$3,500 Main Event | 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

06-13-2023 17:44 UTC-7

Stephen Song Eliminated in 4th Place ($188,193)

Calum Grant

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Stephen Song moved all in for 3,200,000 from the button, before Leo Taffe reshoved from the small blind.

Stephen Song: A♠2♥
Leo Taffe: Q♥Q♦

"Queens!" cried Song as the cards were tabled. It was the third situation where a player had moved all in on Taffe while he had a premium hand.

Song, an all-in specialist, still had some hope with his one overcard. The J♠9♣6♣ flop kept Taffe ahead, as did the 8♥ turn. The 10♦ river improved Taffe to a straight, and Song's pursuit of his tenth live tournament win was over.

Stephen Song (@songstephen11) is eliminated in 4th place from the @BetMGMPoker Championship.
— PokerGO (@PokerGO)

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	28,450,000 3,325,000	3,325,000

Mike Vanier	6,975,000 475,000	475,000
Mo Zhou	5,375,000 -475,000	-475,000
Stephen Song	Busted

06-13-2023 17:54 UTC-7

Taffe Does it Again

Kirk Brown

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Mike Vanier limped in with 5♣6♣ from the button and surprisingly, Leo Taffe checked his option with K♥10♣.

On the flop 8♦3♥3♦, Taffe led out for 250,000 and Vanier made the call to see the 5♦ on the turn.

Taffe continued for 950,000 and Vanier made the call and the duo went to the river 9♥.

Taffe then fired again for 2,400,000 and Vanier went into the tank before deciding to lay down the best hand and Taffe was shipped the pot.

Vanier laying down a big hand for Taffe to get another one through
— BetMGM Poker (@BetMGMPoker)

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	31,150,000 2,700,000	2,700,000

Mo Zhou	6,350,000 975,000	975,000
Mike Vanier	3,300,000 -3,675,000	-3,675,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier

06-13-2023 17:56 UTC-7

Vanier Wins Preflop Cooler

Calum Grant

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Mike Vanier limped in from the small blind and and snap-called when Mo Zhou jammed from the big blind as the covering stack.

Mike Vanier: 10♥10♣
Mo Zhou: A♠K♣

The Q♦9♣7♠ flop kept Vanier ahead and the 4♠ turn meant he was likely to overtake Zhou in the chip counts. The 3♥ river ensured Vanier's survival and Zhou became the short stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	31,150,000

Mike Vanier	6,850,000 3,550,000	3,550,000
Mo Zhou	2,800,000 -3,550,000	-3,550,000

Tags: Mike Vanier Mo Zhou

06-13-2023 18:06 UTC-7

Taffe Loses a Pot

Calum Grant

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Mike Vanier opened to 550,000 from the button, and Leo Taffe defended his big blind with 10♣2♣.

Taffe check-called for 300,000 on the A♣7♥2♠ flop, which brought in the J♣ turn. Taffe checked his bottom pair and flush draw before Vanier fired out another 1,200,000 with his top two pair.

Vanier filled up on the 7♠ river, and Taffe checked. Vanier bet 2,800,000 and Taffe went into the tank. He used up two time banks before deciding to concede the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	27,525,000 -3,625,000	-3,625,000

Mike Vanier	9,850,000 3,000,000	3,000,000
Mo Zhou	3,425,000 625,000	625,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier

06-13-2023 18:22 UTC-7

Mo Zhou eliminated in 3rd Place ($254,645)

Kirk Brown

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Mike Vanier open- shoved for 4,175,000 with A♠7♠ and Mo Zhou snap-called with A♣K♥ for his tournament life.

Zhou was in great shape to get a double up here but the flop of A♦7♦Q♦ immediately gave Vanier the lead with two-pair.

The turn 10♦ gave Zhou some extra outs to a chop but the 4♠ on the river sealed his fate and he was eliminated in 3rd place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	25,300,000 -2,225,000	-2,225,000

Mike Vanier	15,500,000 5,650,000	5,650,000
Mo Zhou	Busted

Tags: Mike Vanier Mo Zhou

06-13-2023 18:24 UTC-7

Short Break

Kirk Brown

Level 31 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Mike Vanier and Leo Taffe are now on a short five-minute break and will return to heads-up battle shortly.

Level: 32

Blinds: 150,000/300,000

Ante: 300,000

06-13-2023 18:35 UTC-7

Taffe Takes First Heads-Up Pot

Calum Grant

Level 32 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

On the first hand of heads up play, Mike Vanier limped in with 10♣2♦ and Leo Taffe checked his Q♥9♣.

Taffe check-called for 300,000 on the A♠K♣7♥ flop which brought in the 4♥ turn. Action checked through to the 10♥ turn and Taffe checked one more. Vanier fired out 600,000 and then Taffe bluff-raised to 4,200,000 and Vanier folded the best hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	26,475,000 1,175,000	1,175,000

Mike Vanier	14,325,000 -1,175,000	-1,175,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier

06-13-2023 18:40 UTC-7

Vanier Wins a Big One

Kirk Brown

Level 32 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 750,000 with Q♣8♣ and Mike Vanier defended from the big blind with J♥7♦.

The flop came out 3♥6♥8♥ to give Taffe top pair but also gave Vanier a flush draw.

Taffe continued for 600,000 and Vanier decided to make the call and the two went to the turn 6♣.

Both players decided to check and the J♠ appeared on the river to give Vanier the lead with his jack.

Vanier then bet 2,100,000 and Taffe quickly called but was then shown the bad news by Vanier.

Vanier was then pushed the sizable pot to shorten the gap between him and Taffe.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	23,025,000 -3,450,000	-3,450,000

Mike Vanier	17,775,000 3,450,000	3,450,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier

06-13-2023 18:50 UTC-7

Taffe Outflops Vanier

Kirk Brown

Level 32 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Mike Vanier opened to 750,000 with K♣Q♣ on the button and Leo Taffe defended with J♠3♣.

The flop of 3♠5♦2♦ gave Taffe a pair of threes and he check-called a bet of 900,000 from Vanier.

The turn came the J♣ and both players checked tp see the 7♥ fall on the river.

This time Taffe led out for a large sizing of 5,500,00 with his two-pair but Vanier promptly folded to award him the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	26,275,000 3,250,000	3,250,000

Mike Vanier	14,075,000 -3,700,000	-3,700,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier