It took 422 days for the last table to reunite once again after initially being set on Jan. 13, 2020, yet after a lengthy hold-up caused by COVID-19, a victor has actually lastly been chosen in the 2020 Globe Texas Hold’em Excursion Gardens Casino Poker Championship $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold ’em centerpiece. On Mar. 10, 2021 Markus Gonsalves arised victorious from the area of 257 overall entrances to secure his first WPT title and also the first-place prize of $554,495.
” I assume I’ve come close one or two times before so it really feels nice to finally win one. All my friends have them. That’s mosting likely to be excellent to troll Phil [Hellmuth], that’s without a doubt,” Gonsalves told WPT press reporters after prevailing.
” It really feels excellent to get it over, it really feels excellent to win,” continued Gonsalves waiting more than a year to play this tournament out.
Along with the title and also the cash, Gonsalves was additionally awarded 1,020 Card Player Gamer of the Year points for the win. As a result, he climbed right into 12th location in the 2021 POY race, which is sponsored by Worldwide Online poker.
The WPT Gardens Texas hold’em Champion was among three final tables that were embeded in early 2020 with the intention of being played out and filmed for television from March 31 with April 2 of that year in Las Vegas. The COVID-19 break out closed down the totality of the real-time competition scene simply weeks before these events were arranged to be completed, placing the tournaments on an indefinite respite. In very early March of 2021, the newly-scheduled days for the final tables were introduced, with this certain event being the first on the program.
Two-time Globe Collection of Texas hold’em arm band winner Opportunity Kornuth held the chip lead when play returned to, with Gonsalves being in 2nd on the leaderboard. Qing Liu came into the day as the second shortest pile yet was riding high after having won the WPT Venetian centerpiece for $752,880. Liu was ultimately the first to be removed in this event, though. He got all-in with 5Heart Suit3Diamond Fit for a low 2 pair on a QSpade Suit5Spade Suit3Club Suit2Diamond Match board. He was in advance versus the KHeart SuitKClub Fit of Tuan Phan, yet the QHeart Match on the river counterfeited his hand to see him sent out home in sixth location. He earned $111,795 as well as 340 POY points for his solid proving. He currently sits with a substantial lead in the 2021 POY race, having made 7 final tables as well as won two titles already this year.
Straton Wilhelm was the next to fall. In the complying with hand he got all-in with ASpade Suit10Heart Match as well as located himself up against the pocket aces of Tuan Phan, who had actually been dealt monster pocket pairs in back-to-back hands. Wilhelm was incapable ahead from behind and also chosen $146,655 as the fourth-place finisher.
With that said Gonsalves replaced Opportunity Kornuth atop the leaderboard. Kornuth, who lately clashed with Phil Galfond in his high-stakes pot-limit Omaha heads-up challenge, steadily glided down the leaderboard as four-handed play continued. In his last hand, Kornuth limped in from the tiny blind with pocket dimensions. Gonsalves noved all-in with ADiamond Suit5Club Suit and Kornuth asked for 990,000. His pocket set was incapable to stand up, as Gonsalves increased an ace on the flop to take the lead and held from there. Kornuth was awarded $195,085 as the fourth-place finisher.
Three-handed play lasted four orbits. It was brought to an end by a preflop cooler, with Jonathan Cohen getting all-in holding pocket nines versus the pocket tens of Gonsalves. The premium set held up with the river and Cohen was knocked senseless in 3rd area, gaining $263,090 for his deep run in this occasion.
Gonsalves entered heads-up play with almost a 5:1 chip lead over Tuan Phan. While this variation might have made it appear that the last showdown for the title might be a quick one, both ultimately fought it out for more than three hrs, with Phan in fact overtaking the lead briefly late in the suit. Gonsalves had the ability to restore the advantage by doubling up just a couple of hands prior to the event came to a close.
In the last hand of the occasion, Gonsalves picked up 10Heart Suit4Heart Match and also hopped in from the small blind. Phan checked with 5Diamond Suit3Diamond Match and the flop came down 9Heart Suit5Heart Suit3Heart Fit. Phan check-called a wager of 200,000 as well as the turn brought the QSpade Suit. Phan examined once more as well as Gonsalves bet 600,000. Phan relocated all-in for 3,075,000 total and also Gonsalves called with his tumbled flush. Phan had bent on a full house, but the JSpade Suit on the river was of no aid and he was gotten rid of as the runner-up ($ 359,650).
Here is a look at the payouts awarded at the final table:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
| 1 | Markus Gonsalves | $554,495 | 1020 |
| 2 | Tuan Phan | $359,650 | 850 |
| 3 | Jonathan Cohen | $263,090 | 680 |
| 4 | Chance Kornuth | $195,085 | 510 |
| 5 | Straton Wilhelm | $146,655 | 425 |
| 6 | Qing Liu | $111,795 | 340 |
