Sean Perry Battles From Short Stack, Wins PokerGo Cup Event No. 2Perry Earns $200,000 For Topping Field Of 80 At Aria |
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The second event of the 2022 PokerGO Cup is in the books with a familiar face from the 2021 high roller season once again finding himself in the winner’s circle.
Sean Perry made a name for himself on the circuit last year, winning five titles overall at 20 POY-qualified final tables while earning more than $3.6 million along the way. His performance was enough to see him finish third in the Card Player POY race.
The 25-year-old is off to another hot start this year as well, having already taken third in the $100,000 buy-in Stairway To Millions high roller two weeks ago for $304,000. His latest victory, the eighth of his career, saw him add another $200,000 to his totals of over $5.1 million.
“It feels nice,” Perry told PokerGO Tour reporters. “I have to say, this is probably the most fun I’ve had winning a tournament.”
The win was an unlikely one for Perry, given that he was severely short stacked at different points of the tournament.
“We were definitely gambling, but this tournament was even more exciting. I was at three big blinds early in and I was telling everyone that I would make the money. Then I made the money. Even at the final table, I was down to two big blinds and somehow came back and won.”
The $10,000 buy-in tournament attracted a field of 80 entrants, with the final 12 finishing in the money. A day after finishing eighth in the first event, Jake Schindler found himself going home emptyhanded after busting the money bubble in a lost coinflip.
Michael Lang was just able to sneak into the money, making it the second time in as many days he has cashed after taking sixth in event no. 1. He was joined by Cary Katz, Scott Ball, and Darren Elias in making it two for two in this high roller series.
High roller standouts Nick Schulman, Sam Soverel, Stephen Chidwick, Ali Imsirovic, and Brock Wilson finished in the money, falling just short of the live-streamed final table of six.
When play resumed the next day, Dan Shak was the first to bust, taking home $48,000.
Four-time WPT champion Darren Elias had earned $100,100 for third place in the first event, but settled for $64,000 and fifth place this time around.
Two-time WSOP bracelet winner Scott Ball finished fifth for $61,600 in event no. 1, and was able to improve to fourth place and $80,000 in this event. The Twitch poker pioneer was the victim of a bad beat to Perry, who was making a move with an infamous hand.
“We were playing the 9-4 offsuit game,” Perry explained afterwards. “In [the last] $100,000 event, I bluffed it all off to Nick Petrangelo with 9-4 off, so that’s why we were doing it. Bryn Kenney was giving action. I was giving action. It was a lot of fun.”
Ball had raised from under-the-gun and Perry three-bet shoved with his 9-4 from the small blind. Ball had an easy call with A-K, but the nine on the flop and four on the river gave Perry two pair and the winner.
That big pot gave Perry the lead, which he extended after knocking out Kenney with pocket sixes against Q-J. The flop brought a third six, and Kenney was forced to settle for $96,000 and third place.
Perry had a 3:2 chip lead going into heads-up play with the PokerGO founder himself, Cary Katz. Katz had a great chance at doubling into the lead with a dominating A-K against Perry’s K-3, but a three on the river sent the final pot of the tournament to Perry.
“I am just lucky, man,” Perry admitted. “That’s what it is.”
Katz pocketed $144,000 for his runner-up finish, just a day after taking ninth for $23,100 in the first series event. The businessman turned part-time poker pro now has $33.8 million in career winnings, which is just good enough for 10th place on the All-Time Tournament Earnings List.
Final Table Results
Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
1 | Sean Perry | $200,000 | 480 | 200 |
2 | Cary Katz | $144,000 | 400 | 144 |
3 | Bryn Kenney | $96,000 | 320 | 96 |
4 | Scott Ball | $80,000 | 240 | 80 |
5 | Darren Elias | $64,000 | 200 | 64 |
6 | Dan Shak | $48,000 | 160 | 48 |
7 | Brock Wilson | $40,000 | 120 | 40 |
8 | Ali Imsirovic | $32,000 | 80 | 32 |
Photo credits: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego.