By Todd Lamansky
A deep run in the World Series of Poker Main Event has launched numerous careers throughout the years, so it’s only fitting Caesars Entertainment, who owns the WSOP, would be responsible for launching a few more over the summer. Caesars Palace’s annual Mega Stack Series attracted a ton of players, concluding July 15.
Sweden’s Jonas Lauck beat 1,601 players to earn championship honors and $260,765 in the $1K main event. Luack defeated Gennady Kalin, who received $184,608 for second place. The prize money should serve as a nice bankroll boost for both players who, according to Hendon Mob, only had a total of $15,711 in live earnings between the two of them before to the tournament.
Meanwhile, just a few doors down, Timothy West was busy winning the $5K main event at the latest installment of Venetian’s Deep Stack Extravaganza. West topped a field of 398 and received a $444,165 payday for his victory (the largest score of his career) increasing his lifetime earnings by more than 25 percent, surpassing $2 million. He also cashed twice at this year’s WSOP, bringing his career total to 18.
Brazil’s Caio Cesar Pimenta earned $269,462 for his runner-up finish, while Russia’s Dmitry Nemirovsky received $180,443 for third. That prize money was far and away the highlight of both players’ careers; their previous bests were $38,000 and $23,450, respectively.
Shannon Shorr’s fourth-place finish was good for $125,848. Other notable pros who cashed in the event included Galen Hall (19th), Men “Master” Nguyen (24th) and 2010 WSOP Player of the Year Frank Kassela (35th). The next DSE kicks off Oct. 25 and runs through Nov. 18.
Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza, May 24-July 15
Event 1 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 944 • Pool: $319,072
Alexander Labunskiy, $67,011
Event 2 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 273 • Pool: $141,687
Ali Alawadhi, $33,999
Event 3 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 220 • Pool: $74,360
Joseph Fulford, $17,845
Event 4 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 206 • Pool: $69,628
James Wadzinski, $16,712
Event 5 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 557 • Pool: $188,266
Eli Loewenthal, $43,292
Event 6 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 401 • Pool: $208,119
Mark Maletic, $48,902
Event 7 • $1,100 NLHE
Entries: 298 • Pool: $291,742
Eric Blair, $70,018
Event 8 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 739 • Pool: $383,541
George Mounsef, $84,387
Event 9 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 303 • Pool: $102,414
Brian Reinert, $24,573
Event 10 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 477 • Pool: $247,563
Daniel Lowery, $58,176
Event 11 • $2,500 NLHE
Entries: 209 • Pool: $475,475
Mikhai Glushankov, $114,118
Event 12 • $600 Omaha/8
Entries: 213 • Pool: $110,547
Jamie Kerstetter, $26,530
Event 13 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 531 • Pool: $179,478
Kent Frampton, $41,274
Event 14 • $1,100 NLHE
Entries: 137 • Pool: $134,123
Sergei Malyshev, $40,238
Event 15 • $600 PLO
Entries: 332 • Pool: $172,308
Elie Payan, $41,352
Event 16 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 553 • Pool: $287,007
Dominique Mosley, $66,005
Event 17 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 182 • Pool: $94,458
Tom Alner, $25,503
Event 18 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 397 • Pool: $134,186
Ryan Beckwith, $32,203
Event 19 • $1,600 NLHE
Entries: 190 • Pool: $275,120
Ryan Austin, $74,282
Event 20 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 572 • Pool: $296,868
Rodrigo Dantas, $68,275
Event 21 • $2,200 Bounty
Entries: 195 • Pool: $292,890
Pierre Neuville, $79,080
Event 22 • $1,100 NLHE
Entries: 329 • Pool: $322,091
Matthew Shedsky, $77,294
Event 23 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 481 • Pool: $249,639
Tillman Raschke, $58,666
Event 24 • $600 H.O.R.S.E.
