2023 PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold'em Championship Day 3 | 2023 PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold'em Championship

02-01-2023 13:54 UTC-5

Rocco Looking for Advice

Adam Lamers

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

The action folded to Pedro Marques on the button who shoved all in for 215,000. Michael Rocco was in the big blind with 180,000 chips and was looking for some help.

"Before I look at my cards, can you tell me what I'm supposed to call with?" Rocco asked the table but obviously didn't get a response.

As he picked up his cards to squeeze them, Rocco continued with a play-by-play. "Ooohhh. We got some outs. Well this is an interesting one. F*** it, I like to gamble," as Rocco slammed in his stack of chips.

Michael Rocco:
Pedro Marques:

The board ran out and Marques ended up with a straight to eliminate Rocco just shy of the money bubble.

"Am I supposed to call with this hand? Probably not, right? F*** it, I don't care," Rocco gave the table a chuckle on his way out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pedro Marques	410,000 229,000	229,000

Michael Rocco	Busted

Tags: Michael Rocco Pedro Marques

02-01-2023 13:54 UTC-5

Chiappetta Doubles As Sammartino Gets Caught

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Connor Richards

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Georgi Sandev opened to 16,000 in middle position and Dario Sammartino three-bet to 45,000 from the hijack. Michael Chiappetta then four-bet jammed a stack of 112,000 from the big blind and Sandev got out of the way as Sammartino gave an unhappy sigh.

"I don't think I can fold now," Sammartino said before making a reluctant call.

Michael Chiappetta:
Dario Sammartino:

Sammartino was dominated and nothing changed on the runout to earn Chiappetta the double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dario Sammartino	325,000 140,000	140,000

Michael Chiappetta	240,000 118,000	118,000
Georgi Sandev	197,000 42,000	42,000

Tags: Dario Sammartino Georgi Sandev Michael Chiappetta

02-01-2023 13:55 UTC-5

Huge Triple Up for Platinum Pass Winner Craigen

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Calum Grant

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Glen Craigen moved all in for 133,000 from the cutoff before Frederic Normand rejammed for 192,000 from the button. Rayan Chamas, then counted out his stack from the small blind, he pondered over his options and decided to call.

Glen Craigen:
Frederic Normand:
Rayan Chamas:

Craigen was dominated and in real bad shape until he paired his jack on the flop. The Canadian had his phone out and was recording the runout as he was now the favorite to scoop in the 415,000 main pot. The turn and river completed the board and Craigen scooped in the pot.

"This is a dream come true," said the Platinum Pass winner, who was visibly shaking. Now with an above-average stack, he is in a very good place to make the money and put in a deep run.

Craigen's journey to The Bahamas is an emotional one and he relayed how he got to PSPC with PokerNews, which you can check out below.

Player	Chips	Progress
Glen Craigen	415,000 274,000	274,000

Rayan Chamas	272,000 228,000	228,000
Frederic Normand	60,000 120,000	120,000

Tags: Frederic Normand Glen Craigen Rayan Chamas

02-01-2023 13:56 UTC-5

PSPC Online Awards $4.5M to MI/NJ/PA Players; Buzgon & Gruneberg Claim Titles

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Chad Holloway

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

While the 2023 PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC) is currently underway in the Bahamas, the online edition recently wrapped up for players in Pennsylvania, as well as the merged market of Michigan and New Jersey.

The online series marked the first major festival for the merged market, which launched back on January 1 and instantly became the largest online poker market in the United States.

“We set the bar pretty high, we put $2.5 million guarantees for the merge liquidity and even $1.5 on Pennsylvania, those were our biggest guarantees, like ever,” said PokerStars Managing Director for North America Severin Rasset. “We’re quite ambitious. It's always a bit scary when you do that. You just hope that the players are gonna like what you're proposing, and you have no reference point, you know because you just managed liquidity and you don't know exactly what's going to be the outcome.”

By PokerNews' calculations, the PSPC Online in Pennsylvania catered to a combined 33,724 entrants over 72 events while awarding $1,499,000 in prize money, meaning they missed the overall guarantee for the series by just $1,000!

As for the merged MI/NJ series, which was comprised of 85 events, they drew 46,215 entries and awarded $2,976,930 in prize money, well above the $2.5 million in guarantees. All told, both series had 79,939 entries and awarded $4,475,930 in prize money.

Rasset continued: “We're super happy with the outcome. Most of the tournaments cleared the guarantees easily … We set ambitious guarantees and overall, for us it was a massive success. It's also the kind of thing to bring the excitement back as it’s important for players to really enjoy what we have.”

Click here to see all the winners from the 2023 PSPC Online!

02-01-2023 13:58 UTC-5

Barbero's Kings Eliminate Wigg

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Josh Noy

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Anton Wigg raised to 18,000 from early position and was met with a three-bet from Nacho Barbero to 60,000. Wigg four-bet the rest of his stack and Barbero called instantly.

Anton Wigg:
Nacho Barbero:

The flop changed nothing with Wigg still trailing, while the turn left just one last chance. The river gave Barbero a set, knocking out Wigg before the money bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nacho Barbero	567,000 262,000	262,000

Anton Wigg	Busted

Tags: Anton Wigg Nacho Barbero

02-01-2023 13:59 UTC-5

A Few More Eliminations as the Bubble Nears

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Matt Hansen

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

There are currently 187 players left in the tournament. The top 175 runners will earn a min-cash of $35,100.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexandre Vuilleumier	Busted

Michael Rocco	Busted

Zhi Yi Ning	Busted
Frederic Normand	Busted

Quentin Coueffe	Busted

Davidi Kitai	Busted

George Chiriac	Busted

Michael Gathy	Busted

Conor Beresford	Busted
Scott Baumstein	Busted

02-01-2023 14:01 UTC-5

No Luck for Normand

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Calum Grant

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Frederic Normand, who had just lost most of his stack to Platinum Pass winner Glen Craigen, was all in for his last 60,000 from the hijack. Bruno Volkmann rejammed from the button as the bigger stack and the blinds got out of the way.

"My turn to be lucky," said Normand after seeing his opponent's cards.

Frederic Normand:
Bruno Volkmann:

Volkmann paired up on the flop and Normand headed for the exit as the dealer fanned the turn and river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bruno Volkmann	230,000 24,000	24,000
Frederic Normand	Busted

Tags: Bruno Volkmann Frederic Normand

02-01-2023 14:05 UTC-5

WSOP Main Event Champions | Day 3 Table Walk | PSPC

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Milko van Winden

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Tags: Chris Moneymaker Martin Jacobson

02-01-2023 14:08 UTC-5

Break Time

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Calum Grant

Level 16 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

The first break of the day is underway and just 187 players remain in the PSPC. The money bubble is looming as the top 175 will lock up the $35,100 min-cash.

In the meantime, check out the highlights from the first two levels of Day 3:

02-01-2023 14:30 UTC-5