Jesse Lonis Wins U.S. Poker Open Event #2 for $252,000

A dramatic final table saw the second event of the 2024 U.S. Poker Open won by Jesse Lonis as the rising elite player of American poker bagged another crown to add to his collection of major titles. At a final table including players such as PokerStake players Victoria Livschitz and Aram Zobian, Lonis won the title with a straight flush in the final hand of the event.

Peters is Bubble Boy as Wilson Makes a Wheel

There were 99 entrants in the $10,000-entry Event #2 of the U.S. Poker Open. With a prizepool of $999,000, only 15 money places were paid and that meant some pre-bubble pain for some big names. Stars of the felt such as Kristen Foxen, Sam Soverel, Daniel Sepiol, Phil Hellmuth and Sam Laskowitz left with nothing, before poker legend David Peters bubbled the cash. All-in when short with , Peters couldn’t hold against Brock Wilson’s , which made a wheel straight on the river of a board.

Wilson, who has sold packages on PokerStake to this tournament series, worked himself into 13^th place, cashing for a very respectable $24,750 as he earned his Event #2 investors profit. He was taken out by Kristina Holst, who dominated his with her superior and progressed up the ranks.

Following the eliminations of Stephen Chidwick (12^th for $24,750), Dan Shak (11^th for $29,700) Matthew Wantman (10^th for $29,700) and Shannon Shorr (9^th for $29,700), play was on the final table bubble. It was the eponymous Bill Klein who missed out on the lights, camera and action of the final table, streamed for viewers on PokerGO, his ace-nine crushed by Victoria Livschitz’s pocket nines as the female player again prevailed, Klein departing for $39,600.

Winter is Going

Entering the final table, Sean Winter was second in chips to the leader, Jesse Lonis. Everything that could go wrong di, however, for Winter. The PokerGO favorite left in seventh place for $39,600 when he returned on the final day to be crushed by Lonis. All-in for his final 665,000 chips with , Winter was blown away by Lonis’ as a flop of instantly gave the eventual winner a Broadway straight.

Soon afterwards, Victoria Livschitz provided another bonus for PokerStake investors as she finished in sixth place for a result worth $49,500. Another deep run for the consistently formidable Livschitz ended when her was dominated to defeat by Lonis’ as the chip leader resumed his place at the top of the chipcounts ahead of Holst.

Joey Weissman was the player to leave in fifth for a score of $64,350. Weissman shoved for 1.2 million chips with but couldn’t hold against Lonis’ call with . A board of gave Lonis the full house and meant that only Holst had more than half of his chips stack, with Lonis on 5.5 million chips and his three opponents, Holst (3.1m), Rodger Johnson (2.1m) and Aram Zobian (1.6m) all scrapping for position in his wake.

Lonis Uses His Lead

Rodger Johnson was the next to leave, crashing out in fourth for $89,100. Johnson shoved with and was called by Lonis with . The board of counterfeited Johnson’s hand on the turn and offered no miraculous two-outer on the river.

Three-handed play did not last long. Kristina Holst was the unfortunate player to depart, losing out with to Lonis’ as the chip leader once again had the best of it, the chips all going in on the turn of a board showing and again no help came on the river, a landing to send Holst home with $113,850.

Aram Zobian had just over a quarter of Lonis’ chips as he bid to give his PokerStake investors the victory. On a board showing , Zobian shoved with and was snap-called by Lonis, who turned over for a straight flush. It was an incredible final hand and Zobian grinned ruefully as he departed to collect $163,350 in second place, Lonis winning the $252,450 top prize.