Simon Mattsson Wins 2022 WSOP Online Main Event for $2.7 million

The World Series of Poker Online Series has seen several terrific tournaments, but the jewel in its crown is undoubtedly the WSOP Online Main Event. Overnight, it was won by Norwegian player Simon Mattsson, who took home the $2.7 million top prize after getting the better of a final table also featuring Samuel Vousden and Jordan Spurlin among others.

The Early Stages of the WSOP Main Event Final

With only nine players of the mammoth 4,984-entry field making the last table in the tournament, there was an incredible $10.3 million still to be won by the time the final showdown began. The top prize of very neatly $2.8 million ($2,793,574 to be precise) represented over 10% of the total prize pool which exceeded its $20 million guarantee to reach $23,674,000.

Canadian player Tim Rutherford was the first player to lose his seat at the final table, and it was no surprise when he left. Starting the action with just 11 bib blinds to his name, Rutherford was under pressure from the first deal, and eventually lost out with less than four bigs to his name. His ace-queen started and ended the ahnd behind Chinese player Feng Zhao’s pocket kings, which saw Rutherford collect his ninth-place prize of $279,357.

Eight players remained, but not for long. The last remaining British player was Oliver Sprason, and he departed in eighth place for $372,529 when his ace-king couldn’t triumph against Kannapong Thanarattrakul’s pocket tens. The Thai player remained ahead after the flop despite it including a king, as a ten landed too to give him a set. Sprason had a Royal Flush draw to the river but couldn’t hit and lost his stack.

Chinese Go from Two Faces to One

With even players remaining, the next player to hit the rail was Canada’s Jordan Spurlin, as the country lost its second of two combatants who made the final table. Spurlin lost his seat in the hand following Sprason’s demise, as the Canadian called off ten big blinds from the big blind position with ace-seven after Thanarattrakul had shoved from the small blind with the dominating ace-nine. No help arrived for Canada’s last representative and he cashed for $496,774 in seventh place.

The only other country to be represented by two players at the final table was China, but an all-Chinese confrontation reduced that number by half. Yanfei Chi was the man who left in sixth for $662,459, and he lost over 90% of his stack to his countryman, Zhao. Chi had pocket queens and was desperately unlucky to see his compatriot overtake him with the inferior pocket jacks after an all-in and call, and shortly afterwards, Chi’s queen-nine of clubs was shot down by Vousden’s ace-seven.

Out in fifth place was the Austria-based player Istvan Briski. Cashing for $883,404, Briski got all his chips into the middle pre-flop with king-eight of spades and was in massive trouble when his opponent in the hand’s hole cards were revealed, as Zhao again had the goodies with pocket aces. Drawing dead to the river, Briski’s bust-out made the final four players millionaires.

Two of them were about to win more than double that seven-figure sum.

Vousden Catches a Milly but Misses Out

Four players remained, but all of the players still in with a shout of victory. Samuel Vousden’s record was up there with any of his opponents, but the Finnish professional was unable to go further than fourth, his all-in with pocket sixes running into Thanarattrakul’s ace-jack and proving unable to hold. An ace-high flush on the flop left Vousden in need of a miracle which never came, and he departed for $1,178,040.

Chinese player Zhao had been one of the dominant forces at the final table, but his light was extinguished in third place for $1,570,941 who ran into Simon Mattsson on two occasions. First, Zhao couldn’t top the Norwegian’s full house, then a shove with jack-nine was eclipsed by Mattsson’s call with ace-three, the high card holding to send play heads-up.

That elimination of Zhao was pivotal as it turned out. Mattsson’s stack of 183.7 million was some way clear of Thanarattrakul with 115 million. The Thai player initially dipped and Mattsson quickly had a clear 2:1 advantage, which he would play out to victory. Mattsson’s six-five of clubs beat Thanarattrakul’s jack-ten when a T-7-4 flop was followed by a three on the turn completing the Norwegian’s straight. A seven on the river prompted a shove from Thanarattrakul and Mattsson’s call ended the event, the Norwegian winning $2,793,574, the Thai player taking home $2,094,884.