Reigning WPT POY Brian Altman Wins WPT Tampa for Third WPT Title ($613,225)

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Brian Altman Wins WPT Tampa

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

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Brian AltmanUnited States$613,225
2Gabriel AbusadaUnited States$408,825
3Zachary SmileyUnited States$302,200
4Jonathan JaffeUnited States$225,675
5John HaasUnited States$170,275
6Will BerryUnited 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:

DateEventEntriesPrize PoolWinnerPrize
June 9-13Event #1: $500 Double Stack NLH4,852$2,086,360Shawn Mohamed$198,287
June 9Event #2: $250 Turbo NLH76$15,960John McConnell$5,551
June 10Event #3: $400 Limit Omaha 888$29,480Christopher Kennedy$9,895
June 13Event #4: $400 NLH Freeze-Out250$83,750Brent Ballentine$12,271
June 13-14Event #5: $1,100 NLH202$195,940Anthony Lambert$43,103
June 14-16Event #6: $600 Deep Stack NLH398$208,950Christopher Mo$36,600
June 14Event #7: $400 Seniors 50+318$106,530Michael Collins$24,476
June 14Event #8: $600 PLO107$56,175AJ Kelsall$18,117
June 15Event #9: $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8107$35,845"Brooklyn Johnny" Crowther$11,382
June 15-16Event #10: $1,100 6-Max PLO72$69,840Stephen Brite$24,287
June 16Event #11: $400 HORSE112$37,520Aaron Lipstet$11,612
June 16Event #12: $1,100 NLH222$215,340Balakrish Patur$55,785
June 17Event #13: $2,200 8-Max NLH167$334,000Hassan El Hakim$75,347
June 18-22Event #14: $3,500 WPT Championship1,165$3,728,000Brian Altman$613,225
June 20-21Event #15: $1,700 NLH189$292,950Victor Figueroa$80,872
June 20Event #16: $600 Turbo NLH/PLO47$24,675Michael Rosenberg$10,117
June 21Event #17: $300 Deep Stack NLH427$106,750Adam Deisley$19,059
June 21Event #18: $2,200 PLO41$82,000Ethan Harris$32,733
June 22Event #19: $300 Deep Stack NLH Survivor97$24,25412 Winners$2,021
June 22Event #20: $400 NLH98$32,830Davy Ridout$11,162
June 22Event #21: $5,000 8-Max NLH33$156,750Zhuang Ruan$66,837

*Lead image courtesy of the World Poker Tour.

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