Tuesday, June 6, 2023 9:19 PM Local Time
Joseph Altomonte Earns $217,102 and First Bracelet in Event #13: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack
The 2023 World Series of Poker has crowned another winner of a coveted gold bracelet at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Out of a field of 3,200 entries in Event #13: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack, Joseph Altomonte defeated Michael Holmes in a short-lived heads-up duel to claim the biggest slice of the $1,632,000 prize pool.
Altomonte claimed his first bracelet, and for his efforts over the last two days, he earned a payday of $217,102, while Holmes was denied the victory and had to settle for $134,171.
2023 has been quite the year for Altomonte as he is just getting back into the poker lifestyle, as he didn't play for many years due to his ex-girlfriend not liking the idea of it. He has cashed in four WSOPC events online, including a first-place finish in the $3,200 High Roller for $87,676.
He also is racking up quite the list of live results, as he has seven cashes and two first-place victories previously to taking down Event #13 for a total of $180,760 in earnings.
The final day had plenty of bracelet winners in the mix, including Jonathan Dimmig who just missed the final table finishing in 10th place ($16,772), Shaun Deeb (17th -$8,647), Greg Raymer (88th -$2,051) Brandon Shack-Harris (95th -$2,051), and Koray Aldemir (111th -$1,773).
Final Table Results
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize |
|---|
| 1 | Joseph Altomonte | United States | $217,102 |
| 2 | Michael Holmes | United States | $134,171 |
| 3 | Stephen Wheeland | United States | $100,976 |
| 4 | Jorge Ufano | United States | $76,516 |
| 5 | Clayton Fletcher | United States | $58,382 |
| 6 | Xing He | Canada | $44,856 |
| 7 | Ardit Bitincka | Canada | $34,706 |
| 8 | Jerome Hickel | France | $27,042 |
Winner's Reaction
After his dominating victory, Altomonte told PokerNews he was extremely excited to be back in the poker world as he was a professional poker player back in 2010. "My ex said being a poker player wasn't an acceptable occupation, so I quit for a very long time," he explained. The now-single Altomonte has only been playing again since February of this year and is already racking up impressive results.
Altomonte was so excited to win the bracelet that he asked to call his parents before the photos and interview began. "It's a dream come true, you don't even understand."
Action of the Final Day
The day started out with fierce action, and players were being eliminated quickly, including 2021 Main Event Champion Koray Aldemir, who was eliminated in the first level of the day. He got all of the chips in with top pair and a double gut-shot straight draw, but couldn't quite get there against Matthew Grocholsky's set of nines.
The action continued to go quickly as 2004 Main Event Champion Greg Raymer busted shortly after. By the first break, only 67 players were remaining, and only nine players were still alive by the dinner break at 5 p.m.
Altomonte came to the final table as the second largest stack and quickly spun it up, as he battled with Kevin Rand who was the chip leader at the time. After a few hands of back and forth, Altomonte finally put the nail in the coffin as he was able to fade Rand's gutshot and flush draw with his pair of queens, putting him over the 40,000,000 chip mark.
He continued his aggression, raising and three-betting plenty of hands slowly building to have a massive chip advantage entering heads-up as a 12-1 favorite. It was Holmes who was the eventual runner-up, claiming the $134,171 second-place prize, despite doubling up the first hand.
That concludes the PokerNews' coverage for this event, but dozens more events are on the horizon. Check out PokerNews' schedule for links to live coverage of other WSOP bracelet events.
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 8:05 PM Local Time
Michael Holmes Eliminated in 2nd Place ($134,171)
Michael Holmes limp-called Joseph Altomonte's raise of 3,000,000 before the flop.
When the dealer spread the flop of , Altomonte bet the pot of 7,000,000 and called it off when Holmes jammed for around 10,000,000.
"Do you have the ace?" Asked Holmes before both hands were tabled.
"No, but I have kings," Altomonte replied as he tabled his hand.
