$3,500 Main Event Day 1b | 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

06-10-2023 19:54 UTC-7

Puetz Folds to Yau

Calum Grant

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Action was caught on the river with the 9♥8♠4♥4♣3♦ board on show.

Ethan Yau bet 17,000 into a pot of 20,000 from the small blind. Christopher Puetz then agonized over the decision before folding.

Despite chipping down, Yau has a very healthy stack but needs to be careful as Benjamin Kaupp and Jun Hao Wu have him covered and sit on his direct left.

Player	Chips	Progress
Benjamin Kaupp	190,000 190,000	190,000

Ethan Yau	162,000 53,000	53,000

Jun Hao Wu	160,000 160,000	160,000
Shannon Shorr	65,000 65,000	65,000

Christopher Puetz	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Benjamin Kaupp Christopher Puetz Ethan Yau Wu Jun Hao

06-10-2023 19:51 UTC-7

Russler Jams on Gulas Jr

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Calum Grant

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Nathan Russler opened to 2,000 from middle position and Josef Gulas Jr called on his direct left.

Russler then check-jammed for 15,500 on the 8♠6♣3♣ flop after Gulas Jr bet 1,800. The latter went into the tank but eventually folded.

Chance Kornuth is a recent addition to the table and has a fresh starting stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josef Gulas Jr	85,000 45,000	45,000

Chance Kornuth	40,000

Dylan Linde	40,000

Nathan Russler	25,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Chance Kornuth Josef Gulas Jr Nathan Russler

06-10-2023 19:40 UTC-7

Player	Chips	Progress
Will Givens	280,000

Jason Kipnis	215,000 15,000	15,000

Dan Colpoys	120,000 20,000	20,000
Jesse Lonis	117,000 5,000	5,000

Hristivoje "ALLinPav" Pavlovic	55,000 55,000	55,000

Dan Shak	45,000 45,000	45,000
Kenny Hallaert	42,000 42,000	42,000

Adrian Mateos	40,000 40,000	40,000

Bryn Kenney	40,000 30,000	30,000

Espen Jorstad	36,000 4,000	4,000

Alexandra Botez	27,000 4,000	4,000

Botez Pays Off Ciancio and Jams Next Hand

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Calum Grant

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Action was caught on the river with 11,500 in the middle on the J♠9♠7♠9♣10♦ board.

Alexandra Botez bet 5,000 from the big blind before Daniel Ciancio made it 15,000. After some time in the tank, Botez called.

Ciancio had the K♦Q♦ for the nut straight while Botez called with her A♥10♠.

The following hand, Daniel Rezaei opened to 2,200 and was called by the cutoff. Botez then jammed for 24,000 and both opponents folded. She then turned over the 3♣3♦ and received an ovation from BetMGM ambassador Darren Elias who was watching on from the sidelines.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Ciancio	85,000 85,000	85,000

Daniel Rezaei	36,000 9,000	9,000

Alexandra Botez	31,000 70,000	70,000

Tags: Alexandra Botez Daniel Ciancio Daniel Rezaei

06-10-2023 19:15 UTC-7

Munroe Moves In

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Kirk Brown

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

On a heads-up turn board of 7♥J♦6♣A♥, the player in middle position made it 7,800 to go and Gavin Munroe made the call from the hijack.

The river came the 5♣ and the middle position fired again for 10,000, but this time Munroe responded by moving all of his chips into the middle. His opponent looked somewhat surprised by this turn of events and quickly tossed his cards into the muck to award Munroe the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gavin Munroe	57,500

Tags: Gavin Munroe

06-10-2023 19:12 UTC-7

Some Counts

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Calum Grant

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Moreno	95,000 57,500	57,500
Jeremy Eyer	50,000

Sergio Aido	42,000 2,000	2,000

James Romero	40,000 2,000	2,000

Frank Stepuchin	10,000 21,000	21,000

06-10-2023 19:05 UTC-7

Felson Falls to Esposito

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Calum Grant

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

The action was caught on the A♦K♠3♣3♠ board, with action on the turn. Andrew Esposito bet 6,200 from under the gun into a pot of 10,500. BetMGM Qualifier Benji Felson called from the button leaving around 20,000 behind.

On the 8♠ river, Esposito put Felson all in, and the latter went into the tank before calling for his tournament life.

Esposito tabled his K♠K♦ for a set of kings and had the winner as Felson held the A♠Q♥ for a pair of aces.

Esposito made headlines recently after being caught using a solver at the WPT Gardens Poker Championship.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Esposito	75,000 75,000	75,000
Benji Felson	Busted

Tags: Andrew Esposito Benji Felson

Level: 7

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

06-10-2023 18:35 UTC-7

Break Time!

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Kirk Brown

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

The remaining players are now on their second break of the day and will return to play in 15 minutes.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ethan Yau	215,000 208,000	208,000

Dan Colpoys	140,000 5,000	5,000
Axel Hallay	38,000 15,500	15,500
Benji Felson	12,000 50,000	50,000

06-10-2023 18:34 UTC-7

Liu Celebrates Hero Call for Tournament Life

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Calum Grant

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

The action was picked up on the Q♥6♦5♦ flop, with Yue Liu check-calling Uri Reichenstein's bet of 6,500 from middle position.

This increased the size of the pot to just shy of 40,000. Liu checked once more on the 10♣ turn, and Reichenstein fired for 11,00 from the cutoff. Liu called.

Liu, with 27,000 behind, checked for a third time on the 6♠ river. Reichenstein put Liu all in and sent his opponent into the tank. With his chips in his hand, Liu rose from his seat and slammed them down to call.

Reichenstein grimaced as he rolled over his AxJx for ace-high. Liu celebrated and tabled his 8♥5♥, which was good for sixes and fives.