Event #53: $800 Double Stack Pot Limit Omaha
Day 1 Completed
2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Bracelet Events
Event #53: $800 Double Stack Pot Limit Omaha
Day: 1
Event Info
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
The fifth tournament of the Asia Time Zone during the 2020 GGPoker World Series of Poker Online Bracelet Events has determined a champion and it was Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello that came out top in Event #53: $800 Double Stack Pot Limit Omaha. The event attracted a total of 831 entries and generated a prize pool of $631,560, which was split among the top 116 finishers.
Crivello defeated the UK's Craig Timmis and claimed his first WSOP gold bracelet along with the top prize of $94,253, and he also receives a package for the WSOP Europe. The American had six WSOP and WSOP Circuit cashes to his name with a 40th place in the 2017 WSOP Main Event for $176,399 as best result. Timmis recorded his second top three result in a PLO event during the festival so far and walked away $77,883 richer, both the winner and the runner-up fired the maximum of three entries.
It was a final table filled with more turns and twists than the world's most legendary serpentine roads in the mountains which culminated in the duel between the arguably most-aggressive players in the late stages. Among those to reach the final and come up short of victory were Ajay "Ross_Geller" Chabra, Markus "Phil Kessel" Cara, Yonathan "ninoboys80" Journo and Julijan "Grgur" Rados.
Final Result Event #53: $800 Double Stack Pot Limit Omaha
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello | United States | $94,253* |
| 2 | Craig Timmis | United Kingdom | $77,883 |
| 3 | Julijan "Grgur" Rados | Croatia | $57,088 |
| 4 | Yonathan "ninoboys80" Journo | Albania | $41,485 |
| 5 | Tszfai "WinEasy" Tong | Hong Kong | $30,672 |
| 6 | Jin "SharkLeeeee" Li | Hong Kong | $22,483 |
| 7 | Markus "Phil Kessel" Cara | Canada | $16,480 |
| 8 | Ajay "Ross_Geller" Chabra | Canada | $12,080 |
| 9 | Pulkit "PgTilt" Goyal | India | $8,854 |
*the winner also receives a package for the WSOP Europe
Notables in the money included Kahle Burns, GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu, Aku Joentausta, Dzmitry Urbanovich, Mike Watson, Ami Barer, Erik Seidel, Connor Drinan, Manig Loeser, Juha Helppi and Mohsin Charania.
The Race to the Money and Post Bubble Carnage
Despite starting the day with 200 big blinds and the event featuring a Pot Limit format, it only took a few minutes for the first players to bust. The following three hours were filled with double ups, bustouts, re-entries and late registrations as the initial field size quadrupled in extraordinary fashion.
Big names such as Joao Vieira, Brandon Adams, Martin Zamani, Yuri Dzivielevski, Roberto Romanello, Ryan Riess, Pete Chen, Mike McDonald, Mike Leah and Alex Foxen all left without anything to show for. For some, the end came in spectacular fashion as Chen got it in set over set only to lose to quads. Craig Varnell was also among those to get involved in most of the action and his roller coaster ride ended in runner-runner fashion when aces were cracked.
Daniel Negreanu went on a roller coaster ride not far away from the money bubble and it was Alex "GMcrafter" Manzano that was the last to leave without any money. Negreanu bowed out soon after in 105th place when he failed to crack aces with flopped top pair and a gutshot.
Big Names Fall Short of the Final Table
There were still plenty of big names left in contention but almost all of them bowed out sooner or later. Erik Seidel ran with kings into the aces of Aaron van Blarcum and missed a flushdraw. Jan Suchanek suffered the same fate when his flushdraw came up short against top set.
One player that dominated the action at the top of the leaderboard was Anton Morgenstern, who even busted an opponent with a royal flush and seemed untouchable for more than an hour. Connor Drinan fell on the last five tables and Morgenstern then went from chip leader to out in 19th place.
Manig Loeser was a cat with many lives as he doubled his short stack several times but eventually ran out of fortune in 16th place. Soon after, it was two-time WSOP bracelet winner Juha Helppi that suffered the same fate and had to settle for 14th place. Mohsin Charania would fall in 12th place and the final table was set shortly after.
Roller Coaster Final Table
To list all double ups of the final nine contenders during the mad dash from start to finish would be a time-extensive task, as the virtual chips were flying left and right. Crivello was the chip leader when play resumed, followed by Yonathan "ninoboys80" Journo while Timmis was in the middle of the pack. That trio was responsible for most of the showdowns as one short stack after the other fell.
Journo doubled Tszfai "WinEasy" Tong no fewer than three times in two levels and both ultimately fell in 5th and 4th place respectively. Julijan "Grgur" Rados doubled twice through Timmis who then somehow soared back into the lead. It was not the end of the all-in showdowns by any means, however.
