Sunday, September 13, 2020 11:27 PM Local Time
AJ "RandyLerch" Kelsall Wins 2020 WSOP Global Casino Championship ($275,632)
On Sunday, the 2019/20 World Series of Poker Circuit Season – one that had been interrupted by the pandemic – came to an end with the annual Global Casino Championship, which for the first time was held online at WSOP.com.
Players qualified for the $1 million guaranteed tournament by either winning a WSOPC stop Main Event or finishing as Casino Champ. In addition, any player that won a ring during the season or finished in the top 100 of last year's WSOP Player of the Year race had the option to buy-in directly for $10,000. Seven players opted to do just that meaning the total field stood at 130 players with a $1,070,000 prize pool up for grabs.
After 11 hours of play, three-time ring winner AJ "RandyLerch" Kelsall emerged victorious to capture a $275,632 first-place prize and his first gold bracelet. Kelsall won his first ring back in 2015 and added two more this past season. He qualified for the Global Casino Championship as an at-large points qualifier after finishing fourth on the leaderboard with 332.5 points from 30 cashes totaling $214,326 in winnings.
Prior to the win, Kelsall had just over $1 million in lifetime WSOP-related earnings. His best live score was $124,731 for winning the 2014 Winter Poker Open at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Bay.
As for the bracelet win, Kelsall called it a "dream come true."
2020 Global Casino Championship Final Table Results
Place | Player | How they Qualified | Prize |
1 | AJ "RandyLerch" Kelsall | At-Large Qualifier | $275,632 |
2 | Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | Planet Hollywood Main Event Champ | $170,344 |
3 | Brad "bd3303" Albrinck | At-Large Qualifier | $120,161 |
4 | Michael "miw210x" Wang | Horseshoe Baltimore Casino Champ | $87,098 |
5 | Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels | WSOP.com Finale Champ | $64,735 |
6 | Sam "BickDutt69" Cosby | At-Large Qualifier | $49,541 |
7 | Eric "powwow" Ethans | At-Large Qualifier | $39,055 |
8 | Frank "spaghettiii" Marasco | WSOP.com Finale Champ | $31,672 |
With only 20 players getting paid, most players left empty-handed including Roland "prngls12" Israelashvili, Melisa "MellieScoops" Singh, and all-time WSOPC ring winner Maurice "BUPPIE" Hawkins, just to name a few.
Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were David "TheClubber" Larson (20th - $16,264), Scott "stpauli111" Hall (19th - $16,264), Richard "unclebets" Bai (18th - $16,264), Matt "RubberFist" Stout (17th - $16,264), Brian "JackBogle" Altman (16th - $17,869), Chris "SSNinjaCA318" Audrain (15th - $17,869), Charlie "Badrabbit" Dawson (14th - $17,869), Faisal "desigolfer" Siddiqui (13th - $20,330), Jason "VooDooDuDu" Tang (12th - $20,330), Ken "kdonarski" Donarski (11th - $22,898), Mike "mouth123" Matusow (10th - $22,898), and final table bubble boy Daniel "DNegs" Negreanu (9th - $26,643).
Kelsall began the final table in the middle of the pack and held strong before dispatching Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels in fifth place, the result of ace-king holding against ace-five all in preflop.
With three players remaining, Kelsall was the short stack but before long claimed the lead. He then won a race with pocket fours against ace-jack to send Brad "bd3303" Albrinck to the rail in third place, good for $120,161, and that allowed Kelsall to take a more than 2:1 chip lead into heads-up play against WSOPC Planet Hollywood Main Event champ Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett.
Trivett would soon double into the lead, but just when it looked as if Kelsall was destined for second place, he doubled himself to reclaim the lead. In the final hand of the tournament, Trivett would flop bottom two pair and Kelsall a double gutshot straight draw. The chips got in and Kelsall turned a wheel before fading the river to close it out. Trivett had to settle for a runner-up finish for $170,344 in prize money.
While the new WSOP Circuit season would normally be underway by now, the pandemic has prevented things from starting as usual. As such, details surrounding upcoming WSOPC stops are to be determined.
Sunday, September 13, 2020 11:07 PM Local Time
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett Eliminated in 2nd Place ($170,344)
In an exciting final hand, Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett and Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall got it all in on a flop of .
