On a day where eight bracelet events took place and four new WSOP champions were crowned, it was the biggest winning day of the 2022 World Series of Poker so far. With all the action inside Bally’s and Paris in Las Vegas, the stars were out for a superb end to half the tournaments that played down to a winner on Day 16 of the WSOP.
Robert Cowen Wins PLO High Roller for $1.3m
The first British winner this World Series of Poker came in Event #28 where Robert Cowen took down the $50,000-entry PLO High Roller final table. Taking care of Dash Dudley heads-up, Cowen managed to win courtesy of some aggression at the felt and off it, backed up by a raucous rail of British fans.
With just five men starting the final table, Jared Bleznick lost out first, busting in fifth place for $342,626. Bleznick lost with kings against aces to Dudley, then proceeded to give a great account of his tournament after the event. Jeff Platt’s ‘exit’ interview with Jared Bleznick was truly something to behold as the popular if enigmatic poker player summed up his ‘excitement’ at cashing for six figures.
Just another fantastic interview with Jared Bleznick (@harrington25) #SportsCards pic.twitter.com/BKny9iWIUj
— Jeff Platt (@jeffplatt) June 16, 2022
Cowen was the man who took out the overnight chip leader Veselin Karakitukov, who earned $458,016, before Ben Lamb lost his seat too, Cowen’s relentless aggression forcing others into mistakes. Heads-up, Dudley went into the battle with just a third of Cowen’s stack and a short time later was out in second place for $861,442. Cowen, however, won his second WSOP bracelet and the top prize of $1,393,816.
WSOP 2022 Event #28 $50,000 PLO High Roller Final Table Results:
- Robert Cowen – $1,393,816
- Dash Dudley – $861,442
- Ben Lamb – $622,861
- Veselin Karakitukov – $458,016
- Jared Bleznick – $342,626
- Jason Mercier – $260,819
- Aaron Katz – $202,103
- Scott Seiver – $159,464
Cohen Overcomes Dilschneider in Delayed Heads-Up Duel
Jonathan Cohen came from behind to win the delayed heads-up against Kyle Dilschneider in Event #26, the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship. With 3,000,000 chips, Dilschneider was the favorite to take the title, but it was Cohen who ran away with it on a dominant day at the felt.
The final table had played down to the final two the day before, when Chad Eveslage was the chip leader and chasing his second WSOP bracelet. He busted in sixth place, however, and a day later, Cohen got the job done, describing the battle as “misery” in an interview withour friends PokerNews after the event.
WSOP 2022 Event #26 $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship Final Table Results:
- Jonathan Cohen – $245,678
- Kyle Dilschneider – $151,842
- Matthew Schreiber – $107,978
- Matthew Gonzales – $78,435
- Joey Couden – $58,226
- Chad Eveslage – $44,194
- Matt Woodward – $34,314
- Amir Shayesteh – $27,269
- David Litt – $22,192
Simhai Seals Shootout Win
Just 10 players started the final day in the $1,500-entry Shootout NLHE Event #27. With the sole remaining World Series of Poker bracelet winner among the last day of players, Kevin Song, busting in ninth, the field was open to anyone as players battled down for the win. After David Yonnotti busted in eight, he was followed from the felt by Austin Peck and Roongsak Griffith in seventh and sixth respectively, only five remained.
Tim McDermott had made it to the final day after at one point being down to a single chip on Day 2, so his result of finishing in fifth place for $64,129 was amazing by any standards. In his final hand, McDermott held and was busted by Anant Patel’s when the board came .
Ravi Raghavan busted in fourth place for $84,047 when his couldn’t catch Simhai’s after a board which produced a king and jack but nothing else to help Raghavan. Moments later, Anant Patel cashed in third place for $111,226, as he was unlucky to bust with against Simhai’s . The flop of saw all the money go into the middle and Patel couldn’t overtake Simhai on turn and river.
Simhai closed it out soon after, his overtaking David Dowdy’s when a board of counterfeited his opponent’s hand. Simhai’s victory handed him the $240,480 top prize and a debut WSOP bracelet win.
WSOP 2022 Event #27 $1,500 NLHE Shootout Final Table Results:
- Michael Simhai – $240,480
- David Dowdy – $148,618
- Anant Patel – $111,226
- Ravi Raghavan – $84,047
- Timothy McDermott – $64,129
- Roongsak Griffith – $49,414
- Austin Peck – $38,455
- David Yonnotti – $30,227
- Kevin Song – $24,001
- Derek Sudell – $19,253
Coleman Drops Newton to Win Lowball Crown
Event #29 saw Maxx Coleman take the fourth and final WSOP bracelet when he took down the $1,500 NLHE 2-7 Lowball Draw event. With seven players making the final table, German footballer Max Kruse finished in seventh place when he cashed for $14,078. The 34-year-old Kruse, who has played for Fenerbahce, Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg and his national team of Germany in a glittering career, lost out to Thomas Newton as the American leapt up the leaderboard.
Next to go was Mexican player Tomas Szwarcberg, who busted in sixth place for $19,108 before both Kenneth Po and the overnight joint chip leader Yuri Dzivielevski both lost their stacks. Heads up saw Newton lose out to Coleman as he doubled up his short stack once but couldn’t manage it twice, busting for $78,997 in second place. Coleman’s victory, worth $127,809, was one he celebrated in style after finally landing the prize he’d always dreamed of.
