US Online Sunday Briefing: Laplante, Vayo, and Cheong Win Big

8 min read
Ryan Laplante

It was another huge week in online poker in the United States headlined by the WSOP.com Online Super Circuit $525 Main Event, which nearly tripled its $200,000 guarantee with a final prize pool of $567,000.

Champie "kiddchamp" Douglas won the event for a whopping $130,410 after besting 2017 WSOP Main Event champion Scott "2Due4U" Blumstein in heads-up play.

Meanwhile, Ryan "protential" Laplante, Gordon "veilleux" Vayo, Joseph "biueberry" Cheong, and Yong "iFoldN0T" Kwon each won big events this Sunday with all but Cheong appearing on final tables in multiple big events.

Read on for a full look at the Sunday results for tournaments with at least a $25,000 guarantee from partypoker NJ, BorgataPoker.com, PlayMGM, WSOP.com NJ, WSOP.com Nevada, 888poker NJ, PokerStars NJ, PokerStars PA, and the three 888poker clients in Delaware.


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BorgataPoker.com/partypoker/PlayMGM PartyPoker US Network $250K GTD NLH

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$320
Guarantee$250,000
Entrants1,007
Prize pool$302,100
ITM144

The PartyPoker US Network $250K GTD NLH replaced the usual Sunday $35K GTD as the biggest Sunday tournament at partypoker NJ. The big event didn't disappoint despite a lofty $250,000 for a $320 buy-in.

The tournament attracted 1,007 entrants (779 entries and 228 reentries) to create a $302,100 prize pool to smash one of the biggest guarantees seen at partypoker NJ by 21 percent.

A total of 144 players cashed in this event for at least a min-cash of $468.

"UnclePaddy24" shipped the event after nearly 11 hours of play for $48,034. This player was joined on the podium by "SharingisCaring" and "Allyoucaneat" (third -$24,666).

Also scoring big at the final table were Jonathan "jetsfan411" Borenstein ($18,922), Brady "NoRecourse" Osterman (sixth - $12,386), and Jake "schaf4206" (seventh - $9,365).

PlacePlayerPrize
1UnclePaddy24$48,034
2SharingisCaring$34,409
3Allyoucaneat$24,666
4Jonathan "jetsfan411" Borenstein$18,911
5dylan7799$15,407
6Brady "NoRecourse" Osterman$12,386
7Jake "schaf4206" Schafer$9,365
8KNIEM7$6,495
9SpO0fy$4,954
Jon Borenstein
Jonathan Borenstein finishes in fourth place for $18,911.
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PokerStars NJ Sunday Special - $40,000 Gtd

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$200
Guarantee$40,000
Entries294
Prize pool$54,684
ITM45

The PokerStars NJ Sunday Special kept its guarantee at $40,000 for two straight weeks and is scheduled to be the same next week as well.

The event was an even bigger success than last week with 294 entrants (188 entries + 106 reentries) generating a $54,684 prize pool for an 11 percent increase over last week's $40,176 prize pool.

A total of 45 players cashed for at least $328.

Two well-known grinders in Yong "iFoldN0T" Kwon and Jonathan "toddchipman" Borenstein agreed to a heads-up deal before Kwon pulled off the win to claim $8,678 after 6 1/2 hours of total play.

While Borenstein was unable to come away with the win, he did collect the biggest prize of $9,833 in this event and earned his second mention this report.

Also at the final table in this event were Brian "s3lfreliance" Wood (fourth - $4,511), Katie "BabyRaizer" Stone Cappuccio (seventh - $1,859), and Tom "PompYouUp" Pomponio (eighth - $1,312).

PlacePlayerPrize
1Yong "iFoldN0T" Kwon$8,678*
2Jonathan "toddchipman" Borenstein$9,833*
3supremetny$6,015
4Brian "s3lfreliance" Wood$4,511
5Road2daMoney$3,117
6Donky_King_AA$2,406
7Katie "BabyRaizer" Stone Cappuccio$1,859
8Tom "PompYouUp" Pomponio$1,312
9floatpre$957

PokerStars PA Sunday Special - $100,000 Gtd

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$100
Guarantee$100,000
Entries1,356
Prize pool$124,481
ITM233

The PokerStars PA Sunday Special has witnessed its guarantee increase from $40,000 to $100,000 in just a few weeks.

March 8 - $40,000 Guarantee
March 15 - $50,000 Guarantee
March 22 - $75,000 Guarantee
March 29 - $100,000 Guarantee

A total of 1,356 entrants (880 entries + 476 reentries) ponied up the $100 buy-in to generate a healthy $124,481 prize pool with 223 players each guaranteed at least a min-cash of $177.

