Sean Winter notched the largest single prize in the 2021 U.S. Poker Open (USPO) after defeating a star-studded field of 42 entries to win the USPO Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em at the PokerGO Studio at the ARIA Resort & Casino for $756,000.
Winter was near the top of the chip counts throughout the final table which he began with the chip lead and eliminated an impressive final two players in Stephen Chidwick and Jason Koon en route to the title.
This was the second big PokerGO Tour title this year for Winter as back in March, he came out on top of a field of 48 entries in the PokerGO High Roller Event #4: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em for $408,000.
USPO Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean Winter | United States | $756,000 |
| 2 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $504,000 |
| 3 | Jason Koon | United States | $336,000 |
| 4 | Jonathan Little | United States | $231,000 |
| 5 | Sam Soverel | United States | $168,000 |
| 6 | Bill Klein | United States | $105,000 |
Final Table Action
While Winter began the final table with the chip lead, all eyes were on the short-stacked Sam Soverel early in the action as he was the only player that could possibly dethrone David Peters as the U.S. Poker Open Champion.
Odds were against Soverel as he needed an outright victory to win the Golden Eagle trophy and they became even slimmer after he was left with just a handful of big blinds after doubling up Koon.
The drama ended soon enough. Soverel was able to ladder up after Winter eliminated Bill Klein (sixth – $105,000) before hitting the rail in fifth place for $168,000 when his ace-three didn’t hold against Chidwick’s queen-eight. History was made with defending U.S. Poker Open champion Peters clinched the 2021 title thus becoming the first two-time champion.
Chidwick was back at it again in a big hand against Jonathan Little to give him more than half the chips in play with three players left. Little called a raise preflop with ten-eight suited before he check-jammed an eight-high flop. Chidwick called with king-eight and Little hit the rail in fourth place for $231,000 with his kicker problems not being resolved on neither the turn nor the river.
Winter chipped up during three-handed play and had a small chip advantage during heads-up play after his cowboys held against ace-queen to eliminate Koon (third – $336,000).
Stacks were close to even when the final hand began with Chidwick opening the button with queen-four and Winter defending his big blind with ten-six suited. Winter check-called a bet after improving to a pair on the jack-six-deuce flop. A queen on the turn gave Chidwick top pair and Winter check-called a bigger bet on the turn. Winter checked again after improving to two pair with a ten spiking the river. Chidwick jammed and settled for the runner-up prize of $504,000 after Winter snap-called.
David Peters Wins 2021 U.S. Poker Open Championship
Defending U.S. Poker champion David Peters has done it again by also winning the title in 2021. The festival began slowly for Peters but he stormed ahead and won three events in the second half of the schedule to win the coveted Golden Eagle trophy, a $50,000 cash prize, and, of course, the honor of becoming the first two-time U.S. Poker Open champion.
| Rank | Player | Points | Wins | Cashes | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Peters | 646 | 3 | 4 | $832,950 |
| 2 | Sean Winter | 484 | 1 | 2 | $785,700 |
| 3 | Ali Imsirovic | 483 | 1 | 5 | $482,000 |
| 4 | Stephen Chidwick | 427 | 0 | 3 | $628,700 |
| 5 | Dan Shak | 371 | 0 | 4 | $459,750 |
| 6 | Jake Daniels | 323 | 1 | 2 | $391,000 |
| 7 | Sam Soverel | 316 | 1 | 4 | $382,300 |
| 8 | Andrew Lichtenberger | 308 | 0 | 3 | $308,000 |
| 9 | Joe McKeehen | 302 | 1 | 2 | $302,200 |
| 10 | Steve Zolotow | 289 | 0 | 3 | $289,000 |
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2021 U.S. Poker Open Results
The 2021 U.S. Poker Open awarded more than $11 million in prize pools across a dozen events. Peters was the only player to win multiple titles by impressively winning three events on his way to back-to-back USPO championships.
Other big names also had their day in the sun after winning big events including Jake Daniels, Joe McKeehen, John Riordan, Joey Weissman, Jared Bleznick, Ali Imsirovic, and Sean Winter.
| 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 |
| Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck | 27 | $270,000 | David Peters | United States | $124,200 |
| Event #11: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 69 | $1,725,000 | David Peters | United States | $465,750 |
| Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 42 | $2,100,000 | Sean Winter | United States | $756,000 |
| Total | 837 | $11,085,000 |
*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)
- 17 Inside Jared Bleznick’s Bizarre “Sports Cards” Interview After USPO Victory
- 18 David Peters Wins $10K Short Deck for his Second 2021 USPO Title ($124,200)
- 19 David Peters Wins Third USPO Title in Five Days in the Event #11: $25K NLHE ($465,750)
- 20 Sean Winter Defeats Stephen Chidwick to Win USPO Event #12: $50K NLHE ($756,000)