Hossein Ensan from Germany wins 2019 WSOP Main Event for $10,000,000 by beating Dario Sammartino Heads-Up. Check out the most comprehensive Recap of the 2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table including videos of the best hands, interviews and reactions from the poker pros below!
Facts and Figures 2019 WSOP Main Event
- Buy-In: $10,000
- Players: 1 of 8569
- Prize Pool: $80,548,600
- First Prize: $10,000,000
German Poker Pro Hossein Ensan starts Final Table as massive chipleader
English 888poker qualifier Nicholas Marchington was the chipleader at the start of Day 7 with 39,800,000 chips.
The 2019 WSOP Main Event is by the way the second biggest of all time with 8,569 players!
German pro Hossein Ensan (34,500,000), Timothy Su from the USA (34,350,000) and Serbian player Milos Skrbic were all hot on his heals.
It should become the day of former EPT Prague Winner Hossein Ensan, who not only took over the lead quickly, but also extended it further and further.
Hossein Ensan gets a dream spot with only 11 players left
With only 11 players left in the most important poker tournament in the world Ensan got a spot every poker player is dreaming of.
Hossein flopped a set with Pocket Tens, which turned a full house on Qh-Ts-7d-7s-6h and managed to get his check-raise on the river called by Timothy Su after setting a trap on the turn.
There were a staggering 116,000,000 in the middle, which was also the biggest pot of the tournament so far. After this hand Ensan had almost three times as many chips as second place Gary Gates.
Hossein Ensan is a very sympathique and likeable person and the whole German-speaking poker community is rooting for him:
WSOP 2019, Main Event, In Live with the fans of Hossein Ensan!#POKERROOMKINGS#KingsResort#WSOP50#WSOP pic.twitter.com/ZQuYwPvQvE
— King’s Resort (@PokerroomKings) July 15, 2019
Poker Journalist Garry Gates is the real sensation of the 2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table
The latter is the real sensation as he is a poker journalist and amateur. Garry used to ran the Pokernews Live Reporting and is now a Senior Consultant of Player Affairs for PokerStars Live.
I’m not a big believer in karma but my god after so many years of putting up with every single high roller diva in poker my god @GarryGates deserved that ace on the river and 10 million dollars of poker player money that are going to follow!
— Mike McDonald (@MikeMcDonald89) July 12, 2019
Gates however has already ammassed 25 live cashes and $243,129 in live winnings. He also has cashed in the WSOP Main Event four times:
Just noticed @GarryGates has cashed the main 4/9 years 3 of which are top 250. Pretty damn boss.
If we use a GPI type formula I’m going to assume he was a top 500 performer before this year and top 50 with this year?
— Mike McDonald (@MikeMcDonald89) July 15, 2019
Gary managed to catch up a bit until the end of Day 7 and should be a force to reckon with on the 2019 WSOP Main Event final table.
Introduction of the 2019 WSOP Main Event Finalists:
The chip counts before the start of the Final Table:
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
| 1 | Hossein Ensan | Germany | 177,000,000 | 177 |
| 2 | Nick Marchington | United Kingdom | 20,100,000 | 20 |
| 3 | Dario Sammartino | Italy | 33,400,000 | 33 |
| 4 | Kevin Maahs | United States | 43,000,000 | 43 |
| 5 | Timothy Su | United States | 20,200,000 | 20 |
| 6 | Zhen Cai | United States | 60,600,000 | 61 |
| 7 | Garry Gates | United States | 99,300,000 | 99 |
| 8 | Milos Skrbic | Serbia | 23,400,000 | 23 |
| 9 | Alex Livingston | Canada | 37,800,000 | 38 |
2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Day 1
Hossein Ensan keeps the lead, Garry Gates catches up
Yesterday night the first day of the 2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table took place at the RIO Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Plan was to play down to the final 5 players and they were reached surprisingly quick in only 32 hands as action was fast and furious.
Serbian hope Miroslav Skrbic was the first player, who had to leave his seat, after running As-Jh into Ac-Qh from Gary Gates and not getting any help from the board.
