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WSOP ROUNDUP: First Double Bracelet Winner, Ireland’s O’Dea Scores Gold, Numbers Rise, & More

The WSOP Online continues at GGPoker.

The World Series of Poker Online produced some big news over the last week at GGPoker. That included the first player to win not only two bracelets in the series, but the first to ever win two online bracelet events.

There were also some big $10,000 heads-up fireworks and a WSOP final table player winning a bracelet. The series has now awarded 24 bracelets with plenty of big online poker remaining. Here’s a look at some of the news from the series over the last week.

Numbers in WSOP Online at GGPoker continue to grow after big events

Recent major events like the Millionaire Maker have inflated the nice WSOP Online numbers even more. The last week has seen the average number of entries rise from 3,754 last week to 3,830 this week.

The average prize pool has also climbed by about $300,000 over the last week to $2 million. The average payout has now ballooned to almost $299,896, an increase of almost $45,000 from last week.

The Millionaire Maker easily became the largest payout and prize pool of the series. The prize pool almost reached $9 million with Daniel Dvoress taking the title for $1.5 million.

With some nice tournaments set for the coming week, these numbers should continue. Here’s a look at all winners and statistics.

For complete facts and information about the WSOP Online, including Twitch streams, click here.

EventBuy-inTotal entriesPrize poolWinner payoutWinnerCountry
#32: The Opener NLHE$10029,306$2,696,152$265,880Marcelo Jakovljevic PudlaBrazil
#33: Every 1 for Covid Relief$1,1112,323$2,580,853$343,204Alek StasiakCanada
#34: Super Turbo Bounty NLHE 6-Handed$5252,214$1,107,000$117,650Shoma IshikawaJapan
#35 Pot Limit Omaha Championship$5,000328$1,558,000$306,622Juha HelppiFinland
#36 FIFTY STACK NLHE$1,5001,342$1,912,350$297,496Michael ClacherSouth Africa
#37 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha$1,050971$971,000$161,887Hun Wei LeeAustralia
#38 Monster Stack NLHE 6-Handed [Asia Time Zone]$6002,007$1,143,990$171,389Aaron WijayaChina
#39: NLHE [Asia Time Zone]$1,500922$1,313,850$216,213Roberto RomanelloUnited Kingdom
#40: Pot Limit Omaha$2,500532$1,263,500$224,493Klas LofbergSweden
#41: COLOSSUS$40012,757$4,796,632$595,930Ranno SootlaEstonia
#42: PLOSSUS$4004,356$1,637,856$221,557Yuri DzivielevskiBrazil
#43: Short Deck NLHE Championship$10,000301$812,700$276,393Lev "LevMeAlone" GottliebUnited States
#44: NLHE 6-Handed$2,500892$2,118,500$356,412Kristen BicknellCanada
#45: Bounty NLHE$8402,382$1,906,500$245,448Patrick "Muddington" KennedyUnited Kingdom
#46: Deepstack NLHE$5002,307$1,095,825$189,098Sung Joo "ArtePokerTV" HyunSouth Korea
#47: Short Deck NLHE$1,000487$462,560$88,202Paul TeohMalaysia
#48 MILLIONAIRE MAKER$1,5006,299$8,976,075$1,489,289Daniel DvoressCanada
#49 Turbo Deepstack$5002,978$1,414,550$192,523Vladas "apuokos" BurneikisLithuania
#50: Bounty Championship$2,1001,168$2,336,000$327,319Enrico "GTOExploiter" CamosciItaly
#51: Pot Limit Omaha$4002,005$753,880$100,945Eoghan "DrRoche" O'DeaIreland
#52: NLHE$1,0002,006$1,905,700$273,505Alek StasiakCanada
#53: Double Stack PLO [Asia Time Zone]$800831$631,560$94,253Frank CrivelloUnited States
#54: Heads-Up Championship$10,000128NANAevent not yet finishednot yet finished
#55: NLHE Asia Time Zone ChampionshipHK$8,0003,247$3,184,074$458,261Luis Eduardo Assuncao GarlaBrazil
#56: GGMasters WSOP Edition$1509,835$3,068,025$183,526Anatoly "Pohitrusha" SuvarovUnited States
TOTALS91,924$49,647,132$7,197,495
Average3,830$1,997,347$299,896

Two cashes, two WSOP bracelets

It’s been a dominating performance so far at GGPoker for Alex Stasiak. The Canadian first won Event 32: $1,111 Every 1 in for COVID Relief for $343,200.

In his second cash of the series, Stasiak did it again. He won Event 52: $1,000 No Limit Hold’em on Aug. 6 for $273,505. That made him the series first two-time winner, and that included the US half at WSOP.com.

Beyond that feat, he also becomes the first player to ever win two online bracelets. That’s quite a feat and he still has time to attempt the trifecta.

2011 Main Event final table player scores bracelet

Irish eyes were smiling for Eoghan O’Dea on Aug. 5 in Event 51: $400 Pot Limit Omaha. The Dublin, Ireland, native scored the first bracelet of his career and took home $100,945.

O’Dea is no stranger to WSOP success and now has almost $2.4 million in series winnings. That included a sixth-place finish in the 2011 Main Event for $1.7 million.

In 2019, he also scored a nice PLO finish in the $10,000 championship in Las Vegas. He took sixth in that event for $143,128. O’Dea now becomes the fifth Irish player to win a bracelet.

Poker runs in the O’Dea family. His father Donnacha O’Dea is a card-playing legend in Ireland. He made two Main Event final table appearances, finishing sixth in 1983 and ninth in 1991.

PLO seems to be a nice game for the O’Deas with Donnacha also winning his bracelet in the game in 1998. 

Dvoress wins Millionaire Maker, vaults into top spot on WSOP Leaderboard

The battle for the player of the series continues to heat up. Last week, three Brazilians took the top three spots.

However, a pair of Canadians now slide into first and second place with Daniel Dvoress taking the lead. He took down the Millionaire Maker on Aug. 8 for $1.5 million.

A coach at the RunItOnce training site, Dvoress offered some thanks to a friend who offered some pre-tournament help.

This becomes just the latest huge score for Dvoress. He has more than $15 million in live tournament winnings. That includes winning the partypoker Live $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl in November for $4.1 million.

Here’s a look at the complete leaderboard:

  • 1st – Daniel Dvoress (Canada), 6,095.66
  • 2nd – Alek Stasiak (Canada), 5,973.95
  • 3rd – Ranno Sootla (Estonia), 4,931.59
  • 4th – Yuri Dzivielevski (Brazil), 4,334.47
  • 5th – Belarmino De Souza (Brazil), 3,968.44

Canada leads bracelet total by country

Which country will end the WSOP Online with the most bracelets? That remains to be seen, but Canada leads as of Aug. 11.

Wins by Dvoress, Alek Stasiak (2), and Kristen Bicknell move the country into the top spot.

Two other countries are just behind the Great White North. The United States and Brazil both have three winners each. 

Players from the United Kingdom have won two bracelets. No other country has more than one.

A look at the week ahead at GGPoker

The WSOP Online at GGPoker runs through Sept. 6 and plenty of action remains. In the coming week a few tournaments stand out

Don’t have enough for the $5,000 Main Event? Then check out the $500 Mini Main Event on Sunday, Aug. 16. The event comes with a $5 million guarantee – plenty of bang for the buck.

Another lower buy-in event should attract a nice number on Saturday, Aug. 15. The $300 Monster Stack Six-Handed (Asia Time Zone) should build a nice prize pool, though without a guarantee.

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the $600 NLHE Deepstack Championship should bring out plenty of online rounders looking for a title. Here’s a look at the complete schedule.

DateEvent NumberTournamentBuy-inPrize GuaranteeNotes
Wednesday, September 02, 202048People's Choice Event [Pros Vote]TBATBATBA by Vote
Thursday, September 03, 202049People's Choice Event [Spin the Wheel]TBATBATBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202050People's Choice Event [Most Popular]TBATBAAsia Time Zone, TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202051$1,050 Beat the Pros [Bounty]$1,050
Sunday, September 06, 202052$10K WSOP Super MILLION$, $5M GTD$10,000$5,000,0002-Day Event
Sunday, September 06, 202053$100 WSOP MILLION$ [Final Day], $2M GTD$100$2,000,0002-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, September 06, 202054$500 The Closer [LAST CHANCE]$500

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TALE OF THE TAPE: Daniel Negreanu, Doug Polk Heading Toward Big Poker Showdown

Doug Polk and Deniel Negreanu have agreed to a high-stakes online poker matchup.

Maybe the upcoming battle between Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk should be billed as the Tank Top Tussle. Whatever the name, the matchup has been confirmed and should be a blockbuster poker showdown.

After plenty of back and forth, Polk and Negreanu have arrived at a general agreement on how things will go down. Some details remain to be sorted out, but there should be plenty of fireworks when the online poker battle commences sometime in September or October.

Bad vibes for a big event

Another big heads-up match took place recently as part of the new PokerGO series, The Duel. That featured Phil Hellmuth and Antonio Esfandiari battling it out for $50,000 each.

Unlike that event, this battle should be a little more salty. Both come into the event not as friendly rivals, but more as definite adversaries.

The animosity started in 2016 when Negreanu offered his opinions on increased rake at PokerStars. An ambassador at the company at the time, he argued increased rake in some cash games could keep pros away. That would be good for recreational players, he noted.

Polk believed Negreanu wasn’t representing players well. He’s since been a frequent critic and that included a “More Rake is Better” billboard at the World Series of Poker in 2018.

Negreanu says Polk uses him as a foil to grow his YouTube audience. He’s also taken a few jibes in recent years as well.

The insults have flown over the last week. Negreanu says Polk has bullied him and has an “an unhealthy obsession.”

Polk has referred to Negreanu as a sellout who “belittles people quite frequently.” He threw some shade in his nemesis’ direction.

A look inside the numbers

Whatever the case, the antagonism boiled over throughout the last week. Polk challenged Negreanu heads-up and that was accepted. Here are some of the details that have been ironed out so far.

  • Game – Heads-up No Limit Hold’em
  • Stakes – $200/$400
  • Number of hands – Between 10,000 and 25,000
  • Number of tables – 2
  • Side bet – unknown as of now
  • Time – To be determined, possibly September or October

Where do the two combatants stand heading into the matchup? Like two boxers ready to slug it out, here’s the complete tale of the tape.

Daniel Negreanu

Originally from Canada and now living in Las Vegas, he’s one of the most recognized names in poker. No stranger to table talk, Negreanu also brings big skills.

However, the six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner says he’ll be at a disadvantage heads-up against Polk.

Major accomplishments: $42 million in lifetime tournament winnings; six WSOP bracelet, two WPT titles

  • Poker style: Small-ball poker, but adapted style through the years
  • Poker media/business: Longtime ambassador for PokerStars, but now part of Team GGPoker; streams his online play and produces daily vlogs during WSOP events
  • Interests away from the tables: hockey
  • Extra bullet point: Produced a MasterClass on poker strategy

Doug Polk

A YouTube poker sensation, Polk has plenty of heads-up online poker experience. However, he’s been out of the game for a few years and focused on other topics.

Originally from California and now based in Las Vegas, Polk has come out of retirement for this challenge. The poker world will be buzzing when they take a seat at the table.

  • Major accomplishments: $3.7 million in live tournament winnings as well as significant online winnings; three WSOP bracelets including the $111,111 High Roller for One Drop for $3.7 million
  • Poker style: Highly experienced, technically sound, ability to make correct adjustments relative to opponents
  • Poker media/business: Co-founder of Upswing Poker training site; successful YouTube channels  
  • Interests away from the tables: Trading cryptocurrency
  • Extra bullet point: Part of a team that beat artificial intelligence bot at Carnegie Mellon University

Players ready to take in the action

Many players have taken to Twitter to voice their anticipation of the event. It seems many poker fans have been dreaming of the tank top-clad poker warriors battling it out.

Popular commentator Nick Schulman expressed the thoughts of many in the poker world. With Team Polk versus Team Negreanu, he believes a large multimedia presentation should be part of the fun.

“Listen buddy, as far as commentary goes there should be different teams/platforms covering this thing,” he noted in a response to a Polk Tweet. “I really don’t know but everyone should come out of the woodwork. All I ask is for a little sit down with you both before playing face to face. Borderline aroused thinking about it.”

Shaun Deeb also took to Twitter offering some speculative lines related to the event. He even threw in a tank top wager.

Look for more at PokerScout as more details are announced. Whatever the outcome, it should be quite an interesting poker brawl.

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WSOP ROUNDUP: Player Pools Explode at GGPoker, Colossus Attracts Huge Field, & More

Now in its third week at GGPoker, the WSOP Online now takes the spotlight with WSOP.com events wrapped up. The series has already awarded 18 bracelets with 36 more to go.

As expected, with players around the world now involved, the series has seen a nice increase in prize pools. That includes massive numbers in some of the smaller buy-in events.

Here’s a look at some bracelet-hunting news from the last week at GGPoker.

Quest for bracelets drives big numbers at GGPoker WSOP Online

A quick look at the numbers shows players have responded well to the GG events. The series runs through Sept. 16 and has already attracted 67,673 entries.

That more than doubles the entries from the WSOP.com side, which was available only in New Jersey and Nevada. The average winner payout has been about $100,000 more per event at GGPoker.

There has been $29.7 million paid out so far with a total of $4.6 million to winners. Here’s a comparison of the averages from the GGPoker series so far compared to WSOP.com.

GGPoker

  • Total entries – 3,754
  • Prize pool – $1.7 million
  • Winner payout – $255,429

WSOP.com

  • Total entries – 1,427
  • Prize pool – $866,809
  • Winner payout – $152,208

* averages as of Aug. 5

Those trends should continue in the coming days. Here’s a look at statistics and winners so far.

For complete facts and information about the WSOP Online, including Twitch streams, click here.

TournamentBuy-inEntriesPrize poolWinner payoutWinner
#32: The Opener NLHE$10029,306$2,696,152$265,880Marcelo Jakovljevic Pudla
#33: Every 1 for Covid Relief$1,1112,323$2,580,853$343,204Alek Stasiak
#34: Super Turbo Bounty NLHE 6-Handed$5252,214$1,107,000$117,650Shoma Ishikawa
#35 Pot Limit Omaha Championship$5,000328$1,558,000$306,622Juha Helppi
#36 FIFTY STACK NLHE$1,5001,342$1,912,350$297,496Michael Clacher
#37 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha$1,050971$971,000$161,887Hun Wei Lee
#38 Monster Stack NLHE 6-Handed [Asia Time Zone]$6002,007$1,143,990$171,389Aaron Wijaya
#39: NLHE [Asia Time Zone]$1,500922$1,313,850$216,213Roberto Romanello
#40: Pot Limit Omaha$2,500532$1,263,500$224,493Klas Lofberg
#41: COLOSSUS$40012,757$4,796,632$595,930Ranno Sootla
#42: PLOSSUS$4004,356$1,637,856$221,557Yuri Dzivielevski
#43: Short Deck NLHE Championship$10,000301$812,700$276,393Lev "LevMeAlone" Gottlieb
#44: NLHE 6-Handed$2,500892$2,118,500$356,412Kristen Bicknell
#45: Bounty NLHE$8402,382$1,906,500$245,448Patrick "Muddington" Kennedy
#46: Deepstack NLHE$5002,307$1,095,825$189,098Sung Joo "ArtePokerTV" Hyun
#47: Short Deck NLHE$1,000487$462,560$88,202Paul Teoh
#48 MILLIONAIRE MAKER$1,500NANANAevent not completed
#49 Turbo Deepstack$5002,978$1,414,550$192,523Vladas "apuokos" Burneikis
#50: Bounty Championship$2,1001,168$2,336,000$327,319Enrico "GTOExploiter" Camosci
TOTALS67,573$31,127,818$4,597,716
AVERAGES3,754$1,729,323$255,429

Shah, Watson chalk up nice scores; Hellmuth’s wife not happy

Several big US-based players, such as Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth, are heading to Mexico to play the series. However, a lesser-known American player has already made some waves at GG.

Michelle Shah, from Delray Beach, Florida, has already recorded nine cashes. That includes runner-up in the $1,000 Short Deck for $60,254 and a 10th-place finish in $525 Super Turbo Bounty.

