2022 WSOP Update: Jeremy Ausmus, Daniel Zack, Tong Li, and Adam Friedman Win Bracelets

The 53rd Annual World Series of Poker has been underway for just over two weeks, and 25 bracelets have already been awarded. This recap’s most recent champions include eight first-time champions. Adam Friedman, Jeremy Ausmus, Tong Li, and Daniel Zack were all honored, with each adding a WSOP bracelet to their collection. Brian Altman won his first WSOP.com tournament in the No-Limit Hold’em Ultra Deepstack. 

Nonstop action continues at the world’s largest poker event. The games began on May 31 at the new Ballys and Paris Las Vegas Casino. The series will run till July 20th. There are still 63 bracelets available out of the 88 listed. Read on for the latest highlights. 

Stefan Lehner Wins No-Limit Hold’em for $558,616

Because of the popularity of hold’em tournaments, the series this year includes new mid-stakes tournaments, including the $3K buy-in No-Limit Hold’em. Stefan Lehner of Austria won his first bracelet and a series high score of $558,616 at the event’s conclusion. Lehner defeated a powerful final table that included three champions in the round – David Miscikowski, Joey Weissman, and Davide Suriano – as well as GPI Player of the Year Alex Foxen. This success came just six months after he earned his first WSOPC ring, which was followed by a win in the Casinos Austria Poker Tour Main Event three months later. Lehner has already earned more than $830,000 in live tournament earnings.

Here are the final table results:

Daniel Zack Wins Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship for $440,757

The Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship saw a 196-entry field cut down to the final two players, who fought like bulls for an intense seven hours before claiming the victory. Daniel Zack took the final table for his second bracelet and personal series best payment of $440,757. Zack now has three pieces of gold jewelry: a ring and two bracelets. Dustin Dirksen, the runner-up, had to settle with $272,408 and another missed gold bracelet. Dirksen finished sixth in this event in 2018, and second in the lower offering of this event the previous year.

Other final table finishers were Yuval Bronshtein, a two-time bracelet champion, Ray Dekjharghani, who finished sixth in this tournament in 2017, Kane Kalas, and Raymond Henson, who has yet to add a bracelet to his collection of five circuit rings. 

Here are the final table results:

Dominick Sarle Wins Mixed Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) for $164,243

Dominick Sarle’s previous 19 series cashes included 18 No-Limit Hold’em deep runs and one Mixed Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) finish in 23rd place. While he appeared to be due for a triumph at the more popular version, he won the gold bracelet this year at the US$ 2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball, defeating a field of 309 players. Sarle finished first among four bracelet winners, including mixed game expert John Monnette, who has four career bracelets. Sarle’s first six-figure score of $164,243 has become a milestone victory for him. 

Here are the final table results:

Tong Li Wins High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed for $1,467,739

China’s Tong Li won a gold bracelet in the High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed, putting Asia on the board. Li was a newcomer to the heavyweight division, having paid the expensive US$ 25,000 buy-in to put his four-card talents to the test against the world’s best. Despite significant differences in accomplishments, with Li having no prior live cashes, he outperformed, winning the big seven-figure first prize of $1,467,739. At three-handed, Li gained momentum from the short stack zone, defeating 2021 WSOP Player of the Year Josh Arieh in many showdowns until he eventually ousted the pro in third place. With a 3:1 lead in heads-up, Li left little room for Fabian Brandes to chip up.

Here are the final table results:

Bryan Schultz Wins Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em for $330,057

The second Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em tournament was a huge success, with 2,663 players lighting up the tournament floor. There was no surprise to see such a huge field, given how popular this variant is among Asians. After bracelet champion Seth Fischer fell in 10th position, a first-time winner was assured. Bryan Schultz’s ambition came realized as he overcame a deficit in heads-up play against Young Sik Eum. The top four players impressively transformed their $1,000 buy-in into significant career-high six figures, with champion Schultz taking home the highest of US$ 330,057.

