Short-stack Lev Margolin moved all in from the small blind for around 500,000 and was looked up by Sebastian Malec in the big blind.
Lev Margolin: A♠10♠ 
Sebastian Malec: 10♥9♠
Margolin had Malec dominated, but the Q♦8♦3♥ flop gave Malec a gutshot, and sure enough the J♣ rolled off on the turn, with the 2♦ completing the board.
Sebastian Malec raised to 240,000 from the button and Stoyan Madanzhiev shoved for roughly 1,000,000 from the small blind. Ryan Mandara then jammed for 5,100,000 out of the big blind and after Malec folded, the cards were revealed.
Stoyan Madanzhiev: A♠7♦
Ryan Mandara: A♥K♦
Madanzhiev needed to find a seven to stay in the hunt for the trophy. However, the board ran out J♥6♦10♦K♣6♠ to give Mandara the best hand with a pair of kings, and Madanzhiev was out in fourth.
Jelle Moene opened to 250,000 from the button, and Ryan Mandara defended the big blind.
The Q♦8♦7♠ flop was checked through. On the 7♦ turn, Mandara led out with a bet of 475,000, and Moene folded.
Jelle Moene made it 250,000 to go on the button and Ryan Mandara called from the big blind.
They went to a flop of 6♦8♣9♦, which went check-check to the 5♠ turn. Mandara bet 120,000, and Moene called.
When the 7♠ dropped on the river, it put a straight on board, and Mandara announced a bet of 920,000. Moene snap-folded.
Sebastian Malec opened to 250,000 from the button, and Jelle Moene defended the big blind.
On the 7♦3♦2♥ flop, Moene check-called a bet of 170,000 from Malec.
The 9♣ turn was checked through. On the J♦ river, Moene led out with a bet of 225,000, and Malec quickly folded.
Ryan Mandara raised to 260,000 on the button and Jelle Moene three-bet to 950,000 out of the small blind. After the big blind folded, Mandara four-bet shoved for Moene's remaining 2,800,000. Moene called.
Jelle Moene: A♠J♣
Ryan Mandara: K♣K♥
Moene needed to find an ace or the tournament would be down to heads up. The board ran out Q♣2♥5♦6♠7♣ which meant Mandara's kings held up and Moene was out in third.
Play has paused while the two remaining players discuss a deal.
A deal has been struck between Sebastian Malec and Ryan Mandara. The details are below. There will also be $32,500 and the trophy set aside for the eventual champion.
| Player | Prize |
|---|---|
| Sebastian Malec | $697,115 |
| Ryan Mandara | $676,785 |
Players are taking a 45-minute dinner break and will return at 8:30 p.m.
It's official. After its return in 2023 following a 12-year hiatus, PokerStars has confirmed that The Big Game on Tour is back again this year, with more episodes to be filmed at the NAPT Las Vegas festival.
Ten episodes of the show were filmed last year, with the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Maria Ho, Lex Veldhuis and Sam Grafton all taking part. The show features a lucky Loose Cannon who receives $50,000 and has to survive 150 hands playing $50/$100 with a table of poker pros, ambassadors, and celebrities.
PokerNews spoke with Big Game on Tour judge and commentator James Hartigan ahead of the show's return, and he says he's thrilled the show is back.
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