Event #19: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller
Day 4 Completed
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #19: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller
Day: 4
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
2022 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$6,237,000
Entries
264
Level
32
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
5
Players Left
1
Tong Li Wins $1,467,739 and First Bracelet in Event #19: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Tong Li defeated Fabian Brandes in heads-up play to win the 2022 World Series of Poker Event #19: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller for $1,467,739 and his first bracelet.
The four-card high roller event attracted 264 total entries to create a $6,237,000 prize pool, with the lion’s share of it awarded today.
This was the first WSOP cash on Li’s poker résumé and it turned out to be one to remember, as he not only earned himself his first cash, but also his first final table and first bracelet in the prestigious tournament.
“This is a dream. I can not be more excited… I never expected to be the champion,” Li said after his victory.
The Shanghai resident earned a huge payday and secured his maiden bracelet while denying German high-stakes PLO cash player and Vienna-resident Brandes his first bracelet. Brandes entered the final day as the chip leader but wasn’t able to go the distance, and will have to settle for the runner-up consolation prize of nearly a million dollars.
Four-time bracelet winner and reigning WSOP Player of the Year Josh Arieh came up short of another title as he finished in third, while Sam Stein and reigning WSOP No-Limits VELO Player of the Year Scott Ball also weren’t able to add another piece of gold jewelry to their collection.
Event #19: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller Final Table Results
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in USD) |
| 1 | Tong Li | China | $1,467,739 |
| 2 | Fabian Brandes | Austria | $907,132 |
| 3 | Josh Arieh | United States | $644,365 |
| 4 | Sam Stein | United States | $465,717 |
| 5 | Scott Ball | United States | $342,590 |
| 6 | Jonathan Depa | United States | $256,582 |
| 7 | Emmanuel Sebag | United States | $195,713 |
| 8 | Gregory Shuda | United States | $152,091 |
Final Table Action
The prestigious event attracted many of the biggest and best in the game. Some notables who made it into the money but fell short of the official final table include David Williams (9th - $120,457), Chance Kornuth (13th - $80,105), Ben Lamb (15th - $67,313), Daniel Negreanu (16th - $57,738), Noah Schwartz (22nd - $50,575), Yuri Dzivielevski (24th - $50,575), and Stephen Chidwick (29th - $44,253).
The final table began near the end of the penultimate day and Gregory Shuda (8th - $152,091), Emmanuel Sebag (7th - $195,713), and Jonathan Depa (6th - $256,582) all bowed out before the fourth and final day of play.
Five players entered the finale and they all had a shot at the glory. Li came into the day third in chips but quickly lost some pots to become the short stack. He was the first player at risk of elimination but secured one of what would be several double-ups through Arieh. Ball became the first player to make his way to the payout desk in fifth place when his aces were beaten by Brandes on the river.
Arieh then doubled through Brandes and Li again doubled through Arieh before Stein was knocked out in fourth place. He had gotten his chips in on the flop against Arieh with nearly even odds to win the hand, but Arieh’s two pair turned out to be the best, and Stein made his exit.
At that point, Arieh held nearly 60% of the chips in play, but his opponents weren’t going to go down without a fight. Brandes claimed the chip lead soon enough with top set, and Li secured yet another double through Arieh to give the trio all fairly similar stacks.
The three players took a short break and when they returned, Li took the lead for the first time, partially propelled by a rivered nut flush. Brandes then doubled through Arieh, and soon after, Li made quads to extend his lead even further. Arieh was looking to make a comeback on a hand when he flopped a boat, but Li turned a superior boat, and the rest of Arieh’s chips went in on the river to eliminate him in third place.
That set up a heads-up match between Li and Brandes, with the former holding over three times as many chips as the latter. They played a few small pots before most of Brandes’ stack went in preflop, and the remainder went in postflop. Li had flopped trips and Brandes was hoping to complete his straight draw, but the board ran out blanks and Li had officially secured the title.
