Tag Archives: 2021 WPO

2021 WPO in Review

T.K. Miles, 2021 WPO Tampa Winter Poker Open Main Event champ

The Tampa Winter Poker Open closed out 2021 with a big series with great turnouts and massive prize pools. The series featured 13 primary events with $800,000 in guaranteed money that exceeded all expectations.

They combined to put 3,776 entries in the various games and we awarded $2,152,830 over the 13 days of the series. The biggest winner was T.K. Miles after he booked a $213,035 payout for his outright win in the WPO Main Event and he is once again our all-time cash leader with more than $700K earned in our tournaments.

We opened with a $400 Multi-Flight tournament over the first weekend and it drew exactly 1,000 entries for our biggest field of the series. Andrea Ruosi took the honors and banked $44,887 plus the WPO trophy.

You can find the complete list of events, results, and updates on the links below.

As always, many thanks to our local players and out-of-town visitors for the support and for making this a hugely successful series.

We hope to see everyone in March when we roll out the 2022 Tampa Poker Classic. Stand by for the schedule!

WPO Main Event: T.K. Miles – $213,035
Event 1 ($300 One-Day 50K): Jimmy Sanchez – $12,244
Event 2 ($300 O8): Jean Laurent – $5,913
Event 3 ($400 Multi-Flight): Andrea Ruosi – $44,887
Event 4 ($300 OE): Jonathan Miller – $5,295
Event 5 ($300 H.O.R.S.E.): Sam Sternfield – $7,390
Event 6 ($200 Bankroll Builder): Brandon Byars – $5,904
Event 7 ($250 Seniors 50+): Cecil Riddle – $10,090
Event 8 ($180 Triple Stack): Edgardo Rosario – $10,362
Event 9 ($600 NLH): Peter Walsworth – $23,970
Event 10 ($1,100 NLH): Sean Miller – $31,837
Event 12 ($400 Black Chip): Hyong Lee – $8,267
Event 13 ($250 Seniors 60+) Pasquale Hudson – $3,439

Pasquale Hudson Captures Seniors Plus Title

2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 13
$250 Seniors Plus 60+ (Re-Entry)
$10,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 105
Prize Pool:  $21,530
December 13, 2021

Pasquale Hudson

The 2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open schedule closed out with a fun Seniors Plus tournament, open to anyone 60 years or older. It drew 105 entries and Pasquale took the title after a five-way deal at the final table.

The tournament played later than anticipated and the last five players decided to divide up the remaining prize pool right down the middle. They each received $3,439 in the deal and Hudson earned the win with the trophy courtesy of his chip lead.

Results:

PlaceFirst NameLast NameCityStateWinnings
1PasqualeHudsonDade CityFL$3,439 *
2AdamFarjamDaytona BeachFL$3,439 *
3AnthonyMarchTampaFL$3,439 *
4DavidTannerPearsonGA$3,439 *
5DavidBanderValricoFL$3,439 *
6MaryWalkerCarlsbadCA$1,050
7MarceloLanasBradentonFL$830
8MarshaWolakMargateFL$690
9JohnRipstraTampaFL$600
10RobertRoseberryThe VillagesFL$600
11DeborahGreenwayAlapahaGA$560

* – Denotes results of a five-way deal

Event 13: Prize Pool and Payouts with $6,860 to Seniors Plus Champ

2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 13
$250 Seniors Plus 60+ (Re-Entry)
$10,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 105
Prize Pool:  $21,530
December 13, 2021

The 2021 Winter Poker Open closed out the schedule with one more successful tournament. The $250 Seniors Plus tournament drew 105 entries 60 years and older, a great number, and they crushed the $10,000 guarantee.

They combined to put $21,530 in the prize pool and the last 11 players will make some money today. A min-cash is worth $560 and the Seniors Plus champion will earn $6,860 along with the last WPO trophy we have.

1st: $6,860 + WPO trophy
2nd: $4,220
3rd: $2,800
4th: $1,930
5th: $1,390
6th: $1,050
7th: $830
8th: $690
9th: $600
10th: $600
11th: $560

Hyong Lee Wins Bounty Title After Six-Way Deal

2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 12
$300 + $100 Black Chip Bounty (Re-Entry)
$20,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 196
Prize Pool:  $49,000
Bounty Prize Pool: $19,600
December 9-12, 2021

Hyong Lee

While the WPO Main Event was playing down, we had one last open tournament, one more trophy to win. The Black Chip Bounty tournament drew 196 entries and Hyong Lee took the top spot after a six-way deal saw him walk away with $8,267.

Lee, with a WPT final table to his credit, faced another tough battle here with an end-game lineup that included Karl Manouchakian, Eric Walling, Jeremy Becker, Carlos Guerrero, and Fernando Rodriguez.

They were collecting bounties in a hurry and the last six players decided to stop right there, divide up the remaining prize money, and declare Lee the victor courtesy of his chip lead.

Results:

PlaceFirst NameLast NameCityStateWinnings
1HyongLeeJacksonvilleFL$8,267 *
2EricWallingTampaFL$7,216 *
3YaswinGuthaTampaFL$6,330 *
4BrandonBestGrand RapidsMI$5,567 *
5DerrickCutlerSaint Simons IslandGA$4,550 *
6KarlManouchakianTampaFL$4,130 *
7BrianBrookshireGreenwoodIN$1,690
8EmmanuelSantos OrlangKissimmeeFL$1,350
9MichaelRoyHudsonFL$1,100
10JeromeBocquetOcalaFL$1,100
11JeremyBeckerTampaFL$930
12RichardFowlkesEnglewoodFL$930
13CarlosGuerreroOrlandoFL$810
14WilliamDavisOrlandoFL$810
15JohnOrfanosCarol StreamIL$730
16PatMarsdenRiverviewFL$730
17EdmundBukerWolfeboroNH$690
18VictorTaylorSpring ValleyNY$690
19FernandoRodriguez VazquezNewarkDE$690
20ChristopherThomasDecaturGA$690

* – Denotes results of a six-way deal

Event 13: Closing Out the Series

$250 Seniors Plus 60+ (Re-Entry)
$10,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 1:  100/100 with a 100 ante

We are down to the last day of the series and we are wrapping it up with a fun one. Event 13 is a $250 Seniors Plus tournament that is open to any of our players 60 years or older and features a $10,000 guarantee to make it even more interesting.

Players start with 20,000 stacks out front and all levels will last 30 minutes. Late registration and unlimited re-entries are available until the start of Level 9 at 3:30 pm. They will have a dinner break around 7:45 pm and return to play until we award the last WPO trophy of the series.

We will pick up some of the action later this afternoon after registration closes and we have our prize pool locked in.

  • $10,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 20,000 in chips
  • Levels last 30 minutes each
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9 (3:30pm)
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays to completion
  • Event 13 Structure Sheet

T.K. Miles Wins WPO Main Event Title Outright for $213,035

2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 772
Prize Pool:  $1,196,600
December 9-12, 2021

T.K. Miles, 2021 WPO Tampa Winter Poker Open Main Event champ

The 2021 Tampa Winter Poker Open Main Event headlined the series and it was a great anchor on the schedule. The $1,700 buy-in tournament was the second-biggest in our history and poker pro T.K. Miles took the title with an outright win for $213,035.

In addition to those honors, Miles also retook the top spot for all-time tournament money in our events. Brian Altman moved into the lead courtesy of his WPT Tampa title this summer but Miles is back out front now with $711,054 in career earnings here alone.

The Main Event featured a $500,000 guarantee that was surpassed during the second of three flights and the prize pool reached $1,196,600. The last 97 players earned some money and the bubble burst early on Day 2.

The day moved along at a quick pace until they reached three tables. At that point, the huge money was getting closer and the stakes were higher so they slowed it down.

Miles was not among the leaders when they reached the final table but he took over late when it was short-handed. He hit two quick doubles to take the lead and he never relinquished it.

The heads-up battle versus Kevin Ragusa lasted less than 15 minutes and Miles earned the outright win. Ragusa earned $142,030 for the runner-up prize while Miles banked the biggest among and the WPO guitar trophy.

Congratulations to T.K. and thanks to all of our players for the fantastic tournament.

Final table results:

1st: T.K. Miles – $213,035 + WPO guitar trophy
2nd: Kevin Ragusa – $142,030
3rd: RJ Sullivan – $104,850
4th: Robert Michener – $78,230
5th: Henry Fischer – $58,995
6th: Cody Hernandez – $44,980
7th: Alex Rusinovas – $34,675
8th: Howard Feingold – $27,025
9th: Maurice Hawkins – $21,305

Main Event: T.K. Miles Defeats Kevin Ragusa For the Title

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante

T.K. Miles

The heads-up match did not take very long and ended with a bit of a cooler. With the board reading Ks3c2hJc, Ragusa bet 2,000,000 and Miles announced all in. Ragusa thought for a minute and called at risk for 4,800,000 total.

Miles: KcJd
Ragusa: Kh8d

“Oh, I’m drawing dead,” Ragusa said when he saw the hands.

He was indeed drawing dead with his pair of kings versus two pair kings and jacks of Miles. The merely ceremonial 4d river was dealt and the WPO Main Event was over.

Ragusa earned $142,030 for his runner-up finish while Miles became the newest Winter Poker Open Main Event champion and he walked away with the $213,035 top prize for the outright win

1st: T.K. Miles – $213,035 + WPO guitar trophy
2nd: Kevin Ragusa – $142,030

Kevin Ragusa

Main Event: Heads-Up Underway

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 772

T.K. Miles (left) versus Kevin Ragusa (right)

Heads-up for the Main Event title got underway with T.K. Miles holding nearly a two-to-one advantage. Levels will now last 30 minutes each until we have a champ.

T.K. Miles – 15,350,000 (61 bb)
Kevin Ragusa – 7,800,000 (31 bb)

1st: $213,035 + WPO guitar trophy
2nd: $142,030

Main Event: RJ Sullivan – 3rd Place ($104,850)

$1,700 WPO Main Event (Re-Entry)
$500,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 772

R.J. Sullivan

T.K. Miles opened to 500,000 from the button and R.J. Sullivan moved all in for 1,875,000. After confirming the count, Miles called.

Miles: JsTd
Sullivan: Kd4s

Sullivan was ahead but had some live cards to avoid. Miles hit one of his cards on the AhJd8h to take the lead with a pair of jacks. That turned into two pair on the Tc turn and Sullivan couldn’t find his gutshot queen on the As river to exit in third place.

T.K. Miles – 15,350,000 (61 bb)
R.J. Sullivan – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($104,850)