$3,500 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
$3,500 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
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).
SEAT | PLAYER | CHIP COUNT | |
1 | Michael Wang | 4,210,000 | |
2 | Paul Hoefer | 600,000 | |
3 | Joe Kuether | 2,020,000 | |
4 | Joey Weissman | 5,185,000 | |
5 | Noel Rodriguez | 3,850,000 | |
6 | Benji Felson | 1,405,000 |
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.
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.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Joey Weissman
|
5,185,000 | |
Michael Wang
|
4,210,000 | 50,000 |
Noel Rodriguez | 3,850,000 | -50,000 |
Joe Kuether | 2,020,000 | 20,000 |
Benji Felson | 1,405,000 | -295,000 |
Paul Hoefer
|
595,000 | 95,000 |
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:
Joey Weissman:
"F*** off!" Donovan cried when he saw he was dominated. "What can't you have ace-ten?"
The flop of all but sealed it for Weissman as he paired his ace and the board finished out 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
|
5,185,000 | 585,000 |
Zachary Donovan | Busted |
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:
Paul Hoefer:
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 runout.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Michael Wang
|
4,160,000 | 2,160,000 |
Paul Hoefer
|
500,000 | -2,300,000 |
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 and Weissman bet 100,000. Kuether called. Kuether check-called again on the turn when Weissman sized up to 350,000.
Kuether checked again on the river and Weissman again fired for 350,000. Kuether laid it down.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Joey Weissman
|
4,600,000 | 1,225,000 |
Joe Kuether | 2,000,000 | -1,150,000 |
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 flop and then folded on the turn when Rodriguez sized up to 135,000.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Noel Rodriguez | 3,900,000 | 400,000 |
Zachary Donovan | 475,000 | -375,000 |
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 | 3,500,000 | -100,000 |
Paul Hoefer
|
2,800,000 | -100,000 |
Benji Felson | 1,700,000 | 300,000 |
Todd Ivens put in his last 475,000 chips from middle position and was called by Joe Kuether in the hijack.
Todd Ivens:
Joe Kuether:
Ivens' pair of eights remained best on the flop and turn. However, the 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.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Joe Kuether | 3,150,000 | 850,000 |
Todd Ivens | Busted |
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 flop before the turn checked through.
On the river, Weissman bet 155,000 and Hoefer mucked.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Joey Weissman
|
3,375,000 | 275,000 |
Paul Hoefer
|
2,900,000 | -300,000 |