The latest chapter in the ongoing WPT World Online Championship ended in victory for Renan Bruschi.
The Brazilian came away with the championship in Event #7: $1,050 Mini Main Event Championship, which pushed a $504,582 payday Bruschi's way. The $5 million guaranteed tournament wrapped up Thursday on partypoker.
Bruschi took part in a four-way deal agreed to by the final four remaining players in the tournament. Latvia's Arturs Balodis actually took home a bigger payday than Bruschi, coming away with $535,269 despite a third-place finish. Balodis held the chip lead with four players remaining, and therefore took home the biggest piece of the payouts when the deal was made.
After the terms of the deal were finalized, the remaining four players played on for the championship and $50,000 left in the prize pool. Other top finishers included runner-up Nichita Verbitchii out of Moldova (2nd - $339,607) and the United Kingdom's Liviu-Rodrig Bartha (4th - $472,867).
Bruschi coolers Verbitchii in the heads-up battle
Verbitchii trailed Bruschi going into the tournament's final hand but looked poised to take a commanding chip lead with the first four community cards on the board.
With the blinds at 3,000,000/6,000,000, Verbitchii limped with 8♣6♣, Bruschi raised to 21 million, with 8❤️8♠ and Verbitchii called. Bruschi continuation bet for 21 million on the 7♦️4❤️8♦️ flop, with that board bringing in top set for the Brazilian. Verbitchii called with top pair and a gutshot straight draw.
Both players checked the 5♣ turn, which brought in the eight-high straight for Verbitchii. The river, however, put Bruschi back in the lead for good, as the 4♣ hit the board to complete a full house for the eventual champion.
An incredulous James Dempsey looked on from the virtual commentary booth as that disaster card for Verbitchii peeled on the river. Bruschi checked, Verbitchii bet 57 million, Bruschi shoved, and Verbitchii committed the rest of his stack with the call.
The big hand clinched the tournament for Bruschi, who entered that final hand with more than a three-to-one chip lead.
Satellite and ticket qualifiers go big at the final table
The champion Bruschi went the direct buy-in route for the Mini Main Event, but more than half the players at the final table qualified for the $1,050 buy-in event for much less.
Aside from Bruschi, all three of the other players involved in the final table deal qualified via satellite or the WPT Ticket Drop promotion. That offer added $1,050 seats to the Mini Main Event to the prize pools of various smaller buy-in tournaments.
Balodis turned a $55 Gladiator entry into his eventual $535,269 prize. Verbitchii took a similar route, garnering a Ticket Drop Mini Main Event entry from an $11 Terminator tournament.
Bartha qualified via a $109 satellite, turning that into a $472,867 payout. Ravil Timisov (8th - $55,425) and Tobias Koerper (9th - $45,600) also qualified through Ticket Drop entries.
Featured image source: Twitter
