The 52nd annual World Series of Poker has naturally eclipsed all other poker events over the past seven weeks, but the online wing of the operation has also been active. In addition to the ongoing online bracelet series, WSOP.com has offered players a dozen opportunities to win jewelry through its latest gold ring series.
The WSOP Paris Las Vegas Circuit Event ran on consecutive days from November 10 through 21. Overlapping the Main Event at the Rio, there were plenty of visitors to join the regulars on the Nevada and New Jersey servers.
Luis "faryboy" Pinho of Portugal was the first to strike gold in the $500 buy-in lead-off event. The tournament attracted 169 players and a prize pool of $120,953, comfortably exceeding the $75k guarantee. Faria got the better of Las Vegas resident Matt "Impervious" Zoorob in the heads-up finale, pocketing $24,650, as well as adding to his previous WSOP International Circuit title won in Estoril in 2017.
WSOP.com Events 2, 3, 4, and 5
Event #2 was a rare freeze-out tournament. 275 players bought in at $250, generating a prize pool of $64,075 with $16,660 going to first. New Jersey's Deepa "decafdeepa" Alban got the better of John "DSauce" Sweeney to take the title.
Next on the schedule was a $50k guaranteed deep-stack turbo, with blinds increasing every six minutes. 248 entrants and 86 re-entries created a prize pool of $66,800. Maxx "mc4chess" Coleman won the title and the first prize of $12,826. An Omaha specialist from Wichita, Kansas, Coleman won his first circuit ring in Oklahoma, taking down a $1,125 PLO tournament in Choctaw-Durant.
The thirteenth of the month was lucky for Sterling Savill from Dover, Florida, as he won a gold ring and first prize of $23,522 in Event #4. The double-stack, $100k guarantee no-limit hold'em offering attracted 295 players, each of whom ponied up a $320 buy-in.
The stakes went up for the $525 buy-in Monster Stack of Event #5. Apparently players like the prospect of a bigger payday, with 366 registering for the tournament. An additional 137 rebuys produced a prize pool of $251,500, with first paying $43,007. Santiago "DelightedTHC" Plante edged out Chicago's Krista "Pollux" Gifford for the win and ring.
Events 6, 7, 8, and 9
November 15 saw the only non-NLHE tournament of the series, as a field of 91 players faced off in a $500 PLO event. The heads-up battle saw the familiar name of John "Macallan25" Riordan meet "akhenaten," whose name is familiar to Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptians. It was the latter who took home the first prize of $16,246.
The high-roller event of the series was a $1k entry, $100k guarantee 6-max NLHE affair. Assad "vegaslo..." Kamran of Norway met Derin "Dbg81490" Goodman heads-up, and took the title and gold ring back to the delightful town of Finstadjordet.
Event #8 was a Super Turbo $320 tournament that attracted 184 players. At four minutes per blind jump, the structure was so rapid that, despite 80 minutes of late registration, the oddity was completed after just over three hours of total play. Kristian "Daaanutz" Michl won the title and $13,671.
Another generic $320 buy-in NLHE was scheduled for Event #9, and won by "Cue33", adding $21,485 to their bankroll.
Events 10, 11, and 12
A transatlantic heads-up tussle concluded Event #10, when Neil "Visionary" McFayden of London beat Anthony "nyy214" Maglietta of New Jersey. 234 players and 139 rebuys built a prize pool of $111,900, with $21,485 awarded to McFayden.
The penultimate event was another nondescript NLHE tournament with a $215 buy-in. Six-and-a-half hours of play saw Michael Holtz of Ocean City, MD, get the better of New Jersey's Frank Marasco. Holtz won $16,621 along with the gold ring.
The series wrapped up with a $525 buy-in, $200k guarantee no-limit hold'em tournament. When late registration closed, 476 entrants and 238 rebuys had built a prize pool of $357,000, with $56,906 earmarked for first. In an astonishing heads-up confrontation, Drew "dudeguydrew" O'Connell saw a 15-to-1 chip advantage evaporate to "snapshot66," who then pulled out a 5-to-1 edge. O'Connell would rally to again take the lead, but ultimately snapshot66 prevailed, when an all-in preflop confrontation saw their J4 outflop O'Connell's QT.
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