Former WSOP $25,000 PLO Winners
| YEAR | PLAYER | COUNTRY | FIRST PRIZE | ENTRIES | PRIZE POOL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tong Li | China | $1,467,739 | 264 | $6,237,000 |
| 2021 | Shaun Deeb | United States | $1,251,860 | 212 | $5,008,500 |
| 2019 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $1,618,417 | 278 | $6,602,500 |
| 2018 | Shaun Deeb | United States | $1,402,683 | 230 | $5,462,500 |
| 2017 | James Calderaro | United States | $1,289,074 | 204 | $4,868,750 |
| 2016 | Jens Kyllonen | Finland | $1,127,035 | 184 | $4,370,000 |
| 2015 | Anthony Zinno | United States | $1,122,196 | 175 | $4,156,250 |
This concludes the coverage for this event, but stay tuned as PokerNews continues to bring you WSOP updates throughout the summer at Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas.
Fabian Brandes Eliminated in 2nd Place ($907,132)
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Tong Li raised to 1,000,000, Fabian Brandes three-bet to 3,000,000, and Li called.
The dealer spread the 
flop, Brandes jammed for his remaining 4,030,000, and Li called.
Fabian Brandes: 
Tong Li: 
Li was in great shape with his flopped trips, while Brandes was hoping to complete his straight draw. The 
turn kept Li ahead, and the 
river confirmed the result, eliminating Brandes in second place for $907,132.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
39,600,000 | 6,025,000 |
|
Busted |
Brandes Folds Flush Against Boat
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Tong Li limped with 
and Fabian Brandes checked his option with 
.
The 
flop smashed Li's hand and both players checked to the 
turn. Brandes led for 800,000 and Li called.
The 
river improved Brandes to a flush and he led for 800,000 again. Li then potted, and Brandes sent his cards into the muck fairly quickly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
33,575,000 | 2,600,000 |
|
|
6,025,000 | -2,600,000 |
Li Takes Some More
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
The two players have been playing small pots so far with relatively unchanged chip counts.
On one hand, Tong Li raised to 1,100,000 with 
and Fabian Brandes called with 
.
The 
flop was checked to the where Brandes bet 400,000 and Li called. Both players checked the 
river and Li took the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,975,000 | 800,000 |
|
|
8,625,000 | -800,000 |
Short Break
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
The two remaining players took a short break before beginning heads-up play.
Josh Arieh Eliminated in 3rd Place ($644,365)
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Josh Arieh raised to 800,000 on the button and Tong Li defended the big blind.
The dealer fanned the flop, Li checked, Arieh bet 600,000, and Li called.
The fell on the turn, Li checked, Arieh bet 2,000,000, and Li called.
The completed the board, Li checked again, and Arieh moved all-in for 5,550,000. Li snap-called.
Arieh revealed 
for a flopped boat, but Li tabled 
for a turned superior boat.
Arieh instantly got up and lamented to his rail, shook his opponents' hands, and gave them a "good game" as he made his exit in third place for $644,365.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,175,000 | 8,050,000 |
|
|
9,425,000 | 800,000 |
|
Busted |
Li's Flush Takes From Arieh's Set
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Josh Arieh raised to 800,000 on the button with 
and Tong Li defended the big blind with 
.
The flop came 
and Li check-called for 600,000.
The turn improve Li to a flush and Arieh to a set as both players checked to the 
river. Li checked, Arieh bet 1,800,000, and Li called.
Hands were tabled and Arieh saw the bad news as Li's flush was good for the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,125,000 | 3,400,000 |
|
|
8,850,000 | -3,200,000 |
|
|
8,625,000 | -200,000 |
Updated Counts
Level 32
: 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
In recent hands, Josh Arieh and Fabian Brandes have chipped up a bit to narrow the gap against Tong Li.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,725,000 | -4,600,000 |
|
|
12,050,000 | 3,200,000 |
|
|
8,825,000 | 1,400,000 |
Level: 32
Blinds: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 400,000