WSOP Tournament of Champions Won by Benjamin Kaupp for $250,000

The last tournament of the 2022 World Series of Poker was not an ordinary one. Costing nothing to enter, it was only open to WSOP Circuit and bracelet winners, from the 2022 season, with only 570 poker players eligible to take part in the freeroll tournament with a $1 million prizepool.

If you haven’t caught up on the latest WSOP bracelet results, read about who won WSOP Events 81-88 on the schedule and discover who became the 2022 World Champion.

Final Day Starts with 16 Players  

Just 16 players began the final day, with players such as Dominick Sarle (13^th for $9,100) an early victim of the eventual winner. When Erik Bauer lost his seat in 11^th place, the final table – which was ten-handed- was set. Jonathan Woof had led the day, but his hopes of winning the event were over almost as soon as the final table was reached, his rash shove for 32 big blinds with pocket eights marching headlong into Ali Eslami’s pocket kings to see Woof skittled for $11,400.

Out next was the Italian plyer Gianluca Speranza, who cashed for $15,000 in ninth place when his short stack couldn’t get going and he was followed from the felt by French player Eric Bensimhon, who won $20,000 in eighth place. It was at that point that PokerGO took the final seven for one more spin on the live stream in the Thunderdome studio at Bally’s.

Bulgarian player Yuliyan Kolev lost out in seventh place for $27,500, as his pocket eights saw the KFC Bucket Hat-wearing bracelet winner from the 2022 WSOP crash out to Kaupp’s pocket queens. You can watch the hand in all its glory right here:

Wish Left Unfulfilled

With six players left, Gregory Wish couldn’t live up to his surname as all his hopes and dreams of taking the title evaporated. He left in for $37,500 after running short and busting for ten big blinds with ace-ten. He was unlucky to lose out to Raul Garza’s ace-nine which flopped a nine to end up eliminating Wish.

Out in fifth was Ali Eslami for a result worth a cool $50,000 – not bad for a freeroll. Down to crumbs, he lost out with king-jack against Robert Cowen’s ace-nine as the Englishman saw out to the bracelet winner who rivered a ten-high straight.

Despite winning that hand, Cowen was out next. After an extended period where it seemed every player had the lead at some point, Cowen ended up falling from the carousel in fourth for $75,000. Cowen lost a flip to bust, his ace-jack unable to get there against Ryan Messick’s pocket nines.

Kaupp is King

“Chasing Broadway, no jack meant Messick’s journey was at an end.”

With three players left, Kaupp was the man in charge, stretching his lead to hold 8.3 million chips to Ryan Messick’s 3.8 million and Raul Garza’s 2 million. It didn’t take long for that number to be reduced to two players, but it was not the shortest stack who busted, with Garza surviving to the heads-up match.

Ryan Messick busted in third place for the first six-figure score of the event, $100,000, when his ace-four of clubs couldn’t beat Kaupp’s king-ten of the same suit. There was a king and a ten on the flop and although the presence of a queen too gave Messick a Broadway draw, no jack meant Messick’s journey was at an end.

Heads-up, Kaupp had 12.5 million chips to Garza’s 1.5 million. While the eventual runner-up did double up quickly, ace-jack beatig Kaupp’s ten-four, it was soon ‘over and out’ for the short stack. Garza shoved for 14 big blinds with king-jack and Kaupp called with ace-six. The ten-high board ended the event in Kaupp’s favor, with Garza consoling himself with the $150,000 runner-up prize, and Kaupp claiming an incredible $250,000 for the win.

Photographs courtesy of PokerGO, home of the 2022 World Series of Poker.