Jake Schindler Wins First Bracelet, Still Silent On Cheating Accusations

After Dan Smith won his first World Series of Poker bracelet a few events into the 2022 WSOP, Jake Schindler became the highest-earning tournament player in the world without a victory at the series. It took him just a few days to relieve himself of that distinction, though. Schindler came out on top in the 2022 WSOP $50,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em event, earning his first bracelet and $1,328,068 for the win.

This was Schindler’s fourth title of the year, including a $3.2 million payday as the Super High Roller Bowl Europe champion. Schindler has made ten final tables so far in 2022, accruing more than $7 million in earnings along the way, increasing his lifetime total to more than $36 million. He now sits in 10th place on poker’s all-time money list.

The 1,020 Card Player Player of the Year points he earned in this event saw him move into second place in the 2022 POY race, which is sponsored by Global Poker. He was also awarded 700 PokerGO Tour points, enough to see him claim the top spot on that leaderboard.

The shine from Schindler’s accomplishments, however, has been dulled by accusations that the 32-year-old poker pro was banned from online poker site GGPoker for cheating. Schindler was among a number of top pros accused of unethical conduct, along with current POY points leader Ali Imsirivoc and former all-time money leader Bryn Kenney. While Kenney has made public statements denying the accusations, Imsirovic and Schindler have not yet responded. After securing the bracelet, Schindler posed for photos but declined to answer questions from the media.

This high-stakes event drew 101 total entries, building a prize pool of $4,835,375 that was paid out among the top 16 finishers. The bubble burst on day 2 with the elimination of German poker pro Marius Gierse in 17th place. The list of names that made the money but were knocked out before the official final table of eight reads like a who’s who of the high roller scene: bracelet winner Mikita Badzikouski (16th – $80,000), five-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb (15th – $80,000), three-time bracelet winner Chance Kornuth (14th – $80,000), bracelet winner Eeleis Parssinen (13th – $80,0000), Aussie Millions high roller champion Dan Shak (12th – $87,500), reigning WSOP main event champion Koray Aldemir (11th – $100,000), recent WSOP $25,00 heads-up championship winner Dan Smith (10th – $100,000), and U.S. Poker Open champion Sean Winter (9th – $122,114).

2019 WSOP main event runner-up Dario Sammartino (8th – $151,942) and Michael Rocco were eliminated late on day 2, leaving just six players remaining heading into the final day. 2021 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown main event champion Brek Schutten came into day 3 with the lead, with Thailand’s Punnat Punsri in second chip position and Schindler in third.

Bracelet winner Andrew Lichtenberger was the first to fall, with his A-5 suited failing to come from behind facing the A-Q suited of Schutten. Lichtenberger was awarded $28,516 as the sixth-place finisher, growing his lifetime earnings to more than $13.4 million in the process.

A few minutes after Lichtenberger’s departure, four-time bracelet winner David Peters got all-in with his KJ on a J83 flop and was called by Shannon Shorr, who held AJ. The 8 turn and A river saw Peters sent home in fifth place ($326,464). With moire than $43 million in total tournament scores to his name, he is now fourth on the money list.

Schindler made a big fold early in four-handed action, letting go of top pair of aces with a queen kicker. He was, in fact, trailing the turned aces and fours of Shannon Shorr, who had moved all-in on fourth street. If Schindler had called, he would have been a big favorite to finish in fourth place with one card coming.

Shorr had climbed into midway through the day and was starting to pull away from the rest of the pack when he lost a series of big hands. He first ran pocket fives into the pocket sixes of Schutten, who had slid towards the bottom of the leader before having his hand hold here to double up. Shorr then moved all-in from the button with Q8 and was called by Schindler, who held AJ. Schindler flopped a pair of jacks and held from there to double into the lead, while Shorr fell to third. Not long after that hand, Shorr got the last of his chips in with pocket eights, only to find himself up against the pocket tens of Schindler. Neither player improved and Shorr secured $436,412 for his fourth-place finish. He now has more than $10.7 million in earnings.

Schutten managed to overtake the lead early in three-handed play. He extended that advantage when his A-10 held up against the Q-J of Punsri, who three-bet shoved from the small blind after Schutten had opened on the button. The two-time Venetian High Roller event winner took home a career-high $593,481 for his deep run in this event, increasing his lifetime total to more than $1.1 million.

Schutten took nearly a 2:1 chip lead into heads-up play. Schindler closed the gap slightly in the early going, then surged into the lead thanks to a big call for his tournament life. Schindler had limped in from the button with K4 and Schutten checked with Q5. The K62 flop drew checks from both players. The 3 on the turn saw Schutten check again. Schindler bet 800,000 with his top paiur and a gutshot. Schutten, with a gunshot of his own, check-raised to 2,400,000. Schindler called and the 6 paired the board. Schutten moved all-in and after plenty of thought Schindler made the call for his last 8,430,000.

Schutten was left with 7,450,000 after the hand, giving Schindler roughly a 3:1 lead of his own. Two hands later Schindler limped in from the button for 400,000 total with AK and Schutten raised to 1,200,000 with AQ. Schindler shoved and Schutten quickly called. Schutten was left drawing dead by the turn, with the board showing K326. Schutten was awarded $820,808 as the runner-up, growing his career total to nearly $3.4 million.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded at the final table:

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