Asher Conniff Wins 2019 WSOP Circuit Bally's Las Vegas Main Event30-Year-Old Poker Pro Defeats Field of 607 Entries To Win His First WSOPC Gold Ring |
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The 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Bally’s Las Vegas $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event drew a field of 607 total entries, creating a final prize pool of $919,605. After three days of action that sea of players was narrowed down to just one: Asher Conniff. The 30-year-old poker pro from Brooklyn, New York earned his first WSOP Circuit gold ring and $193,147 for the win, increasing his career live tournament earnings to over $2.2 million. This was the third-largest score of his career, behind his wins in the 2015 World Poker Tour Championship and a large preliminary event at that series.
“I feel really good,” Conniff told WSOP reporters after securing the title. “A little relieved. A little tired and a little hungry. But more than anything happy and excited. It always feels good to win a tournament, especially one with 600 people.”
Conniff came into the final day of this event as the chip leader, with fellow WPT main event champion Justin Young as the next largest stack among the final 12 players. Conniff further increased his lead by eliminating Steven Grybas in 11th place ($14,419) to set up the unofficial ten-handed final table. The field was narrowed to nine when Conniff called the all-in of Vinicius Polpeta with A9 and held up against his A4, sending him to the rail in 10th place ($14,419).
Joshua Suyat busted Stanley Lee in ninth place ($17,913) to kickoff his climb up the leaderboard at the final table. The next to go was Daniel Park, who’s pocket queens fell to the flopped two pair of Justin Young. Park took home $22,548 for his deep run.
Suyat won another all-in confrontation, this time in a battle of the blinds. Simon Deadman shoved from the small blind with J10 and Suyat called with A2 in the big blind. Deadman failed to come from behind and was eliminated in seventh place ($28,765).
Stanley Webb scored back-to-back knockouts to force four-handed action, eliminating James Fricker (6th – $37,198) and William Wolf (5th – $48,766). Despite winning those two key hands, it was Webb who was next to go. Justin Young limped in from the small blind with 107 and Webb moved all in from the big blind for 345,000 with K5. Young made the call and the board ran out J10482 to give him a pair of tens and the pot. Webb earned $64,813 as the fourth-place finisher.
Young took the outright lead at one point during three-handed play, but Conniffwas able to regain the top spot on the leaderboard by the time the next major confrontation arose. With blinds of 60,000 – 120,000 and a big-blind ante of 120,000, Conniff raised to 275,000 with A9 and Young three-bet to 850,000 holding J9. Conniff called and the flop brought the A107. Young bet 550,000 and Conniff called. The turn was the 6, prompting a 1,600,000 bet from Young. Conniff matched the bet and the 4 completed the board. Young moved all-in for 2,665,000 and after plenty of consideration, Conniff made the call with his pair of aces to win the pot. Young was sent home in third place with $87,344.
With that Conniff took more than a 3-to-1 chip lead into heads-up play against Suyat. In the end all of the chips got in with Suyat holding KQ. He was in rought shape against Conniff’s AQ. The 982710 runout secured the pot and the title for Conniff. Suyat earned $119,447 as the runner-up.
Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:
Place | Player | Earnings (USD) | POY Points |
1 | Asher Conniff | $193,147 | 840 |
2 | Joshua Suyat | $119,447 | 700 |
3 | Justin Young | $87,344 | 560 |
4 | Stanley Webb | $64,813 | 420 |
5 | William Wolf | $48,766 | 350 |
6 | James Fricker | $37,198 | 280 |
7 | Simon Deadman | $28,765 | 210 |
8 | Daniel Park | $22,548 | 140 |
9 | Stanley Lee | $17,913 | 70 |
Winner photo provided by WSOP.