When the final table of Event #52 ($1,000 NLHE) of the 2020 World Series of Poker Online began late Thursday night, Canadian Alek Stasiak had just six blinds. Two hours later he was the last player standing and became the first double bracelet winner of 2020.

Stasiak scored his first WSOP bracelet on July 27 when he won Event #33 ($1,111 Every 1 for Covid Relief Event). That win came with a $343,203 payday. Thursday’s added another $273,505 to his bankroll. The event drew 2,006 entries and had a $1,905,700 prize pool.

Stasiak was a spectator on the first few eliminations. Dejan Kaladjurdjevic opened to 400,000 from middle position before Federico Molina moved all in for 2,614,061 from the cutoff. Kunal Bhatia made it 6,026,122 to go and Kaladjurdjevic laid his hand down. Bhatia showed which was bad news for Molina as he tabled . The flop was an awful one for Molina as he lost one of his queen outs. The turn was a blank and both players made top pair on the river but Bhatia’s kicker played and Molina was out in ninth.

Five minutes later Jimmy Guerrero saw his second final table of the week come to an earlier than he was hoping for. Guerrero, who finished ninth in Event #49 on Monday, move all in for 2,744,640 from the cutoff before Vincas Tamasauskas re-shoved from the small blind for 3,813,987. Guerrero had two live cards as he showed against Tamasauskas’ . The flop gave Tamasauskas top pair. Guerrero picked up some straight outs on the turn but found a brick in the river to bust in eighth place.

Another five minutes past before another all in preflop situation lead to the third final table elimination. With blinds of 100K/200K, Denis Peganov was down to 2,804,982 and moved all in from UTG. Jesse Mercado called all in from the hijack and flipped over and Peganov showed . The gave Peganov a set of eights and left Mercado drawing very thin. The turn rendered the river meaningless and Mercado was out in seventh.

Peganov was back to flopping sets 20 minutes and it meant the end of the night for another player. Action folded to Thomas Hueber in the big blind and he moved all in fro 6,289,872 with and Peganov snap-called from the big blind with . The flop gave Peganov middle set and left Hueber drawing to his open-ender. The turn was no good and neither was the river to send Hueber to the rail in sixth place.

Another blind versus blind spot six minutes later resulted in the next elimination. Tamasauskas moved all in for 3,927,449 from the small blind with and Kaladjurdjevic from the big blind with . The run out gave Kaladjurdjevic two pair and eliminated Tamasauskas in fifth.

Just a few hands after Stasiak had assumed the final table chip lead, he put that stack to use in sending another player out. Peganov moved all in for 5,717,464 from UTG and Stasiak called from the big blind. Peganov was ahead with against Stasiak’s but the flop flipped that. Peganov watched the turn and river complete the board to eliminate him in fourth.

Stasiak found another willing combatant 15 minutes later and used to send the tournament to heads up. From the button, Stasiak opened to 800,000, Bhatia called from the small blind but Kaladjurdjevic decided to move all in for 14,712,114 from the big blind. Stasiak came over the top for 18,544,954 and Bhatia folded. Kaladjurdjevic showed and Stasiak was racing with . The flop gave Stasiak control. The turn improved his holding to two pair and the river made Kaladjurdjevic’s third place result official.

Stasiak had a better than 2-1 chip lead over Bhatia when heads up play began. Bhatia managed to briefly take over that chip lead, but Stasiak battled back and finished things off after after 25 minutes of play. Working with just 13 big blinds, Bhatia moved all in for 7,903,724 from the button and Stasiak called. Bhatia was ahead with to Stasiak’s . the flop was a safe one for Bhatia and the turn changed nothing. The river however gave Stasiak top pair and eliminated Bhatia in second place.

Final Table Payouts

1. Alek Stasiak – $273,505
2. Kunal Bhatia – $207,190
3. Dejan Kaladjurdjevic – $150,358
4. Denis Peganov – $109,114
5. Vincas Tamasauskas – $79,184
6. Thomas Hueber – $57,464
7. Jesse Mercado – $41,701
8. Jimmy Guerrero – $30,263
9. Federico Molina – $21,962