$3,500 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2022 BetMGM Poker Championship
$3,500 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2022 BetMGM Poker Championship
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$1,097,600
Entries
343
Level
30
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
253
Players Left
26
Late Entries Boost BetMGM Poker Championship Prize Pool Over $1 Million
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
After another nine levels of play in the first-ever BetMGM Poker Championship at the ARIA Resort and Casino, just 26 players survived to bag and tag their stacks into Day 3.
Leading the pack is Canada's Albert Nguyen and rounding out the top three chip stacks are Paul Hoefer and Jake Daniels.
The big story of the day was that the event was able to surpass its $1 million guarantee, which was thanks to a plethora of Day 2 buy-ins. Today saw a further 133 entries, bringing the total to 343. This swelled the prize pool to a $1,097,600.
Notable names who decided to make the most of the late registration period included Ethan Yau, Landon Tice, Hossein Ensan and Jeremy Ausmus. However, none would last too long in the event.
2015 WSOP Main Event Champion Joe McKeehen had his afternoon cut short by Nick Sena, who floated the flop and spiked his gutshot straight draw. The pair then got their stacks in the middle and McKeehen left the room before the runout as he saw his pocket aces were drawing dead.
Once the late registration period was closed, it was swiftly announced that 44 players would make the money. Any player who ended up in the paid places secured themselves a payday of at least $6,256 while the eventual winner will walk away with the $224,236 up top.
Isaac Kempton eliminated Fabian Gumz in 46th place in a huge hand to set up the stone bubble.
Bubble play lasted for about an hour and ended when Jeremy Saderne moved all in with his last big blind. His ace-nine was in good shape against the jack-seven of Shankar Pillai, but a jack on the river ensured that Saderne would be the last player to leave the tournament empty-handed.
Famous faces who busted in the money were WSOP bracelet winners Dejuante Alexander and Norbert Szecsi. Other names who cashed on Day 2 included Anton Wigg, Mario Navarro and BetMGM Poker Qualifiers Edward Leonard and Jonathan Lessin.
Michael Wang, Kevin Rabichow and Todd Ivens are some other names returning for Day 3. Joining them are BetMGM Poker Qualifiers Steve Bayyouk, Ryan Shinevare, Angel Lopez and Benji Felson. Those players will return to the PokerGO Studio on Saturday, June 25 at 12 p.m. to play Day 3.
BetMGM Poker Championship Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albert Nguyen | Canada | 1,745,000 | 116 |
| 2 | Paul Hoefer | Germany | 1,190,000 | 79 |
| 3 | Jake Daniels | United States | 1,100,000 | 73 |
| 4 | Shankar Pillai | United States | 1,080,000 | 72 |
| 5 | William McCracken | United States | 990,000 | 66 |
| 6 | David Eldridge | United States | 950,000 | 63 |
| 7 | Kevin Rabichow | United States | 910,000 | 61 |
| 8 | Todd Ivens | United States | 900,000 | 60 |
| 9 | Isaac Kempton | United States | 890,000 | 59 |
| 10 | Michael Wang | United States | 795,000 | 53 |
As always, keep up to date with all action from this Championship event on PokerNews.