The most-remarkable and pivotal hand of the final table saw the two chip leaders clash as Crivelli held up with aces and a gutshot against a pair and the nut flush draw for the vast majority of chips in play!
Timmis got back into contention and even doubled into the lead in heads-up but he ultimately fell short when more than 30 blinds went in preflop and Timmis as well as Crivello flopped a set.
That wraps up the PokerNews live updates for this event but the next WSOP gold bracelets will be awarded one day from now on the next Super Sunday.
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
It only took a few further hands to turn the tides around once more as Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello regained the lead without showdown as this time Craig Timmis bowed down to post flop aggression.
And then, the fireworks kicked off once more as Timmis raised it up all the way and got his more than 30 blinds in preflop, Crivello quickly looked him up.
Craig Timmis: 
Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello: 
The chips would have likely gone in either way on the 
flop as both hit a set. Timmis was looking for running clubs, running sixes or the case deuce. Two of those options vanished on the 
turn and a blank 
river sent the Brit out in 2nd place.
For his second top three finish of the festival in a PLO event, Timmis receives $77,882.52 for his efforts. Crivello has earned the top prize of $94,252.72, the coveted gold bracelet and a package for the WSOP Europe.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
41,550,000
22,486,496
|
22,486,496 |
|
Busted |
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Only a few hands into the heads-up duel, Craig Timmis has given this final table yet another twist as he doubled into a narrow lead over Frank ""Sbma2016" Crivello.
The chips went in after the 
flop and Timmis had the best of it this time.
Craig Timmis: 
Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello: 
The flush draw of Crivello was no good as he needed a jack and a jack only. The 
turn came as a blank and so did the 
river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,486,496
12,143,248
|
12,143,248 |
|
|
19,063,504
-12,143,248
|
-12,143,248 |
Level 36
: 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Another nearly dozen hands passed without any all-in showdown as Craig Timmis managed to spin up his short stack somewhat and even managed to pull ahead of Julijan "Grgur" Rados. That would be important in the next battle between them as Timmis raised the pot from the button and Rados came along, they got it in after the 
flop with Rados at risk.
Julijan "Grgur" Rados: 
Craig Timmis: 
Rados was in the lead with a pair and gutshot but Timmis improved on the 
turn. A blank on the river sent Rados out in 3rd place, which is worth $57,087.59.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
31,206,752
-900,000
|
-900,000 |
|
|
10,343,248
7,808,304
|
7,808,304 |
|
Busted |
Level: 36
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 0
Level 35
: 250,000/500,000, 0 ante
Just before the blinds went up, Craig Timmis defended the big blind against a button raise to 1.5 million by Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello. The flop fell 
and Timmis check-raised from 1.75 million to 8.75 million and then called the shove of Crivello for 14,303,376 total.
Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello: 
Craig Timmis: 
Timmis had outs for two pair and a flush but Crivello held onto his narrow lead on the turn and river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
32,106,752
15,803,376
|
15,803,376 |
|
|
6,908,304
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
|
2,534,944
-15,303,376
|
-15,303,376 |
Level 35
: 250,000/500,000, 0 ante
There were six minutes without any action as the final three players had been sent into a scheduled six minute break.
Prior to that, there was no all-in and call but Craig Timmis gained the lead when he won a 13.5 million pot by betting the 
river for 4.5 million. Frank "Sbma2016" Crivello called with for a straight but Timmis had for a full house.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,838,320
6,450,000
|
6,450,000 |
|
|
16,303,376
-3,000,000
|
-3,000,000 |
|
|
7,408,304
-3,500,000
|
-3,500,000 |
Level 35
: 250,000/500,000, 0 ante
Julijan "Grgur" Rados and Crag Timmis traded no fewer than three double ups with the former scoring two and then forfeiting some of the profit again.
Rados was first all in with 
versus and binked the flush on the 
river.
He then doubled with 
against Timmis' in a preflop all in which resulted in the 
board.
Timmis struck back with 
versus as the board delivered a flush on the turn.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,303,376
-250,000
|
-250,000 |
|
|
11,388,320
-6,807,688
|
-6,807,688 |
|
|
10,908,304
6,607,688
|
6,607,688 |
Level 35
: 250,000/500,000, 0 ante
One of the biggest pots of the tournament so far emerged and Craig Timmis was on the brink of losing a big chunk of his stack again as he faced Yonathan "ninoboys80" Journo for more than 14.2 million in the middle.
Yonathan "ninoboys80" Journo:
Craig Timmis:
Th board gave Timmis a set of queens and Journo's wild ride ended in 4th place for $41,485.08.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,196,008
7,395,632
|
7,395,632 |
|
Busted |