Allan Le Wins U.S. Poker Open $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Event

Allan Le has a World Series of Poekr bracelet and nearly $3.6 million in career poker tournament earnings to his name, with many of his biggest paydays coming in pot-limit Omaha events. In fact, half of his ten largest scores have come in tournaments contested over a PLO variant, including his most recent victory. On Mar. 28, Le defeated a field of 77 entries to capture the title in the 2023 U.S. Poker Open $10,500 buy-in pot-limit Omaha event, earning $200,200 for the win. This was the third-largest cash yet for the Huntington Beach, California native.

Le is a member of one of the most accomplished poker families. His brother Tommy Le is a two-time bracelet winner the current leader on the PLO all-time money list with more than $3.5 million in cashes playing the game. Allan and Tommy’s brother Nam Le is a World Poker Tour main event champion with more than $7.4 million in lifetime cashes under his belt.

While all three Le brothers have achieved a lot on the circuit, Allen has been the most productive so far this year. He has recorded six tournament cashes, with two final-table finishes including this win. He was awarded 420 Card Player Player of the Year points for his victory at the USPO, along with 200 PokerGO Tour rankings points. Le now sits in 25th place in the PGT season-long standings.

The final day began with just five players remaining and PLO specialist Ronald Keijzer in the lead and Le in second chip position. Damjan Radanov was the short stack to start, and he soon found himself all-in and at risk with AQ97 on a board of J106A. Radanov was up against a set of jacks for six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu, who held AJJ6. Radanov had flush and straight outs, but the 2 on the river was no help and he was sent to the rail in fifth place ($61,600).

Despite winning that hand, Negreanu was ultimately the next to be eliminated. The two-time POY award winner and reigning Super High Roller Bowl champion lost a huge hand against bracelet winner Dylan Weisman, with all but a few big blinds going in preflop with Negreanu’s J1087 up against the AK87 of his opponent. Weisman flopped aces and eights and held from there to surge up the leaderboard.

Negreanu battled back from the danger zone a few times but ultimately could not hold with top pair and a wrap draw against the middle pair and double gutshot of Keijzer. Negreanu earned $77,000 as the fourth-place finisher. He now has nearly $49.9 million in recorded tournament earnings, the third-most of any player in the history of the game. Only Justin Bonomo ($62,316,371) and Bryn Kenney ($57,830,029) sit above him on poker’s all-time money list.

This was already Negreanu’s 12th PGT cash of 2023, bringing his earnings to $656,810 so far this season. As a result, he has climbed into 6th place in the season-long standings. He has made seven POY-qualified tables along the way, earning enough points to claim the 44th-place spot on the 2023 POY leaderboard, which is presented by Global Poker.

Weisman was left as the short stack when three-handed action got underway. In his final hand, Le bet the pot on an A86 flop with KK75. Weisman shoved for just a bit more with Q1082 for middle pair. he took the lead on a 10 turn, but the K on the river improved Le to a winning set. Weisman was awarded $100,100 for his third-place showing.

Heads-up play began with Le holding 6,300,000 to Keijzer’s 3,325,000. The pair went on to battle for about 50 minutes, with the lead changing hands a couple times along the way. By the time the final hand was dealt, Le had built more than a 5:1 chip advantage. Keijzer opened from the button with KQ97 and Le three-bet with J877. Keijzer called to grow the pot to 1.9 million, leaving just 625,000 remaining in his stack. That went in after the flop came down 1062, with Le betting and Keijzer calling all-in. The 2 turn and 3 river kept Le’s pocket sevens ahead, earning him the pot and the title. Keijzer cashed for $146,300 as the runner-up finisher. This was the third-largest score of his career, bringing his total earnings to nearly $1.3 million.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded on day 2:

Photo credits: PokerGO / Enrique Malfavon.