$3,500 Main Event Day 1a | 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

06-10-2023 00:00 UTC-7

Jing Wang Bags Best in Bumper Day 1a Field of BetMGM Poker Championship

Calum Grant

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

Day 1a of the 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship $3,500 Main Event at the ARIA Resort and Casino has concluded with 150 players remaining after ten hours of play. This tournament is on track to easily surpass its $2,000,000 guarantee with today’s 485 entries contributing $1,552,000 to the prize pool.

Jing Wang is the one who emerged leading the pack and is in a prime position to control the action when players return for Day 2 on Sunday. Wang scooped the biggest pot of the day after turning a two outer in the last level of the night.

Wang will be joined on Day 2 by fellow big stacks Jonathan Jaffe and Anuj Agarwal.

Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts

Place	Name	Country	Chips	Big Blinds
1	Jing Wang		667,500	267
2	Anuj Agarwal	United States	453,500	181
3	Paul Gunness	United States	362,000	145
4	Leo Taffe	United States	350,500	140
5	Brett Bassock	United States	329,000	132
6	Ivan Galinec	Croatia	317,000	127
7	Joshua Boulton	United States	315,000	126
8	Stephen Song	United States	285,500	114
9	Alexandre Vuilleumier	Switzerland	284,000	114
10	Fernando Garcia	Spain	280,500	112

Agarwal collected his own large pot late on at the expense of qualifier Thomas Coan. He hit a set while his opponent held ace-king for top pair top kicker on a ace-high board.

Alex Keating had the highest hand of the day and received a momentum-shifting double up after flopping quads and getting paid off.

There were 110 players who qualified for the Main Event by playing online on BetMGM Poker and 63 of them took part in today’s flight. Among them were Jim Farrelly, Patrick Hensley, and Laura Church.

Joining Farrelly in Day 2 will be ambassador Darren Elias, who also registered in the opening flight and found a bag.

Notable names to not survive include Ethan “Rampage” Yau, Jesse Lonis, Robbi Jade Lew, Landon Tice, and defending BetMGM Champion Joey Weisman.

Those who wish to try their luck in this tournament Saturday can do so, as Day 1b kicks off at noon local time with the same structure.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be back on-site tomorrow, June 10th, for continued coverage of the BetMGM Poker Championship at ARIA, so stay tuned!

Tags: Alex Keating Alexandre Vuilleumier Anuj Agarwal Brett Bassock Darren Elias Fernando Garcia Ivan Galinec Jesse Lonis Jim Farrelly Jing Wang Joey Weisman Jonathan Jaffe Josh Boulton Landon Tice Laura Church Leo Taffe Patrick Hensley Paul Gunness Robbi Jade Lew Stephen Song Thomas Coan

06-09-2023 22:37 UTC-7

Wang Sun Runs to Chip Lead; Binks Two Outer in Huge Pot

Calum Grant

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

The middle position player opened 4,500 and was called by opponent. Big stack Jing Wang then squeezed to 25,000 from the big blind. The original raiser then four-bet to 66,000 and only Wang called.

The middle position player continued for 40,000 on the 7♥4♥3♣ flop. Wang moved all in as the bigger stack and his opponent, who had around 275,000 behind, snap-called for his tournament life.

Middle Position: KxKx
Jing Wang: JxJx

Wang was way behind and was about to be reduced to crumbs until he binked a set on the J♠ turn to the disbelief of his opponent. The river bricked out and Wang became the overwhelming chip leader.

The following hand, the player in the under-the-gun position moved all in for around 35,000 and Wang called from the small blind.

Wang had 7♥7♠ and was up against K♦J♣. Wang claimed another elimination as he held out to scoop following the A♦9♥6♦6♠A♣ runout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jing Wang	700,000 355,000	355,000

Tags: Jing Wang

06-09-2023 22:23 UTC-7

Qualifier Coan Falls Late

Calum Grant

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

Thomas Coan opened to 5,500 from middle position and Anuj Agarwal called from the big blind.

Agarwal check-called for 7,000 on the A♠10♠2♦ flop, bringing in the 5♣ turn. Agarwal checked once more and Coan just ripped in his stack of around 75,000 and was snap-called.

Thomas Coan: AxKx
Anuj Agarwal: 10x10x

Coan had top pair top kicker but was behind Agarwal's set of tens. The river was a brick and Agarwal took in the massive pot to become one of the chip leaders.

Player	Chips	Progress
Anuj Agarwal	320,000 320,000	320,000

Thomas Coan	Busted

Tags: Anuj Agarwal Thomas Coan

06-09-2023 22:05 UTC-7

Full House at the Lucky Lodge

Kirk Brown

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

The player in middle position opened to 3,500 and the cutoff three-bet to 10,000, but then Harry Lodge moved all in for around 30,000.

The initial raiser got out of the way while the cutoff snapp called to put Lodge at risk.

Harry Lodge: 10♣10♦
Cutoff: J♦J♣

Lodge was not too happy when he saw what he was up against, but his attitude quickly changed when the flop came out 7♠10♥9♠ to give him the lead with top set.

The turn came the 7♣ to further improve him to a full house and the Q♣ completed the board to secure his win for the double-up.

Meanwhile, his opponent was only left with around 6, 000and ended up busting the very next hand when Dong Chen flopped trip queens against his ace high.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dong Chen	160,000

Harry Lodge	67,000 42,000	42,000

Tags: Dong Chen Harry Lodge

06-09-2023 21:50 UTC-7

Keating Gets Paid with Quads

Calum Grant

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

The under-the-gun player opened to 3,000, and Alex Keating called from middle position.

On the 7♠6♥6♣ flop, the original raiser check-called for 3,000, which brought in the 5♠ turn. Action checked through to the A♣ river, and the under-the-gun player checked. Keating fired out 5,000 and was met with a raise to 45,000. Keating three-bet jammed for 116,500, and his opponent called after some time in the tank.

Keating tabled his 6♦6♠ for flopped quads while his opponent had the 7♦5♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alex Keating	255,000 255,000	255,000

Tags: Adam Keating

06-09-2023 21:12 UTC-7

Final Two Levels; Late Registration Closes

Calum Grant

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

Late registration for Day 1a of the BetMGM Poker Championship has now closed. The first starting flight has seen 485 entries, and of those, 234 remain,

For players to make Day 2, they need to survive just two more levels of play. Anybody with chips in front of them will then bag and tag their stacks.

Players who bag today are still permitted to try and run up a bigger stack in Day 1b, however, only their best stack will be carried forward.

06-09-2023 19:50 UTC-7

Qualifier Farrelly Building a Stack

Calum Grant

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

BetMGM Qualifier Jim Farrelly opened to 2,200 from the hijack before the cutoff three-bet to 6,500. Farrelly called.

Farrelly check-called bet of 2,500 and 10,500 on the flop and turn for the final board to read J♥5♥3♠K♦Q♦. Both players checked through to showdown on the river and Farrelly tabled his K♠4♠ for a pair of kings. The cutoff was less than impressed with Farrelly's holdings and mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jim Farrelly	222,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Jim Farrelly

06-09-2023 18:33 UTC-7

Helppi Downs BetMGM Poker Qualifier and Weissman

Calum Grant

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

A BetMGM Poker qualifier jammed for 4,000 from middle position and was called by Juha Helppi on hid direct left. Joey Weissman defended his big blind, which left him with 13,500 behind.

Weissman check-called for 4,000 on the Q♥J♦2♣ flop, bringing in the 8♥ turn. Weissman checked once more and then called for his tournament life after Helppi put him all in.

BetMGM Poker Qualifier: A♦6♦
Joey Weissman: K♦Q♦
Juha Helppi: A♠Q♠

Helppi and Weissman had a pair of queens, but the ace kicker put Helppi in front. The 10♣ completed the board to secure the double elimination for Helppi.

Weissman then headed to reentry desk and now has a fresh stack of 40,000. However, if Weissman busts again today, he will have to wait until tomorrow's Day 1b to have another crack of the whip.

Player	Chips	Progress
Juha Helppi	95,000

Joey Weissman	40,000 23,000	23,000

Tags: Joey Weissman Juha Helppi

06-09-2023 18:07 UTC-7

Yau Wins a Small One Before Losing Big Flip

Calum Grant

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Action was caught on the turn with around 7,000 in the middle on the A♥K♠3♥8♠ board. Victoria Livschitz checked from the big blind before Ethan Yau bet 6,500 from under the gun. Jim Farrelly called from two seats over and Livschitz folded.

Yau sized up to 22,000 on the 7♣ river and his opponent conceded the pot.

The following hand, Yau and Rodney Turvin got into a preflop-raising war which saw the latter all in for 76,000. Yau called and the cards were tabled.

Rodney Turvin: A♦K♦
Ethan Yau: Q♣Q♠

It was a classic race and Yau's headstart was shortlived as Turvin made two pair on the A♣K♥3♦ flop. The A♥ turn gave Turvin the checkmark and the 6♥ completed the board.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jim Farrelly	170,000 98,000	98,000

Rodney Turvin	154,000 154,000	154,000
Laura Church	40,000 -15,000	-15,000

Sean Alper	39,000 -17,000	-17,000

Ethan Yau	12,000 -23,300	-23,300

Tags: Ethan Yau Jim Farrelly Rodney Turvin Victoria Livschitz

06-09-2023 17:42 UTC-7

Tice Wins Soma Them Chips

Kirk Brown

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

In a heads-up pot between Landon Tice and Leo Soma, the board read 8♠6♠9♠7♥ when Tice bet 6,000 into the 31,000 that was already in the middle.

Soma thought for a second before making the call, and the duo saw the Q♦ fall on the river. Soma quickly checked over to Tice who paused for a moment before moving all in for around 28,000.

Soma was not happy with this move and shook his head as he checked his cards one last time before tossing them into the muck. The pot was then pushed to Tice to bring his stack to a little over 70,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Landon Tice	72,000 34,000	34,000

Leo Soma	71,000 71,000	71,000

Tags: Landon Tice Leo Soma