Johannes Straver Wins WSOP Paradise GGMillion$ Championship

A fortunate queen on the flip to deliver his World Collection of Poker Paradise to an finish was the end result of a lifelong dream and a purpose that Johannes Straver set for himself over the previous couple of years.

The Dutch excessive curler made it some extent to play extra dwell tournaments, dreaming of a second just like the one he skilled in the present day when he took down the $10,000 GGMillion$ Championship, prevailing over a subject of 532 entries and defeating Jon Vallinas heads-up to win the $807,430 high prize and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

“It’s fairly surreal. You by no means count on to simply preserve operating by way of. For me, all of the vital all-ins I simply saved turning it and it saved falling my method. Very completely happy that I ended up profitable it,” Straver stated.

“It was a giant purpose. The final couple of years I attempted to play an increasing number of dwell tournaments. To win one is tremendous good.”

$10,000 GGMillion$ Championship Last Desk outcomes

Straver had come near WSOP glory earlier than. He completed second within the $5,000 Freezeout on the 2022 WSOP. He’s additionally made the ultimate desk of the $50,000 Excessive Curler every of the final two years. He already had greater than $1.6 million in WSOP cashes; his win in the present day is just not solely his largest profession rating however pushes him above $4 million in whole earnings.

He enjoys the problem of taking part in in opposition to the very best gamers on this planet, and he acquired that in the present day. The ultimate desk was headlined by Phil Hellmuth, who was going for his 18th bracelet however ended up in eighth place. However competing in opposition to the likes of Hellmuth and the remainder of this star-studded subject is nothing new to Straver.

“It’s the subsequent step for me to play within the highest buy-ins. That is what I wish to do,” he stated.

Straver was supported all through the ultimate desk by a passionate group of supporters that included different excessive rollers, together with Christopher Nguyen who jumped proper onto his rail after busting the Tremendous Predominant Occasion last desk. Straver additionally took a second to acknowledge the individuals who weren’t right here, the chums he has round them that helped make him the participant and now-champion he has change into.

“In poker, you can’t do it alone. I’m very proud of all my associates, even those who aren’t right here. Lots of people railing even in a horrible time zone for them. It’s very good,” he stated.

Day 3 Motion

Day 3 started with 46 gamers out of a beginning subject of 532 returning at 10 a.m. to play right down to a champion. Joao Simao was the primary elimination of the day when he ran his sevens into Wookuk Lee’s nines. Hossein Ensan then known as a preflop shove by Tetsuro Tomita, who hit two pair on the flop. Ensan picked up a flush draw however missed the flip and river because the 2019 Predominant Occasion champion was despatched to the rail in fortieth place.

Straver started his march to the title when he awakened with queens in a three-way all in to double off Igor Pihela and eradicate Jose Fernandes Scarano in thirty fourth. Others despatched to the payout desk included four-time bracelet winner Georgios Sotiropoulos (thirty seventh), Marius Gierse (thirty sixth), and Jesse Lonis (twenty sixth). Michael Soyza busted in thirty third when he made a full home and known as all in for 1,200,000 on the river, however Abdulhakim Zoufri had rivered a greater full home to win the huge pot.

As the sphere was diminished to the ultimate three tables, start-of-day chip chief Taylor von Kriegenbergh misplaced a race with ace-king in opposition to Younger Sik Eum’s nines to fall in twenty fourth. Joey Weissman completed in twenty third, whereas Stoyan Madanzhiev acquired his final 2,200,000 in with queen-ten however was dominated by Straver’s ace-queen because the 2020 WSOP On-line champion was eradicated in twentieth.

Noah Schwartz misplaced a race to Arthur Conan to fall in 18th, whereas Predominant Occasion finalist Jason Sagle completed in seventeenth when he acquired his final 1,300,000 in with ace-ten however bumped into Fabian Niederreiter’s ace-king.

