Stoyan Madanzhiev Wins 2020 WSOP Online Main Event
The 2020 World Series of Poker Online has proven wildly successful. Over the weekend, two of the most prestigious events crowned champions. The $5,000 Main Event champion is Bulgaria’s Stoyan Madanzhiev. He won the largest prize in online poker tournament history at $3.9 million. New Zealand was represented at the final table with Thomas Ward finishing fourth.
Meanwhile, Fedoz Holz won his second career WSOP bracelet in the $25,000 Heads-Up Event. He defeated a streaking Brunno Botteon in the final round to take the bracelet and $1 million in prize money.
Stoyan Madanzhiev Wins WSOP Online Main Event
The highlight of the 2020 WSOP Online is the $5,000 NL Hold’em Main Event. At one point, the event was on pace to have a huge overlay. That didn’t happen as the field drew 5,802 players and made a prize pool of $27.55 million. This was in part to there being 23 starting flights.
Everything came down to the final day of play on Saturday with 38 players returning to play for the title. Bryan Piccioli was final day chip leader but fell early in 23rd place. This eventually set up a final table with mostly unknown players.
The United States was represented by Tyler Cornell, Samuel Taylor, and Tyler Rueger. Stefan Schillhabel of Germany was perhaps the biggest name at the final table, but he fell in seventh place.
Congrats to Stoyan Madanzhiev for winning the WSOP Online Main Event and $3,904,685, the largest 1st place prize in online poker history ! @GGPokerOfficial pic.twitter.com/0vH6MpXNpo
— WSOP (@WSOP) September 6, 2020
New Zealand’s Thomas Ward was the only Kiwi or Aussie at the final table. He managed to finish in fourth place, winning over $1.35 million. Tyler Rueger finished in third, earning $1.92 million.
Wenling Gao was the only woman at the final table. If this were the live version of the Main Event, the poker world would be abuzz. Gao is the first woman to make the final table of a WSOP Main Event since Annette Obrestad won WSOP Europe in 2007.
In the end, Gao ran into a bit of a cooler against Stoyan Madanzhiev. She had pocket aces, but Madanzhiev flopped a straight with 7-6. Madanzhiev won the hand and the bracelet along with $3.9 million in prize money. Goa walked away with $2.74 million.
Stoyan Madanzhiev lists himself as a poker pro now has the bankroll and hardware to back up that claim. He won the largest prize in online poker history. It will be interesting to see where this bankroll boost takes him.
Fedor Holz Wins $25k Heads-Up For Second Bracelet
On Sunday, the other big event of the weekend played to a conclusion. The final four of the $25,000 Heads-UP NL Hold’em returned to play for the bracelet and $1 million in prize money. Fedor Holz faced Sergi Reixach in the semifinals while Brunno Botteon played Oktay Kahyaoglu.
In the Holz-Reixach match, Reixach held the chip lead early, but Holz quickly took over. Ultimately, it was Holz taking the match when he turned a flush against the top pair of Reixach. Reixach took fourth and $311,150 in prize money.
It's not for nothing he's considered one of the best! German pro and Pokercode founder Fedor Holz took home his second WSOP gold bracelet!
See more: https://t.co/702NobvYwK#Poker #Pokerlove #WSOP #WSOPOnline #WSOP2020 #GGpoker #Follow @GGPokerOfficial @_pokercode @CrownUpGuy
— gutshotmagazine (@GutshotMagazine) September 7, 2020
The other semifinal match was tighter with a ton of small pots throughout. Ultimately, it was a battle of two pair that bought the match to an end. Botteon had aces up against tens-up for Kahyaoglu. Botteon won a spot in the finals. This was on point for Botteon as he was dominant throughout the previous rounds.
The finals brought Botteon and Holz together for the title. Holz was the clear favorite with both a prior WSOP bracelet win and loads of experience in high stakes poker tournaments. Holz made short work of Botteon, taking an early lead and never relinquishing.
In the final hand, Holz flopped a set of fives against pocket tens for Botteon. Botteon failed to catch a ten and settled for second place. His prize for second is $622,300.
Retirement continues to serve Fedor Holz well. He’s won millions after “retiring” from poker. This time around, he’s won his second WSOP bracelet along with $1.07 million in prize money. Congratulations.
2020 WSOP Online A Successful Substitute for Live Series
The 2020 WSOP Online only has a single event left to play, the $10k WSOP Super Millions. That event will play to a winner on Tuesday. The final table has some amazing top talent, including Connor Drinan, Christopher Kruk, and Sylvain Loosli.
Time will tell whether we actually see the WSOP offer a live series in 2020. If that doesn’t happen they can still look back to the 2020 WSOP Online as a successful substitute.