Last Updated on September 8, 2026 by Bala Kumar
Espen Jorstad has never needed a massive field to make headlines. The Norwegian pro who once outlasted 8,663 entries to win the 2022 WSOP Main Event has now added a third career WCOOP title to his résumé, this time in a considerably smaller online field, early in the 2026 series.
The Win: WCOOP 02-H PKO Warm-Up
Jorstad’s latest title came in WCOOP 02-H: $1,050 PKO Warm-Up, where he outlasted a 154-player field. Playing under the alias “SamSolverel,” he battled back from a four-to-one chip deficit in heads-up play to defeat Finland’s “realsuhisjii” and take the trophy.
The result added up to a $33,250 total score, a $14,359 payout for the win itself, plus $18,891 collected in progressive bounties along the way.
It’s a modest score by Jorstad’s standards, but the timing matters. WCOOP 2026 runs through September 30, and this win came in one of the very first events of the series, giving him a long runway to chase a fourth title before the series wraps.
A Career Built on Big-Field and Small-Field Wins Alike
What makes Jorstad’s résumé stand out is the range. He’s just as comfortable running deep in an eight-thousand-player field as he is closing out a 154-entry online event.
- 2022 WSOP Main Event Champion — $10 million first prize, becoming the first Norwegian to win poker’s biggest title
- 2022 WSOP Bracelet #2 — Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team, won alongside Patrick Leonard for $148,067
- 3× WCOOP champion — his first two titles came under the alias “Hymn2Ninkasi”; this latest win came under “SamSolverel”
- 3× SCOOP champion — most recently in 2024, outlasting 346 entries in a $530 NLHE high roller for a share of a $173,500 prize pool
The GTO Wizard Connection
Jorstad became GTO Wizard’s first-ever Team Pro back in 2023 and has stuck with the solver brand ever since. He’s since been joined on the ambassador roster by names like Dan “Jungleman” Cates (signed in 2025), Samuel Mullur, Shiina Okamoto, and content creator Joey Ingram.
GTO Wizard has become one of the leading poker solver tools on the market, used by players from recreational grinders to World Series champions to study Game Theory Optimal strategy. Jorstad has described it as “the main tool that I use myself,” noting that it consolidates what used to require several separate pieces of software, preflop tools, postflop solvers, ICM calculators, into one platform.
Time Away From the Table
Jorstad’s 2026 title run follows a notable step back from the game. He skipped the entire 2025 WSOP in Las Vegas, his first extended break from live poker since his championship run, citing a focus on mental health, fitness, and relationships outside the game. His return to the circuit, and now this early WCOOP win, suggests the time away hasn’t cost him any of his edge.
What’s Next
With WCOOP 2026 running through the end of September, Jorstad has plenty of time left in the series to build on his total. Given his track record of turning up in both massive live fields and tight online ones, another deep run, or a fourth title, wouldn’t be a surprise.
FAQs
1. How many WCOOP titles has Espen Jorstad won?
Espen Jorstad has won three WCOOP titles in his poker career, with his latest victory coming in WCOOP 02-H: $1,050 PKO Warm-Up in 2026.
2. How much did Espen Jorstad win in the WCOOP 02-H PKO Warm-Up?
Jorstad earned a total of $33,250, including a $14,359 tournament payout and $18,891 in progressive bounty winnings.
3. What alias did Espen Jorstad use to win his latest WCOOP title?
Jorstad played the WCOOP 02-H PKO Warm-Up under the online poker alias “SamSolverel.”
4. How many players did Espen Jorstad defeat in the WCOOP 02-H event?
Jorstad outlasted a 154-player field and defeated Finland’s “realsuhisjii” heads-up to secure his third WCOOP title.
5. Is Espen Jorstad a GTO Wizard ambassador?
Yes. Espen Jorstad became GTO Wizard’s first Team Pro in 2023 and has continued as one of the poker training platform’s prominent ambassadors.
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