Casino Player July 2022

Scott Seiver

Dan Smith

POKER PROS SHOW UP WITH WINS

B eyond the recreational players scoring big, some of the more recognizable names in poker also started things off with some big wins. Fresh off winning the World Poker Tour’s Choctaw event in May for $486,600, Chance Kornuth looked poised to add another massive score early in the second event of the series—the $100,000 High Roller Bounty. He came up just short, finishing runner-up to David Peters.A regular in high-roller events, Peters scored $1.2 million and his fourth bracelet,while Kornuth grabbed $721,144. Another well-known player took down the third event. Scott Seiver won the $2,500 Freezeout No Limit Hold’em for his fourth bracelet as well and $320,059.He continued the nice run with an eighth-place and a runner-up finish. The $25,000 Heads Up Championship has become a popular event among some of the game’s well-heeled pros and high-roller Dan Smith won his first bracelet and $509,717. Already a WPT champion,Chad Eveslage added a bracelet in the $25,000 High Roller as well—winning $1.4 million. Canada’s Alex Livingston finished third in the 2019 Main Event for $4 million, but now has some hardware as well—although hanging on to that bracelet proved difficult. He grabbed a win in the $1,500 Seven Card Stud for $103,282 and promptly lost his bracelet immediately afterward. “Lost my bracelet within 20 minutes of receiving it,” he said online.“Do I wish this was a joke? Yes. Is this a joke? No. Have [Omaha Hi/Lo] Day 2 restart now, let me know if anyone finds it.Possibly at the coffee place at Paris entrance.”

The story has a happy ending after security located the gold bracelet and sent it back to the rightful owner. In other action, Adam Friedman made it four big years in a row;he scored his fourth bracelet in as many years, securing a win this year in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship for $248,254. His poker record now includes five bracelets. “This is in my top three or four events,” he said after the Seven Stud win. “I have played thousands upon thousands of hours of this game. I have had really bad success in this event over the last several years and to close it out in my first real shot I have had is amazing.” JeremyAusmus also continued his huge run in recent months with a win this year in a $3,000 Six-Handed Limit Hold’em event for his fourth bracelet and $142,147. In the fall WSOP,Ausmus won two bracelets:the $1,000 COVID Relief Charity Event for $48,687 and the $50,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller for $1.2 million.This year,his record has included two wins on the PokerGOTour as well as two runner-up finishes.

Poker dealer, Katie Kopp, tops a field of 832 in $500 Casino Employees event and scored $65,168 and her first bracelet.

Series Begins with Woman Taking First Bracelet A nother lower buy-in is the $500 Casino Employees Championship.The annual event kicks off the WSOP action and is meant as a way to recognize those in the gaming industry.This year, a female player kicked off the festival with a win. Katie Kopp, from Cleveland, OH, and her mother travel the country dealing in various locations at major tournament series. Her mother was also cheering Kopp on at the final table as she scored $65,168 and her first bracelet. On a short stack for much of the final table, she was able to turn things around and find the winner’s circle in this event that brought in 832 entries for a $349,440 prize pool. Poker definitely runs in the Kopp family. “The feeling is so surreal being here with my mom,”said Kopp,who also finished third in 2018 for $26,250. “We travel and deal together. My whole family plays poker. My grandpa taught us.My brother and sister both have [WSOP Circuit championship] rings and even my 9- and 10-year-olds know how to play.”

Alex Livingston

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