Allen Kessler, Esther Taylor & Sean Banahan Among WPT Wynn Side Event Winners

Name Surname
PR & Media Manager
4 min read
WPT Wynn winners

While all eyes are currently on the $10,400 World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, it��s important to remember that it is just one tournament in a long festival that runs December 1-20.

During that time there are more than $22 million in guaranteed prize pools being offered across 23 events. Among those to win side event titles were Ethan ��Rampage�� Yau ($25K High Roller for $894,240), Calen ��Big Wheel�� McNeil ($600 Limit Omaha 8/B for $21,305), Sergio Grosso ($1,100 Seniors NLH for $130,806), Lawrence Berg ($600 PLO Turbo for $46,307), and Christopher Puetz ($1,600 NLH Bounty Turbo for $79,576).

Here are some other big winners from the series thus far.

Check out the WPT Hub on PokerNews here!

Allen Kessler Wins Limit Omaha 8B Championship

Allen Kessler
Allen Kessler

From December 13-14, the $1,100 Limit Omaha 8B Championship took place. With 228 entrants, the $100K guarantee was more than doubled as a $221,160 prize pool was on offer to the top 23 finishers.

Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Esther Taylor (10th - $4,578), Nathan Gamble (11th - $4,578), Calen McNeil (16th - $3,178), Ari Engel (18th - $2,864), and Barry Shulman (22nd - $2,596).

Much to the delight of many poker fans worldwide, Allen Kessler, who has finished runner-up in four WSOP gold bracelet events, closed it out by besting Clyde Gaskins in heads-up play. The victory was good for $52,104 and a bit of redemption for the ��Chainsaw�� as he claimed a desired trophy.

It��s been a bit of a heater for the ��Chainsaw�� as back in October, Kessler topped a field of 41 runners to win the 2022 Orleans Fall Poker Open $400 Eight-Game Mix for $3,210. Prior to his recent victories, Kessler hadn��t had a tournament victory since 2015 according to the Hendon Mob.

$1,100 Limit Omaha 8B Final Table Results

PlacePlayerHometownPrize
1Allen KesslerLas Vegas, NV$52,104
2Clyde GaskinsN/A$42,500
3Seth AnirudhLas Vegas, NV$23,377
4Steven WeilerTarzana, CA$16,167
5Patrick MurphyNashville, TN$11,898
6Frankie O��DellLas Vegas, NV$9,191
7Kenneth DonoghueNew Hampshire$7,409
8Kham XaythavoneWest Valley, UT$6,192
9Ly LeLas Vegas, NV$5,286

Massive Opening Event Ends in Heads-Up Deal

Sean Banahan
Sean Banahan

The series actually kicked off with a $600 buy-in, $500K GTD No-Limit Hold��em event from December 1-4. That tournament attracted a massive 2,999 runners and more than tripled the guarantee by generating a $1,559,480 prize pool.

Among those to make deep runs were Eric Baldwin (14th - $13,800), Elvis Toomas (24th - $8,455), Thomas Middleton (34th - $7,430), Jose Barbero (43rd - $6,575), Dan Shak (52nd - $5,860), Mitchell Halverson (63rd - $4,743), and Ryan Riess (69th - $4,743).

The tournament ended in a heads-up deal between Jesse Lonis, one of the hottest players in tournament poker, and Idaho��s Sean Banahan. As part of the deal, Lonis finished in second place for $122,184 while Banahan was deemed champion for $136,220 and the tophy.

$600 NLH Opening Event Final Table Results

PlacePlayerHometownPrize
1Sean BanahanTwin Falls, ID$136,220*
2Jesse LonisLitke Falls, NY$122,184*
3Richard AlatiPhoenix, AZ$84,433
4David ChavezCarson, CA$82,900
5La SengphetPlano, TX$61,222
6Jatinder SinghLowell, MA$30,307
7Lunique PetioteWoodbine, GA$25,915
8David YokoyamaWailuku, HI$22,852
9Thomas ZanotPhoenix, AZ$20,227

*Denotes heads-up deal.

Esther Taylor Bests Benny Glaser to Win 8-Game Mix

Esther Taylor
Esther Taylor

Back on December 8, the $3,000 8-Game Mix $200K GTD attracted 131 entries, which created a $360,250 prize pool. That was paid out to the top 15 players, and among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Leonard August (10th - $8,538), Toby Lewis (11th - $8,538), Eita Sakai (12th - $7,475), Ken Aldridge (13th - $7,475), Nick Milgrom (14th - $6,621), and AJ Kelsall (15th - $6,621).

The final table was filled with recognizable and accomplished poker players, but after Brian Hastings bowed out in third place for $41,069, the title came down to Esther Taylor and Benny Glaser.

Taylor wound up closing it out for a smooth $100,000, while Glaser took $73,496 for his runner-up finish. Glaser would go on to make a deep run in the WPT World Championship and actually began Day 4 as the chip leader.

$3,000 8-Game Mix Final Table Results

PlacePlayerHometownPrize
1Esther TaylorPennsylvania$100,000
2Benny GlaserUnited Kingdom$73,496
3Brian HastingsSt. Johns, FL$41,069
4Ryan LengLas Vegas, NV$28,100
5Jon TurnerLas Vegas, NV$20,714
6Aaron KupaFlorida$16,572
7Ryan HughesArizona$13,690
8Yuval BronshteinFlordia$11,492
9David LittCalifornia$9,849

Ethan "Rampage" Yau Fades the Jinx and Wins WPT $25K High Roller

WPT Wynn Side Event Winners

WPT Wynn side event winners
*DateTournamentEntriesPrize PoolWinnerHometown/CountryPrize*    
12/5/22$600 HORSE $50K GTD261$134,415Rafael ConcepcionLas Vegas, NV$23,377    
12/4/22$600 NLH $50K GTD310$161,200Constantinos PsalidasCanada$27,179    
Dec. 1-4, 2022$600 NLH $500K GTD2,999$1,559,480Sean BanahanTwin Falls, ID$136,220    
12/6/22$600 Limit Omaha 8/B $50K GTD269$138,535Calen McNeilLos Angeles, CA$21,305    
12/7/22$600 5-Card PLO $50K GTD297$154,440Eric HayesMoorestown, NJ$30,423    
Dec. 5-7, 2022$600 NLH $200K GTD1,243$646,360Gerard MorrellCastle Rock, CO$101,415    
Dec. 7-8, 2022$1,100 Seniors NLH $200K GTD708$690,300Sergio GrossoToronto, CA$130,806    
12/8/22$3,000 8-Game Mix $200K GTD131$360,250Esther TaylorPennsylvania$100,000    
12/9/22$600 PLO Turbo $50K GTD407$211,640Lawrence BergLas Vegas, NV$46,307    
Dec. 12-23, 2022$1,100 HORSE Championship $100K GTD272$263,840Tyler WillseHillsboro, OR$63,967    
Dec. 13-14, 2022$1,100 Limit Omaha 8B Championship $100K GTD228$221,160Allen KesslerLas Vegas, NV$52,104    
12/14/22$1,600 NLH $500 Bounty Turbo $100L GTD368$351,440Christopher PuetzAustria$79,576    
Share this article
author
PR & Media Manager

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

More Stories

Other Stories

Recommended for you

Check Out Five of the Biggest Hands from the WPT Prime at Wynn Las Vegas Check Out Five of the Biggest Hands from the WPT Prime at Wynn Las Vegas