PokerGO Tour major crowns four different champions in first four events
The latest chapter in the 2021 U.S. Poker Open saw John Riordan top the field in the only mixed-game event of the series.
Riordan took down Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix, securing a $163,200 payday on Monday night. Riordan’s victory puts the 2021 U.S. Poker Open a third of the way to the finish line, with eight events remaining on the 12-tournament schedule.
The $10,000 Big Bet Mix drew 48 entries, with Riordan emerging with the win in a format that requires a well-rounded set of poker skills. Riordan outdueled Sean Perry (2nd - $105,600) in the heads-up match for the title.
U.S. Poker Open Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix final table results
| Place | Player Name | Prize |
| 1 | John Riordan | $163,200 |
| 2 | Sean Perry | $105,600 |
| 3 | Alex Foxen | $72,000 |
| 4 | Maxx Coleman | $52,800 |
| 5 | Brian Okin | $38,400 |
| 6 | Jim Collopy | $28,800 |
| 7 | Jeremy Ausmus | $19,200 |
Riordan now in contention on the U.S. Poker Open leaderboard
Riordan’s win in Event #4 puts him in the mix for the U.S. Poker Open leaderboard championship. The player who earns the most points in the series claims the Golden Eagle Trophy, along with an extra $50,000 and the right to call themselves the U.S. Poker Open series champion.
With plenty of poker hands still left to be played in the series, the U.S. Poker Open leaderboard championship remains up for grabs. Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em, plays to a champion today at the PokerGO Studio at Aria Las Vegas.
PokerGO founder Cary Katz leads the field going into the seven-handed final table, with players like Joe McKeehen, Adam Hendrix, and Joey Weissman just under Katz in the chip counts.
Here’s how the U.S. Poker Open leaderboard stands through the first four events:
2021 U.S. Poker Open Championship Standings
| Place | Player Name | Series Points | Earnings |
| 1 | Jake Daniels | 219 | $218,500 |
| 2 | Joe McKeehen | 200 | $200,200 |
| 3 | Sam Soverel | 195 | $194,500 |
| 4 | John Riordan | 182 | $182,200 |
| 5 | Steve Zolotow | 153 | $153,000 |
| 6 | Barry Hutter | 153 | $152,500 |
| 7 | Dan Shak | 152 | $152,00 |
The top four players in the leaderboard standings are the four players who claimed victory in the first four U.S. Poker Open events.
Jake Daniels opened the series with a win in Event #1: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em. The tournament drew 95 entries, the largest number ever for a U.S. Poker Open event.
Daniels took down the win for $218,500, the second-biggest payout of his career. Other final table finishers in Event #1 included Dan Shak (2nd - $152,000), Barry Hutter (3rd - $114,000), and Stephen Chidwick (4th - $95,000).
High-stakes fixture Sam Soverel claimed the first PLO title of the series. Soverel won Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, adding $175,500 to his career earnings. Other final table finishers in Event #2 included Jordan Cristos (2nd - $130,000), Marc Brody (3rd - $84,500), and PLO specialist Dylan Weisman (4th - $65,000).
Joe McKeehen added to his legend with a win in Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em. The 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event winner took a $200,200 payday with the win, topping a final table that included Ray Qartomy (2nd - $146,300), Ali Imsirovic (3rd - $100,100), and Zolotow (4th - $77,000).
The winners and runner-up list from the first four events looks like this:
U.S. Poker Open winners (through four events)
| Tournament | Winner | Runner-Up | First-Place Prize |
| Event #1: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | Jake Daniels | Dan Shak | $218,500 |
| Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | Sam Soverel | Jordan Cristos | $175,500 |
| Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | Joe McKeehen | Ray Qartomy | $200,200 |
| Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix | John Riordan | Sean Perry | $163,200 |
You can catch all U.S. Poker Open final tables streaming on a short delay on PokerGO. The series continues through June 15, capped off by Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em.
Featured image source: PokerGO