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett:
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall:
Trivett flopped two pair but Kelsall had a double gutshot straight draw, which he hit on the turn. The river was no help to Trivett and he was eliminated in second place.
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 7,800,000 | 2,215,648 |
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | 0 | -2,215,648 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 10:55 PM Local Time
Heads-Up Chip Counts
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 5,584,352 | -238,104 |
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | 2,215,648 | -1,366,425 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 10:46 PM Local Time
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck Eliminated in 3rd Place ($120,161)
Blinds: 40,000/80,000/8,000
In blind-versus-blind preflop action, Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall moved all in from the small blind and Brad "bd3303" Albrinck, who was an At-Large Points Qualifier, called off from the big blind.
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall:
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck:
Albrinck hit one of his two overs on the flop, but unfortunately for him, Kelsall also flopped bottom set. The turn and river runout kept Kelsall in the lead and eliminated Albrinck in third place.
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 5,822,456 | 3,200,387 |
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck | 0 | -1,445,858 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 10:27 PM Local Time
Michael "miw210x" Wang Eliminated in 4th Place ($87,098)
Blinds: 25,000/50,000/5,000
Michael "mix210x" Wang, who qualified after finishing as the Horseshoe Baltimore Casino Champ, moved all in from the button and was called by Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett from his small blind.
Michael "mix210x" Wang":
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett:
The board ran out , which kept Trivett's Ace-nine-high in the lead to eliminate Wang in fourth place for $87,098.
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | 3,582,073 | 1,141,464 |
Michael "miw210x" Wang | 0 | -1,111,464 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 10:07 PM Local Time
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels Eliminated in 5th Place ($64,735)
Blinds: 25,000/50,000/5,000
Two-time WSOPC ring winner Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels, who qualified after winning the WSOP.com Season Finale High Roller for $75K, moved all in for around 330,000 under the gun and Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall called out of the small blind.
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall:
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels:
Daniels had a kicker problem and it didn't get resolved as the board ran out
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 2,622,069 | 166,102 |
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels | 0 | -346,102 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 10:05 PM Local Time
Five-Handed Chip Counts at the Break
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 2,455,967 | 1,830,013 |
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | 2,440,609 | 176,000 |
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck | 1,445,858 | -114,997 |
Michael "miw210x" Wang | 1,111,464 | -302,373 |
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels | 346,102 | -1,543,738 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 10:04 PM Local Time
Sam "Bickdutt69" Cosby Eliminated in 6th Place ($49,541)
Blinds: 25,000/50,000/5,000
The short-stacked Sam "Bickdutt69" Cosby, a former poker reporter, raised all in for 210,772 from the hijack and Brad "bd3303" Albrinck flatted the button. Both blinds folded and Cosby discovered the bad news.
Sam "Bickdutt69" Cosby:
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck:
Cosby ran into the granddaddy of all hands and was drawing dead after the turn when the board ran out .
Cosby, who was an at-large points qualifier, took his leave in sixth place for $49,541.
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck | 1,560,855 | 563,437 |
Sam "Bickdutt69" Cosby | 0 | -417,086 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 9:55 PM Local Time
Eric "powwow" Ethans Eliminated in 7th Place ($31,672)
Blinds: 20,000/40,000/4,000
After a preflop raise from Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels three players saw a flop of .
Daniels continued for 100,000, Eric "powwow" Ethans moved all in, and Michael "Annie_r_u_ok" Trivett moved all in behind, which got a fold from Daniels.
Eric "powwow" Ethans:
Michael "Annie_r_u_ok" Trivett:
The turn and river completed the runout and eliminated Ethans from the tournament.
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | 2,264,609 | 1,280,419 |
Eric "powwow" Ethans | 0 | -1,068,019 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 9:33 PM Local Time
National/Global Casino Championship History: Eriquezzo Becomes Two-Time Champ
In 2019, the Global Casino Championship had 129 players take to the felt, and it was a familiar face coming out on top as the 2012 champ Ryan Eriquezzo beat Eric Salazar heads up to win the title for a second time, plus a $279,431 top prize.