Here is another spectacular hand from Garry Gates, where he forces a huge fold:
Only five hands later short stack Timothy Su pushed UTG with Pocket Threes and 17 big blinds and Hossein Ensan looked him up with AJ from the cutoff.
Not one, but two Jacks on the board gave Ensan a full house and send Su to the rail in 8th place for $1,250,000.
Next up was 888poker Online Qualifier Nick Marchington, who 3-bet All-in from the button with 11 big blinds and A7 and ran directly into the Pocket Kings from initial raiser Hossein Ensan. The board ran out Jh-8c-6d-5h-Qs and Nick took home $1,525,000 for his efforts.
During the ensuing period, Garry Gates won several pots and managed to almost close the gap to Hossein Ensan.
In the final hand of Day 1 of the 2019 Main Event Final Table Ensan opened from the cutoff and Kevin Maahs from the USA just called from the small blind setting the trap.
It worked as his fellow countryman Zhen Cai found As-Kd in the big blind and pushed all-in preflop for 24 bigs. Kevin called and after the board was dealt with Qs-Jh-7s-4d-2d Day 1 was finished with the elimination of Zhen Cai in 6th place for $1,850,000.
Day 2 of the Final Table starts today at 6:30 pm PT/ 2.30 am CET and we will play down to the
We want to wish the best of luck to @PokerroomKings regular Hossein Ensan who is the chip leader with 5 players left in this years WSOP Main Event. There’s $10,000,000 to the winner! pic.twitter.com/cBwPuvRAMv
— partypokerLIVE (@partypokerlive) July 15, 2019
2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Day 2
Day 2 of the 2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table started with 5 players and the plan was to play down to the final three.
German top pro Hossein Ensan started the day as chipleader, but former poker journalist and PokerStars employee Garry Gates was able to close in on Day 1.
Italian tournament crusher Dario “Secret_M0d3” Sammartino started the day as shortstack, but proved that he is a world class player and managed to double up against Hossein Ensan and build his stack early on.
After that came the time of Canadian Alex Livingston, who managed to pass by Gary Gates and take over 2nd position, while Gates started to dwindle down.
Kevin Maahs eliminated in 5th Place for $2,200,000
Hand #111 brought the first bustout of the day. Hossein Ensan raised preflop to 4 million from UTG+1. Kevin Maahs found Ah-Th in the small blind and pushed his remaining 15 big blinds alll-in and Ensan quickly called with Pocket Nines.
It was a classic coinflip and once again Ensan had the poker gods on his site as the board was dealt with Jh-5c-3s-Js-4h and Kevin Maahs was send to the rail in 5th place for $2,200,000, while Hossein Ensan continued to increase his chiplead.
After this hand Hossein Ensan had double the chips than Alex Livingston in 2nd place and almost three times as many as Dario Sammartino in 3rd.
Garry Gates the Sensation of the WSOP Final Table busts in 4th Place
Amateur player and former pokerjournalist Garry Gates was the big sensation of the 2019 WSOP Main Event and many people in the poker industry were rooting for him:
Can @GarryGates please win the Main Event.
— Chris Moneymaker (@CMONEYMAKER) July 12, 2019
This is how we are leaving HQ today at @pokerstars 🤞🏃♀️🏃♂️ @GarryGates ♥️ #LFGGGG pic.twitter.com/Uf2mzd6O55
— Scott Goodall (@frostygoodall) July 15, 2019
Garry finished Day 1 strong in 2nd position, but he started to struggle from the beginning of Day 2 and continued to chip down.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t get anything going and after loosing big pots to Ensan and Livingston he was the shortstack. Garry then found Pocket Sixes in the Small Blind and shoved with his 15 big blinds, but was snap-called by Alex Livingston in the big blind with Pocket Queens.
An ugly setup and Gates now needed a lot of help from the dealer, which didn’t came on a board of 5s-2d-7h-Th-Ts. You can watch the entire hand as well as the interview with Garry Gates after his bustout below.
