Thiago Crema de Macedo won his first career World Series of Poker bracelet in Event #4 of the GGPoker WSOP Online. (photo courtesy PokerStars)

Brazil’s Thiago Macedo scored a second bracelet for Brazil in the early events of the GGPoker 2021 World Series of Poker Online after taking down Event #4 ($800 Double Chance No Limit Hold’em) for $161,637.

The two-day event drew 1,643 entries, generating a prize pool of more than $1.24 million with a number of notable names working their way into the final nine. Macedo, a former top-20 ranked PocketFiver with more than $6.7 million in recorded lifetime earnings, was joined by Finland’s longtime grinder Tomi Brouk, and Bulgaria’s Stoyan Obreshkov, who just one year ago made the final table of the international 2020 WSOP Online Main Event.

A little over 50 minutes into the final table, the first player fell. With the blinds at 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante) Russia’s Sergei Pillpenko open-shoved for his final four big blinds. In the big blind, Tomi Brouk made the call holding Tc8h. The KhJc3s flop kept Pillpenko’s ace-high in the lead. All of that changed on the Th turn, when Brouk hit a pair. The river was the 3h ending Pillpenko’s day in ninth place for $16,163.

Seven hands later the blinds were up to 125,000/250,000 (30,000 ante) and Sung keung Pang found themselves short stacked in the big blind. Stoyan Obreshkov opened from mid-position to 500,000 with AcQc and when the action folded back to Pang, they defended their big blind with 6s4s. The flop came Jc9d4c and Pang shoved for the rest of their eight big blind stack and Obreshkov snap-called with his two overs and flush draw. The turn was the Ad and the river came the Ts, giving the hand to Obreshkov pair of aces. Pang was eliminated in eighth place for $21,554.

Two orbits later, Brouk opened to 550,000 from under the gun and Obreshkov, next to act, just flat called holding AhAc. Ido Aboudi then three-bet shipped for just over 3.4 million with the QhQd. Brouk got out of the way and Obreshkov made the call. The board ran out 5d4s4hAdTd giving Obreshkov a full house and sending Aboudi to the rail in seventh place for $28,743.

Obreshkov took over the chip lead, however, during the next 45 minutes he played a pair of big pots that sent his stack towards the bottom of the chip counts. With the blinds at 175,000/350,000 (45,000 ante), Andras Nasman, who took a big chunk of Obreshkov’s chips earlier, opened to 700,000 with ThTc. When the action folded to Obreshkov on the button with AhQd he three-bet half his stack. Nasman immediately four-bet enough to put Obreshkov all-in and Obreshkov made the call. The board ran out 5h4h4dTdAd and Obreshkov was drawing dead from the turn with Nasman spiking a full house. Obreshkov picked up $38,330 for his sixth-place finish and Nasman soared to a massive chip lead.

The blinds climbed to 200,000/400,000 (50,000 ante) when Ukraine’s Ivan Babintsev made his last stand, shipping his final six big blinds in the middle with KhQc. When it folded to Mathias Siljander in the big blind, he made the call with the As7s. The Tc7c3s brought a pair for Siljander and left Babinstev looking for help in the form of pairing his over cards or runner-runner backdoor clubs. No such help arrived on the 6h turn and the 4s river, leaving the Ukranian to settle for fifth place and a $51,114 payday.

During the same level, Macedo played a pivotal pot when Brouk opened the button to 800,000 with QsJd and Macedo defended holding the Kc9h. The flop came KdJcTh giving Macedo top pair and Brouk second pair and an open-ended straight draw. Macedo checked and Brouk put out a bet of 600,000 which Macedo called. The turn was the 5c and Macedo checked to Brouk who checked it back. The river was the 4s and Macedo, who had Brouk covered, led for just over 1 million. Brouk fired all-in and after a short tank, Macedo made the call winning the pot with his pair of kings. Brouk fell in fourth place and picked up $68,161.

It didn’t take long for Macedo to shift into high gear. Two hands after finding a double through Siljander, Macedo finished him when Siljander moved all-in from the button with 9c8d and Macedo called with Kh9s. Macedo spiked top pair on the KsJh4c flop and it held through the 7c turn and As river. Siljander was felted in third place and added $90,894 to his bankroll.

At the start of heads-up play, Nasman held nearly a two-to-one chip lead over Macedo. But it didn’t take long for Macedo to turn the tables and reverse the chip lead in his favor. The pair battled for over 40 minutes until the tournament came to an end.

On the final hand of the tournament, with the blinds at 400,000/600,000 (100,000 ante), Macedo limped the button holding Qs9c. Nasman put in a raise roughly 4 big blinds with his KsJs and Macedo made the call. The flop came Qs9s6h, giving Macedo top two pair while Nasman had all the outs with a straight draw, flush draw, and the straight flush draw. Nasman led out for roughly half pot and Macedo smooth called. The turn was the 8h and both players checked. When the Kc river hit, Nasman moved all-in and Macedo made the call to win it all.

Nasman picked up $121,209 as the runner-up while Macedo locked up $161,637, a top-5 career online score, and his first World Series of Poker bracelet.

GGPoker WSOP Bracelet Event #4 Final Table Payouts

  1. Thiago Macedo – $161,637
  2. Andreas Nasman – $121,209
  3. Mathias Siljander – $90,894
  4. Tomi Brouk- $68,161
  5. Ivan Babintsev – $51,114
  6. Stoyan Obreshkov – $38,330
  7. Ido Aboudi – $28,743
  8. Sung Keung Pang – $21,554
  9. Sergei Pillpenko – $16,163