Dan Smith emerged victorious from a area of 84 entries in occasion no. 3 of the 2024 U.S. Poker Open, incomes $235,200 because the champion of the $10,100 buy-in no-limit maintain’em match. The rating elevated the 35-year-old poker professional’s lifetime earnings to greater than $54.7 million, the sixth-highest whole within the historical past of the sport.
This was Smith’s twenty ninth recorded match title and 267th lifetime in-the-money end. He now has 5 PokerGO Tour wins to his identify to go together with his World Series of Poker bracelet and World Poker Tour championship.
This was the second title and fourth final-table end of the yr for Smith, who took down a $50,000 bounty occasion on the Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju pageant final month for $951,000. With 2,235 whole Card Player Player of the Year factors and practically $1.6 million in to-date POY earnings, Smith has climbed inside the highest 20 within the 2024 standings introduced by Global Poker.
The win additionally moved smith into third place within the USPO series-long factors race. This was his third qualifying rating for the seasonal PGT points race. He now sits in twenty second place on that leaderboard.
While 84 entries turned out to the PokerGO Studio inside ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas for this occasion, solely the highest 12 noticed a return on their funding. Day 1 motion concluded shortly after 17-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth was knocked out in eighth place ($33,600).
David Stamm bagged up the lead heading into day 2, with Smith sitting in third chip place among the many last seven. Jesse Lonis, who was simply at some point faraway from his win in occasion no. 2 of this sequence, scored the primary knockout when his pocket aces held up in opposition to the Okay-J suited of Bill Klein (seventh – $33,600).
Rodger Johnson overtook the lead when he turned sevens full in opposition to the flopped journeys of Stamm. He then knocked out Dylan Linde (sixth – $42,000) with A-Q besting J-10 to increase his benefit.
David Coleman was the following to fall. The 2024 Card Player Poker Tour Venetian important occasion winner bought all-in with pocket tens, however was outrun purchase the Okay-Q of Johnson. Coleman earned $58,800 because the fifth-place finisher. This was his ninth final-table end of the yr, with three POY-qualified titles already earned in 2024. He is now ranked third within the POY standings and second within the PGT factors race.
A traditional coin flip spelled the tip of Lonis’ run. His A-Q was unable to beat out the pocket sixes of Johnson, sending him packing in fourth place. This was his tenth last desk exhibiting of the yr, with two titles received. This rating moved Lonis into first place within the POY standings, giving him a 170-point lead over second-ranked Punnat Punsri. Lonis additionally climbed to eighth place within the PGT rankings for the season, and remained atop the USPO rankings with two cashes and one title received.
Stamm was left because the clear quick stack going into three-handed motion. He was quickly all-in with A-5 dealing with the pocket deuces of Johnson. The board introduced 4 spades, and the deuce of spades in Johnson’s hand gave him a flush for the win. Stamm was awarded $109,200 because the third-place finisher.
Heads-up play started with Johnson holding 6,250,000 to Smith’s 4,250,000. Smith was in a position to edge into the lead early on, after which started to drag away. In the ultimate hand of the match Smith shoved with A9 from the button and Johnson known as with A4. The board got here down Okay103J9 and Smith’s pair of nines earned him the pot and the title. Johnson walked away with $151,200 because the runner-up. This was his third money of the sequence, having additionally positioned tenth within the kickoff match and fourth in occasion no. 2.
Here is a take a look at the payouts and rankings factors awarded on the last desk:
Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points | PGT Points |
1 | Dan Smith | $235,200 | 480 | 235 |
2 | Rodger Johnson | $151,200 | 400 | 151 |
3 | David Stamm | $109,200 | 320 | 109 |
4 | Jesse Lonis | $79,800 | 240 | 80 |
5 | David Coleman | $58,800 | 200 | 59 |
6 | Dylan Linde | $42,000 | 160 | 42 |
7 | Bill Klein | $33,600 | 120 | 34 |
8 | Phil Hellmuth | $33,600 | 80 | 34 |
Photo credit score: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego.