PokerGO Tour Leaderboard captain Ali Imsirovic is now also on top of the U.S. Poker Open Championship leaderboard after winning the U.S. Poker Open Event #9: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em for $217,800 at the PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort and Casino for his fourth cash this festival.
Imsirovic faced Andrew Lichtenberger heads-up and an epic back-and-forth battle ensued with the winner guaranteed the top spot on the U.S. Poker Open Championship, with Imsirovic ultimately coming out on top. Saturday’s victory marks the sixth title for Ismirovic in PokerGO Tour high roller events this year alone, reaffirming his status as one of poker’s top tournament players.
The event itself drew 99 entries, tieing a festival record just set a few days ago when David Peters finished on top of a field of 99 entries to win Event #7: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em for $217,800.
U.S. Poker Open Event #9: $10,000 NLHE Final Table Payouts
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ali Imsirovic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | $217,800 |
| 2 | Andrew Lichtenberger | United States | $158,400 |
| 3 | Cary Katz | United States | $118,800 |
| 4 | Vanessa Kade | Canada | $94,050 |
| 5 | Erik Seidel | United States | $74,250 |
| 6 | Thomas Winters | United States | $59,400 |
| 7 | Jake Schindler | United States | $49,500 |
Event #9 Final Table Recap
Imsirovic entered the final table with nearly half the chips in play and was miles ahead of his nearest competitors in Vanessa Kade, Cary Katz, Erik Seidel, and Lichtenberger.
Katz eliminated the short-stacked Thomas Winters (sixth – $59,400) and Jake Schindler (seventh – $49,500) before also ousting eight-time WSOP bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Fame member Seidel (fifth – $74,250) when his jacks won a flip against ace-queen.
Kade found herself short on chips before she was eliminated in fourth place for $94,050 on a rollercoaster of a hand. Lichtenberger jammed with ace-five and was called by Kade with king-queen suited. Kade flopped top pair and faded a blank on the turn before Lichtenberger hit his three-outer with an ace coming on the river to improve to a better pair than Kade.
Lichtenberg held more than half the chips in play during three-handed action but stacks were relatively close to even after Imsirovic eliminated a short-stacked Katz in third place for $118,800 when his queen-jack suited held against nine-trey suited.
The lead bounced back and forth between the final two players before Imsirovic stormed ahead and Lichtenberger was suddenly left with a small stack of 7.5 big blinds. Lichtenberger then jammed king-jack. Imsirovic quickly considered whether to play his jack-six before he made the call and it appeared that Lichtenberger still had some fight left.
However, Imsirovic was laughing after a six spiked the turn to give him a pair and Lichtenberger had to settle for the healthy runner-up prize of $217,800 after he couldn’t get a save on the river.
What is the US Poker Open? Read all about the tour’s history here
David Peters Leads Final Four in USPO Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck
Event #7 winner David Peters is in prime position to become the first two-time winner during the 2021 U.S. Poker Open after bagging nearly two-thirds of the chips in play in the U.S. Poker Open Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck with a stack of 5,370,000 heading into Sunday’s four-player final table.
PokerGO and Poker Central founder Cary Katz and Imsirovic both advanced to the final four in the middle of the pack. Both players late registered after podium finishes in Event #9 with Katz taking third place for $118,800 and Imsirovic winning the event for $217,800.
The relatively unknown Thomas Kysar also advanced but has his work cut out for him as he will enter with the shortest stack of 360,000.
Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count | Big Blind Antes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ali Imsirovic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1,060,000 | 71 |
| 2 | David Peters | United States | 5,370,000 | 358 |
| 3 | Cary Katz | United States | 1,310,000 | 87 |
| 4 | Thomas Kysar | United States | 360,000 | 24 |
Final Table Payouts
Event #10 attracted 27 entries to generate a $270,000 prize pool. All returning players are guaranteed at least a $27,000 payout with the eventual winner slated to take home the $124,200 top prize.
