Jake Daniels Claims $218,500 Top Prize with 2021 U.S. Poker Open Event #1 Win

Jake Daniels started off the 2021 U.S. Poker Open in the best possible way by securing the win in $10,000 No Limit Hold’em Event #1 for $218,500 after beating Dan Shak heads up. Event #1 drew a total of 95 entries making this the largest U.S. Poker Open event in history. Shak came into today as the chip leader and you can read all about his journey to the final table on our Day 1 Live Reporting page. Watch this entire final table on PokerGO right here.

The first player to hit the rail was Tim McDermott. McDermott, sitting on just six big blinds, called a raise by Sergi Reixach from the big blind with four-deuce of diamonds before flopping an open-ended straight draw on five-five-three. McDermott moved all-in for 460,000 and his Spanish opponent called immediately. The board ran dry for McDermott who took home $47,500.

Knocking out McDermott was not the start of a big surge for Reixach as the high-roller regular was the next player to get knocked out. Reixach shoved his last five big blinds holding nine-five of spades only to get called by Barry Hutter’s sevens. The board gave Reixach a pair and straight draw but it was not enough to secure a double up. Reixach cashed for $57,000.

The elder statesmen of this final table, two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Steve Zolotow, was next to bust after hanging around for quite some time sitting on a short stack. Zolotow moved all-in with ace-king suited over a raise from Hutter who found himself priced in to make the call. Hutter tabled nine-seven of clubs and spiked a seven to send Zolotow to the cage to collect $76,000.

Stephen Chidwick, the winner of the inaugural U.S. Poker Open in 2018, saw his run for another title end in fourth place today. After Daniels raised, Chidwick moved all-in with pocket threes for just shy of six big blinds, only to get called by the initial raiser who held fives. The flop gave Chidwick a backdoor straight draw that was helped by Daniels hitting a set on the turn, but the river could not give him the wheel, and the Brit was knocked out for $95,000.

Three-handed play went back and forth for a while before Hutter ultimately busted to Dan Shak. On his final hand, Hutter raised the button with king-seven of spades off a 13-big blind stack and Shak defended his big blind with five-four offsuit. Shak checked the ten-seven-six flop that included a diamond flush draw, and Hutter continued for 1 big blind. Shak quickly put a big raise, nearly putting Hutter all in, and after a while, he shoved with middle pair. Shak paired his four on the turn but it was the three of hearts on the river that sealed Hutter’s fate in third place for $114,000.

Heads-up play started with Shak sitting on 7.2 million versus Daniel’s with 4.6 million chips but a massive cooler reversed the roles almost immediately. Both players made a straight on the river when most of the money went into the pot as Daniels doubled up to over 9 million. Shak was not able to mount a comeback as he hit the rail after shoving with king-seven into the ace-three suited of Daniels.

The final table payouts are as follows.

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