May 20
What an emotional win! We spoke to Jessica Vierling immediately following her first WSOP gold ring win and largest poker cash. We asked her how she mentally reset after this morning's frazzled, late arrival and where she found her own perseverance in, what can be, a brutal game.
May 20
Railbirds were moved to tears witnessing Jessica Vierling's winning moment. She couldn't stop smiling, giggling and shaking her head in utter disbelief at her biggest career win!
May 20
It's been an incredible week for women in poker. Jessica Vierling just capped it off by winning one of the biggest WSOP Circuit Main Events in history for $328,273 at The Commerce Casino and Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
Vierling came into the final day of action second in chips, but nothing could stand between her and the final Circuit Main Event title of the season.
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Jessica Vierling | $328,273 |
2 |
Christian Roberts | $218,807 |
3 |
Cooper Feltham | $154,959 |
4 |
James Pilpa | $111,325 |
5 |
Stephen Sharrah | $81,148 |
6 |
Amit Shah | $60,029 |
7 |
Edward Pak | $45,076 |
8 |
Jared Greiner | $34,365 |
9 |
Johnny Bromberg | $26,607 |
10 |
Audley Harrison | $13,579 |
A total of 15 players came into Day 3 with $13,579 locked up. Nine players were eliminated before the livestream coverage began.
Once on stream, Vierling seemed to have all the right moves early and often, most of which featured timely aggression and situational awareness of the highest prowess. She wasn't afraid to mix it up with other big stacks, firing multiple barrels when others may have given up.
"Did you have any idea that you were going to take the ring?" asked tournament director Jonathan Ing.
"No," she laughed. "I mean, when I started running like that with aces and kings I thought maybe," she said.
A pivotal hand took place against James Pilpa when Pilpa flopped middle set against Vierling's top pair. Pilpa attempted to lay the trap on both the turn and river. Unfortunately for him, Vierling didn't bite on the turn, and then she made the backdoor nut flush on the river. Winning that pot gave her over half the chips in play going into three-handed play.
She entered heads-up play with Christian Roberts holding a nearly 5:1 chip lead. Only a few hands in, Roberts picked the absolute worst time to run a big bluff with jack high as Vierling had flopped trips. She called a check-raise and two more barrels, letting Roberts seal his own fate.
"I was in a downswing for five months," said the newly crowned champion. "This is incredible."
This series, there have now been four ring winners who were women here at The Commerce, an impressive result given the typical ratio of men to women players in the fields.
When Natalie Bode talked to her about that success, Vierling only had one perfect thing to say: "Let's go girls!"
We saw Christina Gollins win the $600 Housewarming, Sally Stephens win the $400 Seniors Event on Mother's Day, and Kathy Chang win the $600 HORSE. Now, Vierling has put the ultimate stamp on this stop by winning the big one.
Jessica Vierling has secured her spot into the upcoming $1 million freeroll Tournament of Champions happening here at The Commerce from May 22-24. Along with all other ring and bracelet winners of this past season, she's earned a free entry into the event.
The Commerce and GG Poker will stream all the action from that exciting event on their YouTube channel as they did this Main Event and others.
Even more exciting is the winner of the Tournament of Champions will take home the first WSOP bracelet of the season as we head into summertime in Vegas.
Congratulations to Jessica Vierling on her incredible performance as the newest WSOP Main Event champion!
May 20
Jessica Vierling has done it! She is your WSOP-C Commerce Main Event champion.
Her dominating performance was nothing short of incredible.
We'll have a full recap up shortly.
