We have results from yet another WPT main event plus more WCOOP updates
WPT Malta
The World Poker Tour seems determined to cram in as many events as it can at the moment, with no less than six main events taking place during the months of August and September. No sooner had champagne corks been popped on the Champs Elysees on Sunday then it was time to shuffle up and deal the very next day in Portomaso, Malta. Quantity over quality may not be proving to be a great policy though – following an attendance of just 228 in Paris last week, a mere 169 players signed up in Malta creating a fairly modest prize pool for a WPT main event.
Italian Jackson Genovesi was chip leader for a long long time in this tournament but lost that lead to Yorane Kerignard when it was just the two of them left. Genovesi appeared set to get himself right back into contention when he correctly called Kerignard’s shove holding top pair but a cruel river gave Kerignard a bigger pair and put an end to proceedings. Phil Hellmuth had already bowed out of this tournament with his usual lack of good grace, and it appeared Genovesi had been taking lessons from the Poker Brat based on what happened next. The Italian flung himself to the ground and burst into floods of tears. There was even a wail of “I played so perfectly” although there was no Hellmuth trademark comment about how he had been setting his opponent up all day and had finally trapped him. Meanwhile over at the winners’ enclosure Kerignard took his place with the Royal Flush Girls, WPT trophy and newly earned €120,000.
A little further news from the WPT is that a new stop has been announced, adding to the increasingly international look of the tour. Four years ago the tour made only one stop beyond the shores of North America but the much altered poker environment has meant that since then it has been necessary to branch out and become a genuine world tour. The new inclusion of Sanya in China means that ten different countries are scheduled to host the tour for season 11, with more venues yet to be announced.
WCOOP updates
Turning our attention from live poker to the online variety, it’s time to take a look at the pick of the action from Pokerstars’ World Championship Of Online Poker. Having formerly received a lifetime ban from Pokerstars for multi-accounting , Justin “Zeejustin” Bonomo can count himself very lucky that he is even allowed to take part in the WCOOP now that his ban has been lifted. Making the most of his opportunity, he went on to win event 49 ($530 razz) for $36,785 after he beat a field of 387 players.
Event 53 ($320 PLO8) provided some interesting action as several well known players navigated their way to the final table. Amongst them was Ari “BodogAri” Engel, back on Pokerstars after relocating to Canada. He managed 5th place for $14,091 which was one place better than Spanish Team Pokerstars pro Ana Marquez who collected $20,271. With both WCOOP and SCOOP titles under his belt in previous years, James “Andy McLEOD” Obst was looking to add another impressive result but he came up just short with a 2nd place for $36,348. Eventual winner was Russian player Vlad_Radimov who bagged $50,328 for his efforts.
A lack of change at the top means mikal12345 remains on course for the player of the series title, with Team Pokerstars member GeorgeDanzer still in second place. 11 events of 65 remain so there is still plenty of time for that to change though.