WPT500 Online: How Fabio Sperling Made History

By Lisa Yiasemides

Last night was one for the record books. Fans watched on the live stream as James Dempsey provided the commentary and analytics of the very first WPT500 event to take place online.

Giuseppe Vassallo was posted all in by the ante with queen-eight, but he managed to survive a three-way all in that led to Fabrizio Gonzalez’s elimination, after Gonzalez jammed ace-ten in the small blind and was called by Fabio Sperling with ace-king in the big. Vassallo’s pair netted less than half a big blind, but it was enough to get him to the final table as Gonzalez left in 9th place and Sperling moved into the lead.

With eight left, the ladders started to jump with each bust-out and it was no surprise to see Vassallo leave next, posting all in from the big blind two hands later and unable to spin up. He was joined at the rail by Daan Mulders, who successfully negotiated two pay-jumps after coming into the final with the shortest stack. He came unstuck however, after Walter Treccarichi set him all in from the small blind with eight-five and he was unable to hold with ace-six.

Арутюн Саакян managed to go one further after he won a flip against Christopher Pütz with pocket-jacks versus ace-queen. A queen on the flop looked good for Pütz but Саакян turned a straight to survive. He doubled and things were looking up even more just minutes later, when Philipp Dietrich lost a huge pot to Pütz, leaving the German the shortest stack after a bluff gone wrong. Dietrich had limp-called preflop when blind v blind. He opted to check-raise Pütz’s flop continuation, barrel turn and set Pütz all in on the river with a board on show, little knowing that Pütz was slow-playing a set of queens all the way.

Nevertheless, Dietrich was fortunate to ladder after a huge clash took place between Treccarichi, Sperling and Саакян, which left the latter out of the game.

It all began when an under-the-gun open from Sperling and a flat by Саакян on his left. Treccarichi defended his big blind, taking the trio to a flop. It checked to Саакян, who bet half-pot and Treccarichi check-raised at this point, which Sperling flat-called before Саакян committed the rest of his stack. Treccarichi tank-folded and Sperling snap-called the rest. It was a set of sevens against ace-queen with the ace of hearts and Саакян needed to hit to stay in the competition. It was all locked up on the turn however, when an eight paired the board improving Sperling to a full house.

A few hands later and Markus Prinz three-bet all in with pocket queens on the button over Sperling’s cutoff open. Before it could get back to the chipleader, Pütz isolated from the big blind and once Sperling stepped aside, his pocket-kings were revealed. Prinz needn’t have worried though, spiking a queen on the flop to win the 50bb pot. Disappointing for Pütz – that hand one he will likely remember for some time to come – but also for Dietrich too, who busted moments later.

With 12.5bb left, Dietrich shipped on the button with jack-eight suited but was called by Treccarichi’s dominating ace-eight suited in the big blind. Treccarichi made a flush by the turn and there was no river that could save Dietrich, who left in 5th place.

At this point, the remaining four started negotiations on a deal, with Prinz initiating the discussion and the others also keen to take a look at the numbers. Five minutes later and it was all settled… Sperling is the inaugural WPT500 Online Champion! He takes the title, trophy and prizemoney.

Another epic night of poker in which the final four took over $900,000 between them, and though Sperling’s cut was the biggest, it was life-changing money all round.

*All times referred to are BST