2022 WSOP Online halfway highlights; N8’s Pete Chen, Stefan Schillhabel, & David Yan win bracelets; Markus Prinz, Scott Ball bank seven digits

The World Series of Poker Online has been heating up Natural8 – GGNet since August 14 with the masses targeting the 33 gold bracelets on offer. A few nights ago, the series breached the halfway mark. Among the first half winners were N8 players Stefan Schillhabel, David Yan, and Team Hot Ambassador Pete Chen. Each one walked away with a bracelet and a Team Bling sponsorship. Other minted players were Jonas Lauck for his career second gold bracelet and Markus Prinz who cracked the Millionaire Maker for a payout well over US$ 1.1 Million. Undoubtedly the most envied player was USA’s Scott Ball but not for the two bracelets he won at the 2021 WSOP. Ball didn’t even have to secure an online gold to make headlines. Instead, he drew the biggest treasure at the Mystery Bounty amounting to US$ 1 Million. We’ve all of got those highlights below.

Nonstop poker continues at WSOP Online with games running through September 27. Players can now qualify for the $5K buy in Main Event which guarantees a massive US$ 20,000,000. Day 1 heats run daily. Also to conquer are the COLOSSUS and PLOSSUS events. Both events come at an affordable US$ 400 buy in.

Festival review

Bracelet 1 – 17 prize pool: US$ 39,712,006
Entries: 78,476
Asian winner: Pete Chen (Natural8 Team Hot)
Seven figure payouts: Markus Prinz (US$ 1,188,097), Scott Ball Jr (US$ 1,001,694)
Biggest pot: US$ 10,200,600 (Mystery Bounty Million Dollar Bounty)
Biggest field: 51,003 (Mystery Bounty Million Dollar Bounty)
Two final tables: Ioannis Konstas, Benjamin Miner, Pieter Aerts “Daniele Sesta”, Alex Kulev “FutureofMe”, Ren Lin “Zhao Zi Long”
Career second bracelet: Jonas Lauck, Pete Chen
Natural8 Team Bling sponsorship: Stefan Schillhabel ($5,000), David Yan ($10,000), Pete Chen ($5,000)

Highlights and results

Stefan Schillhabel wins The Housewarming No Limit Hold’em for US$ 296,409

The series blasted in with The Housewarming No Limit Hold’em, driving the field to a massive 5,099 entries across fifteen qualifying rounds. At the cost of US$ 500 each, the prize pool grew to US$ 2,422,025 with 772 shaving a piece. The largest cut of US$ 296,409 went to N8 player / German pro Stefan Schillhabel who captured first ever WSOP gold bracelet. In addition, Schillhabel won a N8 Team Bling sponsorship worth US$ 5,000.

This was Schillhabel’s second six figure WSOP payout. At the first WSOP Online International on the GGNet, he reached the final table of the Main Event, exiting in 7th place for US$ 467,825. On the live front, the German pro is decorated with numerous wins that include four WPT titles and two payouts well over a million bucks. His largest score was at the 2017 Super High Roller Bowl in Las Vegas where he placed 3rd for US$ 2,400,000.

Buy in: US$ 500
Entries: 5,099 (4,104 unique, 995 re-entry)
Prize pool: US$ 2,422,025
Final day entries: 772
ITM: 600 places

Outside of the final table, notables in the top 50 were Markus Prinz (10th), Wuyi Wang “Loris51” (13th), Chris Puetz (22nd), Kannapong Thanarattrakul “Sakooh” (25th), Masao Watanabe “nabemasa” (45th), and Edward Chun Ho Yam “edyam1” (46th).