Here are the final table results:

Mike Jukich Wins Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em for $966,577

Mike Jukich of the United States was no stranger to negotiating large fields, having finished 51st out of 7,874 players in the 2018 WSOP Main Event. Jukich navigated through the fog once more at the Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em, emerging as the champion for his first gold bracelet. The massive victory also resulted in a career-high payment of $966,577.

The event was a sight to behold, with 2,947 people buzzing up Day 1A and 3,554 more on Day 1B for a total of 6,501 registrations. The money began to flow on Day 2 at 976th position. Brazilian pro-Joao Simao Peres, the lone bracelet holder at the final table, also put up a strong fight. He came in fourth place.

Here are the final table results:

Denis Nesterenko Wins Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw for $108,250

Nesterenko came out on top of a 350-entry field that included four-time bracelet winner Benny Glaser at the final table. It was a dream come true for the recreational mixed game tournament player, as it had been for many champions before him. His spectacular achievement increased his career earnings from $40K to approximately $150K. Yufei Zhong of China had his maiden final table appearance in this event as well. Zhong was a wrecking ball at the start of the final table, but he was defeated in 5th place by the eventual champion. Zhong took home his biggest WSOP prize of $20,948.

Here are the final table results:

Jeremy Ausmus Wins 6-Handed Limit Hold’em for $142,417

Jeremy Ausmus secured his first Limit Hold’em gold to add to his treasure chest of four bracelets. Ausmus won the lone six-figure prize of $142,417 after beating out 213 other competitors. One of the players he defeated was Limit Hold’em expert Mike Lancaster, who had the most Limit accomplishments of anybody at the final table. Lancaster is still looking for the coveted first bracelet, which he came close to capturing in 2019 at the $10K Limit Hold’em Championship when he finished second.

Here are the final table results:

Adam Friedman Wins Seven Card Stud Championship for $248,254

Adam Friedman was denied a four-peat in the Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship, but he still won the Seven Card Stud Championship a few days later. This was Friedman’s second bracelet of this type. One of the players he defeated at the final table was Benjamin Diebold, who won the event that Friedman had championed for the previous three years. Multi-gold winner Phil Ivey and Yuval Bronshtein, both on their second final table, were also denied the crown. Friedman took the chip lead starting at four-handed and never let it go to win his sixth career bracelet.

Here are the final table results:

Christopher Chatman Wins Flip & Go No-Limit Hold’em for $187,770

No-Limit Flip & Go Hold’em, which debuted on the online site GG Poker, is currently in its second year on the live international stage. With 1,340 registrations, the unusual event garnered 101 more than its debut iteration. The Flip portion of the tournament began the action by requiring participants to discard one of their three-hole cards at the flop. From then, it was a race to the river. The player with the better hand progressed and received a share of the pot. Scott Seiver, according to news site PokerNews, shot a whopping 43 rounds and still failed to advance. The GO round then followed, with a typical eight-handed No-Limit Hold’em event.

Pete Chen, a Taiwanese pro, finished fifth and earned $47,760. Christopher Chatman, a recreational player, took the victory and his first ever dream bracelet after carrying his chip advantage from the end of Day 1 to the finish line. Mike Matusow, Georgios Sotiropoulos, and Ian Steinman were all eliminated by him. Chatman earned a career-high $187,770 in cash. This was only his fifth WSOP cash.

Here are the final table results:

Brian Altman Wins No-Limit Hold’em Ultra Deepstack for $110,662

Brian Altman, who has numerous WPT championships and three WSOP circuit rings, ultimately earned his first career bracelet at the online No-Limit Hold’em Ultra Deepstack. Altman has been tearing up some of the world’s greatest stages since 2015, and he even boasts two cashes from the 2017 Asia Championship of Poker, including a deep 5th place finish in the festival’s Main Event. It took 40 preceding cashes and three circuit rings for him to obtain his first gold bracelet. Altman also received $110,662 for his victory. His WSOP profits grew to $1.147 million, which pales when compared to his prior accomplishments, with the total well over $5 million.

Here are the final table results: