$3,500 Main Event | 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

06-13-2023 15:37 UTC-7

Vanier Folds the Best Hand

Calum Grant

Level 29 : 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 300,000 from the button with 10♦9♦ before Mike Vanier looked down at his third premium hand of the day. Vanier made it 1,075,000 from the small blind with J♠J♣, and Taffe called.

The A♠8♥7♠ flop kept Vanier ahead, and he continued for 550,000, swelling the pot to 3,000,000. Taffe called with his open-ended straight draw.

Vanier then check-called on the 2♠ turn after facing a bet of 1,200,000.

The 7♦ river gave Vanier the checkmark, and he checked once more. Taffe put on max pressure by moving all in for 5,125,000, which pushed Vanier out of the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	21,950,000 3,200,000	3,200,000

Mike Vanier	5,125,000 -3,125,000	-3,125,000
Mo Zhou	4,100,000
Stephen Song	3,025,000 300,000	300,000

Sundiata DeVore	2,854,000 -146,000	-146,000

Kevin Berthelsen	2,075,000
Johann Ibanez	1,975,000

Tags: Leo Taffer Mike Vanier

06-13-2023 15:46 UTC-7

Kevin Berthelsen Eliminated in 7th Place ($94,523)

Kirk Brown

Level 29 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Kevin Berthelsen moved all in for 2,000,000 with Q♠J♠ and Stephen Song shoved over the top with A♣Q♣. The other players quickly got out of the way and the cards were tabled.

The board ran out 3♦6♦4♦2♥A♦ with the ace on the river to give Song the clear win and Berthelsen was eliminated in 7th place for $94,523.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	22,325,000 375,000	375,000

Mike Vanier	5,125,000
Stephen Song	5,125,000 2,100,000	2,100,000

Mo Zhou	3,725,000 -375,000	-375,000
Sundiata DeVore	2,450,000 -404,000	-404,000

Johann Ibanez	2,050,000 75,000	75,000
Kevin Berthelsen	Busted

Tags: Kevin Berthelsen Stephen Song

Level: 30

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000

06-13-2023 15:51 UTC-7

Johann Ibanez Eliminated in 6th Place ($114,157)

Calum Grant

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 400,000 from the button and snap-called when Johann Ibanez jammed for 2,050,000 from the big blind.

Johann Ibanez: A♣4♥
Leo Taffe: A♠A♦

The 9♣7♥6♣ flop gave Ibanez some backdoor possibilities, and the 5♣ turn left him with some hope. However, the 5♥ river paired the board, and Ibanez bowed out in sixth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	24,475,000 2,150,000	2,150,000

Stephen Song	5,625,000 500,000	500,000

Mike Vanier	4,625,000 -500,000	-500,000
Mo Zhou	3,725,000
Sundiata DeVore	2,350,000 -100,000	-100,000

Johann Ibanez	Busted

Tags: Johann Ibanez Leo Taffe

06-13-2023 16:00 UTC-7

The Chad & Jesse Poker Show: Poker Legend Jack McClelland Shares Untold Stories

Chad Holloway

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

On the latest The Chad & Jesse Poker Show[/I][/B] straight from the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP),Chad Holloway and Jesse Fullen are joined by Poker Hall of Famer Jack McClelland, who served as the Tournament Director of the WSOP from 1984-98.

He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2014 alongside Daniel Negreanu, and he talks about that honor as well as memories of Stu Ungar and Doyle Brunson, and what it was like to work for the legendary Benny Binion.

06-13-2023 16:01 UTC-7

Taffe's Domination Continues

Calum Grant

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	25,975,000 1,500,000	1,500,000

Mike Vanier	6,125,000 1,500,000	1,500,000
Stephen Song	3,825,000 -1,800,000	-1,800,000

Mo Zhou	3,025,000 -700,000	-700,000
Sundiata DeVore	1,850,000 -500,000	-500,000

06-13-2023 16:03 UTC-7

Song Jams on Chip Leader

Calum Grant

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Stephen Song opened to 450,000 with A♣K♥ from the cutoff before Leo Taffe made it 1,150,000 with his dominated A♦8♣ from the small blind. Song ripped his 3,825,000 stack into the middle and Taffe folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	24,825,000 -1,150,000	-1,150,000

Mike Vanier	5,725,000 -400,000	-400,000
Stephen Song	5,375,000 1,550,000	1,550,000

Mo Zhou	3,025,000
Sundiata DeVore	1,850,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Stephen Song

06-13-2023 16:12 UTC-7

Zhou Doubles Through Vanier

Kirk Brown

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 400,000 with 3♠2♠ and Mike Vanier made the call on the button with A♦J♣.

Mo Zhou then moved all in for 2,625,000 from the small blind with A♠Q♣ and Vanier went into the tank before flicking in a chip to put Zhou at risk.

The board ran out 2♦4♦K♦2♦3♣ to give Zhou the win with his superior ace-high for the double-up.

Sweat on the river for Mo Zhou as he doubles up
— BetMGM Poker (@BetMGMPoker)

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	24,925,000 100,000	100,000

Mo Zhou	6,050,000 3,025,000	3,025,000
Stephen Song	4,975,000 -400,000	-400,000

Mike Vanier	3,000,000 -2,725,000	-2,725,000
Sundiata DeVore	1,850,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier Mo Zhou

06-13-2023 16:15 UTC-7

DeVore Doubles with Eights

Calum Grant

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Leo Taffe moved all in first to act, covering everyone else at the table. Action folded to Sundiata DeVore in the big blind, who called off his 1,650,000 stack.

Sundiata DeVore: 8♦8♣
Leo Taffe: Q♦J♦

It was a flip, and DeVore still had the best of it following the 7♠4♥3♥ flop and A♠ turn. The 2♠ completed the board and DeVore doubled.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	23,275,000 -1,650,000	-1,650,000

Mo Zhou	6,050,000
Stephen Song	4,875,000 -100,000	-100,000

Sundiata DeVore	3,600,000 1,750,000	1,750,000

Mike Vanier	3,000,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Sundiata DeVore

06-13-2023 16:20 UTC-7

Huge Hand for Zhou

Kirk Brown

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 400,000 from the button with J♠2♣ and Mo Zhoe defended from the small blind with A♦6♦.

Action checked through the flop of J♦A♠6♣ but then Zhou decided to fire 350,000 on the 9♦ turn with his two-pair and flush draw.

Taffe made the call and the two went to the river 7♣ where Zhou fired again for 1,100,000 and Taffe made the correct laydown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	23,475,000 200,000	200,000

Mo Zhou	6,900,000 850,000	850,000
Stephen Song	4,425,000 -450,000	-450,000

Sundiata DeVore	3,500,000 -100,000	-100,000

Mike Vanier	2,600,000 -400,000	-400,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mo Zhoe