Final table payouts

Scott Ball “ItsRumcake” draws the Million Dollar Mystery Bounty reward

The Million Dollar Mystery Bounty was incredibly popular, amassing 51,003 entries for a jaw dropping US$ 10,200,600 prize pool. This was the largest pot and field of the series to date. Drawing everyone in was of course the low buy in of US$ 210 which could be turned into a lucky one million dollars. A 5,797 strong field advanced to the final day with 4,800 players guaranteed a cut of the pot. Within seconds, mystery bounty rewards were being claimed, and to everyone’s surprise, that included the US$ 1 Million Top Bounty. The coveted prize was drawn by well known American pro / two time bracelet winner Scott Ball “ItsRumcake” after he eliminated Brazilian player “2345meia78” in 5,772nd place. Ball later fell in 713th place and walked away as the event’s biggest earner with a total payout of US$ 1,001,694.

Another player earning the big bucks, though not nearly as large as Ball’s score, was South Africa‘s Ahmed Karrim in 17th place who pocketed over $470K in bounties for a total payout of US$ 483,387. This was more than event winner Tapio Vihakas “PH14” (Finland) who pocketed US$ 367,953 on top of first ever WSOP gold bracelet. Well known Asian circuit live player Vincent Huang “Moist” also ran well with a 3rd place finish for US$ 200,290.

Several players earning more than some of the finalists were Nicholas Maimone (151st) for US$ 98,077, David Margi “DMBEST” (364th) for US$ 182,774, Matjaz Vogrinec (650th) for US$ 181,821, Sebastian Gaehl (1,399th) for US$ 93,814, and Tassio Mendes who did not reach the money round but still walked away with a US$ 93,000 bounty reward.

Buy in: US$ 210
Entries: 51,003
Prize pool: US$ 10,200,600
ITM: 4,800 places

Final table payouts (includes bounty rewards)

Markus Prinz instant millionaire at the Millionaire Maker NLH

After placing 10th at the opening event, German pro and founder of DTOPoker Markuz Prinz cashed in four more events until h fienally nailed down that coveted gold bracelet. Prinz emerged as the King of the Millionaire Maker No Limit Hold’em, another sought after title of the online series. He locked up the seven figure US$ 1,188,097 first prize, which was his largest known career score, and his first ever WSOP bling. He is currently the single largest tournament earner and he became the third player from his country to win a gold at the series. With this big takedown, Prinz boosted his GGPoker tournament earnings to US$ 4.4 Million.

The Millionaire Maker attracted 3,833 entries across 15 starting heats to build the second largest series prize pool of US$ 6,706,500. Advancing to the final day were 768 hopefuls. India’s Anuj Yadav “ev0ke” ran the furthest for Asia with a strong 14th place finish for a take of US$ 30,168. Only one bracelet holder reached the final table, USA’s Tyler Smith who raced up to 5th place.

Outside of the final table, notables in the top 50 were Amichai Barer (11th), Fang Wang “nanafish” (15th), Chris Moorman (31st), Ravid Garbi (37th), Joao Vieira (40th), and Christian Rudolph (42nd).

Buy in: US$ 1,500
Entries: 3,833
Prize pool: US$ 6,706,050
ITM: 584 places

Final table payouts

Natural8 Team Hot Ambassador Pete Chen and Jonas Lauck win career second gold

Taiwanese pro / Natural8 Team Hot Ambassador Pete Chen now has a gold bracelet for each of his wrists after winning his second one at the Lucky Sevens Bounty 7-Handed No Limit Hold’em event. Chen outlasted a field of 1,778 entries, besting a loaded final table that included WSOPC ring winner David Vinayagamoorthy “Alw4ysinduc3”, England’s Gary Thompson, and the hot runner Ren Lin “Zhao Zi Long” who was on his second final table. Chen pocketed a cool US$ 116,246 and an N8 Team Bling sponsorship worth US$ 5,000.

As one of the most highly recognized Asian pros, Chen’s first bracelet was also won online at WSOP.com last year. He topped the 1,357 entry field of the No Limit Hold’em Ultra Deepstack. The following year, at the 2022 WSOP in Las Vegas, he nearly took down the $1K No Limit Hold’em Flip & GO event, finishing 5th out of 1,329 entries. His series run ended strong with a 17th finish at the Lucky Sevens 7-Handed. Chen is currently ranked 2nd in the Hendon Mob’s Taiwan All Time Money List with over US$ 3.7 Million in live earnings. In Natural8, he has over US$ 1.4 Million in tournament earnings.

Buy in: US$ 777
Entries: 1,778
Prize pool: US$ 1,312,430.70
ITM: 260 places

Final table payouts

Bracelet #6: Monster Stack NLH – JONAS LAUCK – US$ 173,224

Another player securing his career second gold bracelet was Germany’s Jonas Lauck who emerged victorious at the Monster Stack No Limit Hold’em event. The event drew 1,797 entries at buy in of US$ 800 each for a seven digit pot of US$ 1,365,720. Lauck and Brazilian pro Yuri Dzivielevski were the only bracelet decorated players at the final table with the latter taking 3rd place and Lauck going the distance. For his victory, Lauck shipped US$ 173,223 and gave Germany its second gold in this series. Back in 2019, Lauck won his first bracelet at the $,1500 No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo Bounty for US$ 260,335. To date, he has 43 WSOP cashes amounting to over US$ 1.1 Million.

Outside of the final table, notable players in the top 50 were Aditya Agarwal (14th), Pranav Bang (35th), Christian Rudolph (38th), Joao Simao (50th).

Buy in: US$ 800
Entries: 1,797
Prize pool: US$ 1,365,720
ITM: 305 places

Final table payouts

Big win for DAVID YAN at the Super MILLION$ High Roller NLH

New Zealander pro / high stakes online player David Yan banked a massive US$ 985,565 and his maiden bracelet at the Super MILLION$ High Roller No Limit Hold’em. On his fifth bullet, Yan reached the final table of the 593 entry field and went on to defeat China’s Zhewen Hu “Polkadot” for the golden title. This boosted his total tournament earnings on Natural8 to over US$ 6.1 Million. As an N8 player, Yan also won a Team Bling sponsorship worth US$ 10,000. Prior to the series, Yan was also a force to reckon with at the recent EPT Barcelona. He walked away with a combined US$ 943,840 for 2nd and 4th place at two €50,000 buy in No Limit Hold’em events.

The Super MILLION$ High Roller NLH is considerably the most popular weekly high roller tournament on the GGNet where well known pros are seen gunning for the big guarantee. Added to the bracelet roster, satellites were made available for players looking to get in much cheaper than the $10K price tag. 593 entered for a prize pool of US$ 5,752.000.

Among the 60 players that earned a return were Peiter Aerts who five days prior won a bracelet at the 6-Handed NLH Championship, 4x bracelet winner David Peters (6th), Amichai Barer (15th), Brunno Botteon (16th), Joshua McCully (42nd), and Niklas Astedt (53rd). Bracelet winner Lev Gottlieb “LevMeAlone” missed the final table by one spot, pocketing US$ 74,230, but still came out in the red due to the nine bullets he fired.

Buy in: US$ 10,000
Entries: 593
Prize pool: US$ 5,752,000
ITM: 60 places

Final table payouts

DIMITAR DANCHEV rules the $10K Heads Up NLH Championship

The first big buy in event of the first half was the $10K Heads Up No Limit Hold’em Championship with 97 players taking interest for a prize pool of US$ 940,900. Among the power players in attendance were David Yan, Stoyan Madanzhiev, Niklas Astet, Mikita Badziakouski, Joao Vieira, Kazuki Ikeuchi, Scott Ball “ItsRumcake”, Danny Tang, Chi Jen Chu “PetitFoxxx”, David Peters, Wiktor Malinowski, and Juan Pardo Dominguez, however all of them failed to reach the money round.