"IoftheStorms" shipped the event for $19,175 after nearly 9 1/2 hours of play.

Joining this player on the podium were "nothingbutVvSs" (second - $13,786) and "wackywhacker" ($9,913).

Next week will be a big one at PokerStars PA with the inaugural PASCOOP just right around the corner with 50 events, each broken out into Low and High tournaments, featuring more than $2 million in combined guarantees from April 4-20.

PlacePlayerPrize
1IoftheStorms$19,175
2nothingbutVvSs$13,786
3wackywhacker$9,913
4Jrmintz1490$7,127
5kskd88$5,125
6Mr Loat$3,685
7Paratroop652$2,649
8AshyL4rry22$1,905
9Craps2fn60$1,360
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WSOP.com Super Circuit Series Event #16 - $200,000 NLH Main Event

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$525
Guarantee$200,000
Entries1,134
Prize pool$567,000
ITM150

The inaugural WSOP Online Circuit Series produced another huge Sunday at WSOP.com in New Jersey and Nevada with the Main Event attracting 763 entries and 371 reentries generated a huge $567,000 prize pool for almost triple the $200,000 guarantee.

The event was a huge marathon of nearly 12 1/2 hours before Champie "kiddchamp" Douglas defeated 2017 WSOP Main Event champion Scott "2Due4U" Blumstein (second - $68,890) in heads-up play to win the title.

READ MORE: Recap of Champie "kiddchamp" Douglas winning the WSOP.com Super Circuit Event Main Event.

PlacePlayerPrize
1Champie "kiddchamp" Douglas$130,410
2Scott "2Due4U" Blumstein$68,890
3Gage "greypoupon" Doyne$45,360
4Brian "JackBogle" Altman$34,020
5Gordon "veilleux" Vayo$28,350
6David "dwpoker" Williams$22,680
7Marcus "mjl56" Laffen$16,443
8Robert "Bob_Loblaw" Brown$10,206
9Jose "deposit" Noboa$7,371
Scott Blumstein
Scott "2Due4U" Blumstein takes second place for $68,890.

WSOP.com $100,000 GTD Sunday

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$215
Guarantee$100,000
Entries1,048
Prize pool$209,600
ITM140

The WSOP.com $100,000 GTD Sunday almost always produces the largest prize pool of the weekend at American regulated online poker networks. Although this wasn't the case last week with both partypoker NJ and WSOP.com running bigger events, it was still an impressive turnout.

The event was once again a huge success with the 657 entries and 391 reentries generating a $209,600 for more than double the $100,000 guarantee.

A total of 140 players managed to go home with at least a min-cash valued at $440.

After more than 11 hours of play, Michael "myGAME" Lavenburg won the top prize of $30,769 after besting Ryan "LoveMy11Cats" Belz (second - $22,784) in heads-up play.

Craig "mrjanovich" Mason was at the final table in this event in back to back weeks. Two Sundays ago he took sixth place for $8,434 and had to settle for ninth place this time around for $3,186.

Other notable players at the final table included Jay "Grandpa10" Zimmet (fourth - $12,262), David "1_BLUE_i" Peck (fifth - $9,516), and Matthew "mattyflushes" Larkin (seventh - $5,512).

PlacePlayerPrize
1Michael "myGAME" Lavenburg$30,769
2Ryan "LoveMy11Cats" Belz$22,784
3vapor098$16,768
4Jay "Grandpa10" Zimmet$12,262
5David "1_BLUE_i" Peck$9,516
6Matthew "mattyflushes" Larkin$7,294
7Timothy "Married" Begley$5,512
8NJ_RiverRat$4,171
9Craig "mrjanovich" Mason$3,186
Michael Lavenburg
Michael "myGAME" Lavenburg wins for $30,769.

WSOP.com $50,000 GTD March Mayhem

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$55
Guarantee$50,000
Entries633
Prize pool$87,250
ITM125

The WSOP.com $50,000 GTD March Mayhem is a special tournament running every Sunday until April 7 where the winner will go home not only with a huge cash prize but also an added seat to the WSOP Big 50. Every player that participates in at least two of these events will also be entered into a freeroll where five Big 50 seats will be awarded.

The tournament more than doubled its $50,000 guarantee after 707 entrants, plus 1,118 rebuys and 279 add-ons generated a $105,200 prize pool. A total of 150 players cashed for a minimum of $168.

WSOP bracelet winner Ryan "protential" Laplante won the event for $20,504 plus an added Big 50 seat.

John "Beastro" Hinds backed up a fourth-place performance two weeks ago for $6,312 with a fifth-place finish last Sunday for $4,537.

