Brian Altman Wins 2021 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Main Event For His Third WPT Title

Brian Altman defeated a subject of 1,165 entries to win the 2021 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Tampa $3,500 buy-in no-limit maintain’em essential occasion. The poker professional from Longmeadow, MA earned $613,225 and his third WPT title for the win, turning into simply the seventh participant to win three or extra essential occasions on the tour.

“This is a really special World Poker Tour title for me. I’m joining the exclusive club of three-time champions, which only a few people have done. To be among that company makes me feel really proud,” Altman informed WPT reporters after securing the victory.

Altman now sits in a six-way tie for second place on the WPT titles leaderboard, becoming a member of Gus Hansen, Carlos Mortensen, Anthony Zinno, Eric Afriat, and Chino Rheem in having three wins on the principle tour. Darren Elias at the moment sits alone atop the standings with 4 WPT titles. Altman, who received the WPT Player of the Year award for the tour’s 18th season, is now inside one title of the highest spot.

“To earn my fourth title and chase Darren [Elias] down would be pretty awesome. He’s a buddy of mine, and I appreciate him taking this one off and giving me a better shot to win, so kudos,” mentioned Altman.

All three of Altman’s WPT title runs have taken place at Seminole Hard Rock properties. His two earlier wins got here in the identical occasion: the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open which is held on the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. He took down that occasion in 2015 and 2020, turning into the primary participant to ever win the identical WPT essential occasion twice.

Altman now has greater than $5.4 million in profession reside event earnings after this win. In addition to the title and the cash, he was additionally awarded 1,440 Card Player Player of the Year factors because the champion of this occasion. This was his his second win and fourth final-table end of the yr. With 2,928 whole POY factors and $1,014,326 in year-to-date earnings, Altman has climbed into fourth place within the 2021 POY race standings, that are sponsored by Global Poker.

The new yr began off properly for Altman, who secured a win and a seventh place end in a pair of $1,100 buy-in preliminary occasions on the WPT Venetian collection. In May he completed third within the long-delayed 2020 WPT Borgata Winter Open, which had set a remaining desk greater than a yr earlier however had been delayed because of COVID-19. Altman earned $333,012 and 960 factors for his sturdy displaying in that occasion.

In his newest title run Altman secured the chip lead heading into the ultimate day’s motion. He prolonged his lead by successful a preflop race towards T.Okay. Miles, along with his AOkay prevailing over his opponent’s pocket jacks. Altman hit a king on the flip and held from there to ship Miles to the rail in ninth place ($61,325).

Altman then proceeded to knock out Steven Queen (eighth – $77,900) and David Berman (seventh – $100,030) to slender the sector to only six contenders. Will Berry’s run on this occasion got here to an finish when his A10 bumped into the AJ of 2014 WPT Montreal winner Jonathan Jaffe. Berry failed to enhance and was eradicated in sixth place ($129,825).

John Haas was the following to fall. He bought all-in preflop with AJ towards the Okay10 of Gabriel Abusada. The board introduced three diamonds to provide Abusada a successful flush, eliminating Haas in fifth place ($170,275).

Jonathan Jaffe’s quest for his second WPT title fell simply quick this time. He ran pocket sixes into the pocket eights of Altman preflop and was unable to come back from behind. Jaffe earned $225,675 for his fourth-place displaying, entire Altman took a large lead into three-handed play.

Like Jaffe, Zachary Smiley was additionally searching for his second victory on the WPT. The 2016 _ WPT Maryland_ essential occasion winner bought his final seven huge blinds in with Q3 from the small blind. Altman known as with AQ and the the runout improved neither participant. Smiley took dwelling $302,200 because the third-place finisher, the second-largest rating of his profession.

Heads-up play started with Altman holding higher than a 3:1 chip lead over Gabriel Abusada. That lead was narrowed all the way down to only a 3:2 benefit by the point the following main hand arose. With blinds of 150,000-300,000 and an enormous blind ante of 300,000, Abusada moved all-in for 18,525,000 from the button with 66. Altman known as with JJ and the board ran out Okay97105. Altman’s pocket jacks held as much as earn him the pot and the title. Abusada was awarded $408,825 for his runner-up displaying.

Here is a have a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the remaining desk:

Photo credit: World Poker Tour / Joe Giron.