2023 World Series of Poker

Online Event #2: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder
Day: 1
Event Info

2023 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
kj
Prize
$120,686
Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$873,900
Entries
1,253
Level Info
Level
44
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
50,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
1,253
Players Left
1

Online Event #2: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder

Day 1 Completed

Ian "IanMa" Matakis Wins Online Event #2: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder for $120,686

Level 44 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 50,000 ante
Ian Matakis
Ian Matakis

Ian "IanMa" Matakis can now call himself a WSOP bracelet champion after winning Online Event #2: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder at the 2023 World Series of Poker.

"I've always wanted to win a bracelet," Matakis told PokerNews. "I basically played this tournament on my phone the whole day until the end of the 5k (No-Limit Hold'em Freezout.) I bagged about 50 bigs for the start of Day 2 on that one. When play ended, my buddy drove me home, and I was able to play the final table on my laptop."

$500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Ian "IanMa" MatakisUnited States$120,686
2Baruch "QQlove" ForstUnited States$88,089
3Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" RosaUnited States$64,756
4"worldsgrtest"United States$47,977
5Paul "plenkeit2" LenkeitUnited States$35,480
6"Deeznutz"United States$26,479
7Justin "MadTitan" TurnerUnited States$19,837
8Joey "OnSpectrum" WeissmanUnited States$15,031

Including rebuys, the tournament had 1,253 total entries resulting in a prize pool of $873,900. Some 240 places were paid, with all players in the money banking at least $1,311.

Numerous notable players entered but failed to make the money, including Matt "berkey11_S4Y" Berkey, Vanessa "ContainsNuts" Kade, and Cody "1eggadaymike" Bell, who won Online Event #1: $333 No-Limit Hold'em Triple Treys Summer Tip Off three days prior to today's tournament.

Notable players finishing in the money included Joey "OnSpectrum" Weissman (8th, $15,031,) John "RiverRace" Racener (20th, $3,670,) Davide "drogonzizi" Suriano (27th, $3,146,) and Phil "HeyGuys" Galfond (34th, $2,622.)

Another pro that cashed was Chance "BingShui" Kornuth, who found himself registered for two online tournaments at the same time. Kornuth was seen sitting out in one tournament so that he could open and play in the other. Despite having to miss hands, Kornuth cashed in both events (finishing 129th for $1,486 in this one.)

Eliminations came quickly at the final table. Weissman's ace-queen ran into Baruch "QQlove" Forst's pocket aces to exit in eighth.

Justin "MadTitan" Turner went out in seventh after his top pair fell to the flopped trips of "worldsgrtest." "Deeznutz" then fell in sixth to a rivered straight by Matakis.

Paul "plenkeit2" Lenkeit exited in fifth when his king-queen lost to king-deuce.

Matakis then played two big hands against "Worldsgrtest," first doubling up with pocket aces before eliminating them in fourth via pocket tens over pocket sevens.

Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" Rosa finished third when their pocket nines fell to a flopped pair of aces from Forst.

Matakis and Forst then played heads-up for about twenty minutes before the hand that ended the tournament.

The Final Hand
The Final Hand

Matakis held king-jack while Forst had ace-eight. After limping, Matakis bet on the ace-jack-four flop.

"It was a limped pot so that flop is usually better for me. That's why I bet out." The turn came a king. "On the turn, I hit two pair and block his two pair, and so I kept betting." Matakis bet and Forst raised all in with top pair. "When he jammed, it was a snap call." The river came a meaningless two, and Matakis became a WSOP bracelet winner.

"I'll be playing Day 2 of the 5k tomorrow," said Matakis, "but after that, this year, I was planning on taking it day by day."

PokerNews' coverage of WSOP online bracelet events continues with Online Event #4: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Ultra Deepstack on June 6 at 3:30 p.m. local time.

Tags: Baruch ForstChance KornuthCody BellDavide SurianoIan MatakisJoey WeissmanJohn RacenerJustin TurnerMatt BerkeyPaul LenkeitPhil GalfondThomas RosaVanessa Kade

Baruch "QQlove" Forst Eliminated in 2nd Place ($88,089)

Level 44 : Blinds 200,000/400,000, 50,000 ante
Final Hand
Final Hand

Ian "IanMa" Matakis called from the small blind, and Baruch "QQlove" Forst checked his option.

The flop came J?A?4?. Forst checked to Matakis, who bet 400,000. Forst called.

The turn came K?. Forst again checked. Matakis put out 2,125,000. Forst then raised all in for 9,290,996. Matakis immediately called.

Ian "IanMa" Matakis: K?J?
Baruch "QQlove" Forst: A?8?

Forst needed to improve but was unable to do so on the 2? river. He still takes home over $88,000 for his runner-up finish.

Stay tuned for a full recap of the event shortly.

Player Chips Progress
Ian "IanMa" Matakis us
Ian "IanMa" Matakis
29,130,000
23,036,398
23,036,398
WSOP 1X Winner
Baruch "QQlove" Forst us
Baruch "QQlove" Forst
Busted

Tags: Baruch ForstIan Matakis

Level: 44

Blinds: 200,000/400,000

Ante: 50,000

Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" Rosa Eliminated in 3rd Place ($64,756)

Level 43 : 160,000/320,000, 40,000 ante

Baruch "QQlove" Forst raised to 640,000 from the button. Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" Rosa then moved all in for 3,666,182. Forst called.

Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" Rosa: 9?9?
Baruch "QQlove" Forst: A?5?

The flop came A?7?10?, immediately putting Forst ahead. Rosa received no help from the 2? turn and Q? and was eliminated in third place, taking home almost $65,000.

Baruch "QQlove" Forst will now play Ian "IanMa" Matakis in heads-up action for $120,686 and a WSOP gold bracelet.

Player Chips Progress
Baruch "QQlove" Forst us
Baruch "QQlove" Forst
15,260,196
2,423,582
2,423,582
Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" Rosa us
Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" Rosa
Busted

Tags: Thomas RosaBaruch ForstIan Matakis

Level: 43

Blinds: 160,000/320,000

Ante: 40,000

"Worldsgrtest" Eliminated in 4th Place ($47,977)

Level 42 : Blinds 140,000/280,000, 35,000 ante

Ian "IanMa" Matakis raised to 560,000 from the cutoff preflop. "worldsgrtest" moved all in for 1,035,996 from the button. Matakis called.

"worldsgrtest": 10?10?
Ian "IanMa" Matakis: 7?7?

Matakis was far behind, and remained so when the board came 3?J?Q?Q?. However, a 7? came on the river to send "worldsgrtest home in fourth place, along with nearly $48,000.

Player Chips Progress
Ian "IanMa" Matakis us
Ian "IanMa" Matakis
11,840,994
-4,052,648
-4,052,648
WSOP 1X Winner
"worldsgrtest"
"worldsgrtest"
Busted

Tags: Ian Matakis

Matakis Doubles Through "Worldsgrtest"

Level 42 : Blinds 140,000/280,000, 35,000 ante

Ian "IanMa" Matakis opened preflop action by raising to 630,000 from the button. "Worldsgrtest" then reraised to 2,150,000 from the small blind. Matakis called.

The flop came 6?6?K?. "Worldsgrtest" bet 900,000 and Matakis called. The turn came 5?. Facing a check from his opponent, Matakis bet 1,304,000. "Worldsgrtest" then moved all in, and Matakis immediately called with a shorter stack.

Ian "IanMa" Matakis: A?A?
"Worldsgrtest": 10?10?

The river came 9?, and Matakis doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Ian "IanMa" Matakis us
Ian "IanMa" Matakis
15,893,642
9,294,499
9,294,499
WSOP 1X Winner
"worldsgrtest"
"worldsgrtest"
2,503,862
-7,963,791
-7,963,791

Tags: Ian Matakis