A Comprehensive Guide to the US Poker Open, Which Will Run March 16-28

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Editor & Live Reporter U.S.
5 min read
2022 US Poker Open

The 2022 US Poker Open (USPO) kicks off today and will run through March 28. The series is comprised of 12 events, all of which will have their final tables streamed on PokerGO and will count toward the PokerGO Tour (PGT) Leaderboard.

The series features buy-ins ranging from $10,000-$50,000 in games including no-limit hold'em, pot-limit Omaha, big-bet mix, and 8-game. The first 11 tournaments will offer double re-entry and play 40-minute levels, while the $50K finale will be a single re-entry and up the levels to 60 minutes each. As usual, any players that register on time by Noo PT will enjoy a rake-free entry.

2022 U.S. Poker Open Schedule

DateEventTournamentStarting StackRe-entry
March 161$10,000 No-Limit Hold’em125,000Double
March 172$10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha125,000Double
March 183$10,000 No-Limit Hold’em125,000Double
March 194$10,000 Big Bet Mix125,000Double
March 205$10,000 No-Limit Hold’em125,000Double
March 216$15,000 8-Game150,000Double
March 227$15,000 No-Limit Hold’em125,000Double
March 238$15,000 Pot-Limit Omaha125,000Double
March 249$25,000 No-Limit Hold’em150,000Double
March 2510$25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha150,000Double
March 2611$25,000 No-Limit Hold’em150,000Double
March 2712$50,000 No-Limit Hold’em200,000Single

Here’s a useful guide to the PokerGO-operated high roller series that takes place annually in Las Vegas.

What is the US Poker Open?

The US Poker Open is an annual series of high roller tournaments hosted by PokerGO and held in the PokerGo Studio next to the luxurious ARIA Resort & Casino.

Since its inception in 2018, the US Poker Open has attracted many of the biggest names on the high roller circuit, including Stephen Chidwick, Justin Bonomo, David Peters, Jake Schindler, Bryn Kenney, Daniel Negreanu and Ali Imsirovic.

Along with other popular PokerGO productions like “Poker After Dark” and “High Stakes Poker,” poker fans can watch their favorite high stakes crushers compete at the annual US Poker Open using the subscription streaming service.

Like most live events, the US Poker Open was canceled in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The high roller tournament series returned in June 2021 as Nevada’s coronavirus restrictions were lifted, and now the fourth iteration of the series is underway in Las Vegas.

2018 US Poker Open Recap

British pro Chidwick earned the inaugural USPO Championship title in 2018 after he topped the standings with two wins and $1.3 million in earnings, finishing ahead of Keith Tilston (one win and one million in earnings) and Jake Schindler (no wins and $643,400 in earnings).

2018 US Poker Open Championship Overall Standings

PositionPlayerCountryCashesWinsEarnings
1Stephen ChidwickUnited Kingdom52$1,256,600
2Keith TilstonUnited States41$1,047,100
3Jake SchindlerUnited States40$693,400
4Daniel NegreanuCanada50$621,500
5Benjamin PollakFrance31$554,600

The first-ever USPO was all Chidwick as the high stakes crusher took down back-to-back titles in Event #3: $25,000 NLH for $374,000 and Event #4: $25,000 Mixed Game Championship for $382,500, in addition to making two other final tables.

Stephen Chidwick
Stephen Chidwick

Other highlights during the inaugural USPO included Bonomo winning Event #1: $10,000 NLH for $190,400, Peters winning Event #7: $25,000 NLH for $400,000 and Tilston, the USPO Champion runner-up, winning the $50,000 Main Event for $660,000.

2018 US Poker Open Full Results

 EVENTWINNERCOUNTRYPRIZE (IN USD)
 Event #1: $10,000 NLHJustin BonomoUnited States$190,400
 Event #2: Pot-Limit OmahaMike GorodinskyUnited States$179,200
 Event #3: $25,000 NLHStephen ChidwickUnited Kingdom$374,000
 Event #4: $25,000 Mixed Game ChampionshipStephen ChidwickUnited Kingdom$382,500
 Event #5: $10,000 No Limit Hold'emBen TollereneUnited States$187,600
 Event #6: $25,000 No Limit Hold'emBenjamin PollakFrance$416,500
 Event #7: $25,000 No Limit Hold'emDavid PetersUnited States$400,000
 Event #8: $50,000 No Limit Hold'em Main EventKeith TilstonUnited States$660,000

2019 US Poker Open Recap

The 2019 US Poker Open was very favorable to Peters, who finished first in the overall standings with 550 points and $1.6 million in earnings, ahead of second-place finisher Sean Winter with 540 points and $747,900 in earnings and Chidwick in third place with 540 points and $705,950 in cashes.

