Online Event #2: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder

Ian "IanMa" Matakis can now call himself a WSOP bracelet champion after winning Online Event #2: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder at the 2023 World Series of Poker.

"I've always wanted to win a bracelet," Matakis told PokerNews. "I basically played this tournament on my phone the whole day until the end of the 5k (No-Limit Hold'em Freezout.) I bagged about 50 bigs for the start of Day 2 on that one. When play ended, my buddy drove me home, and I was able to play the final table on my laptop."

$500 No-Limit Hold'em Bankroll Builder Final Table Results

Including rebuys, the tournament had 1,253 total entries resulting in a prize pool of $873,900. Some 240 places were paid, with all players in the money banking at least $1,311.

Numerous notable players entered but failed to make the money, including Matt "berkey11_S4Y" Berkey, Vanessa "ContainsNuts" Kade, and Cody "1eggadaymike" Bell, who won Online Event #1: $333 No-Limit Hold'em Triple Treys Summer Tip Off three days prior to today's tournament.

Notable players finishing in the money included Joey "OnSpectrum" Weissman (8th, $15,031,) John "RiverRace" Racener (20th, $3,670,) Davide "drogonzizi" Suriano (27th, $3,146,) and Phil "HeyGuys" Galfond (34th, $2,622.)

Another pro that cashed was Chance "BingShui" Kornuth, who found himself registered for two online tournaments at the same time. Kornuth was seen sitting out in one tournament so that he could open and play in the other. Despite having to miss hands, Kornuth cashed in both events (finishing 129th for $1,486 in this one.)

Eliminations came quickly at the final table. Weissman's ace-queen ran into Baruch "QQlove" Forst's pocket aces to exit in eighth.

Justin "MadTitan" Turner went out in seventh after his top pair fell to the flopped trips of "worldsgrtest." "Deeznutz" then fell in sixth to a rivered straight by Matakis.

Paul "plenkeit2" Lenkeit exited in fifth when his king-queen lost to king-deuce.

Matakis then played two big hands against "Worldsgrtest," first doubling up with pocket aces before eliminating them in fourth via pocket tens over pocket sevens.

Thomas "Pkrwarrior23" Rosa finished third when their pocket nines fell to a flopped pair of aces from Forst.

Matakis and Forst then played heads-up for about twenty minutes before the hand that ended the tournament.

Matakis held king-jack while Forst had ace-eight. After limping, Matakis bet on the ace-jack-four flop.

"It was a limped pot so that flop is usually better for me. That's why I bet out." The turn came a king. "On the turn, I hit two pair and block his two pair, and so I kept betting." Matakis bet and Forst raised all in with top pair. "When he jammed, it was a snap call." The river came a meaningless two, and Matakis became a WSOP bracelet winner.

"I'll be playing Day 2 of the 5k tomorrow," said Matakis, "but after that, this year, I was planning on taking it day by day."

PokerNews' coverage of WSOP online bracelet events continues with Online Event #4: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Ultra Deepstack on June 6 at 3:30 p.m. local time.

The remaining three players are on what could be their final break of the night.

Ian "IanMa" Matakis opened preflop action by raising to 630,000 from the button. "Worldsgrtest" then reraised to 2,150,000 from the small blind. Matakis called.

The flop came    . "Worldsgrtest" bet 900,000 and Matakis called. The turn came  . Facing a check from his opponent, Matakis bet 1,304,000. "Worldsgrtest" then moved all in, and Matakis immediately called with a shorter stack.

Ian "IanMa" Matakis:   
"Worldsgrtest":   

The river came  , and Matakis doubled up.

Ian "IanMa" Matakis	15,893,642	9,294,499
"worldsgrtest"	2,503,862	-7,963,791

Paul "plenkeit2" Lenkeit raised all in preflop from the small blind, and was called by "worldsgrtest" under the gun.

Paul "plenkeit2" Lenkeit:   
"Worldsgrtest":   

The board ran out       giving "Worldsgrtest" two pair. Despite being eliminated, Lenkeit still receives over $35,000 for finishing fith.

"worldsgrtest"	9,542,043	-629,172
Paul "plenkeit2" Lenkeit	0	-1,469,517

Preflop action began with "worldsgrtest" raising to 400,000 from the hijack. Joey "OnSpectrum" Weissman then raised all in for 569,260 from the button. Baruch "QQlove" Forst then reraised to 1.7 million. "worldsgrtest" folded.

Joey "OnSpectrum" Weissman:   
Baruch "QQlove" Forst:   

The       board did not improve Weissman's hand, resulting in his elimination. Weissman will take home just over $15,000 for his performance.

Baruch "QQlove" Forst	6,015,516	3,577,388
Joey "OnSpectrum" Weissman	0	-3,993,662

The final nine players have entered hand-for-hand play. With one more elimination, a final table will be set.