Entries: 192 • Pool: $99,648
Samuel Vitello, $26,910
Event 25 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 1,093 • Pool: $369,434
Garry Cyre, $77,586
Event 26 • $1,600 NLHE
Entries: 266 • Pool: $385,168
Rick Bui, $92,436
Event 27 • $600 Seniors
Entries: 311 • Pool: $162,342
Douglas Dearborn, $38,967
Event 28 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 489 • Pool: $253,791
Ferenc Deak, $59,649
Event 29 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 301 • Pool: $156,219
Sudeep Gurung, $37,488
Event 30 • $2,500 NLHE
Entries: 138 • Pool: $313,950
Bjorn Li, $94,184
Event 31 • $1,100 NLHE
Entries: 218 • Pool: $213,422
Oleg Prokhorov, $51,218
Event 32 • $600 Omaha/8
Entries: 145 • Pool: $75,255
Stephen Ladowsky, $20,318
Event 33 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 350 • Pool: $181,650
Nadav Noy, $43,592
Event 34 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 277 • Pool: $143,763
James Adkins, $34,508
Event 35 • $1,100 NLHE
Entries: 198 • Pool: $193,842
Robert Kokoska, $52,340
Event 36 • $10K NLHE
Entries: 27 • Pool: $257,040
Igor Kurgandv, $128,520
Event 37 • $400 Ladies
Entries: 264 • Pool: $89,760
Katrina Lim, $21,547
Event 38 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 579 • Pool: $300,501
Brian Arakaki, $69,115
Event 39 • $2,20 NLHE
Entries: 138 • Pool: $207,276
Boulos Estafanous, $62,181
Event 40 • $600 PLO
Entries: 362 • Pool: $187,878
Dorian Rios, $45,089
Event 41 • $1,100 NLHE
Entries: 391 • Pool: $382,789
Richard Trigg, $91,863
Event 42 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 1,046 • Pool: $542,874
Justin Villa, $113,994
Event 43 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 313 • Pool: $162,447
Vitor Buzinaro, $38,986
Event 44 • $600 H.O.R.S.E.
Entries: 167 • Pool: $86,673
Adam Hutchinson, $24,268
Event 45 • $1,600 NLHE
Entries: 385 • Pool: $557,480
Maxime Conte, $133,794
Event 46 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 661 • Pool: $223,418
Michael Ferrari, $50,268
Event 47 • $2,500 NLHE
Entries: 168 • Pool: $382,200
Ryan Smith, $103,194
Event 48 • $1,100 NLHE
Entries: 295 • Pool: $288,805
Mario Lopez, $69,311
Event 49 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 433 • Pool: $224,727
Dan Murariu, $52,804
Event 50 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 270 • Pool: $140,130
Giuseppe Pastura, $33,634
Event 51 • $1,600 NLHE
Entries: 192 • Pool: $278,016
Joseph Hall, $75,066
Event 52 • $400 NLHE
Entries: 705 • Pool: $238,290
Gani Weiss, $52,420
$5K Main Event
Entries: 398 • Pool: $1.85M
Timothy West, $444,165
Event 54 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 421 • Pool: $218,499
Jason Stern, $51,342
Event 55 • $600 NLHE
Entries: 377 • Pool: $195,663
Joseph Kuether, $46,954
Caesars Palace Mega Stack Series, May 25-July 15
$130 NLHE
Entries: 198 • Pool: $19,206
Adrian Abram, $4,050
$130 NLHE
Entries: 48 • Pool: $4,656
Kwang Bae, $1,675
$240 NLHE
Entries: 174 • Pool: $33,657
Jason Goodman, $7,426
$130 NLHE
Entries: 82 • Pool: $7,954
Jimmy Nguyen, $2,307
$130 NLHE
Entries: 200 • Pool: $19,400
Simon English, $4,087
$130 NLHE
Entries: 89 • Pool: $8,663
Flaminio Malaguti, $2,503
$130 NLHE
Entries: 191 • Pool: $18,527
Kai Heinen, $3,908
$130 Heads-Up
Entries: 55 • Pool: $5,335
Chris Knight, $1,655
$130 NLHE
Entries: 203 • Pool: $16,691
Lou Kozic, $4,152
$130 NLHE
Entries: 72 • Pool: $6,984
Gustavo Munhoz, $2,095
$240 NLHE
Entries: 144 • Pool: $27,936
Mary-Ann Bianchi, $6,622
$130 Survivor
Entries: 51 • Pool: $4,950
Gary Huntley, $990
$350 NLHE
Entries: 165 • Pool: $48,015
Richard Yelland, $10,566
$130 NLHE
Entries: 208 • Pool: $20,176
Shawn Dubeau, $4,253
$130 NLHE
Entries: 78 • Pool: $7,566
Lisa Janus, $2,270
$240 NLHE
Entries: 128 • Pool: $24,832
Connor Cronkhite, $5,886
$130 Mix-Max
Entries: 85 • Pool: $8,245
David Rounds, $2,011
$130 NLHE
Entries: 180 • Pool: $17,460
John Cranston, $3,842
$130 Omaha/8
Entries: 90 • Pool: $8,730
Rainer Tows, $2,531
$240 NLHE
Entries: 143 • Pool: $27,742
Glaister Dawkins, $6,572
$130 NLHE
Entries: 125 • Pool: $12,125
Gerardo Accosta, $2,871
$350 NLHE
Entries: 151 • Pool: $43,941
R.J. Sullivan, $9,664
$240 Heads-Up
Entries: 64 • Pool: $12,416
Randall Christing, $3,849
$130 NLHE
Entries: 233 • Pool: $22,601
Allan Moore, $4,634
$130 PLO
Entries: 157 • Pool: $15,229
Stephen Wolfe, $3,353
$350 NLHE
Entries: 153 • Pool: $44,523
Dan Webster, $9,794
$130 NLHE
Entries: 133 • Pool: $12,901
Nelder De Carvalho, $3,056
$130 6-Max
Entries: 256 • Pool: $24,832
Ian Frazer, $6,584
$130 NLHE
Entries: 109 • Pool: $10,573
Denis Krivomazov, $2,727
$240 NLHE
Entries: 146 • Pool: $28,324
Matt Shoemaker, $6,713
$240 NLHE
Entries: 72 • Pool: $43,200
Denis Krivomazov, $4,191
$130 NLHE
Entries: 207 • Pool: $20,079
Jeff Harris, $4,235
$130 NLHE
Entries: 100 • Pool: $9,700
David Zurkowski, $2,501
$350 NLHE
Entries: 208 • Pool: $60,528
David McConachie, $12,759
$130 PLO/8 6-Max
Entries: 113 • Pool: $10,961
Jay Hong, $3,289
$130 6-Max
Entries: 276 • Pool: $26,772
David Webb, $6,961
$130 Team NLHE
Entries: 81 • Pool: $8,100
W. Fisher-D. Isenhour, $2,278
$350 NLHE
Entries: 210 • Pool: $61,110
Samad Razavi, $12,879
$240 PLO
Entries: 131 • Pool: $25,414
Francisco Hernandez, $6,024
$240 NLHE
Entries: 323 • Pool: $62,662
Taylor Koch, $12,347
$130 PLO/8
Entries: 138 • Pool: $13,386
Salim Valimahomed, $3,170
$130 NLHE
Entries: 468 • Pool: $45,396
Alonso Torres, $8,400
$130 NLHE
Entries: 247 • Pool: $23,959
Laurent Leboucher, $4,789
$560 Seniors
