The sixth event of the 2024 U.S. Poker Open saw a stunning victory for PokerStake player Aram Zobian as the American beat overnight chip leader Sam Laskowitz heads-up to claim the $264,290 top prize and world-famous ‘eagle’ USPO trophy. With stars of the felt such as Brock Wilson and Joey Weisman both going close, the final stages of the event were among the most exciting yet on the heavily populated U.S. Poker Open schedule.

Huge Buy-In, Big Numbers

With the entry fee for Event #6 jumping from $10,100 to $15,100, you might easily expect a big drop-off in entries as players watch their money belts/crypto account balances. Not a bit of it. A Total of 62 entries created a prizepool of $930,000 and with nine places paid, the battle was on early to make the money places.

Players such as the Event #4 winner David Coleman, PokerGO Commentator and multiple WSOP bracelet winner Nick Schulman, David Peters and ‘bubble boy’ Dylan Linde all got close but essentially all missed out on profit. Linde’s elimination in 10^th place was no hard luck story, his crushed pre-flop and post by Brock Wilson’s as a queen-high board of played out and Linde was sent to the rail.

Down to nine, it was Daniel Negreanu who cashed yet again but ultimately left before he’d have wanted to. Unlucky to be ousted, Kid Poker called off his stack with and was right to do so, Wilson’s some way behind. That was until the flop of landed, and after the turn and river, Negreanu was shaking Wilson’s hand and wishing his opponents the best of luck as he collected $27,900.

Shak Attacked

John Riordan again left the action just as the latter stages were pulling into the home straight, this time cashing for $37,200 as his shove lost to Wilson’s . Riordan missed a number of outs, the flop of adding more outs, only for the turn and to leave him on the sidelines instead of building a final table stack.

Sam Laskowitz led the final seven with 2.4 million, with Zobian his closest challenger on 1.75 million. The first player to leave the final seven was the Event #2 winner Jesse Lonis, whose shove with ran into the brick wall of belonging to Sam Laskowitz and never looked like catching up, Lonis eventually losing to kings full on the river for a score of $37,200.

That hand closed the action on the first day and it was Laskowitz who led from Zobian, albeit with the stacks having evened up considerably. John Andress started the final day short and was on the rail when he shipped with only to run into Joey Weissman’s . A queen-high flop looked to give Andress no hope. A ten on the turn did give him four outs to Broadway but none of them came and he slid out in fifth for $69,750.

Dan Shak took up the mantle of the brave short stack hoping to double back into contention, but it didn’t happen for him either. All-in with , Shak had the misfortune of being dominated, as Wilson’s survived the board with ease to eliminate the high roller regular Shak for $69,750.

Zobian the Hero After Heads-Up Deal

The final four raced towards the top prize of over a quarter of a million dollars and it was Zobian who was in charge from the start. Joey Weissman was the first player to leave his seat, out in fourth place for $93,000. On a board of , Weissman called Zobian’s shove. But while Weissman held for turned trip sevens, Zobian had rivered a straight with to head into three-handed play with more chips that his two opponents had combined.

Out in third place was Brock Wilson, who won $130,200 to share with his PokerStake investors. All-in with , Wilson was unlucky to run into Zobian’s and after a board of played out, he left Zobian with a 5:2  chip lead. With two players left, the chips evened up slightly and that led to a deal discussion that left both players happy, guaranteeing themselves north of $200,000.

Zobian moved into a big lead one again and on a board showing , Zobian moved all-in with for the rivered flush. Laskowitz had and couldn’t resist calling with his rivered trips, ending the event, as Zobian won the top prize of $264,290 and relegated Laskowitz to the runner-up place.

With two events to come, back a winner in Event #7 or Event #8 by heading to our official U.S. Poker Open staking page right here.