Joseph Hebert won the US version of the WSOP Main Event, and he now awaits a heads-up battle with Damian Salas for the world championship, and a shot at an extra $1 million.

Joseph Hebert is one step away from poker immortality. (Image: Twitter)

Salas won the final table, which began on GGPoker, in Rozvadov, Czech Republic earlier this month. He earned just over $1.5 million for his efforts along with the right to face the US Main Event champ. The heads-up match was originally scheduled for Dec. 30 at the Rio in Las Vegas. But Salas had some travel issues due to COVID-19. As such, the finale will take place Jan. 2.

We now know Salas’ opponent, and that individual is Joseph Hebert thanks to a cruel suck out on the final hand. Ron Jenkins, decked out in a MAGA hat, got his chips all-in pre-flop with pocket queens against A-Q. The board ran out K-7-A-4-8, a winning top pair for Hebert and a brutal bad beat for Jenkins, who received $1,002,340 for second place.

Doug Polk bluffed off a massive session lead on Day 22 against Daniel Negreanu, but still holds a sizable lead at exactly the midway point. That is, of course, assuming Negreanu doesn’t opt to quit.

Doug Polk lost again but still leads big overall. (Image: YouTube)

The poker stars played their shortest session to this point on Monday due to reaching the halfway mark (12,500 hands). They both agreed to cut the session short as this is the point in which the losing player (Negreanu) has the option to throw in the towel without penalty.

Negreanu, however, has made it clear he intends to see this thing through to the full 25,000-hand mark. But he did admit in the post-game interview on the GGPoker YouTube channel that he isn’t 100% committed to continuing. The long-time poker rivals will get back to the virtual felt on WSOP.com on Jan. 4, assuming Negreanu doesn’t end the match.

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.

Monday’s final table will still go on, but with eight players instead of nine. One of those players will take home $1.5 million and a shot to face Salas, who won the international bracket of the tournament, heads-up for the bracelet and an extra $1 million. That heads-up finale was scheduled for Dec. 30 at the Rio. But the international winner is having a difficult time entering the United States.

Upeshka De Silva is out in ninth place from the WSOP Main Event automatically due to a positive COVID-19 test 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. But 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.

Eight other players will compete on Monday at the Rio for a shot to face Damian Salas heads-up for the world title and an extra $1 million. Salas won the GGPoker (international) version of the WSOP Main Event earlier this month. He received $1.5 million for his efforts and is now just one step away from poker immortality.