Only a select handful have risen to the top throughout history, achieving the incredible achievement of back-to-back World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event titles. The great quartet holding this accolade is Johnny Moss, the late Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, and Johnny Chan, with the most recent triumph dating back to 1988. With WSOP 2023 around the corner, last year’s winner, Espen Jørstad, who took home the $10,000,000 first prize, is surely going to give his best to join this select group. And he is showing good form.
The Successful Run-up to the WSOP
Every player’s goal heading into the WSOP is to be at the top of their game, and Jørstad is no exception. His winning run is already significant, having just won the $5,200 Titans Event at the PokerStars Spring Championship Of Online Poker (SCOOP). This winning moment earned Jørstad a nice $165,317 award as well as a much-needed morale boost.
This was not his first victory in the 2023 SCOOP. The Norwegian player from the United Kingdom kicked off the series by winning the $215 NLHE 7-Max Turbo PKO, taking home a nice $35,543.
Behind the Scenes of the $5,200 Titans Event
The $5,200 Titans Event attracted 164 competitors, resulting in an astounding $820,000 prize pool. A heated struggle occurred, with the top 20 players splitting the prize money. The event’s opening day saw nine players compete for the championship and the alluring six-figure top prize. On May 15, the PokerStars Twitch broadcast maintained a close eye on the action as Day 2 unfolded.
The Decisive Showdown at the Final Table
With only seven competitors left, a turning point came when Jørstad managed to knock out Daniil “NVoskob1986” Kiselev of Latvia. Jørstad made a move with pocket tens from the button, responding to Kiselev’s all-in three-bet from the small blind with a king-queen. An ace-high board held the tens, resulting in Kiselev’s exit.
As the tournament headed into its final stages, Jørstad found himself with a significant chip lead over Ferreira. A swift one-on-one showdown lasting less than 20 minutes was all it took for Jørstad to cement his victory.
Jørstad’s king-jack triumphed over Ferreira’s jack-six of diamonds in the final hand, leaving King-high as the winning hand. This victory crowned Jørstad the SCOOP Titans champion, solidifying his position as a formidable contender in the poker world. As Jørstad heads into the WSOP, the poker world eagerly awaits to see if he will indeed become the fifth player to win back-to-back WSOP Main Events.
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