$3,500 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2023 BetMGM Poker Championship
$3,500 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2023 BetMGM Poker Championship
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$3,283,200
Entries
1,026
Level
33
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
307
Players Left
56
Bubble Bursts on Day 2 of BetMGM Poker Championship
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
After another nine levels of play in the 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship at the ARIA Resort and Casino, just 56 players survived to bag and tag their stacks into Day 3.
Leading the pack is Mike Vanier with 1,840,000 and rounding out the top three chip stacks are Joshua Boulton and Bradley Hinson who both bagged 1,650,000.
Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Name | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Vanier | United States | 1,840,000 | 92 |
| 2 | Joshua Boulton | United Kingdom | 1,650,000 | 83 |
| 3 | Bradley Hinson | United States | 1,650,000 | 83 |
| 4 | Anatoly Nikitin | Russia | 1,605,000 | 80 |
| 5 | Michael Stashin | United States | 1,570,000 | 79 |
| 6 | Paul Gunness | United States | 1,245,000 | 62 |
| 7 | Justin Young | United States | 1,200,000 | 60 |
| 8 | David Stamm | United States | 1,145,000 | 57 |
| 9 | Fernando Garcia | Spain | 1,135,000 | 57 |
| 10 | Johann Ibanez | Colombia | 1,080,000 | 54 |
The players reached the money bubble during the sixth level of play and unfortunately, Shiva Dudani was the one to leave empty-handed when he got it in with ace-king against Jesse Lonis’ ace-queen and a queen came on the flop. Michael Lavenburg and Adam Miller were the actual players eliminated on the stone bubble but they ended up taking some money home after chopping the min-cash.
Notable names who failed to make the money included 2022 WSOP Main Event Champion Espen Jorstad, Alexandre Vuilleumier, Kristen Foxen, Bin Weng, and defending champion Joey Weissman.
BetMGM qualifier and former MLB player Jason Kipnis managed to make the money and was vying for a deep run until he also got it in with ace-king versus the ace-queen of Gunness when an ace came on the flop and a queen came on the river to send him packing in 107th place for $6,534.
BetMGM Ambassador Darren Elias also had his run end in 91st place ($7,256) at the hands of Gunness when his ace-three could not get there against his foe’s pocket kings.
Famous faces who busted in the money were WSOP bracelet winners Rami Boukai, Ethan Yau, Michael Gathy, Dylan Linde, and Chance Kornuth.
Some of the players returning for Day 3 tomorrow include 2014 WSOP Main Event Champ Martin Jacobson, Jeremy Ausmus, Stephen Song, Brian Hastings, and Nadya Magnus. Also joining them is BetMGM qualifier Bret Bassock who managed to bag a healthy stack.
Those players will return to the PokerGO Studio tomorrow, June 12 at 1 p.m. to play Day 3. The plan for tomorrow is players will then play down to the final seven at which point play will stop for them to return on Tuesday, June 13th to be live-streamed.
As always, keep up to date with all action from this Championship event on PokerNews.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,840,000
640,000
|
640,000 |
|
||
|
1,650,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
1,650,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
1,605,000
165,000
|
165,000 |
|
1,570,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
1,245,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
1,200,000
335,000
|
335,000 |
|
||
|
1,145,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
1,135,000
854,500
|
854,500 |
|
1,120,000
1,053,500
|
1,053,500 |
|
1,080,000
-220,000
|
-220,000 |
|
1,075,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
|
||
|
1,025,000 | |
|
1,005,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
1,000,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
910,000
-70,000
|
-70,000 |
|
870,000
-55,000
|
-55,000 |
|
||
|
870,000 | |
|
|
||
|
865,000
564,000
|
564,000 |
|
820,000
-52,000
|
-52,000 |
|
800,000
435,000
|
435,000 |
|
790,000
552,000
|
552,000 |
|
760,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
750,000
105,000
|
105,000 |
|
|
||
|
710,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
Day 3 Seat Draw
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
| Table | Seat | Player Name | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ben Palmer | 750,000 | 38 |
| 1 | 2 | Ivan Galinec | 820,000 | 41 |
| 1 | 3 | John McMurry | 1,005,000 | 50 |
| 1 | 4 | Peter Turmezey | 700,000 | 35 |
| 1 | 5 | Fiodor Martino | 300,000 | 15 |
| 1 | 6 | Mark Babekov | 410,000 | 21 |
| 1 | 7 | Danny DeJesus | 585,000 | 29 |
| 1 | 8 | Leo Taffe | 1,075,000 | 54 |
| 2 | 1 | Fabrice Bigot | 625,000 | 31 |
| 2 | 2 | Benjamin Sai | 790,000 | 40 |
| 2 | 3 | Dan Naponse | 660,000 | 33 |
| 2 | 4 | Stephen Song | 460,000 | 23 |
| 2 | 5 | Chi Jen Chu | 285,000 | 14 |
| 2 | 6 | Joshua Boulton | 1,650,000 | 83 |
| 2 | 7 | Mo Zhou | 1,120,000 | 56 |
| 2 | 8 | Jonathan Pastore | 870,000 | 44 |
| 3 | 1 | Bradley Hinson | 1,650,000 | 83 |
| 3 | 2 | Johann Ibanez | 1,080,000 | 54 |
| 3 | 3 | Sundiata DeVore | 255,000 | 13 |
| 3 | 4 | Anatoly Nikitin | 1,605,000 | 80 |
| 3 | 5 | Fernando Garcia | 1,135,000 | 57 |
| 3 | 6 | Adrian Buckley | 345,000 | 17 |
| 3 | 7 | Yong Kwon | 305,000 | 15 |
| 3 | 8 | Erfan Geula | 1,025,000 | 51 |
| 4 | 1 | Jeremy Ausmus | 185,000 | 9 |
| 4 | 2 | Mario Navarro | 760,000 | 38 |
| 4 | 3 | Nick Yunis | 345,000 | 17 |
| 4 | 4 | Nadya Magnus | 1,000,000 | 50 |
| 4 | 5 | Clemen Deng | 800,000 | 40 |
| 4 | 6 | Jeffrey Stellwagon | 625,000 | 31 |
| 4 | 7 | Ran Koller | 500,000 | 25 |
| 4 | 8 | Michael Stashin | 1,570,000 | 79 |
| 5 | 1 | Kenny Deffrasnes | 215,000 | 11 |
| 5 | 2 | Anuj Agarwal | 870,000 | 44 |
| 5 | 3 | Elias Garney | 420,000 | 21 |
| 5 | 4 | Thomas Eychenne | 375,000 | 19 |
| 5 | 5 | Dong Chen | 700,000 | 35 |
| 5 | 6 | Mark Dickstein | 585,000 | 29 |
| 5 | 7 | David Stamm | 1,145,000 | 57 |
| 5 | 8 | Paul Gunness | 1,245,000 | 62 |
| 6 | 1 | Jamey McKay | 405,000 | 20 |
| 6 | 2 | Mike Vanier | 1,840,000 | 92 |
| 6 | 3 | Yilu Yuan | 560,000 | 28 |
| 6 | 4 | Brian Hastings | 500,000 | 25 |
| 6 | 5 | Ronald Sullivan | 255,000 | 13 |
| 6 | 6 | Jun Hao Wu | 230,000 | 12 |
| 6 | 7 | Melanie Pittard | 465,000 | 23 |
| 6 | 8 | Martin Jacobson | 175,000 | 9 |
| 7 | 1 | Pablo Mariz | 545,000 | 27 |
| 7 | 2 | Kevin Berthelsen | 710,000 | 36 |
| 7 | 3 | Nolan King | 910,000 | 46 |
| 7 | 4 | Matthew Lambrecht | 230,000 | 12 |
| 7 | 5 | Mark Dube | 865,000 | 43 |
| 7 | 6 | Justin Young | 1,200,000 | 60 |
| 7 | 7 | Emanuele Gugliuzza | 405,000 | 20 |
| 7 | 8 | Brett Bassock | 630,000 | 32 |
Stashin Check-Raises Flop
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Michael Stashin opened to 30,000 from the hijack and was called only by Anuj Agarwa on the button.
The two players went heads-up to the flop of J♣2♠6♣ where Stashin checked to Agarwal, who then bet 40,000 into the pot. Then Stashin hit him with the check-raise to 140,000 and sent Agarwal into the tank.
After a good thirty seconds in thought, Agarwal decided to let this one go and awarded to the pot to Stashin.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,600,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
870,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
||
Final Five Hands
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
The 57 remaining players will play five more hands and then bag and tag for the night.
Hinson Jams on Song, Takes Chip Lead
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
On a heads-up completed board of 7♥9♣3♥3♣6♣, Stephen Song was first to act and he decided to bet 350,000 into the already massive pot of over 500,000.
The action was then on Bradley Hinson, who went into the tank for a bit before he announced that he was all in, covering Song.
Song then snap-folded to award Hinson the huge pot, rocketing his stack to around 1,600,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,600,000
1,394,500
|
1,394,500 |
|
425,000
-575,000
|
-575,000 |
|
|
||
Triple Up for Berthelsen
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Erfan Geula opened to 30,000 from under the gun and was called by Jonathan Pastore on his direct left. Kevin Berthelsen then jammed for 200,000 from the cutoff. Geula announced call but made the snap-fold when Pastore jammed for around 1,100,000.
Kevin Berthelsen: K♦K♣
Jonathan Pastore: A♥K♠
Berthelsen made a set on the K♥3♥J♦ flop and locked up the hand on the 5♠ turn. The 6♣ completed the board and Berthelsen found a day saving triple up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,025,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
|
|
925,000
-375,000
|
-375,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
640,000
562,000
|
562,000 |
Vanier Flops a Flush
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Danny DeJesus opened to 30,0000 from early position and was called by Raul Martinez from the button. Mike Vanier called from the small blind as did the big blind.
Action checked to Martinez on the 6♦5♦4♦ flop, who bet 35,000. Only Vanier called.
The 10♣ turn checked through to the 3♥ river. Vanier led for 60,000, and Martinez responded with a raise to 165,000. Vanier then moved all in as the bigger stack. Martinez had around 200,000 behind and flicked in the call after using some time banks.
Vanier had a flush with his A♦8♦ and bested the A♠7♠ held by Martinez, which was good for a straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,200,000
949,500
|
949,500 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Hu Fails to Improve and Busts
Level 19
: Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Anthony Hu opened to 30,000 from the hijack and Joshua Boulton called from the big blind.
Boulton check-called for 45,000 on the A♠10♥8♠ flop and then check-called Hu's 180,000 jam on the Q♥ turn.
Anthony Hu: A♦J♠
Joshua Boulton: A♣8♣
Boulton had flopped two pair while Hu paired his ace. The 4♦ river did not improve Hu and he exited in 68th place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
900,000
415,000
|
415,000 |
|
Busted |