Congratulations to Garry Gates for this massive $3,000,000 cash and for representing the poker industry and poker jpurnalists in the best-possible way!
Watch the bustout hand and Interview with Garry Gates below:
#LFGGG never got going and @GarryGates is the last elimination of Day 2! 🥊
Hossein Ensan, Alex @rumnchess Livingston, and Dario Sammartino return to play for $10,000,000 and the #WSOP50 Main Event title tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/flibYCtTit
— Poker Central (@PokerCentral) July 16, 2019
The Final Three Players of the 2019 WSOP Main Event
After Garry Gates hit the rail in 4th, it is also clear that the most prestigious title in the poker world won’t stay in the USA.
Best chances to become the new World Champion has Hossein Ensan from Germany, who has a commanding chiplead with 326,800,000 and almost three times as many chips as second place Alex Livingston. In addition to that, Ensan has won EPT Prague before and has several final tables and a lot of experience, so he knows how to handle such situations and the pressure.
The Canadian played, except for his fold with Pocket Queens preflop on Day 1 (Watch the video above!), very solid and al the only one of the final three has experience with running deep in the WSOP Main Event.
Dario Sammartino is the biggest name left. Sammartino crushes both live and online tournaments since many years and is a regular in the high roller events around the globe. He has amassed $8,044,479 including a 3rd place finish in the High Roller for One Drop §1,608,295.
Dario is also a feared online player and plays under the nick name “Secret_M0d3”. He not only took down the $21,000 NL 8-Max at the SCOOP 2016 for a whopping $718,217, but also one two high roller events at PokerStars on the same day.
Dario Sammartino is a very strong players and although he enters the Grand Finale as the shortstack I wouldn’t count him out yet.
2019 WSOP Main Event Final Table Day 3 Live Updates
Dario Sammartino had the best start into the Grand Finale and increased his chip stack by more than 50% in the first three hands!
However, shortly after he ran Two Pair into a higher Two Pair by Alex Livingston and the hard-earned chips were gone. Only a few hands later he found himself All-In preflop with As-Js against Pocket Sixes from chipleader Hossein Ensan.
The latter was pretty clear favorite as Livingston had folded AJ, but the board brought 8-8-9-T and the river Q made Dario the straight and he was back in the game.
That brutal river seemed to have thrown off Hossein Ensan a bit as his chiplead continues to shrink and Alex Livingston is coming closer and closer. In addition to that, Dario Sammartino has a real shot now!
Alex Livinston takes over the chiplead
Although Livingston started the final day with only half the chips of Ensan, he has just taken over the lead by rivering a straight with 8c-6c on 5-K-4-3-2 and getting his 21.5 Million bet called by Sammartino, who had A-8 for the lower straight.
Will we see another epic meltdown of a chipleader on the WSOP Final Table? Still 3-handed the next payjump is worth an insane $2,000,000!
Sammartino doubles through Livingston to take the lead
Dario Sammartino started and spend the entire Day 3 on the shortstack before doubling up through Alex Livingston.
On a board of Qc-6h-4h-10 he turned two pair with 10s-6d, got all his chips in the middle against the Pocket Kings from Livingston and held.
Sammartino is for many the strongest player among the Final Three and has a stack now, means he is a force to be reckoned with. Still everybody’s ball game!
Shortly after Sammartino won another pot with two pair against Livingston and is now our new chipleader although he started the day as the shortstack!
Alex Livingston eliminated in 3rd Place for $4,000,000
Hossein Ensan has just send Alex Livington to the rail after he shoved with A-J and ran into Ensan’s A-Q. The board brought both a Jack and a Queen, but no further help for Alex.
He takes home a staggering $4,000,000 for his efforts and we are Heads-Up in the Main Event!
The Main Event run of a lifetime ends in 3rd for Alex @rumnchess Livingston. 🇨🇦 pro wins $4,000,000. #WSOP50 pic.twitter.com/a0dhYmNPn1
— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 17, 2019
Heads-Up 2019 WSOP Main Event
It will be a very exciting Heads-Up as both are sadvateasoned pros and great Heads-Up players. In addition to that, the chipstacks are pretty even with Hossein Ensan having a slight advantage.
Main Event Heads-Up Chip Counts
Hossein Ensan 279,800,000
Dario Sammartino 235,000,0001st: $10,000,000 and this @Jostens bracelet
2nd: $6,000,000
Photo credit Jessica Haereiti @PokerPhotoArciv
Real time updates at https://t.co/2cDkAO7Omv pic.twitter.com/YtpqTLA06V
— WSOP (@WSOP) July 17, 2019
Chipcounts before the start of the Heads-Up:
| Player | Country | Chip Count | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hossein Ensan | Germany | 279,800,000 |
| 2 | Dario Sammartino | Italy | 235,000,000 |
First Blood to Sammartino
In the second hand of the Heads-Up Dario Sammartino has taken over the lead with a massive cooler.
Ensan flopped top pair and turned Top Two with J-9 on J-7-3-9 and Sammartino hit the three-outer and runner-runner for a higher Two Pair with A-9.
A very lucky river gives Dario 192.200.000 pot and a decent lead of almost 2:1 right after the start of Heads-Up Play.We will see if Ensan can shake this massive cooler off.
Watch this spectacular hand here:
Dario Sammartino draws first blood and 🇮🇹 takes the Main Event chip lead! #WSOP50 pic.twitter.com/G02gYfHsN3
— Poker Central (@PokerCentral) July 17, 2019
Ensan regains chiplead
After a really bad start and a brutal first hand Hossein Ensan is back on track after regaining the chiplead with several 3.bets and winning several small pots.
So far Ensan is clearly dominating Heads-Up play and Sammartino hasn’t found a way how to deal with the very experienced German, who also hasn’t lost a Heads-Up in a big tournament yet.
Advantage Ensan, but both are still in closing distance, means this battle could go on for a while…
Hossein Ensan pulls away
So far Hossein Ensan puts on a real clinic in the Heads-Up of the WSOP Main Event by winning almost every hand.
He now holds a 2:1 chiplead and is could become the second German to win the WSOP Main Event after Pius Heinz in 2011.
Hossein Ensan wins 2019 WSOP Main Event, Dario Sammartino Runner-Up!
It went back and forth for a while afterwards and Dario Sammartino tried to fight back, but Hossein Ensan defended his 2:1 chiplead.
In the final hand of the 2019 WSOP Main Event Dario Sammartino pushed All-In on the turn of Ts-6s-2s-9c with 8s-4s for a combo draw and Hossein Ensan snap-called with Pocket Kings and the Overpair.
Sammartino had 13 outs, but the river Qc was none of them and Hossein Ensan from Germany won the 20199 WSOP Main Event for an incredible $10,000,000.
Dario Sammartino players a a fantastic tournament and Final Table and is rewarded with $6,000,000!
Watch the Final Hand of the 2019 WSOP Main Event here:
Interview with 2019 WSOP Main Event Champion Hossein Ensan:
Massive Congratulations from Team VIP-Grinders to Hossein Ensan, who is only the second German poker player ever after Pius Heinz in 2011 to win the WSOP Main Event. Hossein completely dominated the last phase as well as the Final Table and is a very well-deserved new Poker World Champion!
Final Result 2019 WSOP Main Event and Payouts:
| Position | Prize Money |
| 1 – Hossein Ensan | $10,000,000 |
| 2 – Dario Samartino | $6,000,000 |
| 3 – Alex Livingston | $4,000,000 |
| 4 – Garry Gates | $3,000,000 |
| 5 – Kevin Maahs | $2,200,000 |
| 6 – Zhen Cai | $1,850,000 |
| 7 – Nick Marchington | $1,525,000 |
| 8 – Timothy Su | $1,250,000 |
| 9 – Milos Skrbic | $1,000,000 |
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