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $124,200 |
| 2 | $75,600 |
| 3 | $43,200 |
| 4 | $27,000 |
2021 U.S. Poker Open Championship Standings
After winning Event #9 for his fourth cash this festival, the 2018 Poker Masters Purple Jacket winner Imsirovic found himself in a familiar spot as the leader of the 2021 U.S. Poker Open Championship Standings.
Meanwhile, Event #9 runner-up Lichtenberger catapulted into second place on the leaderboard thanks to three strong finishes this festival including a third-place performance in Event #7.
USPO Event #3 champion Joe McKeehen slid into third place with Steve Zolotow and Event #7 winner David Peters rounding out the top five spots in the Championship Standings.
| Rank | Player | Points | Wins | Cashes | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ali Imsirovic | 406 | 1 | 4 | $406,400 |
| 2 | Andrew Lichtenberger | 308 | 0 | 3 | $308,000 |
| 3 | Joe McKeehen | 302 | 1 | 2 | $302,200 |
| 4 | Steve Zolotow | 289 | 0 | 3 | $289,000 |
| 5 | David Peters | 243 | 1 | 2 | $243,000 |
| 6 | Dan Shak | 236 | 0 | 3 | $235,500 |
| 7 | Maxx Coleman | 231 | 0 | 3 | $230,800 |
| 8 | Cary Katz | 227 | 0 | 3 | $226,900 |
| 9 | Alex Foxen | 223 | 0 | 4 | $223,300 |
| 10 | John Riordan | 222 | 1 | 3 | $221,800 |
2021 U.S. Poker Open Results
| Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 95 | $950,000 | Jake Daniels | United States | $218,500 |
| Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 65 | $650,000 | Sam Soverel | United States | $175,000 |
| Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 77 | $770,000 | Joe McKeehen | United States | $200,200 |
| Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix | 48 | $480,000 | John Riordan | United States | $163,200 |
| Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 85 | $850,000 | Joey Weissman | United States | $204,000 |
| Event #6: $10,000 8-Game | 68 | $680,000 | Eli Elezra | United States | $183,600 |
| Event #7: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 99 | $990,000 | David Peters | United States | $217,800 |
| Event #8: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha | 63 | $630,000 | Jared Bleznick | United States | $189,000 |
| Event #9: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 99 | $990,000 | Ali Imsirovic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | $217,800 |
*Images courtesy of Poker Central
- 1 2021 U.S. Poker Open Begins Thursday With First of 12 Events
- 2 The USPO is Back: A Historical Look at PokerGO’s US Poker Open (USPO)
- 3 Dan Shak Leads Star-Studded Final Table in U.S. Poker Open Event #1: $10,000 NLHE
- 4 Jake Daniels Wins the U.S. Poker Open Event #1: $10,000 No Limit Hold’em ($218,500)
- 5 PokerGO Point Standings Leading Into 2021 US Poker Open; Imsirovic Leads
- 6 Sam Soverel Wins USPO Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha ($175,500)
- 7 Joe McKeehen Wins USPO Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em ($200,200)
- 8 Chris Brewer Transitions from Collegiate Runner to High-Stakes Poker Pro
- 9 John Riordan Wins U.S. Poker Open $10K Big Bet Mix ($163,200)
- 10 Joey Weissman Mounts Comeback for the Ages to Win USPO Event #5: $10K NLHE ($204,000)
- 11 Eli Elezra Defeats Zolotow & Negreanu to Win the USPO $10K 8-Game ($183,600)
- 12 David Peters Wins Record-Breaking USPO Event #7: $10,000 NLHE ($217,800)
- 13 No Gamble, No Future: Jeff Platt & Brent Hanks Chemistry Shines During USPO
- 14 Jared Bleznick Wins USPO Event #8: $10K PLO ($189,000)
- 15 Brock Wilson Banks on Building a Name for Himself at the USPO
- 16 Ali Imsirovic Catapults into USPO Lead after Winning Event #9: $10K NLHE ($217,800)