"It's very similar, but at the same it's different," said Eriquezzo, who qualified after winning the 2019 WSOPC Harrah's Atlantic City Main Event for $124,397. "My rail in Vegas was huge; everyone was rooting for me. This was a bit different; it felt like I was coming into hostile territory."
As it stands, Eriquezzo is the reigning Global Casino Champion.
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
1 | Ryan Eriquezzo | USA | $279,431 |
2 | Eric Salazar | USA | $172,431 |
3 | Maurice Hawkins | USA | $119,555 |
4 | Josh Turner | USA | $84,961 |
5 | Paulius Vaitiekunas | Lithuania | $62,023 |
6 | Adam Cedric | France | $46,546 |
7 | Jordan Piva | Brazil | $35,939 |
8 | Jarod Minghini | USA | $28,572 |
9 | Josh Reichard | USA | $23,411 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 9:19 PM Local Time
Final Table Counts
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels | 1,889,840 | 125,688 |
Michael "miw210x" Wang | 1,413,837 | 440,100 |
Eric "powwow" Ethans | 1,068,019 | 0 |
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck | 997,418 | -343,164 |
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | 984,190 | -104,105 |
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 625,954 | 362,177 |
Sam "Bickdutt69" Cosby | 417,086 | -216,201 |
Frank "spaghettiii" Marasco | 403,656 | 94,796 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 9:14 PM Local Time
Daniel "DNegs" Negreanu Eliminated on Final Table Bubble in 9th Place ($26,643)
Blinds: 17,000/34,000/3,400
When action folded around to Daniel "DNegs" Negreanu in the small blind, he shoved his remaining short stack and was called by Eric "powwow" Ethans in the big blind.
Daniel "DNegs" Negreanu:
Eric "powwow" Ethans:
Negreanu's hand was dominated preflop and he failed to hit one of the remaining queens in the deck on the runout, which sent him out of the tournament in ninth place just one spot shy of the final table.
Eric "powwow" Ethans | 1,068,019 | 834,015 |
Daniel "DNegs" Negreanu | 0 | -524,126 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 9:00 PM Local Time
Mike "mouth123" Matusow Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,898)
Blinds: 14,000/28,000/2,800
It was yet another blind-versus-blind showdown, and this time Mike "mike123" Matusow was all in and on the wrong side of things.
After Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels shoved his dominating stack from the small blind, Matusow called off and was the one all in and at risk.
Mike "mike123" Matusow:
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels:
Matusow got it in good, but Daniels had two live cards and hit both on the runout, which sent Matusow out in 10th place and left the remaining players on the final table bubble.
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels | 1,764,152 | 328,248 |
Mike "mouth123" Matusow | 0 | -253,124 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 8:42 PM Local Time
Kenneth "kdonarski" Donarski Eliminated in 11th Place ($22,898)
Blinds: 12,000/24,000/1,200
Kenneth "kdonarski" Donarski moved all in preflop and was called by Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels.
Kenneth "kdonarski" Donarski:
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels:
The board ran out , sending Donarksi out in 11th place.
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels | 1,435,904 | 827,560 |
Kenneth "kdonarski" Donarski | 0 | -499,504 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 8:30 PM Local Time
Jason "VooDooDuDu" Tang Elimimated in 12th Place ($20,330)
Blinds: 12,000/24,000/1200
In blind-versus-blind action, Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall and Jaso0n "VooDooDuDu" Tang got it all in preflop and were off to the races.
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall:
Jason "VooDooDuDu" Tang:
The board ran out , which gave Kelsall a boat and eiminated Tang from the tournament.