Danilo Velasevic was all in for two,200,000 with a flush draw, whereas Stoyan Obreshkov had flopped two pair. Obreshkov held on to scoop the huge pot and bust Velasevic in fifteenth. Obreshkov’s newfound wealth proved short-lived, nevertheless, as he known as for five,600,000 and was in a traditional flip with ace-king in opposition to Straver’s queens. Straver held as much as ship Obreshkov out in thirteenth whereas taking an enormous chip lead.

UFC veteran Colby Covington, who got here to WSOP Paradise straight off headlining a card final Saturday, known as off his final 975,000 with king-high however bumped into Niederreiter’s full home to fall on the ultimate desk bubble. Straver led initially of the nine-handed last desk with 14,500,000, greater than 5,000,00 forward of his closest challenger, however all eyes have been on Hellmuth in the course of the pack as he continued his quest for quantity 18.

Marc Rivera, who made the ultimate desk of the PSPC held right here at Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas in 2019, was the primary to fall as he jammed for 820,000 with jack-four. Niederreiter known as with king-deuce and received the pot along with his king to ship Rivera to the rail in ninth. Hellmuth acquired two shoves by way of as he climbed as much as almost 4,000,000 earlier than tangling in a three-way pot with Vallinas and Niederrieter. In spite of everything three gamers checked to the activate a nine-high board, Hellmuth led out for 800,000 and solely Vallinas known as. Hellmuth then moved all in on the ace river for two,500,000 and Vallinas went deep into the tank for a number of minutes.

“I’ll take this one, you are taking the subsequent one,” Hellmuth stated, however Vallinas wasn’t listening and ultimately known as with a rivered pair of aces. Hellmuth may solely present a missed straight draw as his run led to eighth place.

“What the f**ok simply occurred?” Hellmuth lamented on his strategy to the exit.

Vallinas additionally took out Rui Neves, hitting the nut straight on the river to beat two pair and ship Neves to the rail in seventh as he took the chip lead. Zoufri then moved all in for 1,400,000 on the button and was known as by Niederreiter and Vallinas within the blinds. Vallinas wager out Niederreiter on the flip and confirmed a pair of queens, whereas Zoufri was left with solely ace-high and was eradicated in sixth place.

Lee had his kings cracked by Conan’s ace-nine to complete in fifth place. Vallinas then moved all in from the small blind and Conan known as for 10,000,000. Vallinas had him dominated with ace-eight in opposition to ace-seven. Conan picked up a flush draw on the flop however couldn’t join on his strategy to a fourth-place end as Vallinas moved as much as 30,000,000.

Straver discovered himself the brief stack initially of three-handed play however picked up kings to double off Vallinas. He then received a race when he turned an ace in opposition to Vallinas’ pocket tens to double once more. Vallinas held on with two pair in opposition to Niederreiter’s pair and flush draw to double as Niederreiter dropped to the brief stack. Straver then moved all in from the small blind and Niederreiter known as for 3,500,000. Straver turned a straight to win the pot and eradicate Niederreiter in third place.

Straver led 37,300,000 to fifteen,900,000 initially of heads-up play. Vallinas received a giant pot with a straight and took down nearly all of small pots to maneuver into the chip lead, however Straver jumped again in entrance when he compelled out Vallinas with a 5,000,000 wager on the flip. Vallinas then limped in from the button and Straver raised to 4,000,000. Vallinas known as and the flop got here eight-high with two hearts. Straver continued for 3,500,000 and Vallinas moved all in for 19,000,000. Straver snap-called with a flush draw, whereas Vallinas had high pair. The queen on the flip gave Straver his flush and left Vallinas drawing useless as Straver secured the title.

The poker world descended on Paradise Island over the past ten days. Whereas most will solely depart with recollections of the sandy seashores and tranquil swimming pools, Straver waited proper to the top to make sure he’ll all the time have this particular second to recollect.

2024 WSOP Paradise Winners