2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

$3,500 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aa
Prize
$560,442
Event Info
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$3,283,200
Entries
1,026
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
56
Players Left
7

Nikitin Eliminated; Final Three Tables

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Anatoly Nikitin
Anatoly Nikitin

Short-stacked Anatoly Nikitin moved all in for his last 80,000 and then Fabrice Bigot re-raised to 200,000 to isolate. The other players got out of the way and the cards were tabled.

Anatoly Nikitin: Q?Q?
Fabrice Bigot: K?4?

Nikitin was in a good position to double up with his pocket queens but the flop of K?A?2? was heartbreaking as it gave Bigoit the lead with his pair of kings. The runout of J?7? did not help Nikitin and he was sent to the payout desk.

With his elimination, the players are now down to the final three tables.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Fabrice Bigot fr
Fabrice Bigot
2,200,000
Profile photo of Anatoly Nikitin ru
Anatoly Nikitin
Busted

Stellwagon Burns Through Timebanks; Stamm Chooses Javier's for Dinner

Level 24 : Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Jeffrey Stellwagon
Jeffrey Stellwagon

Jeffrey Stellwagon raised to 415,000 from under the gun, leaving 20,000 behind. David Stamm called from the small blind.

Stamm put his opponent all in on the K?4?2? flop, and Stellwagon entered the tank. He then tossed his five timebank cards into the middle preemptively.

As Stellwagon's time ticked down, Stamm dug into his dinner which was from Javier's. He had some chips and salsa, with some beef and vegetables. As he washed it down with a diet coke, Stellwagon called.

Jeffrey Stellwagon: 5?5?
David Stamm: 6?6?

The 3?7? completed the board and kept Stellwagon alive as he rivered a flush.

"That may have been the biggest all in of my life," said Stellwagon, who was looking to make the next payjump.

Sai Triples with Treys

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Benjamin Sai
Benjamin Sai

Benjamin Sai moved all in from the cutoff for 280,000 and was called by both Ivan Galinec and Fabrice Bigot.

The flop came out 5?8?8? and Galinec checked to Bigot who then bet 120,000 and Galinec called to see the 3? on the turn.

Galinec checked again to Bigot who chose to continue with the same saizing of 120,000 but this time Galinec folded and the cards were tabled.

Bigot tabled 7?7? for a pair of sevens but then Sai flipped over 3?3? for a turned full house, much to the table's amusement.

The river 9? completed the board and Bigot took his small sidepot while Sai scooped the main pot for a full triple-up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Fabrice Bigot fr
Fabrice Bigot
2,200,000
-200,000
-200,000
Profile photo of Ivan Galinec hr
Ivan Galinec
1,050,000
-260,000
-260,000
Profile photo of Benjamin Sai sg
Benjamin Sai
900,000
450,000
450,000

Tags: Benjamin SaiFabrice BigotIvan Galinec

Wu Eliminates Final BetMGM Qualifier

Level 23 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Danny DeJesus
Danny DeJesus

Danny DeJesus open-jammed from middle position for 500,000 and Jun Hao Wu flatted from the cutoff, then Paul Gunness re-shoved over the top for 1,400,000. Action folded back to Wu who snap-called to put both of his opponents at risk as the cards were tabled.

Danny DeJesus: A?J?
Paul Gunness: J?J?
Jun Hao Wu: A?A?

Gunness and DeJesus would need a lot of help to catch up to Wu's rockets, but the runout of 6?5?7?2?3? did them no favors and they were both sent to the payout desk. DeJesus was the last surviving BetMGM qualifier, and with his elimination, there are none left to make it to the final table.

Brett Bassock also found his way to the exit at a neighboring table.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jun Hao Wu sg
Jun Hao Wu
3,250,000
1,150,000
1,150,000
Profile photo of Paul Gunness us
Paul Gunness
Busted
Profile photo of Danny DeJesus us
Danny DeJesus
Busted
Profile photo of Brett Bassock us
Brett Bassock
Busted

Tags: Danny DeJesusJun Hao WuPaul Gunness

Bigot Busts Chu

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Chi Jen Chu
Chi Jen Chu

After some back-and-forth betting, Fabrice Bigot and Chi Jen Chu got all the money in the middle, with Bigot slightly covering,

Fabrice Bigot: A?Q?
Chi Jen Chu: K?K?

