2020 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 Main Event on
WSOP.com attracted 705 players who played down to a final table of nine. Today, those players return to action, minus three-time bracelet winner Upeshka De Silva, who was deemed ineligible to proceed with participation after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19 (published rules stated that any player who tested positive would be disqualified and receive ninth-place money of $98,813).
The other eights players are at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino ready to battle it out for a $1,553,256 top prize, which also provides them the opportunity to compete for an additional $1 million and the gold bracelet in a heads-up showdown against the winner of the GGPoker international portion of the WSOP. The runner-up will also become a poker millionaire as $1,002,340 is set aside for second place.
On the day
Upeshka De Silva was disqualified from the WSOP Final Table for a positive COVID-19 test, there have been further ramifications for the Main Event with the news that the heads-up match will be postponed. It has since been revealed that the match will now take place on
Sunday, January 3 at 5 p.m. PST.
Argentina s
Damian Salas was set to play the winner of tonight s final table on Dec. 30, but according to
CodigoPoker Salas has been denied entry to the United States.
This is due to him having been in Europe less than 15 days ago, participating in the final table held at King s Casino, Rozvadov in the Czech Republic. Salas defeated Brazil s
Upeshka De Silva
The final table was slated to begin with nine players, but that changed when three-time bracelet winner Upeshka De Silva was deemed ineligible to proceed with participation after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19
The story broke late Sunday night after two-time Global Poker Award winner Joey Ingram tweeted that De Silva had tested positive and had therefore been disqualified.
According to WSOP rules, any player who tests positive for COVID-19 prior to the start of the final table play will be disqualified and receive the minimum final table payout.
De Silva explained more about the situation in a series of follow-up tweets, with the three-time bracelet-winner explaining that he had been quarantining since Dec. 10 but ultimately tested positive on Dec. 20.
Positive COVID-19 Test Ahead of Final Table Busts Upeshka De Silva in 9th Place
4 Min read
Upeshka De Silva is out of the WSOP Main Event in ninth place after testing positive for COVID-19 ahead of the final table in Las Vegas. The three-time bracelet winner receives $98,813, but won’t be dealt a single hand on Monday.
Upeshka De Silva is the ninth-place finisher in the 2020 World Series of Poker Main Event. (Image: bay101news.com)
De Silva is the most accomplished player at the final table. Although he sat in eighth position heading to the Rio, he had as good of a shot at becoming world champion as anyone. The rules this year state that any player who tests positive when the online tournament switches to the live final table format would automatically be disqualified and paid ninth-place money.
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Damian Salas is having trouble entering the United States, so the heads-up match to determine the WSOP Main Event champion is being pushed back. The news comes just hours after Upeshka De Silva was disqualified from the US final table due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Damian Salas will have to wait a few days longer than expected to compete for a world title. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
De Silva was scheduled to compete at the Rio final table in Las Vegas on Monday. Instead, he’ll receive ninth-place money ($98,813) and won’t be dealt a single hand. Those were the rules set forth prior to the start of the tournament earlier this month. Each player knew of the risks associated with traveling during a global health pandemic.