Emerging undefeated was Russia’s Dimitar Danchev who eliminated Valeriano Toledano “pikkKsuleln” at the final heads up. Danchev picked up his third ever WSOP six digit payout which was the largest of US$ 327,668 along with his first ever WSOP bracelet. His WSOP earnings have now increased to over US$ 1.3 Million. Also to acknowledge were Italian pro Dario Sammartino who has yet to win a first bracelet, and 4th placer Shota Nakanishi from Japan who won his first bracelet at this year’s WSOP in Las Vegas.

Buy in: US$ 10,000
Entries: 97
Prize pool: US$ 940,900
ITM: 8 places

Payouts

Bracelet #8: $5K 6-Handed NLH Championship – PIETER AERTS – US$ 400,213

Belgium got on the bracelet board with hot running Pieter Aerts “Daniele Sesta” lifting the gold at the 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em Championship. Many of the world’s biggest names forked out the US$ 5,000 buy in with Aerts himself needing three bullets to take it down. The Belgian champion outlasted the 430 entry field for a career high payout of US$ 400,213. A few days after, Aerts carried the winning momentum into the Super MILLION$ High Rollers bracelet event and proceeded to finish in an impressive 3rd place. This earned him another six figure payout, a much larger US$ 586,020. In those two events alone, Aerts pocketed a whopping US$ 986,233.

Other players going deep were Ioannis Konstas and Benjamin Miner, both players reaching their series second final table. Outside of the final table, notables in the money were Leon Sturm “Rumukulus” (8th), Rahul Byrraju (11th), Abhinav Iyer “OBellaCiao” (11th), Artur Martirosian (16th), Juan Pardo Dominguez (20th), Dario Sammartino (31st), Jifeng Huang “Snakey” (49th), Daewoong Song “tpdayhot777” (60th).

Buy in: US$ 5,000
Entries: 430
Prize pool: US$ 2,042,500
ITM: 62 places

Final table payouts

Bracelet #2: $1,111 Every1 for War Relief – CLAAS SEGEBRECHT – US$ 102,152

Buy in: US$ 1,111
Entries: 730
Prize pool: US$ 811,030
ITM: 125 places

Final table payouts

Bracelet #3: $2,500 Limit Hold’em Championship – RAFAEL CAIAFFA – US$ 64,671

Buy in: US$ 2,500
Entries: 124
Prize pool: US$ 294,500
ITM: 20 places

Final table payouts

Bracelet #4: $1,050 Bounty Deepstack NLH – JACOPO OLIVIERI ACHILLE – US$ 96,769

Buy in: US$ 1,050
E124ntries: 986
Prize pool: US$ 986,000
ITM: 134 places

Final table payouts (inludes bounties)

Bracelet #5: $315 6-Handed Bounty NLH – JON GARDE – US$ 60,714

Buy in: US$ 315
Entries: 2,312
Prize pool: US$ 693,600
ITM: 332 places

Final table payouts (includes bounties)

Bracelet #9: $525 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha – AMICHAI BARER – US$ 60,888

Buy in: US$ 525
Entries: 1,142
Prize pool: US$ 571,000
ITM: 170 places

Final table payouts (includes bounties)

Bracelet #11: Double Stack Bounty NLH – GUSTAV MASTELOTTO – US$ 106,562

Buy in: US$ 400
Entries: 3,550
Prize pool: US$ 1,349,000
ITM: 440 places

Final table payouts (includes bounties)

Bracelet #14: Deepstack Championship NLH – ALMAZ ZHDANOV – US$ 246,494

Buy in: US$ 2,500
Entries: 705
Prize pool: US$ 1,674,375
ITM: 107 places

Final table payouts

Bracelet #16: Ultra Deepstack NLH – JOHNATHAN GILLIAM – US$ 149,250

Buy in: US$ 1,000
Entries: 1,156
Prize pool: US$ 1,098,200
ITM: 197 places

Final table payouts

Bracelet #17: THE BIG 500 NLH – VICENTE DELGADO – US$ 174,497

Buy in: US$ 500
Entries: 3,142
Prize pool: US$ 1,491,975
ITM: 503 places

Final table payouts