Michael Holmes:
Joseph Altomonte:
Altomonte was ahead with his kings and the board completed with the on the turn and the on the river, sending Holmes home in 2nd place.
| Joseph Altomonte | 96,000,000 | 15,000,000  |
| Michael Holmes | 0 | -15,000,000  |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 8:00 PM Local Time
Level 38 started
Level: 38
Blinds: 500,000/1,000,000
Ante: 1,000,000
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:57 PM Local Time
Holmes Doubles First Hand of Heads Up
The first hand of heads up there were a series of raises before the flop Michael Holmes was at risk for his 7,000,000.
Michael Holmes:
Joseph Altomonte:
Holmes' kings were able to hold as the board ran out .
| Joseph Altomonte | 81,000,000 | -8,000,000 |
| Michael Holmes | 15,000,000 | 8,000,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:46 PM Local Time
Dewayne Wheeland Eliminated in 3rd Place ($100,976)
Dewayne Wheeland raised to 3,000,000 and Joseph Altomonte three-bet before Holmes put his entire 5,600,000 across the line. Altomonte quickly called.
Dewayne Wheeland:
Joseph Altomonte:
The dealer ran out a board of , giving Altomonte a flush as he eliminated Wheeland in 3rd place.
| Joseph Altomonte | 89,000,000 | 5,600,000 |
| Michael Holmes | 7,000,000 | 0 |
| Dewayne Wheeland | 0 | -5,600,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:25 PM Local Time
Wheeland Jamming but No Action
Dewayne Wheeland is trying to battle back with a double up, as he has jammed three hands in a row but couldn't get a caller.
| Joseph Altomonte | 83,400,000 | 6,800,000 |
| Michael Holmes | 7,000,000 | -600,000 |
| Dewayne Wheeland | 5,600,000 | 1,000,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:23 PM Local Time
Jorge Ufano Eliminated in 4th Place ($76,516)
Jorge Ufano was short-stacked and had an easy decision to get his chips in preflop. Unfortunately for him, he ran into Joseph Altomonte holding .
The board came and Altomonte's full house ended Ufano's tournament.
| Joseph Altomonte | 86,000,000 | 9,400,000 |
| Jorge Ufano | 0 | -7,200,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:10 PM Local Time
Holmes Stays Alive
Michael Holmes jammed on the button for 2,625,000 and Joseph Altomonte called in the small blind.
Michael Holmes:
Joseph Altomonte:
The board ran out , for Holmes to collect a double with two pair.
| Joseph Altomonte | 76,600,000 | -2,000,000 |
| Michael Holmes | 7,600,000 | -1,400,000 |
| Jorge Ufano | 7,200,000 | -2,050,000 |
| Dewayne Wheeland | 4,600,000 | -5,600,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:02 PM Local Time
Clayton Fletcher Eliminated in 5th Place ($58,382)
The action folded around to Joseph Altomonte in the small blind as he raised to 1,800,000. Clayton Fletcher was in the big blind and moved in for his stack of about 5,800,000 and Altomonte made the call.
Clayton Fletcher:
Joseph Altomonte:
The board ran out , giving Altomonte a a full house and Fletcher was eliminated in 5th place.
| Joseph Altomonte | 78,600,000 | -1,400,000 |
| Clayton Fletcher | 0 | -3,950,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:00 PM Local Time
Level 37 started
Level: 37
Blinds: 400,000/800,000
Ante: 800,000
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:49 PM Local Time
Xing He Eliminated in 6th Place ($44,856)
Xing He raised to 1,200,000 from under the gun and was called by Dewayne Wheeland and Joseph Altomonte.
The flop was . Altomonte checked from the small blind and He pushed almost his entire stack in the middle, a few chips left behind, protecting his cards.
Altomonte called and the turn was a he flicked in a chip to put He all in.
Xing He:
Joseph Altomonte:
The turn and river came giving Altomonte a flush.
| Joseph Altomonte | 80,000,000 | 24,000,000 |
| Xing He | 0 | -8,150,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:38 PM Local Time
Ardit Bitincka Eliminated in 7th Place ($34,706)
Ardit Bitincka raised all-in for his last 1,075,000 under the gun and Dewayne Wheeland three-bet to 4,125,000, driving the rest of the table out of the pot and both hands were tabled.
Ardit Bitincka:
Dewayne Wheeland:
The flop of gave Wheeland trip queens and the turn and river improved him to a full house as Bitincka was eliminated in 7th place.
| Dewayne Wheeland | 10,200,000 | 2,400,000 |
| Ardit Bitincka | 0 | -2,525,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:34 PM Local Time
Wheeland's Chips are Slipping
Dewayne Wheeland raised the button to 1,200,000 and Joseph Altomonte three-bet to 3,850,000 in the big blind. Wheeland made the call.
The dealer spread a flop of and Altomonte dropped 7,000,000 across the line, which was enough to drag the pot.
| Joseph Altomonte | 56,000,000 | 11,000,000 |
| Dewayne Wheeland | 7,800,000 | -4,600,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:32 PM Local Time
He Makes Broadway to Score a Double
Xing He limped the cutoff before Dewayne Wheeland raised to 1,650,000 from the big blind. He called.
The dealer spread a flop of and Wheeland dropped stack of pinks across the line for the maximum bet. He had 2,425,000 and called.
Xing He:
Dewayne Wheeland:
Wheeland had flopped a pair and a flush draw, while He flopped a straight draw. The turn completed He's Broadway draw and he was able to fade the diamond as the fell on the river.
| Dewayne Wheeland | 12,400,000 | -3,400,000 |
| Xing He | 8,150,000 | 2,850,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:24 PM Local Time
Jerome Hickel Eliminated in 8th Place ($34,706)
Action was folded around to Jerome Hickel in the cut-off who raised. Joseph Altomonte reraised, Hickel said, "Pot" and both players got their chips in.
Jerome Hickel:
Joseph Altomonte:
The board ran out giving Altomonte the nut flush, busting Hickel in 8th.
| Joseph Altomonte | 45,000,000 | 0 |
| Jerome Hickel | 0 | -8,800,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:23 PM Local Time
Level 36 started
Level: 36
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:14 PM Local Time
Kevin Rand Eliminated in 9th Place ($21,221)
Joseph Altomonte raised under the gun to 1,200,000 and Kevin Rand called in the hijack.
On the flop, Altomonte bet 1,700,000 and Rand announced pot, getting all of his chips in the middle and Altomonte called.
Kevin Rand:
Joseph Altomonte:
Rand had flopped a gutshot straight draw and the nut-flush draw but the turn and river were no help as he was eliminated in 9th place.
| Joseph Altomonte | 45,000,000 | 12,000,000 |
| Kevin Rand | 0 | -11,375,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 6:09 PM Local Time
Altomonte Takes it Away on the River
Joseph Altomonte raised to 1,200,000 in early position and was called by Kevin Rand in the cutoff.
The dealer fanned a flop of and Altomonte check-called a bet of 1,750,000.
The hit the turn and Altomonte check-called another bet, this time for 3,800,000.
The river was the and Altomonte took the lead, dropping 5,700,000 across the line and Rand released his hand.
| Joseph Altomonte | 33,000,000 | 15,800,000 |
| Kevin Rand | 11,375,000 | -7,800,000 |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 5:52 PM Local Time
Level 35 started
Level: 35
Blinds: 250,000/500,000
Ante: 500,000
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 5:31 PM Local Time
The Two Failed Bluffs in One Week that Cost Doug Polk $700k
Doug Polk
Chris Moneymaker had the Bluff of the Century in 2003. This past week, Doug Polk had perhaps the Failed Bluff of the Century.
On Sunday, heads-up for a bracelet, Polk bluffed off a significant portion of his stack at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) less than one week after his infamous bluff attempt that didn't get through on Hustler Casino Live's $1 million game.
In both instances, the Upswing Poker founder had a busted draw and attempted to use aggression to coerce his opponents into folding somewhat marginal holdings in massive pots. Both times, however, his efforts were unsuccessful and quite costly.
Read all details here