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 263,777 | -142,531 |
Jason "VooDooDuDu" Tang | 0 | 0 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 8:20 PM Local Time
Former WSOP National/Global Casino Championship Winners
Season | Tournament | Entries | Winner | Prize | Runner-Up |
2010–11 | WSOP Circuit National Championship | 100 | Sam Barnhart | $300,000 | James Anderson |
2011–12 | WSOP Circuit National Championship | 157 | Ryan Eriquezzo | $416,051 | Nik Stone |
2012–13 | WSOP Circuit National Championship | 127 | Jonathan Hilton | $355,599 | Max Steinberg |
2013–14 | WSOP Circuit National Championship | 126 | Dominik Nitsche | $352,800 | Athanasios Polychronopoulos |
2014–15 | WSOP Circuit National Championship | 122 | Loni Harwood | $341,599 | Alexandru Masek |
2015–16 | WSOP Global Casino Championship | 126 | Said El-Yousfi | $343,256 | Yasin Ahmady |
2016–17 | WSOP Global Casino Championship | 124 | Sean Yu | $296,941 | Alexander Lakhov |
2017–18 | WSOP Global Casino Championship | 127 | Warren Sheaves | $282,113 | Jeremy Meacham |
2018–19 | WSOP Global Casino Championship | 129 | Ryan Eriquezzo | $279,431 | Eric Salazar |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 8:06 PM Local Time
Updated Chip Counts
Brad "bd3303" Albrinck | 1,340,582 | 259,651 |
Michael "annie_r_u_ok" Trivett | 1,088,295 | 451,074 |
Michael "miw210x" Wang | 973,737 | 327,468 |
Sam "Bickdutt69" Cosby | 633,287 | 412,507 |
Shawn "Saygoodnight" Daniels | 608,344 | 256,683 |
Daniel "DNegs" Negreanu | 524,126 | 139,663 |
Kenneth "kdonarski" Donarski | 499,504 | -147,176 |
Jason "VooDooDuDu" Tang | 449,973 | 108,312 |
Andrew "RandyLerch" Kelsall | 406,308 | 132,070 |
Frank "spaghettiii" Marasco | 308,860 | -129,158 |
Mike "mouth123" Matusow | 253,124 | 141,696 |
Eric "powwow" Ethans | 234,004 | -21,758 |
Charlie "Badrabbit" Dawson | 176,498 | -78,800 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 7:51 PM Local Time
First Round of Payouts ($16,264)
Matt "RubberFist" Stout | 0 | -512,929 |
Richard "unclebets" Bai | 0 | 0 |
Scott "stpauli111" Hall | 0 | 0 |
David "TheClubber" Larson | 0 | 0 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 7:48 PM Local Time
National/Global Casino Championship History: Warren Sheaves Wins a Medium Bracele
In 2018, the Global Casino Championship attracted 127 players to Harrah's Cherokee and saw Warren Sheaves take it down for $282,113 and his first bracelet. Sheaves had qualified after finishing in 10th place on that year's points leaderboard.
After his victory, Sheaves told assembled media: "I feel pretty good, but they only invited 120 people or so to this tournament. So, I just kind of feel like this is a medium bracelet, you know? It doesn't really fit my ego."
At the time, WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said of the event: "Ten years ago, we only had 12 Circuit stops and they were all in the U.S. We're proud to have grown it to 39 stops in 11 different countries and the Global Casino Championship at Harrah's Cherokee exists to put the best of the best in the same room to see who comes out on top. We'll continue to work hard to make the World Series of Poker the biggest and best poker tournaments to play all around the world."
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
1 | Warren Sheaves | USA | $282,113 |
2 | Jeremy Meacham | USA | $174,360 |
3 | Keven Stammen | USA | $122,360 |
4 | Armin Stocker | Switzerland | $88,463 |
5 | Loni Harwood | USA | $65,067 |
6 | Arkadiy Tsinis | USA | $48,926 |
7 | Blake Whittington | USA | $37,627 |
8 | Kurt Jewell | USA | $29,612 |
9 | Stephen Bierman | USA | $23,861 |
Sunday, September 13, 2020 7:36 PM Local Time
Adam "nonce" Owen Goes Out on the Bubble
Blinds: 6,000/12,000/1,200
In a hand that started out relatively tame an "action flop" saw two players get it all in.
After Matt "RubberFist" Stout limped the button three players saw a flop of . Adam "nonce" Owen checked the small blind, the big blind checked, and Stout bet 22,200.
Owen then check-shoved, which got a fold from the big blind, but a call from Stout. With that, the cards were revealed.
Adam "nonce" Owen:
Matt "RubberFist" Stout":
Owen had flopped a monster draw against Stout's bottom set, but unfortunately, the former didn't get there as bot the turn and river bricked. Owen was eliminated on the money bubble in 21st place.
Matt "RubberFist" Stout | 512,929 | 124,813 |
Adam "nonce" Owen | 0 | -143,813 |