Canada’s Mike Watson took third ($44,166) in that short deck event and is also having a nice series. In total, Watson has five cashes which includes a fourth-place finish in the $5,000 PLO Championship for $115,117.

In a career dating to 2005, Watson has more than $12 million in live tournament winnings including a WPT title. However, he’s still looking for that first bracelet.

Hellmuth is looking for his 16th bracelet. He couldn’t wrangle one while playing in Las Vegas, but is hoping for better results while playing in Mexico.

He’s also fresh off a $50,000 buy-in heads-up battle with Antonio Esfandiari on PokerGO. However, so much time away from home may have Hellmuth in the dog house with his wife.

Colossal turnouts in massive-field events

Two of the bargain buy-in events stood out recently just as at the live WSOP in Las Vegas. Massive-field tournaments like Colossus have become a major part of the annual series.

That’s carried over to the online events at GGPoker and began with the $100 Opener. That event produced 29,306 entries for a $2.7 million prize pool. Brazil’s Marcelo Jakovljevic Pudla took the title for $265,880.

That is easily the largest number of entries so far. But two other events also produced big fields. The $400 COLOSSUS drew 12,757 entries and a prize pool of $4.8 million. 

The event smashed the $3 million guarantee with Estonia’s Ranno Sootla earning his first bracelet and $595,530.

In the $400 PLOSSUS, another Brazilian scored a big win. Yuri Dzivielevski topped a field of 4,356 entries for $221,557.

This becomes his second bracelet after winning one in 2019. The event drew a $1.6 million prize pool, easily topping the $1 million guarantee.

A look at the WSOP Online leaderboard

Sootla and Dzivielevski now sit atop the WSOP Online Leaderboard after big wins in the COLOSSUS and PLOSSUS. Two other Brazilians are also among the top five. Here’s a look at the complete standings.

  • 1st – Ranno Sootla, 4,719.82
  • 2nd – Yuri Dzivielevski, 4,018.81
  • 3rd – Belarmino De Souza, 3,579.84
  • 4th – Enrico Camosci, 3,539.22
  • 5th – Marcelo Jakovljevic, 3,283.99

Some big upcoming events at GGPoker

GGPoker is offering several WSOP Online events in Asian time zone to cater to its large player pool there. The highlight of that is set for Sunday, Aug. 9. 

The HK$8,000 ($1,032) NLHE Asia Championship features a HK$8 million ($1.02 million) guarantee.

Also on Sunday, players looking for a bargain buy-in and big payday should check out the $150 GGMasters Special Edition. The freezeout comes with a $1 million guarantee.

One the same day, plenty of high-stakes players should jump in the $10,000 Heads-up Championship. A regular part of the WSOP in Las Vegas, there should be plenty of big names in the mix.

Here’s a look at the complete schedule.

2020 WSOP Online GGPoker Schedule

DateEvent NumberTournamentBuy-inPrize GuaranteeNotes
Wednesday, September 02, 202048People's Choice Event [Pros Vote]TBATBATBA by Vote
Thursday, September 03, 202049People's Choice Event [Spin the Wheel]TBATBATBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202050People's Choice Event [Most Popular]TBATBAAsia Time Zone, TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202051$1,050 Beat the Pros [Bounty]$1,050
Sunday, September 06, 202052$10K WSOP Super MILLION$, $5M GTD$10,000$5,000,0002-Day Event
Sunday, September 06, 202053$100 WSOP MILLION$ [Final Day], $2M GTD$100$2,000,0002-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, September 06, 202054$500 The Closer [LAST CHANCE]$500

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WSOP ONLINE ROUNDUP: Bicknell Wins Big at GGPoker & Much More

The WSOP and GGPoker have announced a new summer online bracelet series.

The World Series of Poker Online action wraps up on Friday at WSOP.com. However, the action has just gotten started at GGPoker.

International players began the bracelet hunting on July 19 with 54 bracelet events running through Sept. 16. Some big names have already made waves including Juha Helppi and Kristen Bicknell adding their names to the winner’s list.

For complete information about the series including schedule, information, and Twitch streams, visit the PokerScout WSOP Online GGPoker landing page.

Bicknell bags another WSOP bracelet at GGPoker

For those following the world of poker, Kristen Bicknell’s name stands out. This Canadian poker pro has been Global Poker Index’s Female Player of the Year for the last three years.

Bicknell currently leads that race again and has more than $5 million in live tournament winnings. A member of Team partypoker, she also brings plenty of skills to the virtual felt.

That was on display in the early hours of Thursday morning. Bicknell finished off a field of 892 entries in a $2,500 NLHE Six-Handed event for $356,412 and her third WSOP bracelet.

Fellow GPI Player of the Year and boyfriend Alex Foxen was quick to offer congratulations.

The win moved Bicknell into a tie with Barbara Enright and Vanessa Selbst with three bracelets each. The three are tied for the most bracelets won by a woman.

Beyond the WSOP action at GGPoker, Bicknell has also been playing online in the partypoker WPT World Online Championships. She already has a couple final table appearances there as well.

Can she add a bracelet and a WPT title in two huge concurrent series? Don’t tule it out.

Juha helps himself to a big win

Finnish poker star Juha Helppi started his series off on a good note. He took down Event 35: $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship for $306,622 on July 21-22.

This becomes Helppi’s second bracelet after topping a field of 328 entries. He now has more than $1.7 million in WSOP winnings.

Helppi’s first bracelet came in 2019 when he won the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship for $306,622. He also has lifetime live tournament winnings of $8 million.

With big wins and finishes at events around the world, Helppi now has another nice bullet point on his resumé.

A look at the early GGPoker WSOP Online action

It’s been a nice start for Hun Wei Lee as well. This player from Australia already has three cashes including a win in Event 37: $1,050 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha.

That gave him a nice score of $161,887 and the first bracelet of his career.

Robert Romanello, from the United Kingdom, also has three cashes and a title. He won Event 39: $1,500 NLHE for $216,213.

Sweden’s Klas Lafberg now has four cashes including his first bracelet in Event 40: $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha for $224,493.

Here’s a look at the complete list of winners and statistics from the GGPoker half of the series so far:

EventBuy-InTotalPrize PoolTop PrizeWinner
#32: The Opener NLHE$10029306$2,696,152$265,880Marcelo Jakovljevic Pudla
#33: Every 1 for Covid Relief$11112323$2,580,853$343,204Alek Stasiak
#34: Super Turbo Bounty NLHE 6-Handed$5252214$1,107,000$117,650Shoma Ishikawa
#35 Pot Limit Omaha Championship$5,000328$1,558,000$306,622Juha Helppi
#36 FIFTY STACK NLHE$1,5001342$1,912,350$297,496Michael Clacher
#37 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha$1,050971$971,000$161,887Hun Wei Lee
#38 Monster Stack NLHE 6-Handed [Asia Time Zone]$60020071143990$171,389Aaron Wijaya
#39: NLHE [Asia Time Zone]$1,500922$1,313,850$216,213Roberto Romanello
#40: Pot Limit Omaha$2,500532$1,263,500$224,493Klas Lofberg
Event #41: COLOSSUS$400NA$3 millionevent not yet complete
#42: PLOSSUS$400NA$1 millionevent not yet complete
#43: Short Deck NLHE Championship$10,000NAnot yet available$276,393Lev Gottlieb
#44: NLHE 6-Handed$2,500892$2,118,500$356,412Kristen Bicknell

Quick facts about the WSOP Online at GGPoker

  • Number of bracelet events – 54
  • Dates – July 19 to Sept. 16
  • Locations available to players – Around the world including Canada and Mexico
  • Game formats – No Limit Hold’em, Omaha, Short Deck, Mixed Games, Bounty, Heads-up
  • Buy-in range – $50 to $25,000
  • Main Event – The $5,000 championship features a $25 million guarantee with numerous starting flights beginning Aug. 16. Day 2 is set for Aug. 30.

** To get in on the action at GGPoker, click here for an exclusive PokerScout bonus.

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ROUGH START: Server Issues, Disconnections Plague First Day of Play in GGPoker WSOP Online

The GGPoker start to the WSOP Online came with some unexpected problems on Sunday.

After 19 World Series of Poker Online events exclusively at WSOP.com, GGPoker was added to the mix on Sunday. The site’s first efforts at bracelet hunting turned into a rough beginning that saw two events rescheduled.

With three events set for Sunday, GGPoker wasn’t prepared for an unexpected high number of players. That led to server issues which affected gameplay and brought numerous complaints from players.

The issues created a firestorm on social media. The controversy comes at a time when online poker has experienced a mini-boom in recent months.

Players met with server lag, bugs, and more

The WSOP Online features 85 bracelet events with 31 at WSOP.com and 54 at GGPoker. The series was created to fill the void after the traditional WSOP in Las Vegas was postponed to the fall.

The WSOP.com half of the series began July 1 and has played out mostly issue free. The GGPoker side kicked off on Sunday with these three scheduled events (listed officially as Events 32-34, extending the WSOP.com half of the series):

  • #32 – $100 Opener
  • #33 – $1,111 Every 1 for COVID Relief
  • #34 – $525 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed

Players in the first two events, however, experienced numerous issues throughout the first two tournaments. That included disconnections, lag time, site crashes, and more.

Others noted that they lost a large percentage of their stack after being disconnected. When they tried to log back in, there was a significant delay before being able to get back in the software client.

Events 32 and 33 have now been moved to Sunday, July 26. Players will resume with the stack they had when the tournaments were frozen.

That’s another bone of contention for many players who lost considerable chips while disconnected.

“The two tourneys I entered had constant interruption and I lost a third of my equity in one and the other postponed until next weekend,” one player noted on Twitter. “Good grief. Anyways great news on the numbers. Too bad they weren’t ready for the traffic. Thumbs down.”

GGPoker salvages one WSOP event

Hailed for excellent software, GGPoker has been one of the fastest-growing online poker sites in the world. The company and the WSOP teamed up for the Online Circuit Super Series in March.

That series smashed the $102 million guaranteed, paying out $134 million. Many players were left wondering on Sunday how the site wasn’t prepared for an influx of players looking to win WSOP bracelets.

The site’s official Twitter handle blamed a bug that left the system struggling.

“The bug was caused by an overwhelming number of players joining The Opener and other side events,” GG noted on Twitter. “The tournament servers were unable to resume due to high loads. We will increase more capacity (we just doubled it) to make sure future events run smoothly.”

The site apparently found some solutions to the problems later in the day on Sunday.

The $525 Super Turbo Bounty ran as scheduled with Japanese player Shoma Ishikawa taking home $117,650. Ishikawa became the first player to win an online bracelet outside the US.

Player compensation for issues draws criticism

Despite completing one event, the postponement of two events and software issues was the bigger story. Not everyone was happy about the two events being moved to next Sunday.

Many noted that they had planned for the event and wouldn’t be available a week later.

Other players weren’t pleased with GG’s attempt to compensate players for the issues. Those involved in Event 32 received $100 in tournament dollars.

Event 33 was a charity event, so GG doubled the amount given for the charitable effort. Some saw that as still unhelpful as their spot in the tournament was compromised by the server issues.

Other GG solutions didn’t please some players in the tournaments. Many argued that restarting Day 2 with current chips stacks isn’t fair. Some players noted that they lost a considerable amount of chips during disconnection.

A small number of players not disconnected were able to pick up blinds from their table for at least 30 minutes. Others believed they had gone out in the money during the snafu, later finding out they weren’t.

Some players asked GG for another solution. They wanted the tournaments restarted at the time and with same chips stacks when the issues began.

GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu took to Twitter to offer an apology on behalf of the company.

Looking ahead at WSOP Online at GGPoker

While it was an ugly beginning to the GGPoker side of the WSOP, events resumed on Monday. That included $400 Colossus starting flights and a $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship set for Tuesday.

How will the rest of the series go after the server issues? Many players will certainly  be watching and hoping for better.

At the moment, there is no lack of online poker for international players. There are other events currently underway at competing sites, including the PokerStars Stadium Series and partypoker WPT World Online Championships.

The WSOP.com bracelet action also continues in the US on Monday, with a $400 No Limit Hold’em event. That series is available to players in Nevada and New Jersey.

For a complete guide to the WSOP.com and GGPoker WSOP Online, including schedules and Twitch streams, click here.

Here’s a look at the complete GGPoker schedule.

GGPoker WSOP Online 2020

DateEvent NumberTournamentBuy-inPrize GuaranteeNotes
Wednesday, September 02, 202048People's Choice Event [Pros Vote]TBATBATBA by Vote
Thursday, September 03, 202049People's Choice Event [Spin the Wheel]TBATBATBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202050People's Choice Event [Most Popular]TBATBAAsia Time Zone, TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202051$1,050 Beat the Pros [Bounty]$1,050
Sunday, September 06, 202052$10K WSOP Super MILLION$, $5M GTD$10,000$5,000,0002-Day Event
Sunday, September 06, 202053$100 WSOP MILLION$ [Final Day], $2M GTD$100$2,000,0002-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, September 06, 202054$500 The Closer [LAST CHANCE]$500
 

 

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WORLDWIDE SERIES OF POKER: GGPoker Releases WSOP Online Schedule With $25M Main Event

After the World Series of Poker announced a total of 85 online bracelet events in June, players got an idea of what to expect internationally from GGPoker. On Friday, the fast-growing operator released details of the schedule’s 54 bracelet events.

The series runs July 19 through Sept. 6 and is highlighted by the $5,000 Main Event. That boasts a record-breaking $25 million guarantee the biggest online poker tournament in history.

Players will find multiple Day 1 starting flights beginning on Aug. 16. Day 2 of the Main Event kicks off on Aug. 30.

“We knew GGPoker would go big on the WSOP Online Series, but this is ridiculous,” WSOP executive director Ty Stewart said in a news release. “The single biggest guarantee in the history of online poker is exactly what this once-in-a-lifetime event deserves.”

A look at the GG Poker WSOP Online schedule

The WSOP Online begins July 1 at WSOP.com, with 31 bracelets awarded each day throughout the month. Those events will be available for players in Nevada and New Jersey.

Series organizers hoped to offer an online bracelet schedule after the traditional summer WSOP was postponed to the fall. On July 19, GGPoker is added to the mix for international players.

The series is the first time players outside the US can win a bracelet online. Many players, including well-known players like Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth, have plans to play events on both sites.

Beyond the Main Event, GG players can expect a robust schedule. Buy-ins range from $50 to $25,000. The Big 50 will award a bracelet in an event featuring a buy-in of only fifty bucks.

Players will also find popular events like the Colossus, Millionaire Maker, and Poker Players Championship. Some highlights include:

  • WSOP Event #1: $100 The Opener – July 19 (Day 2), $2 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #2: $1,111 Every 1 for COVID Relief  – July 19 ($111 from each entry goes to the Caesars Cares fund)
  • WSOP Event #10: $400 COLOSSUS – July 26 (Day 2), $3 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #17: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER – Aug. 2 (Day 2), $1 million first prize guarantee
  • WSOP Event #25: $10,000 Heads Up NLHE Championship – Aug. 9 (limited to 128 players)
  • WSOP Event #31: $500 Mini Main Event – Aug. 16 (Day 2), $5 million guarantee 
  • WSOP Event #38: $25,000 NLHE Poker Players Championship –  Aug. 23, $10 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #39: $50 BIG 50 – Aug. 23 (Day 2), $1 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #52: $10,000 WSOP Super MILLION$ – September 6 – $5,000,000 prize pool guarantee 

Few guarantees, but plenty of big events

GGPoker players have become accustomed to massive guarantees. While the Main Event features a huge payout, only 12 events feature a guarantee.

“We wanted to keep to the format of the live WSOP as much as possible, where the glory of winning the WSOP bracelet was the real highlight,” GG spokesman Paul Burke told PokerScout. “They don’t put guarantees on the events, so barring some of the real standout events, neither are we.”

Players with lower bankrolls and looking to win their way into a bracelet event will have plenty of opportunities. GGPoker will run a series of micro and low-stakes qualifying events leading up to the series.

The site will also hold standard satellite tournaments beginning July 1. 

“This reminds me of poker’s boom years,” said Negreanu, a GGPoker ambassador.  “Anyone who has dreamed of winning a real WSOP bracelet can now do so across the globe. There’s no feeling like winning a WSOP bracelet, and GGPoker is opening that opportunity to the masses.”

Players will find several poker variations including Pot Limit Omaha and Short Deck. Organizers have also added a few other unique elements as well.

The Asia Championship will be held on Aug. 9 for players in that part of the world. There will also be four People’s Choice events from Sept. 1-5.

A $1,050 Beat the Pros Bounty is also planned for Sept. 5. Unlike the recent WSOP Online Circuit Super Series, however, there won’t be non-bracelet side events.

Real names at the table please

Along with the move to offering international WSOP bracelets, GG is adding another interesting element to the series. Players who make a final table will be required to play using their real names.

This is something new to the industry. Players will know who they’re up against and allows for better media coverage as well. It also allows final tables to mimic live WSOP final tables.

Viewers on the site’s Twitch stream, GGPoker.TV, and PokerCentral will be able to follow their favorite players. The real names of all players who earn cash prizes will also be made available.

“The ability to compete for WSOP bracelets – the ultimate prize in poker – from home is so amazing,” GGPoker ambassador Fedor Holz said. “The big events will be full of players from all over the world: Europe, Canada, South America, and everywhere else. The WSOP action will be scorching hot this summer.”

Here’s a look at the complete GGPoker WSOP Online schedule.

DateEvent NumberTournamentBuy-inPrize GuaranteeNotes
Wednesday, September 02, 202048People's Choice Event [Pros Vote]TBATBATBA by Vote
Thursday, September 03, 202049People's Choice Event [Spin the Wheel]TBATBATBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202050People's Choice Event [Most Popular]TBATBAAsia Time Zone, TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 202051$1,050 Beat the Pros [Bounty]$1,050
Sunday, September 06, 202052$10K WSOP Super MILLION$, $5M GTD$10,000$5,000,0002-Day Event
Sunday, September 06, 202053$100 WSOP MILLION$ [Final Day], $2M GTD$100$2,000,0002-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, September 06, 202054$500 The Closer [LAST CHANCE]$500

Photo by Tomas Stacha/WSOP

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ONLINE POKER TOURNAMENT WEEKEND: A Complete Guide and Event Schedule for June 18-21

A look at the online poker weekend for May 18-21.

Casinos may be opening, but live poker is slow to return. That means huge events continue for online poker players.  PokerScout once again brings you a complete guide to this weekend’s action.

International players have fewer series than in past week, but look for even more next week. Americans have quite a bit of action this weekend and those events have been included as well. Here’s your guide for June 18-21.

  • 888poker– The Freezeout Series kicks off this weekend for all bankrolls.
  • Partypoker– The Poker Masters PLO series kicks off on Sunday.
  • PokerStars– Players in the US have plenty of action during the Summer Series.
  • GGPoker – Look for big Sunday majors paying out millions of dollars.

Weekend Poker Events June 18-22, 2020

DateSiteEventBuy-inGuarantee
Thursday, June 18 – Sunday, June 21888pokerFreezeout Series #24 - Main Event Day 1
** starting flights (daily)		$109$200,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series NLHE Kick-Off [8-Max]$100$30,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Mini Kick-Off [8-Max]$20$7,500
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Thursday Thrill SE [Progressive KO]$200 $25,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Mini Thrill [Progressive KO]$30$12,500
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series NLHE 8-Max$75$10,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series NLHE Kick-Off [8-Max]$100$15,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Mini Kick-Off [8-Max]$20$5,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Thursday Thrill SE [Progressive KO]$200$15,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Mini Thrill [Progressive KO]$20$6,000
Thursday, June 18PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series NLHE Turbo$75$5,000
Friday, June 19PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Escalating Antes$50$10,000
Friday, June 19PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series NLHE 6-Max$20$6,000
Friday, June 19PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Escalating Antes$150$10,000
Friday, June 19PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series NLHE 6-Max$50$ 7,000
Saturday, June 20PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series NLHE 6-Max$100$20,000
Saturday, June 20PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series PLO 6-Max$50 $5,000
Saturday, June 20PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Progressive KO [8-Max]$75$7,500
Saturday, June 20PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Deepstack$150$12,500
Saturday, June 20PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Saturday Speedway$50$6,000
Saturday, June 20PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Hyper PKO$100$6,000
Sunday, June 21partypokerPoker Masters Event #1 – PLO High Roller Online [2 Day Event]$10,300$500,000
Sunday, June 21partypokerPoker Masters Event #1 – High Roller Mini Online [2 Day Event]$1,050$50,000
Sunday, June 21partypokerPoker Masters Event #2 – PLO High Roller Online$5,200$250,000
Sunday, June 21partypokerPoker Masters Event #2 – PLO High Roller Knockout Mini Online$530$25,000
Sunday, June 21888pokerFreezeout Series #1 - Tune Up$55$50,000
Sunday, June 21888pokerFreezeout Series #2 - Mini Tune Up$16.50$20,000
Sunday, June 21888pokerFreezeout Series #3 - Late Tune Up$33$15,000
Sunday, June 21GGPokerGlobal Millions$100$1 million
Sunday, June 21GGPokerHigh Roller Global Millions$500$2 million
Sunday, June 21PokerStarsSunday Million$109$1 million
Sunday, June 21partypoker US (New JerseySATELLITE: WPT ONLINE POKER OPEN - 10 seats guaranteed NLHE $45$300,000
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series NLHE 6-Max$75$20,000
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Sunday Special SE$100$100,000
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Mini Special$25$15,000
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Progressive KO [8-Max]$75$12,500
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (Pennsylvania)Summer Series Sunday Supersonic SE$50$10,000
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series 6-Max$75$20,000
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Sunday Special SE$200$45,000
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Mini Special$25$6,500
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Progressive KO$50$7,500
Sunday, June 21PokerStars US (New Jersey)Summer Series Sunday Supersonic SE$75$8,000
Sunday, June 21WSOP.com US (New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware)$100K Sunday$320$100,000
Sunday, June 21888poker US (New JerseyBig Sunday$200$10,000

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RAISING THE STAKES: World Series of Poker Offers Online Bracelets Via GGPoker, WSOP.com

The WSOP and GGPoker have announced a new summer online bracelet series.

