In the end, the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship was a much-contested affair. Kicking off with 114 players, the tournament saw Justin Bonomo make it to the very top and landing his second World Series of Poker distinction with a gold bracelet and adding $185,965 in the process.
It was a sweet victory and one that contributed towards his hefty record of winnings this season. In fact, Bonomo’s winnings are now pegged at $14.5 million, which easily makes him one of the richest players among the other contestants of the 2018 World Series of Poker, and beyond. We have known about Mr Bonomo’s winnings for a while now.
Bonomo’s Rise
Mr Bonomo did not have an easy game all throughout the tournament, but he remained focused and managed to enter the 64-bracket, facing off David Laka. The game versus Mr Laka was a matter of a bluff, which Mr Bonomo quickly caught and progressed to the 32 Round, opening up new competitive prospects.
He immediately was pitted against High Roller Jake Schindler. Despite Mr Schindler being a savvy enemy himself, Mr Bonomo managed to notch a quick victory, and progressed yet again to the next stage of the competition, securing himself a seat among the 16 top players.
He was greeted by Niall Farrell, who had already won a bracelet himself. Mr Farrell seemed to start off on the wrong foot and his loss of momentum continued all throughout the game, relegating him out of the competition. Mr Bonomo saw his good fortune multiply and he dived right into the next round.
Mark McGovern had been waiting for Mr Bonomo all along. Mr Bonomo managed to gain momentum from the very start, and while conceding a minor advantage to his opponents, he managed to settle it all with a four-out turn and ended in the next stage of the competition.
And there was Martijn Gerrits who had been preparing for the semifinals. This particular match lasted 93 hands and nobody really knew what and who was going to win. Bonomo was losing at first, but a number of double-ups helped him get his foot firmly lodged in the game. He progressed to the next stage and secured a win against Jason McConnon in a game that was less intense than expected.
A Bracelet for Each Hand
Mr Bonomo has commented for the press that he appreciated his victory. However, his first bracelet felt much more special whereas this one, while deserved, felt like was no special achievement.
Mr Bonomo also expressed his appreciation of the opponents he had been facing all throughout the tournament and added that he had been researching them. Most of the people he faced were not opponents he would have liked to face throughout the competition. Still, he managed to remain focus even in the face of unpalatable matches and that helped him secure a victory.
Mr Bonomo’s increasing bankroll definitely draws inspirations and it would be fun to see how far can he push his earnings from poker. In any event, Mr Bonomo is a trendsetter.