Seat Draw For Day 3
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ryan Shinevare | United States | 320,000 | 21 |
| 1 | 2 | William McCracken | United States | 990,000 | 66 |
| 1 | 3 | Steve Bayyovk | United States | 495,000 | 33 |
| 1 | 5 | Michael Gathy | Belgium | 480,000 | 32 |
| 1 | 6 | David Eldridge | United States | 950,000 | 63 |
| 1 | 7 | Shankar Pillai | United States | 1,080,000 | 72 |
| 2 | 1 | Joey Weissman | United States | 595,000 | 40 |
| 2 | 2 | Jake Daniels | United States | 1,100,000 | 73 |
| 2 | 3 | Angel Lopez | United States | 140,000 | 9 |
| 2 | 5 | Alex Goulder | United Kingdom | 130,000 | 9 |
| 2 | 6 | Isaac Kempton | United States | 890,000 | 59 |
| 2 | 7 | Albert Nguyen | Canada | 1,745,000 | 116 |
| 2 | 8 | Duff Charette | Canada | 465,000 | 31 |
| 3 | 1 | Nick Sena | United States | 550,000 | 37 |
| 3 | 2 | Gediminas Uselis | Lithuania | 245,000 | 16 |
| 3 | 3 | Noel Rodriguez | United States | 200,000 | 13 |
| 3 | 5 | Taylor Hart | United Kingdom | 1,300,000 | 52 |
| 3 | 6 | Joe Kuether | United States | 545,000 | 36 |
| 3 | 7 | Kevin Rabichow | United States | 910,000 | 61 |
| 4 | 1 | Ankush Mandavia | United States | 605,000 | 40 |
| 4 | 2 | Michael Wang | United States | 795,000 | 53 |
| 4 | 3 | Todd Ivens | United States | 900,000 | 60 |
| 4 | 5 | Zach Donovan | United States | 270,000 | 18 |
| 4 | 6 | Benji Felson | United States | 475,000 | 32 |
| 4 | 7 | Paul Hoefer | Germany | 1,190,000 | 79 |
| 4 | 8 | Cody Wiegmann | United States | 350,000 | 23 |
End of Day 2 Chip Counts (full)
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,745,000 | 845,000 |
|
1,190,000 | 270,000 |
|
1,100,000 | 350,000 |
|
1,080,000 | 480,000 |
|
990,000 | 40,000 |
|
950,000 | -30,000 |
|
910,000 | 510,000 |
|
900,000 | -200,000 |
|
890,000 | -70,000 |
|
795,000 | -485,000 |
|
760,000 | -110,000 |
|
605,000 | 385,000 |
|
595,000 | 15,000 |
|
550,000 | 100,000 |
|
545,000 | 60,000 |
|
495,000 | 175,000 |
|
480,000 | 310,000 |
|
475,000 | -318,000 |
|
465,000 | -12,000 |
|
350,000 | 50,000 |
|
320,000 | 135,000 |
|
270,000 | 270,000 |
|
245,000 | -315,000 |
|
200,000 | 80,000 |
|
140,000 | -110,000 |
Raul Martinez Busts as Day 2 Closes
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Raul Martinez was the final Day 2 casualty and his tournament came to an end on the last hand of the evening.
His elimination means that 26 players remain, and they will play out Day 3 at the PokerGO Studio at 12 p.m. PT on Saturday, June 25.
Full chip counts and recap to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Eldridge Sends Matthews On His Bike
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Graham Matthews opened to 24,000 from the cutoff and David Eldridge three-bet to 65,000 from the cutoff. The action folded back to Matthews, who four-bet jammed a stack of about 250,000. Eldridge called with a bigger stack.
Graham Matthews: 
David Eldridge: 
The nines of Matthews couldn't hold as the board ran out 
for Eldridge to pair his king and win the pot to eliminate Matthews, who merely gave an eyebrow raise and left. A table mate, meanwhile, had words about the call with king-jack, a play that might've given Tony Gouda an aneurysm had he seen it.
"Wow. That was weird," the player commented.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
980,000 | 280,000 |
|
Busted |
Final Four Hands Called
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
The tournament director has instructed that Day 2 will close upon the completion of four more hands.
Kempton Makes the Right Call
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Isaac Kempton was in the small blind in a heads-up pot against Zachary Donovan in middle position on a board reading 
.
Kempton checked and Donovan fired a river bet of 30,000. Kempton took a few moments before calling.
"You've got it," Donovan said before he tabled 
for nine-high. Kempton then turned over 
to win the pot with third pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
960,000 | -390,000 |
|
330,000 | 80,000 |
McCracken Felts Dickstein
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
William McCracken raised to 25,000 from under the gun and then called the 137,000 jam from Mark Dickstein from the next seat over.
Mark Dickstein:
William McCracken: 
McCracken was dominated by Dickstein but hopped into the lead after the 
flop. The 
completed the board and Dickstein exited in 30th place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
950,000 | 150,000 |
|
Busted |
Caputo Spikes Two-Outer; Busts Shortly After
Level 18
: 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
Brandon Caputo got his stack of around 120,000 in the middle in a heads-up pot against Kevin Rabichow, who had him covered.
Brandon Caputo: 
Kevin Rabichow: 
It looked like game over for Caputo as he was pipped by the pocket nines of Rabichow and received little help from the flop of 
. But the on the turn catapulted him ahead with a set and the 
on the river improved him to a full house to stay alive.
Unfortunately for Caputo, his run-good didn't continue and he was eliminated shortly after.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
400,000 | -160,000 |
|
Busted |