Final 2019 U.S. Poker Open Overall Standings

PositionPlayerCountryCashesPointsPrize Money
1David PetersUnited States3550$1,584,000
2Sean WinterUnited States5540$747,900
3Stephen ChidwickUnited Kingdom4540$705,950
4Nick SchulmanUnited States2410$390,000
5Brandon AdamsUnited States3365$314,750
6Koray AldemirGermany2340$897,200
7Cary KatzUnited States3340$580,200
8Bryn KenneyUnited States2240$477,000
9Lauren RobertsUnited States2240$263,400
10Jordan CristosUnited States2240$206,200
11Ali ImsirovicUnited States1200$442,500
12Ben YuUnited States3200$262,800

Peters earned the USPO Championship title by taking down the $100,000 Main Event for $1.3 million, outlasting a field of 33 entrants to take down the biggest buy-in of the series.

David Peters
David Peters

Winter was a favorite to win the overall USPO honors, but his bust outside of the money in the Main Event left a sliver of a chance for Peters to pass him. Peters needed to finish first in the Main Event to pass Winter and he did so.

Also during the 2019 US Poker Open, eventual 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event winner Koray Aldemir took down USPO #9: $50,000 NLH for $738,000, Kenney won USPO #7: $25,000 NLH for $450,000 and Imsirovic won USPO #5: $25,000 NLH for $442,500.

2019 US Poker Open Winners

EventEntriesWinnerCountryPrize
USPO #1: $10,000 NLH90Stephen ChidwickUnited Kingdom$216,000
USPO #2: $10,000 PLO64Jordan CristosUnited States$179,200
USPO #3: $10,000 NLH91Lauren RobertsUnited States$218,400
USPO #4: $10,000 Short Deck42Sean WinterUnited States$151,200
USPO #5: $25,000 NLH59Ali ImsirovicUnited States$442,500
USPO #6: $25,000 PLO39Stephen ChidwickUnited Kingdom$351,000
USPO #7: $25,000 NLH60Bryn KenneyUnited States$450,000
USPO #8: $25,000 8-Game Mix20Nick SchulmanUnited States$270,000
USPO #9: $50,000 NLH41Koray AldemirGermany$738,000
USPO #10: $100,000 Main Event33David PetersUnited States$1,320,000

2021 US Poker Open Recap

Peters is the reigning US Poker Open champion as he topped the US Poker Open Championship standings list back-to-back years in 2021 and 2019.

In his most recent victory, the Ohio poker pro completely crushed his competition and racked up an amazing three first-place finishes off of four cashes.

The first of those victories came in Event #7: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em, where Peters got through a field of 99 entrants to win the title and $217,800. Next, Peters locked up back-to-back wins in Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck ($124,200) and Event #11: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($465,750).

David Peters
David Peters

By the end of the series, Peters topped the US Poker Open standings with 646 points and $832,950 in earnings, well ahead of his closest competitors, Winter (484 points and $785,700 in earnings) and Imsirovic (483 points and $482,000 in earnings).

2021 US Poker Open Championship Overall Standings

RankPlayerPointsWinsCashesEarnings
1David Peters64634$832,950
2Sean Winter48412$785,700
3Ali Imsirovic48315$482,000
4Stephen Chidwick42703$628,700
5Dan Shak37104$459,750
6Jake Daniels32312$391,000
7Sam Soverel31614$382,300
8Andrew Lichtenberger30803$308,000
9Joe McKeehen30212$302,200
10Steve Zolotow28903$289,000

Other highlights of the 2021 US Poker Open included Winter winning Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em for $756,00 after defeating Chidwick during heads-up play and 2015 WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen taking down Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em for $200,200.

2021 US Poker Open Full Results

EventEntriesPrize PoolWinnerCountryPrize
Event #1: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em95$950,000Jake DanielsUnited States$218,500
Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha65$650,000Sam SoverelUnited States$175,000
Event #3: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em77$770,000Joe McKeehenUnited States$200,200
Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix48$480,000John RiordanUnited States$163,200
Event #5: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em85$850,000Joey WeissmanUnited States$204,000
Event #6: $10,000 8-Game68$680,000Eli ElezraUnited States$183,600
Event #7: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em99$990,000David PetersUnited States$217,800
Event #8: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha63$630,000Jared BleznickUnited States$189,000
Event #9: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em99$990,000Ali ImsirovicBosnia and Herzegovina$217,800
Event #10: $10,000 Short Deck27$270,000David PetersUnited States$124,200
Event #11: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em69$1,725,000David PetersUnited States$465,750
Event #12: $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em42$2,100,000Sean WinterUnited States$756,000
      
Total837$11,085,000   

PokerNews will offer recaps from US Poker Open events, which will run through March 28. Be sure to check back daily for the latest from the high roller scene in Las Vegas.

*Images courtesy of PokerGO.

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Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

Connor Richards is an Editor & Live Reporter for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for two Global Poker Awards for his writing.

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