2022 BetMGM Poker Championship

$3,500 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2022 BetMGM Poker Championship

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a4
Prize
$224,236
Event Info
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$1,097,600
Entries
343
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
26
Players Left
6

$3,500 Main Event

Day 3 Completed

Joey Weissman Leads Final Six in BetMGM Poker Championship Main Event

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Joey Weissman
Joey Weissman

Day 3 has wrapped in the 2022 BetMGM Poker Championship $3,500 Main Event in the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort and Casino with six players remaining after seven hours of play. Joey Weissman leads the way with a stack of 5,185,000 after eliminating Zachary Donovan to end the day.

Close on the tail of Weissman, a World Series of Poker bracelet winner who is looking to add to his $4.1 million in career earnings, is fellow bracelet winner Michael Wang, who bagged second in chips with a stack of 4,210,000. Wang doubled through another bracelet winner, Paul Hoefer, late in the day to leave Hoefer playing the short stack with 600,000.

Other players to survive the day include Noel Rodriguez (3,850,000), Joe Kuether (2,020,000) and BetMGM Poker qualifier Benji Felson (1,405,000).

BetMGM Poker Championship Main Event Final Table Chip Counts

 SEATPLAYERCHIP COUNT
 1Michael Wang4,210,000
 2Paul Hoefer600,000
 3Joe Kuether2,020,000
 4Joey Weissman5,185,000
 5Noel Rodriguez3,850,000
 6Benji Felson1,405,000

Day 3 of the BetMGM Poker Championship Main Event began with 26 players and quickly dwindled down to two tables within the first two hours. Some of the players to make early exits include Ankush Mandavia (25th - $8,781), Gediminas Uselis (23rd - $10,208) and Michael Gathy (22nd - $10,208).

Isaac Kempton had over a million in chips with two tables left but was sent out in 18th place when he ran a big river bluff with six-high and was looked up by the second pair of Weissman in a hand that accelerated Weissman's chip lead.

Isaac Kempton
Isaac Kempton

Albert Nguyen was the first to go at the nine-handed final table when he ran his pocket nines into the pocket aces of Felson and couldn't improve. Next out was Todd Ivens, who fell in eighth when his pocket eights couldn't hold against the ace-queen of Kuether.

Day 4 action will pick up at 3 p.m. PST in the PokerGO Studio. The six-handed final table will be streamed beginning at 4 p.m. and PokerNews will report on alongside the stream as to avoid any spoilers. The day will play down to a winner, who will take home the top prize of $224,236 in addition to the glamorous golden trophy.

PokerNews will be back tomorrow for continued coverage of the inaugural BetMGM Poker Championship Main Event.

Zachary Donovan Eliminated in 7th Place ($34,026)

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Zachary Donovan
Zachary Donovan

Zachary Donovan raised to 400,000 from the button with just a few chips behind. Joey Weissman three-bet shoved from the big blind and Donovan called it off.

Zachary Donovan: {q-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}
Joey Weissman: {a-Hearts}{9-Clubs}

"F*** off!" Donovan cried when he saw he was dominated. "What can't you have ace-ten?"

The flop of {2-Hearts}{4-Clubs}{a-Spades} all but sealed it for Weissman as he paired his ace and the board finished out {2-Clubs}{3-Spades} to confirm Donovan's elimination in seventh place.

Day 3 has ended and the remaining six players will return tomorrow at noon PST to finish out the final table. Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action.

Player Chips Progress
Joey Weissman us
Joey Weissman
WSOP 1X Winner
5,185,000 585,000
Zachary Donovan us
Zachary Donovan
Busted

Wang Gets Huge Double from Hoefer

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Michael Wang
Michael Wang

Michael Wang opened to 150,000 from the small blind before Paul Hoefer jammed for just under 2,700,000 from the big blind. Wang snap-called.

Michael Wang: {q-Spades}{q-Diamonds}
Paul Hoefer: {4-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}

Wang was in a strong position to become one of the chip leading stacks as well as leaving a formidable opponent on life support.

The queens held out and Wang raked in a pile of chips after the {10-Hearts}{5-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{j-Hearts}{6-Hearts} runout.

Player Chips Progress
Michael Wang us
Michael Wang
WSOP 2X Winner
4,160,000 2,160,000
Paul Hoefer de
Paul Hoefer
WSOP 1X Winner
500,000 -2,300,000

Weissman Fires Every Street

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Joe Kuether limped in from the small blind and Joey Weissman raised to 175,000 in the big blind. Kuether called.

Kuether checked on the flop of {3-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} and Weissman bet 100,000. Kuether called. Kuether check-called again on the {8-Hearts} turn when Weissman sized up to 350,000.

Kuether checked again on the {q-Clubs} river and Weissman again fired for 350,000. Kuether laid it down.

Player Chips Progress
Joey Weissman us
Joey Weissman
WSOP 1X Winner
4,600,000 1,225,000
Joe Kuether us
Joe Kuether
2,000,000 -1,150,000

Rodriguez Puts Donovan in the Danger Zone

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Noel Rodriguez opened to 110,000 from middle position and was called by final table short stack Zachary Donoavan from the big blind.

Donovan check-called a bet of 55,000 on the {5-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{2-Spades} flop and then folded on the {j-Diamonds} turn when Rodriguez sized up to 135,000.

Player Chips Progress
Noel Rodriguez us
Noel Rodriguez
3,900,000 400,000
Zachary Donovan us
Zachary Donovan
475,000 -375,000

Back-to-Back Three-Bets from Felson

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Noel Rodriguez raised to 155,000 in the small blind and Benji Felson three-bet jammed out of the big blind. Rodriguez folded.

The next hand, Paul Hoefer opened to 100,000 from early position and Felson three-bet to 325,000 from the small blind. Hoefer folded to win Rodriguez another pot without seeing a flop.

Player Chips Progress
Noel Rodriguez us
Noel Rodriguez
3,500,000 -100,000
Paul Hoefer de
Paul Hoefer
WSOP 1X Winner
2,800,000 -100,000
Benji Felson us
Benji Felson
1,700,000 300,000

Todd Ivens Eliminated in 8th Place ($28,538)

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Todd Ivens
Todd Ivens

Todd Ivens put in his last 475,000 chips from middle position and was called by Joe Kuether in the hijack.

Todd Ivens: {8-Clubs}{8-Spades}
Joe Kuether: {a-Diamonds}{q-Spades}

Ivens' pair of eights remained best on the {k-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{2-Hearts} flop and {9-Spades} turn. However, the {q-Hearts} hit the river to give Kuether the best hand.

Ivens exited the event in eighth-place. Day 3 will come to a close when one more player is eliminated.

Todd Ivens
Todd Ivens
Player Chips Progress
Joe Kuether us
Joe Kuether
3,150,000 850,000
Todd Ivens us
Todd Ivens
Busted

Weissman Chips Up

Level 24 : 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante

Paul Hoefer opened to 100,000 from middle position and was called by Joey Weissman in the small blind,

Weissman check-called a bet f 80,000 on the {6-Clubs}{6-Spades}{5-Hearts} flop before the {9-Hearts} turn checked through.

On the {10-Hearts} river, Weissman bet 155,000 and Hoefer mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Joey Weissman us
Joey Weissman
WSOP 1X Winner
3,375,000 275,000
Paul Hoefer de
Paul Hoefer
WSOP 1X Winner
2,900,000 -300,000