The 2022 U.S. Poker Open lasted for 13 days, and it comprised 12 high-stakes tournaments. Seven of the events were no-limit hold'em competitions whose cash prizes ranged from $10,000 to $50,000. The second tournament was Event no. 3, and it was one of the three $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold 'em events that various players participated in.
The event attracted 88 entries who formed an $880,000 cash prize pool. Adam Hendrix, an Alaskan professional poker player, won the $211,200 grand prize and title after two days of intensive action. It was his second-biggest live score in his poker career.
The victory increased Hendrix's lifetime poker earnings to over $2.8 million. Besides, this was his third time this year to reach the final table. He amassed 480 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points from the deep run.
It was enough to help him climb in the 2022 POY table standings to the 38th position. Global Poker sponsors the POY race.
The player's two past final-table showings were events whose buy-ins were less than $10,000, and they didn't pass for PokerGO Tour ranking points. Also, it was Hendrix's second score to be added in the high-stakes focused points race besides winning cash in the series' Event no. 2.
Recent reports indicate that Hendrix is in the 34th position in the PGT standings. The event's final day started with six players at the final table.
Jonathan Little, a Card Player contributor and World Poker Tour (WPT) main event champion, had a chip lead while Hendrix was on a short stack. Still, Hendrix got an early double with A-J suited for the A-10 of WPT winner, Nitis Udornpim.
Udornpim had one double-up. Unfortunately, his A-K suited failed to hold against Little's A-10 in another preflop all-in tussle. He left the tournament in sixth place and won $52,800.
More Players Got Eliminated
Erik Seidel, a nine-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) champion, fell next. He threw the last six big blinds from the button, having 10-9, and Hendrix called with a J-10 from the big blind.
Hendrix then made a queen-high straight on the river, took down the pot, and reduced entries to four. Seidel finished the event in fourth place and received $70,400. His lifetime earnings increased to over $39.8 million, and is the fifth player on poker's all-time money list.
Shannon Shorr backed his Event no. 1 win by finishing the $10,000 Buy-In No-Limit hold 'em event in fourth place. He had 690,000 chips, a 80,000 big blind ante and 40,000-80,000 blinds. Moreover, the player had Q-10 on the button, and it helped him open to 475,000.
Jeremy Ausmus shoved 1,510,000 from a small blind while Little made a big blind fold. Then, Shorr called the remaining 215,000. But, he exited the event with 488,000 as Ausmus continued playing.
Jeremy Ausmus' Performance in the Event
The action took place for over 90 minutes and had many swings. Ausmus dropped and had the fewest chips as the game continued. He made an all-in call from Hendrix, who had a chip lead, using KHeart SuitQHeart Suit for ten big blinds in the final hand.
The board then ran out AClub Suit3Heart Suit3Diamond Suit5Diamond Suit4Heart Suit as Hendrix got a knockout and the pot. Ausmus garnered 320 POY points and won 4105,600 after reaching his ninth final table this year. He has over $1.2 million year-to-date POY earnings and 2,492 total points.
The player rose to the sixth position in the PGT standings. Hendrix held 7,175,000 to Little's 3,825,000 in a heads-up play that lasted for a few minutes. But, Hendrix used 8Spade Suit8Heart Suit to raise to 300,000 while Little made a 3,375,000 three-bet all-in using AClub Suit2Diamond Suit.
Hendrix used his pocket pair to make a quick call when the board ran out QClub Suit6Club Suit3Diamond Suit5Club SuitJHeart Suit. Little finished second and received $149,600 with over $7.4 million poker career live earnings.
