Massoud Eskandari Wins First Bracelet As 2022 World Series of Poker Super Seniors Champion

The World Series of Poker $1,000 buy-in super seniors event requires participants to be at least 60 years old in order to enter. Even with that restriction, the 2022 running of the event attracted a massive field of 2,668 entries to build a prize pool of $2,374,520. After four full days of action, the largest share of that money went to LA-area local Massoud Eskandari. The 61-year-old Mission Viejo resident earned $330,609 and his first gold bracelet for the win.

“It means the world to me because I’ve worked very hard for this. I’ve been spending a lot of hours and put my life into this," Eskandari told WSOP reporters after coming out on top. "Of course, it comes with a lot of luck and I can tell to all the grinders out there, just keep grinding and grinding and it will happen to you. If you put the effort, the time, and work hard on it, there’s no reason for you guys not to get it. So best of luck to everyone.”

This was the largest tournament payday of Eskandari’s career, besting the $330,110 he earned as the runner-up finisher in the 2014 World Poker Tour Legends of Poker main event by just shy of $500. He now has more than $2.7 million in career tournament earnings to his name.

The huge turnout in this event resulted in the top 401 finishers making the money. Plenty of big names made deep runs, including bracelet winner Larry Wright (158th – $2,465), two-time bracelet winner Barny Boatman (68th – $4,915), James Woods (42nd – $8,325), and defending champion of this event Jean-Luc Adam (40th – $8,325).

The final day of this tournament began with just five players remaining and Eskandari in the lead. Peter Mylenki came in with the shortest stack, and was soon all-in and at risk. His pocket fours were in rough shape facing the pocket kings of James Jewell. The board brought no help to Mylenki and he was sent home in fifth place ($85,940).

Sharri Crawford’s run in this event came to an end when her small-blind shove with K10 was called by Eskandari, who held A2 in the big blind. Crawford flopped a king to take the lead, but Eskandari spiked an ace on the river to win the pot and eliminate Crawford in fourth place ($113,755).

Jennifer Gianera won a massive pot during three-handed play, calling a shove on a J77J board with K7. Jewell had been making a move with 66, and was drawing dead. Jewell was left with just a few big blinds, while Gianera took more than a 4:1 lead over Eskandari in second chip position.

Jewell got the last of his chips in with K-3 and was trailing the A-10 of Eskandari. A jack-high runout improved neither player and Jewell sent to the rail with $151,822 for his third-place showing.

With that, Gianera remained way out in front heading into heads-up play. Eskandari scored a quick double up with pocket eights doling up against the flopped top pair of sevens for Gianera. Eskandari then won a siable pot without showdown to move into the lead.

The final hand saw all the chips go in on a KQ4 flop. Gianera held 97 for a flush draw, while Eskandari had K5 for top pair. The 10 turn was no help to Gianera, who needed a diamond on the end. The 6 completed the board to see Eskandari secure the title and his first bracelet. Gianera was awarded $204,293 as the runner-up, by far the largest score ever for the San Diego resident.

Here is a look at the payouts awarded at the final table:

Winner photo credit: WSOP / Danny Maxwell.

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