Entries: 811 • Pool: $393,335
Barry Middlebrook, $69,624
$350 NLHE
Entries: 355 • Pool: $103,305
Richard Whitebrook, $20,352
$130 Ante Only
Entries: 119 • Pool: $11,543
Jordan Shubert, $2,978
$130 NLHE
Entries: 504 • Pool: $48,888
Paul Leckey, $9,040
$130 PLO 6-Max
Entries: 184 • Pool: $17,848
V. Vongxaiburana, $4,911
$130 NLHE
Entries: 337 • Pool: $32,689
Bruce Lieberthal, $6,436
$240 Mix-Max
Entries: 91 • Pool: $17,654
Daniele Nestola, $4,305
$350 NLHE
Entries: 322 • Pool: $93,702
William Fitzpatrick, $18,457
$240 Survivor
Entries: 104 • Pool: $20,180
Marcel Vonk, $2,018
$240 NLHE
Entries: 299 • Pool: $58,006
Nicholas, Elvidge, $11,429
$240 PLO
Entries: 157 • Pool: $30,458
Karl Mahrenholz, $6,702
$240 NLHE
Entries: 56 • Pool: $48,306
Melissa Verrett, $9,662
$240 NLHE
Entries: 71 • Pool: $13,774
Patrice Ruggiero, $4,132
$130 NLHE
Entries: 329 • Pool: $31,913
Daniel Palmer, $6,287
$130 NLHE
Entries: 297 • Pool: $28,809
Michel Akrich, $5,683
$240 PLO/8
Entries: 236 • Pool: $45,784
Joe Mills, $9,387
$350 NLHE
Entries: 264 • Pool: $76,824
Cody Dawe, $15,367
$240 Ante Only
Entries: 38 • Pool: $7,372
Justin Truesdell, $2,802
$240 NLHE
Entries: 279 • Pool: $54,126
Laurent Galaup, $10,665
$130 NLHE
Entries: 195 • Pool: $18,915
Tom Caridi, $3,990
$240 NHE
Entries: 327 • Pool: $63,438
Morgan Polo, $12,492
$130 NLHE
Entries: 332 • Pool: $33,200
Ben Amlin, $6,342
$130 NLHE
Entries: 339 • Pool: $32,883
Philip Davidson, $6,479
$240 Team NLHE
Entries: 99 • Pool: $19,206
J. Peterson-P. Peterson, $4,956
$130 NLHE
Entries: 417 • Pool: $40,449
Karl Himmies, $7,690
$240 Mix-Max
Entries: 144 • Pool: $27,936
Nicholas Zangre, $6,813
$240 NLHE
Entries: 436 • Pool: $84,584
Randall Cohen, $16,072
$130 NLHE
Entries: 258 • Pool: $25,026
Sebastien Guidez, $5,012
$240 6-Max
Entries: 310 • Pool: $60,140
David Sandpearl, $15,033
$130 NLHE
Entries: 253 • Pool: $24,541
Rainer Tews, $4,908
$350 NLHE
Entries: 370 • Pool: $107,670
Vincenzo Bianco, $20,462
$240 PLO/8 6-Max
Entries: 172 • Pool: $33,368
Matt Bryant, $9,339
$240 NLHE
Entries: 270 • Pool: $52,380
Alexey Shostak, $10,478
$130 NLHE
Entries: 278 • Pool: $26,966
Greg McCullough, $5,309
$240 NLHE
Entries: 303 • Pool: $58,782
Nicolas Varak, $11,581
$560 NLHE
Entries: 86 • Pool: $41,710
Marc Foggin, $12,095
$240 NLHE
Entries: 247 • Pool: $47,918
Paul Svemoe, $9,585
$130 NLHE
Entries: 199 • Pool: $19,303
Emmanuel Carpinteri, $4,067
$1,080 Main Event
Entries: 1,602 • Pool: $1.55M
Jonas Lauck, $260,765
$130 NLHE
Entries: 98 • Pool: $9,506
Todd Strong, $2,454
$130 NLHE
Entries: 155 • Pool: $15,035
Paul Gotay, $3,307
$130 NLHE
Entries: 87 • Pool: $8,439
Dom Scalamogna, $2,448
$130 NLHE
Entries: 136 • Pool: $13,192
Sao Amaral, $3,125
$130 NLHE
Entries: 95 • Pool: $9,215
Alan Larson, $2,379