Whether in Europe, Asia, or somewhere else around the world, poker players can compete for a World Series of Poker bracelet this summer. The series announced a partnership with GGPoker on Monday, offering 85 bracelet events internationally and on WSOP.com in the US.

The “WSOP Online” includes WSOP.com offering 31 events July 1-31 with GG events getting started on July 19. This becomes the first time players outside the US will be able to play for a bracelet online.

The annual live series in Las Vegas has been postponed until the fall because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Organizers hope the WSOP Online helps bridge a gap as players await the return of live tournament poker.

“It wouldn’t be summer without WSOP” series executive director Ty Stewart said in a news release.

“While we are thrilled to be reopening our venues and optimistic about future offline events, we couldn’t be more excited about deepening our relationship with GGPoker and watching some history unfold online this summer.”

What to expect from GGPoker WSOP events

The Coronavirus pandemic has led to a mini-boom in online poker with massive prize pools around the world. That included the recent GGPoker WSOP Super Online Circuit Series.

That series was the first partnership between the two entities. The series awarded 18 championship rings and featured more than 500 events. Those offered buy-ins for every bankroll and numerous game variations.

The Super Series originally promised a massive guarantee of $102 million, but paid out almost $135 million. The series featured 485,851 entries including a Main Event of almost 10,000 entries with $1.2 million to the winner.

“With over $100 million in guarantees during the WSOPC Super Series in May and more than $134 million in awarded prizes, it’s clear that GGPoker and the WSOP make a good pair,” GG head of poker operations Steve Preiss said.

“We’re excited to create bracelet events that the worldwide poker community will embrace, as well as innovative programming with PokerGo.”

WSOP and GGPoker promise a similar schedule with numerous events, game types, and buy-ins. The GG events for international players kick off on July 19 and run through Sept. 6.

GGPoker plans to unveil its bracelet schedule on a rolling basis, WSOP officials said. GG hasn’t announced any events yet.

Players can expect numerous qualifiers and starting flights as seen in the Super Series. The WSOP Online should be another massive event for the site.

“There’s nothing in the world like winning a WSOP bracelet,” GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu said. “Bringing this experience online will open the door for a new generation of poker players to feel the rush of competing for the game’s biggest prize.”

WSOP.com also hosting online bracelet tournaments in the US

Players in the US have a lot to look forward to as part of the deal as well. WSOP.com will offer 31 events, one each day from July1-31.

In the US, WSOP.com is available in Nevada and New Jersey. The site is promising several special promotions with satellites starting as low as $1.

WSOP.com will also throw in an extra $100,000 for the series leaderboard awards. GGPoker may offer a similar leaderboard, but that hasn’t been announced yet.

Like the summer WSOP, the series plans on keeping events in the news. Poker Central, the series’ official production partner, plans to create original content around the festival utilizing its Las Vegas studio. That includes:

  • live streams
  • highlight packages
  • program episodes earmarked for traditional television distribution.

Poker Central also plans to stream virtual bracelet ceremonies and interviews with bracelet winners. There should be plenty of action and PokerScout will continue to track the series as well. Here’s a look at the complete WSOP.com schedule:

2020 WSOP Online Series (WSOP.com)

EventDateTime (PT)EventBuy-In
1July 1 (W)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Kick-Off$500
2July 2 (Th)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed Deepstack$1,000
3July 3 (F)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em$400
4July 4 (Sa)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Super Turbo$500
5July 5 (Su)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Freezeout$1,000
6July 6 (M)3:00 p.m.PLO8 6-Handed$600
7July 7 (Tu)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Knockout Deepstack$800
8July 8 (W)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Freezeout$500
9July 9 (Th)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em 6-Max$1,000
10July 10 (F)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em MonsterStack$600
11July 11 (Sa)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed$500
12July 12 (Su)3:00 p.m.The BIG 500 No Limit Hold'em$500
13July 13 (M)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em High Roller Freezeout$1,500
14July 14 (Tu)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em High Roller$3,200
15July 15 (W)3:00 p.m.PLO 8-Max HR$1,000
16July 16 (Th)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Turbo$500
17July 17 (F)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'emÊ$777
18July 18 (Sa)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed Turbo DeepStack$1,000
19July 19 (Su)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em$400
20July 20 (M)3:00 p.m.PLO 6-Handed$500
21July 21 (Tu)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em 6-Handed$777
22July 22 (W)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Turbo Deepstack$500
23July 23 (Th)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Knockout$500
24July 24 (F)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em 8-Handed$400
25July 25 (Sa)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Summer Saver$500
26July 26 (Su)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Grande Finale$500
27July 27 (M)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Freezeout$400
28July 28 (Tu)3:00 p.m.Omaha 8 6-Max$1,000
29July 29 (W)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed$600
30July 30 (Th)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Senior's Event$500
31July 31 (F)3:00 p.m.No Limit Hold'em Championship$1,000

For a complete GGPoker review and exclusive PokerScout bonus, click here.

For a complete WSOP.com review and exclusive bonus, click here for New Jersey. Click here for Nevada.