WSOP 2022 Event #29 $1,500 NLHE 2-7 Lowball Draw Final Table Results:
- Maxx Coleman – $127,809
- Thomas Newton – $78,997
- Roland Israelashvili – $53,828
- Yuri Dzivielevski – $37,379
- Kenneth Po – $26,464
- Tomas Szwarcberg – $19,108
- Max Kruse – $14,078
Weinman Winning With 10 Left in PLO Event #30
Just 10 players are left in the hunt for the bracelet in the $1,000-entry PLO eight-handed WSOP Event #30. On Day 2, players such as British former Five Diamond Winner James Dempsey, high roller Dylan Weisman, 2021 No Limit Player of the Year challenger Cole Ferraro and Ryan Laplante all exiting, Daniel Weinman’s stack of 6.42 million was the biggest.
Others to make the final ten players include Chino Rheem (4,855,000), Ruslan Dykshteyn (3,200,000) and Stephen Song (2,665,000) and with a $255,359 top prize up top, the final day’s play will be a huge one for potential new winners.
WSOP 2022 Event #30 $1,000 PLO Omaha 8-Max Final Table Chipcounts:
- Daniel Weinman – 6,420,000
- Eduardo Bernal Sanchez – 4,940,000
- Chino Rheem – 4,855,000
- Germandio Andoni – 4,555,000
- Jamey Hendrickson – 4,495,000
- Ruslan Dykshteyn – 3,200,000
- Ferenc Deak – 2,850,000
- Stephen Song – 2,665,000
- Oliver Weis – 1,610,000
- Lautaro Guerra – 1,300,000
Hastings in Line for Sixth WSOP Bracelet, Hellmuth Hanging On
Just 10 players also remain in the $10,000-entry Limit 2-7 Lowball event, Event #31 on the schedule, with Brian Hastings (1,365,000) the chip leader. With Eric Wasserson (1,350,000) close behind, others such as Marco Johnson (1,105,000) and Andrew Kelsall (540,000) are in the top 10.
It is just behind those players that much of the focus will begin, however, with 16- time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth coming back with 380,000 chips and just nine opponents between him and his 17th gold bracelet.
Daniel Zack (535,000), Shaun Deeb (435,000) and Yuval Bronshtein (280,000) are also present as some very experienced players will battle for bracelet glory on Thursday night.
WSOP 2022 Event #31 $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Final Day Chipcounts:
- Brian Hastings – 1,365,000
- Eric Wasserson – 1,350,000
- Marco Johnson – 1,105,000
- Jordan Siegel – 725,000
- Andrew Kelsall – 540,000
- Daniel Zack – 535,000
- Shaun Deeb – 435,000
- Phil Hellmuth – 380,000
- Yuval Bronshtein – 280,000
- Ali Eslami – 170,000
Two Other Bracelet Events End Day 1 Flights
The talented Japanese professional Tamon Nakamura (311,000) leads the remaining 264 in Event #32, the $1,500-entry H.O.R.S.E. tournament with a top prize of $196,089. An incredible 773 entries saw the event far outstrip last year’s attendance of under 600 players, and with Max Kruse returning to action following his earlier final table eleimination, the Germany football bagged up 224,000 chips.
Others to stack up chips included Dzmitry Urbanovich (189,000), 10-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Ivey (105,000), mixed game and no limit monster competitor Michael Mizrachi (76,000), Mike ‘The Mouth’ Matusow (45,000) and Anthony Zinno (122,000) with others such as Todd Brunson, Scotty Nguyen and Maria Ho among those to depart.
WSOP 2022 Event #32 $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Top 10 Chipcounts:
- Tamon Nakamura – 311,000
- Max Kruse – 224,000
- Nathaniel Parenti – 206,500
- John Fahmy – 203,350
- Natascha Stamm – 202,000
- Robert Kearse – 196,500
- Dzmitry Urbanovich – 189,000
- Eric Rodawig – 180,500
- Shirley Rosario – 172,000
- Daniel Plonsker – 171,000
Finally, in Event #33, the $1,500-entry 6-Max NLHE event, it was German player Nino Ullman (2,565,000) and two Canadians, Rayan Chamas (2,500,000) and Vanessa Kade (2,290,000), in the podium places of the 203 players to survive from 1,350 entries on Day 1 of this event.
Others such as Dylan Linde (1,910,000) and Taylor Paur (1,660,000) made the top 10, with stars of the felt Keith Lehr (1,510,000), Davidi Kitai (1,470,000) and Dmitry Yurasov (1,420,000) three former bracelet winners to join them.
WSOP 2022 Event #33 $1,500 6-Max NLHE Top 10 Chipcounts:
- Nino Ullmann – 2,565,000
- Rayan Chamas – 2,500,000
- Vanessa Kade – 2,290,000
- Matthew Wantman – 2,170,000
- Abbas Heidari – 2,145,000
- Viliyan Petleshkov – 2,085,000
- Dylan Linde – 1,910,000
- Taylor Paur – 1,660,000
- Joseph Antar – 1,650,000
- Alexandre Moreau – 1,540,000
Jonathan Cohen takes a great winner’s photo…
Another bracelet winner is crowned as Jonathan Cohen claims @WSOP gold in Event #26: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship.
Cohen was the last man standing at a final table hosting @chadeveslage, Joey Couden, and @therealmjpoker. With his win, Cowen earned $245,678. pic.twitter.com/yep43D4n4a
— PokerGO News (@PokerGOnews) June 16, 2022
…while two very talented Brazilians were ever-present in front of the cameras on Day 16 too.
Got the opportunity to shoot these dudes ?? @neymarjr @aakkari @WSOP @PokerGO pic.twitter.com/raBtEz5uKO
— Antonio Abrego (@r3medies) June 15, 2022
Adam Friedman hosted an ‘ask me anything in what has become something of a routine this month for WSOP players.
Covid has me really bored. Let me try my first poker AMA, see how it goes before I take another nap
— Ada❌ Fried❌an (@AdamFriedman119) June 15, 2022
Official photographs courtesy of PokerGO, the home of live-streamed action throughout the 2022 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.