8,000

Tags: Daniel Strelitz

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,000/2,500

Ante: 2,500