Chu was a favorite to double in this spot, but the runout of 5?7?5?4?A? gave Bigot the dreaded ace on the river to send him to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Fabrice Bigot fr
Fabrice Bigot
2,300,000
1,675,000
1,675,000
Profile photo of Chi Jen Chu tw
Chi Jen Chu
Busted

Tags: Chi Jen ChuFabrice Bigot

Ibanez Scores Double Knockout

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Johann Ibanez
Johann Ibanez

After a preflop betting war, Johann Ibanez, John McMurry, and Clemen Deng all got their chips into the middle before the flop, with Ibanez covering.

John McMurry: Ax6x
Clemen Deng: 8?8?
Johann Ibanez: 9?9?

Ibanez was in a great position with his superior pocket pair, and the runout of 2?7?Q?J?J? was pure for him and he was awarded the pot, eliminating Deng and McMurry.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Johann Ibanez co
Johann Ibanez
3,200,000
850,000
850,000
Profile photo of John McMurry us
John McMurry
Busted
Profile photo of Clemen Deng us
Clemen Deng
Busted

Tags: Johann IbanezJohn McMurrayKevin Deng

Stamm Downs Palmer in Biggest Pot of the Day

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
David Stamm
David Stamm

Ben Palmer opened from the hijack and picked up a caller. David Stamm squeezed to 300,000 from the big blind and only Palmer called.

Palmer called bets of 300,000 and 600,000 on the flop and turn for the final board to show 8?7?5?7?4?. Stamm then jammed as the big stack and Palmer, with around 500,000 behind, called.

Stamm had the Q?Q?, while Palmer had pocket tens.

"I would've played ace-king the same way," said Stamm

Palmer seemed unsure about that but thanked Stamm for trying to "humour the fish."

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Stamm us
David Stamm
4,100,000
2,000,000
2,000,000
Profile photo of Ben Palmer us
Ben Palmer
Busted
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Ben PalmerDavid Stamm

Agarwal Hero Calls for Tournament Life; Yunis Exits

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Anuj Agarwal
Anuj Agarwal

After checking through the 6?Q?K?4? turn, Anuj Agarwal and Mike Vanier saw the river fall the 7?.

Agarwal was first to act and he bet 125,000 into the pot of around 400,000 but then Vanier shoved all in, covering his opponent.

Agarwal then went deep into the tank, using all six of his time banks for this decision. As he reached the end of his clock, he set out a stack of chips and made the call, putting himself at risk.

Vanier did not like this call and flipped over J?10? for a missed straight draw and jack-high, to which Agarwla jumped up and proudly flipped over K?9? for just a pair of kings to win the massive pot.

Meanwhile, across the room, Nick Yunis was eliminated by Erfan Geula when his ace-ten couldn't improve against Geula's ace-queen.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mike "Vinny" Vanier us
Mike "Vinny" Vanier
2,400,000
560,000
560,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Erfan Geula us
Erfan Geula
2,200,000
725,000
725,000
Profile photo of Anuj Agarwal us
Anuj Agarwal
1,650,000
1,375,000
1,375,000
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Nick Yunis cl
Nick Yunis
Busted

Tags: Anuj AgarwalMike VanierErfan GeulaNick Yunis

Nikitin Hits Ruver to Down Pastore

Level 22 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Jonathan Pastore
Jonathan Pastore

Jonathan Pastore was all in for 125,000 from under the gun and was at risk to Anatoly Nikitin, who called from the big blind.

Jonathan Pastore: A?7?
Anatoly Nikitin: K?6?

Pastore paired up on the Q?J?7? to level Nikitin drawing to three outs. The Q? changed nothing but the K? river gave Nikitin a better pair and Pastore bust.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Anatoly Nikitin ru
Anatoly Nikitin
2,200,000
350,000
350,000
Profile photo of Jonathan Pastore fr
Jonathan Pastore
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Pablo Mariz ca
Pablo Mariz
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Anatoly NikitinJonathan Pastore

Turmezey Jams into Kings

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante
Peter Turmezey
Peter Turmezey

Peter Turmezey opened to 50,000 from early position with David Stamm and Sundiata DeVore calling from middle position and the hijack.

Ben Palmer made it 265,000 from the small blind and Turmezey jammed for 290,000 total.

Peter Turmezey: Q?Q?
Ben Palmer: K?K?

Palmer called for a four following 7?6?5? flop as Palmer noted Turmezey as a "nice guy." The 9? brought in some chop outs but Palmer improved a set on the K? river to down his opponent.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ben Palmer us
Ben Palmer
1,500,000
50,000
50,000
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Peter Turmezey hu
Peter Turmezey
Busted

Tags: Ben PalmerDavid StammPeter TurmezeySundiata DeVore