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Steve O'Dwyer Wins 2020 World Poker Tour World Online Championships Heads-Up Event

Irish Poker Pro Defeated A Field of 166 Entries To Win $135,000

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The 2020 World Poker Tour World Online Championships $3,200 buy-in no-limit hold’em heads-up championship drew a total of 166 entries, resulting in a slight overlay in the $500,000 guaranteed event. The top 32 finishers made the money in this event, with the largest payout going to eventual winner Steve O’Dwyer. The high-stakes tournament regular was awarded $135,000 as the last player standing in this shootout-format event.

The 38-year-old resident of Ireland now has more than $31.2 million in recorded tournament scores, enough to maintain his hold on the 10th-place spot on poker’s all-time money list.

O’Dwyer defeated Niko Koop in the quarter finals, calling down a multi-street bluff from his German opponent with queens and fours to set up a semi-final showdown against Allan Berger. The match did not last long, with a set-over-set situation resulting in a quick finish for Berger. He picked up 8Spade Suit8Diamond Suit on the button with blinds of 600-1,2000, and raised to 3,000. O’Dwyer three-bet to 11,000 with QHeart SuitQDiamond Suit. Berger called and the flop came down AClub SuitJDiamond Suit5Spade Suit. Both players checked and the 8Club Suit hit the turn, giving Berger a set of eights. O’Dwyer checked and Berger bet 11,000. O’Dwyer called and the QSpade Suit gave him a superior set on the river. O’Dwyer checked and Beger moved all-in for 70,000. O’Dwyer quickly called to take down the pot and move on to the finals.

Artem Akhmetvaleyev defeated Jorma Nuutinen on the other side of the bracket to join O’Dwyer in the finals. O’Dwyer ran a multi-street bluff, shoving all-in with ace-nine high to get Akhmetvaleyev off of a flopped second pair to take nearly a 2:1 chip lead in the first few minutes of the match. In the final hand, O’Dwyer picked up the AClub SuitKClub Suit on the button and raised to 2,640 and Akhmetvaleyev called from the big blind with 8Diamond Suit7Spade Suit. The flop came down 10Spade Suit8Club Suit5Heart Suit and Akhmetvaleyev check-called a bet of 3,696 with his middle pair. The KDiamond Suit on the turn gave O’Dwyer top pair. Akhmetvaleyev checked and O’Dwyer bet 16,000. Akhmetvaleyev called and the 4Spade Suit completed the board. Akhmetvaleyev checked and O’Dwyer moved all-in, having Akhmetvaleyev’s last 50,000 well covered. Akhmetvaleyev made the call after some consideration, only to learn that his hand was second best. He took home $75,000 for his runner-up showing.

Here is a look at the payouts awarded to the top eight finishers:

Place Name Earnings
Champion Steve O’Dwyer $135,000
Runner-Up Artem Akhmetvaleyev $75,000
Semi-Finalist Jorma Nuutinen $40,000
Semi-Finalist Allan Berger $40,000
Quarter-Finalist Joao Vieira $17,500
Quarter-Finalist Arnaud Enselme $17,500
Quarter-Finalist Niko Koop $17,500
Quarter-Finalist Eugenio Peralta $17,500

O’Dwyer photo via partypoker LIVE.