Ivan Zufic Wins 2020 World Series of Poker Online Mini Main Event

A massive field of 15,205 total entries turned out for the 2020 World Series of Poker Online $500 buy-in no-limit hold’em ‘Mini Main’ event, blowing away the tournament’s $5 million guarantee to create a final prize pool of $7,222,375. In the end it was Croatia’s Ivan Zufic who emerged victorious with the bracelet and the top prize of $843,460.

This event featured 15 starting flights, with the survivors combining into one field on August 16 to play down to a champion. Just over 2,000 players took a seat for day 2, with 1,600 set to make the money and lock up at least a $1,356 payday. A number of big names made deep runs in the event, including Joe Serock (27th – $14,620), Marc-Andre Ladouceur (26th – $14,620), Guillaume Nolet (22nd – $16,770), Connor Drinan (21st – $18,817) and Vicent Bosca (18th – $18,817).

Zufic came into the final table with the chip lead, with Daniel Saugspier and Daniel Neilson sitting on the next-largest stacks. Fedor Kruse was the first to hit the rail at the final table, running his A9 into the A10 of Suraj Mishra. Both players made trip aces, but Mishra’s superior kicker sent Kruse packing in ninth place ($41,566).

Royal Pek was the next to fall. The Singapore resident moved all-in from under the gun with K8 and Daniel Saugspier called with QQ from the small blind. Neither player improved and Pek settled for $60,662 as the eighth-place finisher. Just a couple hands later Troy Mclean got all-in preflop with 22, only to find himself up against the KK of Daniel Neilson, who made a set of kings on the turn to leave Mclean drawing dead. He took home $88,532 for his seventh-place showing in this event.

Derek Miller’s run came to an end when his A4 failed to beat out the A9 of Zufic, who took down the pot to increase his lead. Miller earned $129,206 as the sixth-place finisher.

A classic preflop race brought about the elimination of Oleksii Kravchuk. He got his last chips in preflop with KQ and was facing the JJ pf Suraj Mishra. The pocket jacks held up and Kravchuk was sent home in fifth place ($188,567). Mishra continued his streak by busting Daniel Saugspoer in fourth place. The German wound up all-in with AJ, which was dominated by Mishra’s AQ. Both players made a pair of aces on the flop, but neither improved on the turn or river and Mishra’s superior kicker was enough to end Saugspier’s tournament. He earned $275,200 for his deep run.

Daniel Neilson was left as the clear short stack when three-handed play began. He shoved from the small blind with AK and was called by Mishra with the A10. The JJ789 runout gave Mishra a straight on the river to knockout Neilson in third place ($401,635).

With that Mishra chipped up to 367 million, putting him within striking distance of Zufic, who had 390 million when heads-up play began. Zufic was able to quickly extend his lead even further, taking a 14:1 chip advantage by the time the final hand was dealt. Mishra picked up 22 on the button and moved all in for just over eight big blinds. Zufic called with the A9. The board came down A6485 and Zufic made a pair of aces to lock up the pot and the title. Mishra earned $586,157 as the runner-up finisher.

Here is a look at the payouts awarded at the final table: