$3,500 Championship Day 1a | 2024 Wynn Millions

03-08-2024 02:19 UTC-7

Fikret Kovac Bags Nearly 10x Starting Stack on Day 1a of Wynn Millions Championship

Connor Richards

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

The $3,500 buy-in Wynn Millions Championship kicked off today with Day 1a as part of the 2024 Wynn Millions Poker Series in Las Vegas, drawing no shortage of poker notables. After ten hours of play, Georgia's Fikret Kovac bagged the chip lead over the 64 remaining players with a stack of 394,000.

The first of three starting flights in the Wynn Millions Championship, one of the most popular tournaments of the year, drew 236 runners who contributed to the $3 million guaranteed prize pool. Plenty of notables bagged on Day 1a, including Alex Foxen, Kristen Foxen, Landon Tice, John Riordan, James Romero and David "ODB" Baker.

Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts

RANK	NAME	COUNTRY	CHIP COUNT	BIG BLINDS
1	Fikret Kovac	United States	394,000	158
2	Steven Jones	United States	340,000	136
3	John Betancourt	United States	329,500	132
4	Jack Hardcastle	United Kingdom	308,000	123
5	Dong Min Suh	United States	285,000	114
6	Ardit Kurshumi	United States	282,500	113
7	Mike Chiappetta	United States	278,000	111
8	Chris Hak	Canada	273,000	109
9	Rick Mechammil	United States	264,000	106
10	Chad Lipton	United States	259,500	104

Day 1a Action

There were big names in the Day 1a field from the beginning, with inaugural champion Andrew Moreno, Poker Hall of Famer Billy Baxter, soap opera star Farah Galfond and acclaimed author and Maria Konnikova all among the first players to take their seats. Konnikova took an early beat when her flopped nut flush was outdrawn by the runner-runner boat of Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy, but both players managed to stick around to bag.

The big names kept on coming as the hours rolled on, including those who busted Day 2 of the $2,200 NLH 6-Max like poker coach Jonathan Little, 2015 WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen and 2023 GPI Player of the Year Bin Weng.

There were also moments of serendipity, like when 2023 WSOP Main Event runners-up Adam Walton and Steven Jones were seated side-by-side eight months after they both became millionaires. But the summer reunion ended in a cooler that saw Walton's set of aces crushed by the rivered straight of his WSOP companion.

Walton took the beat with a smile and even stuck around for several hours to sweat the 6-Max final table taking place across the room.

Some of the other players who didn't survive to bag include Ryan Laplante, Clemen Deng, Brock Wilson, Bill Klein, Justin Young and Jared Jaffee.

There are still two more starting flights to play out, including Day 1b that will kick off on Friday, March 8 at noon local time.

Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team will be back on-site at Wynn Las Vegas tomorrow for continued coverage of the Wynn Millions Championship.

Tags: Adam Hendrix Adam Walton Alex Foxen Andrew Moreno Bill Klein Billy Baxter Bin Weng Brock Wilson Calvin Anderson Clemen Deng Farah Galfond Fikret Kovac James Romero Jared Jaffee Joe McKeehen John Riordan Jonathan Little Justin Young Kristen Foxen Landon Tice Maria Konnikova Ryan Laplante Samuel Laskowitz Steven Jones

03-07-2024 23:55 UTC-7

"I Was Trapping You, Alex"

Connor Richards

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Bin Weng opened in middle position and called as Alex Foxen three-bet in the hijack.

Weng checked on the flop of 6♦4♠K♥ and Foxen continued for 5,500. Weng called. Weng checked again on the 10♠ turn and Foxen checked back.

The 7♦ river completed the board and Weng took some time before betting around 53,000 to bring a snap-fold from Foxen.

"I was trapping you, Alex," Weng laughed before telling the table he had ace-king offsuit. "I normally always four-bet that hand."

Player	Chips	Progress
Bin Weng	200,000 135,000	135,000

Alex Foxen	180,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Alex Foxen Bin Weng

03-07-2024 23:02 UTC-7

Jones Cracks Set of Aces of Fellow WSOP Final Tablist Walton

Connor Richards

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Fellow 2023 WSOP Main Event final tablists Adam Walton and Steven Jones were seated next to each other for much of the day, but the summer reunion is over. And, once again, Jones got the best of it.

The two players, who respectively finished third (Walton) and second (Jones) in the Main Event for $4 million and $6.5 million, sparred in a heads-up pot on a board of 2♦8♥5♥A♠ that saw Walton betting 7,100 from the hijack and Jones calling on the button.

Walton then checked on the 9♦ river and Jones bet 22,000. Walton then check-jammed a stack of around 55,000 and Jones quickly called.

Walton tabled A♣A♦ for a set of aces, but it was no good against the rivered straight of his opponent with 7♦6♥.

Walton took the beat in stride and went to sweat the $2,200 NLH 6-Max final table on the other side of the room, while Jones discussed the hand with others at the table.

"We've played together so much," Jones said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Jones	300,000 40,000	40,000

Adam Walton	Busted

Tags: Adam Walton Steven Jones

03-07-2024 16:32 UTC-7

Rossitto Put In Check

Connor Richards

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Defending champion Michael Rossitto opened to 2,500 in middle position on top of two early position limps and the big blind looked up from his mobile chess game before three-betting to 9,000. The two limpers quickly folded and Rossitto followed suit.

"He's in the middle of a chess match. You think he has a bluff? He's on the clock right now!" the 2023 Wynn Millions champion laughed as he mucked his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Rossitto	35,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Michael Rossitto

03-07-2024 15:42 UTC-7

Galfond Doubles With Two Pair

Connor Richards

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Farah Galfond was seen doubling up to around 30,000 with two pair on a board of 7♣9♥8♣3♥7♦.

Galfond held 9♠8♠ and her opponent's cards had already been mucked as the soap opera star doubled her stack.

At the same table, David "ODB" Baker was seen sitting with a stack of around 50,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
David "ODB" Baker	50,000 50,000	50,000

Farah Galfond	30,000 -10,000	-10,000

Tags: Farah Galfond

03-07-2024 14:57 UTC-7

Konnikova Flops the Nuts, Josephy Rivers Queens Full

Connor Richards

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

The cooler of all coolers took place at a table in the back of the Wynn tournament area as Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy found himself all in and at risk against acclaimed author Maria Konnikova.

Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy: Q♠Q♥ All in
Maria Konnikova: A♣K♣

The flop of Q♣4♣6♣ hit both players hard as Konnikova flopped the nut flush to be in front of Josephy's set of queens. The 2♠ turn didn't change anything, but a second deuce in the form of the 2♣ on the river gave Josephy a full house to put a devastating beat on the Biggest Bluff author.

"It was all going in on that flop, anyway," Konnikova said after losing most of her stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cliff Josephy	80,000 80,000	80,000

Maria Konnikova	10,000 -30,000	-30,000

Tags: Cliff Josephy Maria Konnikova

03-07-2024 14:03 UTC-7

NLH 6 Max Day 2 Update: Shorr, Andrews & Rossitto Still Alive

Connor Richards

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

There is another tournament playing out at Wynn Las Vegas right now, and that is the $2,200 buy-in NLH 6 Max event that drew 468 runners across two flights.

Day 2 of the $500,000 guaranteed event kicked off at noon and currently features an array of poker names, including Shannon Shorr, Joao Simao, Andres Korn, Victoria Livschitz, Frank Lagodich, poker coach Jonathan Little, WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen, 2022 GPI Female Player of the Year Cherish Andrews, WSOP NV/NJ POY Mike Holtz and 2023 POY Bin Weng.

Another player in the field is reigning Wynn Milions champion Michael Rossitto, who last year topped a field of 1,314 runners in the Main Event to win $604,637. Should his 6-Max run end, don't be surprised to see him hop into the Championship event to defend his title.

With 45 players remaining, the event will play down to a winner today inside Wynn Las Vegas, who will walk away with the trophy and top prize of $182,927.

Wynn Millions NLH 6-Max Final Table Payouts

	PLACE	PRIZE (IN USD)
	1	$182,927
	2	$119,677
	3	$91,949
	4	$73,106
	5	$55,381
	6	$41,325
	7	$30,882
	8	$22,780
	9	$16,605

Tags: Andres Korn Frank Lagodich Joao Simao Joe McKeehen Jonathan Little Michael Rossitto Shannon Shorr Victoria Livschitz

03-07-2024 12:04 UTC-7

Wynn Millions Championship Kicks Off Today at Noon Vegas Time

Connor Richards

One of the most exciting poker tournaments of the year kicks off today with Day 1a of the $3,500 buy-in Wynn Millions Championship, the marquee event of the 2024 Wynn Millions Poker Series in Las Vegas.

The Wynn Millions Championship boasts a $3 million guarantee and will no doubt draw many of the best poker players from around the world.

The tournament offers three starting flights, the first of which gets underway today at noon local time. Players will start with a stack of 40,000 chips and blinds of 100/200/200. All Day 1 flights will play ten 60-minute levels with an hourlong dinner break scheduled after Level 6 (around 6:30 p.m.).

The event is scheduled to play for five days, with the final table taking place on Wednesday, March 13 at noon. On Day 3, the level length will increase to 90 minutes.

The Wynn Millions Championship has a short but storied history with past winners including Andrew Moreno, Tony Sinishtaj and reigning champion Michael Rossitto.

PokerNews will be on-site at Wynn Las Vegas to provide live coverage of the Wynn Million Championship and will be covering the $1.5 million guaranteed Mystery Bounty later in the series.

Tags: Andrew Moreno Michael Rossitto Tony Sinishtaj