Reigning WPT POY Brian Altman Wins WPT Tampa for Third WPT Title ($613,225)
Reigning Hublot WPT Player of the Year Brian Altman is off to a hot start in his quest to become the first player to win back-to-back titles after navigating through a field of 1,165 entries to win the World Poker Tour $3,500 Tampa Championship at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida for $613,225.
If the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino had its own Poker Hall of Fame, Altman would surely be in it as he has won all three of his WPT champions at this venue. Altman first had his named etched onto the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup in 2015 afterwinning the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open for $723,008 before winning another WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open for $482,636 last year.
It was a dominating performance for Altman who entered the six-player televised final table of the first WPT event of Season XIX with more than half the chips in play and went coast-to-coast for the win.
"This is a really special World Poker Tour title for me," Altman said to the WPT. I'm joining the exclusive club of three-time champions, which only a few people have done. To be among that company makes me feel really proud."
2021 WPT Tampa Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Altman | United States | $613,225 |
| 2 | Gabriel Abusada | United States | $408,825 |
| 3 | Zachary Smiley | United States | $302,200 |
| 4 | Jonathan Jaffe | United States | $225,675 |
| 5 | John Haas | United States | $170,275 |
| 6 | Will Berry | United States | $129,825 |
Final Table Action
Altman began the final table with more chips than all his opponents combined and nearly triple that of his nearest competition in Jonathan Jaffe, who was on a quest to win his second WPT title after previously winning the title in the partypoker.net WPT Montreal in 2014.
John Haas (fifth - $170,275) and Will Berry (sixth - $129,825) hit the rail early at the final table during which time Altman chipped up while Jaffe was trending in the opposite direction. Although Altman didn't have a hand in ousting either of the first two opponents, he stormed ahead and sent the final three players to the showers en route to victory.
Meanwhile, Jaffe's dreams of winning a second WPT title were dashed, and he was eliminated in fourth place for $225,675 when his sixes were no good against Altman's snowmen.
Zachary Smiley was down to crumbs and didn't get the double-up he needed. Instead, he was ousted in third place by Altman when his queen-trey didn't get there against ace-queen.
Altman began heads-up play against Gabriel Abusada with a 3:1 chip advantage. The stacks were nearly 100 big blinds deep on average thanks to the quick eliminations of the first four players.
Abusada was able to cut into the lead a bit but Altman remained patient and composed. Eventually, Abusada jammed for 62 big blinds with sixes and Altman called with jacks. The board ran dry for Abusada and instead of the title he instead was rewarded a huge runner-up prize of $408,825.
"I did not feel frustrated at all," Altman said to the WPT after the victory. "I was just playing my cards and trying to keep my calm and composure, and making the strategic adjustments that I saw fit."
The next stop on the World Poker Tour Season XIX schedule is the WPT Venetian featuring a $5,000 buy-in, $2 million guaranteed Main Event on July 2-7.
2021 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Results
The 21-event series catered to 9,068 entrants and awarded $7,923.899 in prize money. Here's a look at all those who captured titles:
| Date | Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 9-13 | Event #1: $500 Double Stack NLH | 4,852 | $2,086,360 | Shawn Mohamed | $198,287 |
| June 9 | Event #2: $250 Turbo NLH | 76 | $15,960 | John McConnell | $5,551 |
| June 10 | Event #3: $400 Limit Omaha 8 | 88 | $29,480 | Christopher Kennedy | $9,895 |
| June 13 | Event #4: $400 NLH Freeze-Out | 250 | $83,750 | Brent Ballentine | $12,271 |
| June 13-14 | Event #5: $1,100 NLH | 202 | $195,940 | Anthony Lambert | $43,103 |
| June 14-16 | Event #6: $600 Deep Stack NLH | 398 | $208,950 | Christopher Mo | $36,600 |
| June 14 | Event #7: $400 Seniors 50+ | 318 | $106,530 | Michael Collins | $24,476 |
| June 14 | Event #8: $600 PLO | 107 | $56,175 | AJ Kelsall | $18,117 |
| June 15 | Event #9: $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 | 107 | $35,845 | "Brooklyn Johnny" Crowther | $11,382 |
| June 15-16 | Event #10: $1,100 6-Max PLO | 72 | $69,840 | Stephen Brite | $24,287 |
| June 16 | Event #11: $400 HORSE | 112 | $37,520 | Aaron Lipstet | $11,612 |
| June 16 | Event #12: $1,100 NLH | 222 | $215,340 | Balakrish Patur | $55,785 |
| June 17 | Event #13: $2,200 8-Max NLH | 167 | $334,000 | Hassan El Hakim | $75,347 |
| June 18-22 | Event #14: $3,500 WPT Championship | 1,165 | $3,728,000 | Brian Altman | $613,225 |
| June 20-21 | Event #15: $1,700 NLH | 189 | $292,950 | Victor Figueroa | $80,872 |
| June 20 | Event #16: $600 Turbo NLH/PLO | 47 | $24,675 | Michael Rosenberg | $10,117 |
| June 21 | Event #17: $300 Deep Stack NLH | 427 | $106,750 | Adam Deisley | $19,059 |
| June 21 | Event #18: $2,200 PLO | 41 | $82,000 | Ethan Harris | $32,733 |
| June 22 | Event #19: $300 Deep Stack NLH Survivor | 97 | $24,254 | 12 Winners | $2,021 |
| June 22 | Event #20: $400 NLH | 98 | $32,830 | Davy Ridout | $11,162 |
| June 22 | Event #21: $5,000 8-Max NLH | 33 | $156,750 | Zhuang Ruan | $66,837 |
*Lead image courtesy of the World Poker Tour.
