WCOOP-59-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze]
Day 2 Completed
PokerStars WCOOP 2020
WCOOP-59-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze]
Day: 2
Event Info
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
The year of Brazil continues as yet another title in the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker 2020 has been awarded to a player from the poker stronghold in South America. Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski who earned his third WCOOP title in as many years in WCOOP-59-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze] after defeating Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer to best a field of 97 entries and took home the lion's share of the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
A maiden WCOOP title for Kovalski came in 2018 WCOOP-31H: $1,050 NLHE as he topped a field of 2,077 entries for $282,545. He then conquered a 767-entry strong field one year later in WCOOP-19-H: $530 NLHE [4-Max] to claim $64,912.
The Brazilian has already cashed for more than $3.5 million on PokerStars and racked up several cashes in the ongoing festival including a 4th place in WCOOP-27-H: $1,050 NLHE [Freezeout] for $32,915. The latest victory comes with a top prize of $119,483 whereas runner-up O'Dwyer was denied a second title and received a consolation prize of $92,338.
Also featured on the final table were the known poker pros Filipe "Zagazaur" Oliveira, Samuel "€urop€an" Vousden, Tomi "elmerixx" Brouk and Sam "Str8$$$Homey" Greenwood.
Final Result WCOOP-59-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze]
| Place | Winner | Country | Payout (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski | Brazil | $119,483 |
| 2 | Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer | Ireland | $92,338 |
| 3 | Filipe "Zagazaur" Oliveira | Portugal | $71,360 |
| 4 | MaxHendrix | Russia | $55,148 |
| 5 | Samuel "€urop€an" Vousden | Finland | $42,619 |
| 6 | Sintoras | Germany | $32,936 |
| 7 | Tomi "elmerixx" Brouk | Finland | $25,453 |
| 8 | Sam "Str8$$$Homey" Greenwood | Canada | $19,671 |
| 9 | SmilleThHero | Austria | $15,755 |
| 10 | Apo5555 | Russia | $12,619 |
| 11 | Jonathan "Proudflop" Proudfoot | United Kingdom | $12,619 |
The first player to bust was the UK's Jonathan "Proudflop" Proudfoot followed by "Apo5555" and that set up the nine-handed final table after just ten minutes of play on the final day.
The Action of the Final Day
With several short stacks returning to their virtual seats it was not unexpected to see two early eliminations and it took just ten minutes to set up the nine-handed final table. Jonathan "Proudflop" Proudfoot was left short after doubling "SmilleThHero" and then lost the last few chips to Sam "Str8$$$Homey" Greenwood. Kovalski then flopped a set of deuces to leave "Apo5555" drawing dead on the turn.
For "SmilleThHero", the laddering ended in 9th place as Tomi "elmerixx" Brouk flopped quads tens to end all hopes of an even deeper run. Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer then won a race against Greenwood with queens against ace-king to get into contention and scored an even bigger double against Brouk to become the second-biggest stack.
For Greenwood and Brouk the end came soon after, which left another two short stacks in contention. The first of those to bow out was "Sintoras" against O'Dwyer and Vousden sent his chips in the same direction.
Down to the final four, it took a while to lose another player as "MaxHendrix" managed to double at least once against each other finalist but the Russian eventually succumbed in 4th place when Kovalski got on the scoreboard again with queens full of sixes against trips sixes. In the very next hand, Filipe "Zagazaur" Oliveira lost a flip with sixes against the ace-eight of O'Dwyer and the heads-up duel was set.
By then, Kovalski had been in the lead for all but a few minutes throughout the entire day and would not surrender his comfortable lead anymore. O'Dwyer doubled once but never threatened to close the gap as it was all over just a few minutes later. It was yet another of those typical coin flips with the ace-ten for Kovalski and the pocket nines of O'Dwyer. A ten on the flop gave Kovalski the lead and two blanks later he had earned his third WCOOP title in consecutive years.
The final day of WCOOP-59-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze] was streamed on the PokerStars Twitch channel with cards-up coverage and commentary on a delay of at least 20 minutes. Exclusive PokerStars WCOOP 2020 highlights, results and live updates of other events can be found right here!
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
The action kicked off with a button limp by Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski and Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer raised to 240,000 with 1,249,696 behind. Kovalski moved all in and O'Dwyer called it off.
Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer: 
Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski: 
O'Dwyer was ahead with his pair of nines but the 
flop vaulted Kovalski into the lead. The 
turn provided an additional gutshot for O'Dwyer but a blank 
on the river ended his run in 2nd place for $92,338.
That wraps up the tournament with a third career WCOOP title in as many years for Kovalski as the series of victories for players from Brazil continues. A recap of today's action is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,700,000
1,499,696
|
1,499,696 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
After losing another pot to a river bet and electing to fold, Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer limped the small blind and then called the shove of Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski.
Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer: 
Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski: 
The 
flop all but locked up the double but the 
turn made things interesting all of a sudden. Kovalski rivered a straight with the 
but the same card gave O'Dwyer a flush for the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,200,304
-459,848
|
-459,848 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,499,696
459,848
|
459,848 |
|
|
||
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer dropped to as low as 11 blinds and moved all in several times without being called. In the next min-raised pot to the 
flop, O'Dwyer then checked and Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski earned the pot with a bet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,660,152
210,000
|
210,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,039,848
-210,000
|
-210,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer min-raised his button and was called by Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski in the big blind.
They headed to the 
flop which brought no betting action. Kovalski led the 
turn for 320,000 into 340,000 and O'Dwyer called.
After the river, O'Dwyer checked behind and Kovalski won the pot with 
for a straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,450,152
695,000
|
695,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,249,848
-695,000
|
-695,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer won another solid pot when his 
made the superior two pair on a board of 
board to beat the 
of Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski, boosting his stack up to more than 2.5 million.
Kovalski won two blinds back in the following hand and another medium-sized pot then emerged.
O'Dwyer min-raised the button to pick up a call and Kovalski check-called for 101,600 on the 
flop. He did so again for 179,200 on the turn and the 
river was checked by both. Kovalski tabled the 
for queens and sevens, which was good enough to claim the pot.
Kovalski won the next two small pots and O'Dwyer then jammed out of the big blind to force a preflop fold from Kovalski.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,755,152
450,400
|
450,400 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,944,848
-450,400
|
-450,400 |
|
|
||
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski limp-called another raise to 240,000 after the blinds had gone up and Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer then continued for 125,000 on the 
flop, which resulted in a call from Kovalski.
A second barrel for 247,200 followed on the 
turn as Kovalski called once more and the 
river brought the shove of O'Dwyer, which went through without resistance.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,304,752
-452,200
|
-452,200 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,395,248
452,200
|
452,200 |
|
|
||
Level: 29
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 10,000
Level 28
: 35,000/70,000, 8,750 ante
In the first hand back from the break, Steve "Mr. Tim Caum" O'Dwyer limped the small blind and Fabiano "Kovalski1" Kovalski checked back from the big blind.
The 
flop was checked and O'Dwyer then called a bet of 175,000 by Kovalski on the turn. Kovalski also bet the 
river for 630,000 into 507,500 and O'Dwyer folded.
One hand later, Kovalski limp-called a raise to 210,000 and they checked the 
flop. O'Dwyer check-called 245,000 on the turn and the river was checked again. O'Dwyer was first to show and revealed for trips deuces, which won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,756,952
-210,000
|
-210,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,943,048
210,000
|
210,000 |
|
|
||