Daniel Gagnon Wins Playground Poker Montreal Festival Main Event for $190,750

September 04, 2014

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

Day 4 of the Playground Poker Montreal Festival Main Event came to an end on Wednesday as the final nine players of a 1,063-entry field played down to a winner. After five levels of intense play, Daniel Gagnon emerged as champion to claim the title and $190,750 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

Place	Player	Prize
1st	Daniel Gagnon	$190,750
2nd	Noeung Troeung	$125,410
3rd	Thi Nguyen	$89,700
4th	Yannick Lamarre-Delooz	$72,690
5th	John Helou	$53,100
6th	Michael Mellor	$40,720
7th	Daniel Gagne	$28,350
8th	Alex LAvigne	$20,620
9th	Lorne Wechsler	$15,360

According to the Playground Poker Blog, the first elimination of the final table occurred in Level 31 (60,000/120,000/20,000) when Lorne Wechsler bowed out in ninth place for $15,360, and then Playground Poker regular Alex Lavigne followed him out the door one level later. With the blinds at 75,000/150,000/25,000, Lavigne moved all in from the button for 2.025 million and John Helou called from the big blind.

Daniel Gagnon Wins Playground Poker Montreal Festival Main Event for 0,750 101 — John Helou

Lavigne: A♦3♥
Helou: 7♦7♥

Lavigne was in need of some help, but the 4♣7♣2♣ flop proved disastrous as Helou flopped a set. The Q♣ turn meant a fifth club would result in a chop, but that didn’t happen as the 8♠ blanked on the river. Lavigne took home $20,620 for his eighth-place finish.

After Daniel Gagne and Michael Mellor exited in seventh and sixth place, respectively, Helou took his leave in fifth. It happened in Level 33 (100,000/200,000/25,000) when Helou got his last 1.5 million all in preflop holding the 9♥9♠ and was racing against the A♠Q♠ of Gagnon. The 2♠7♥3♠ flop didn’t hit Gagnon directly, but it did give him a flush draw to go with his overs. The 6♥ turn was of no consequence, but the K♠ river was as Gagnon spiked his flush. Helou received $53,100 for his performance.

Minutes later, Yannick Lamarre-Delooz was eliminated in fourth place when his K♠Q♠ failed to overcome the A♣10♣ of Noeung Troeung, and then it was time for the last woman in the field to go. Thi Nguyen fell in Level 35 (150,000/300,000/50,000) when she moved all in for 2.4 million from the small blind. Gagnon, who had limped the button, made the call and Nguyen was in great shape to double.

Nguyen: A♥8♥
Gagnon: A♦6♦

Both players held an ace, but Nguyen’s kicker had her out in front. The 10♠3♠Q♣ flop changed nothing, though the Q♦ turn put out chop opportunities. Gagnon could only win outright with a six on the river, and much to Nguyen’s dismay, it came when the 6♣ spiked. Nguyen was eliminated in heartbreaking fashion and had to settle for third place and $89,700.

Gagnon took a 4-1 chip lead into heads-up play against Troeung, and it didn’t take long for him to finish things off. In what would be the last hand of the tournament, Troeung moved all in holding the K♦J♠ and needed to improve against the A♦9♠ of Gagnon. The A♠J♥6♦ flop gave both players a pair, but Gagnon’s aces were best. Neither the 10♦ turn nor 5♥ river helped Troeung, and he took his leave in second place for $125,410 while Gagnon captured the $190,750 first-place prize.