Markus Gonsalves Wins WPT Gardens Poker Championship 422 Days After Tournament Start

It took 422 days for the final table to start after first being set on January 13, 2020, but after a lengthy delay caused by COVID-19, a winner has finally been decided in the $10,000 2020 World Poker Tour Gardens Poker Championship Main Event. On March 10, 2021 Markus Gonsalves beat the field of 257 total entries to secure his first WPT title and the first-place prize of $554,495.

Before the start of the final table, the clear favorite to win was Chance Kornuth, who was the chip leader, but came short and finished 4th ($195,655).

The big story of the final table was also Qing Liu, who took down the WPT Venetian just a week before, so this was his second WPT Final Table in just 7 days. Unfortunately, he was shortstacked and couldn’t get anything going, so he was the first play to bust ($111,795).

Gonzalves was ahead by a 5-1 margin when heads up play began. Tuan Phan seemingly refused to play any big pots with Gonsalves and three hours into heads up play, Phan wrestled the chip lead away. But iut turned out it was all for nothing as Gonsalves quickly took the lead back and then finished Phan off for good.

Gonsalves completed his small blind and Phan checked to send both players to a 9h5h3h flop. Phan check-called Gonsalves’ bet of 200,000. Phan checked again after the Qs fell on the turn. Gonsalves bet 600,000 and this time Phan moved all in for 3,075,000. Gonsalves called and showed Ts4s for a flush while Phan had flopped bottom two pair with 5d3d. The Js river failed to fill up Phan and he was eliminated in second place, leaving Gonsalves to collect the $554,495 first place prize and was crowned the WPT Champion for the first time.

2020 WPT Gardens Poker Championship Final Table Results

Join our Telegram group for even more poker news!