Other recognizable names to appear on the final table included Mike "LeftSid3" Haberman Jr (sixth - $3,665), Dan "chard" Martin (seventh - $2,705), Brian "bexel" Sherrier (eighth - $1,745), and Blake "freshness4" Olson (ninth - $1,222).

PlacePlayerPrize
1Ryan "protential" Laplante$20,504
2goldwatch$10,906
3valuebet$7,155
4BOCARATONE$5,410
5John "Beastro" Hinds$4,537
6Mike "LeftSid3" Haberman Jr$3,665
7Dan "chard" Martin$2,705
8Brian "bexel" Sherrier$1,745
9Blake "freshness4" Olson$1,222

WSOP.com $30,000 Weekly Sunday

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$500
Guarantee$30,000
Entries157
Prize pool$73,319
ITM15

The WSOP.com $30,000 Weekly Sunday Deepstack more than doubled its $30,000 guarantee with 78 entries and 77 reentries generating a $73,319 prize pool. A total of 15 players walked away with at least a min-cash of $1,613 for more than triple the $500 buy-in.

New Jersey's Angel "chromeking" Lopez secured the win and the $20,896 top prize after more than seven hours of play. Joining Lopez on the podium was Brian "Bmack1335" McKinney in third place for $7,332.

Meanwhile, Brady "NoRecourse" Osterman (fourth - $5,866) and Gordon "veilleux" Vayo (fifth - $5,059) earned their second mention in this report.

Other recognizable names at the final table also included Frank "thewholefunk" Funaro (sixth - $4,326) and Arian "4632647" Stolt (seventh - $3,593).

PlacePlayerPrize
1Angel "chromeking" Lopez$20,896
2nyjets23$12,098
3Brian "Bmack1335" McKinney$7,332
4Brady "NoRecourse" Osterman$5,866
5Gordon "veilleux" Vayo$5,059
6Frank "thewholefunk" Funaro$4,326
7Arian "4632647" Stolt$3,593
8boom81boom$2,493
9king_tubby$1,980

WSOP.com $25,000 Monthly PLO High Roller

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$525
Guarantee$25,000
Entries93
Prize pool$46,500
ITM8

The WSOP.com $25,000 Monthly PLO High Roller was another success with 50 entries and 43 reentries generating a $46,500 for nearly double that of the $25,000 guarantee. A total of eight players went home with at least a min-cash valued at $2,418.

Gordon "veilleux" Vayo won the event after slightly more than five hours of play for $14,800. This was Vayo's third mention in this report.

Also with his third mention is Ryan "protential" Laplante, who finished in third place for $5,813. Eliminated in between these two players was WSOP bracelet winner Andy "rkkrb" Bloch (second - $8,370).

The entire final table was full of familiar names including Yong "LuckySpewy1" Kwon (fourth - $4,883) getting his second mention this report, Ryan "sychosid" Hohner (fifth $3,860), and Kevin "VamonosPest" Lutz (sixth - $3,395)

PlacePlayerPrize
1Gordon "veilleux" Vayo$14,880
2Andy "rkkrb" Bloch$8,370
3Ryan "protential" Laplante$5,813
4Yong "LuckySpewy1" Kwon$4,883
5Ryan "sychosid" Hohner$3,860
6Kevin "VamonosPest" Lutz$3,395
Gordon Vayo
Gordon "veilleux" Vayo wins for $14,880.

WSOP.com $50,000 Monthly Sunday

DateMarch 29
Buy-in$1,000
Guarantee$50,000
Entries139
Prize pool$132,050
ITM15

The WSOP.com $50,000 Weekly Sunday Deepstack was a huge success with 88 entries and 51 re-entries generating a $132,050 prize pool for more than double the $50,000 guarantee.

WSOP bracelet winner Joseph "biueberry" Cheong shipped the event for $37,634 after 5 1/2 hours of play.

Others at the final table included Tony "Panoramic" Dunst ($21,788), Andrew "WATCHGUY42" Lichtenberger (third - $13,205), Eric "8bracelets" Vanauken (fourth - $10,564), Zachary "lovepuddle" Schwartz (fifth - $9,111), and Keith "T1mB3y_B33F" Donovan (sixth - $7,791). For Begley, it was his second mention this report.

PlacePlayerPrize
1Joseph "biueberry" Cheong$37,634
2Tony "Panoramic" Dunst$21,788
3Andrew "WATCHGUY42" Lichtenberger$13,205
4Eric "8bracelets" Vanauken$10,564
5Zachary "lovepuddle" Schwartz$9,111
6Timothy "Married" Begley$7,791
Joseph Cheong
Joseph "biueberry" Cheong wins $37,634.

If you play regulated online poker tournaments in Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and would like your real name appearing in future articles, please contact Jason Glatzer via email at [email protected] or via Twitter under @JaxonPoker.

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