2023 World Series of Poker

Event #39: $1,500 Monster Stack
Day: 5
Event Info

2023 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
97
Prize
$1,162,681
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$11,103,195
Entries
8,317
Level Info
Level
44
Blinds
2,500,000 / 5,000,000
Ante
5,000,000
Players Info - Day 5
Entries
7
Players Left
1

Event #39: $1,500 Monster Stack

Day 5 Completed

West Texas’ Braxton Dunaway Wins Monster Stack for $1,162,681; Now Headed to Son’s College World Series

Level 44 : Blinds 2,500,000/5,000,000, 5,000,000 ante
Braxton Dunaway
Braxton Dunaway

The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #39: $1,500 Monster Stack began with 8,317 entrants but on Wednesday night only seven returned to play down to a winner. Each was guaranteed at least $186,149 out of the $11,103,195 prize pool, but of course, everyone had their eyes firmly fixed on the $1,162,681 prize.

When the dust settled, 40-year-old family man Braxton Dunaway, who hails from Midland, Texas and works in the oil and gas industry, emerged victorious to claim the seven-figure first-place prize and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

His first order of business after the last card was dealt was to call his wife, Stephanie, and their four children – Jordyn, who just graduated college; Macy, who is 17 and a senior in high school; Hayes, who is in ninth grade; and eight-year-old, Sawyer.

“Our little girl who runs the whole show, the boss of the family, we call her ‘Bossy Saucy,’” said Dunaway, who indicated he’ll be flying to Omaha, Nebraska in the morning to meet his wife and two youngest children.

“They’re at the College World Series,” Dunaway explained. “My son is in a tournament during that, which is for teenage boys. He won his first two games today and he’s guaranteed like five more games. I’ll be there, we’ll catch some games, and just hang out on vacation.”

Before the victory, Dunaway had $333,318 in lifetime tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob, which included a prior career-best of $62,500 for finishing in 142nd place in last year’s WSOP Main Event. While Dunaway is catching the first flight out in the morning, he indicated he will return for the 2023 WSOP Main Event in July.

“I’ll be back to for sure play the Main; that’s the plan,” Dunaway confirmed. “I’ve just been gone so long I need to get home, do laundry, and sleep in my own bed. I still can’t believe it. It’s just amazing. I told my wife, and she said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’”

2023 WSOP Event #39 Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountyPrize
1Braxton DunawayUnited States$1,162,681
2Colin RobinsonUnited States$718,649
3Jesse RockowitzUnited States$541,376
4Loic DobrignaFrance$410,493
5Nicholas GerrityUnited States$313,297
6Joshua AdcockUnited States$240,695
7Joe CadaUnited States$186,149

Others to cash the tournament were Day 3 chip leader Xuming Qi (11th - $89,644), Ashley Frank (16th - $56,980), Tyler Hancock (23rd - $45,980), Nate Silver (32nd - $37,233), Michael “BrockLesnar” Holtz (62nd - $20,730), Kyle Julius (79th - $14,540), and bracelet winner Gershon Distenfeld (93rd - $10,499), who once again donated all his winnings to charity.

Final Table Action

Joe Cada
Joe Cada was in pursuit of his fifth gold bracelet.

2009 WSOP Main Event champ Joe Cada started the day as the short stack, and unfortunately for the four-time bracelet winner, his quest at a fifth came to an end quickly when his ace-king was outdrawn by the ace-jack of Dunaway when a jack spiked on the river.

Not long after, Joshua Adcock three-bet jammed holding ace-king and was in prime shape to double through Dunaway, who had ace-queen. Unfortunately for him, Dunaway came from behind again, this time spiking a queen on the river to score another knockout.

Nicholas Gerrity, who began the final table as the chip leader was next to go after losing a flip with ace-six against the pocket deuces of Jesse Rockowitz, and then France’s Loic Dobrigna followed him out the door after three-bet jamming with ace-deuce only to run smack dab into the two red queens of Dunaway, who held to take a big chip lead into three-handed play.

Jesse Rockowitz
Jesse Rockowitz

The final three battled for a long time before Dunaway put Rockowitz to the test on the turn. The latter called it off with second pair and a gutshot straight draw, which was ahead of Dunaway’s open-ended straight draw and queen kicker. Unfortunately for Rockowitz, his tournament came to an end in brutal fashion when a queen spiked on the river.

Dunaway took a more than 3:1 chip lead into heads-up play against Colin Robinson, and it didn’t take long for the Texan to finish things off. In the final hand, Robinson called it off on the river with a pair only to see Dunaway roll over two pair for the victory.

“I want to say that all the people who were at the final table were really nice, great opponents, good players,” Dunaway concluded. “I got extremely lucky a few times, but you have to win one of these things. It was just my turn, it’s just awesome.”

Braxton Dunaway
Braxton Dunaway and his rail.

That does it for updates from this event, but there is still plenty of action to follow from the 2023 WSOP in our live updates hub here.

Tags: Braxton Dunaway

Colin Robinson Eliminated in 2nd Place ($718,649)

Level 44 : Blinds 2,500,000/5,000,000, 5,000,000 ante
Colin Robinson
Colin Robinson

Braxton Dunaway limped in and Colin Robinson raised to 15,000,000. Dunaway called and the flop was 327.

Robinson checked the flop and called when Dunaway bet 8,000,000. The turn was 9.

Robinson check-called again, this time for 26,000,000.

The river was K and Robinson checked one more time. Dunaway fired 73,000,000 and Robinson leaned forward to consider a call for the rest of his chips. After a few moments of thought, he called and turned over A2 for a pair of deuces. However, Dunaway showed 97 to win the pot and the tournament with nines and sevens.

Robinson was eliminated in second place for $718,649.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Braxton Dunaway us
Braxton Dunaway
416,000,000
122,000,000
122,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Colin Robinson us
Colin Robinson
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Braxton DunawayColin Robinson

Jesse Rockowitz Eliminated in 3rd Place ($541,376)

Level 44 : Blinds 2,500,000/5,000,000, 5,000,000 ante
Jesse Rockowitz
Jesse Rockowitz

Braxton Dunaway raised to 10 million in the small blind and Jesse Rockowitz defended the big blind to see a flop of K57 flop. Both players checked and the 4 appeared on the turn.

Dunaway checked, Rockowitz bet 10 million, and Dunaway woke up with a check-raise jam.

Rockwitz had 78 million behind and called it off.

Jesse Rockowitz: 87
Braxton Dunaway: Q6

Rockowitz was ahead with a pair and gutshot straight draw, while Dunaway had an open-ended straight draw. The Q river didn't complete that latter draw, but it did pair Dunaway's queen to give him a bigger pair and the win.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Braxton Dunaway us
Braxton Dunaway
294,000,000
113,000,000
113,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Colin Robinson us
Colin Robinson
122,000,000
-2,500,000
-2,500,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Jesse Rockowitz us
Jesse Rockowitz
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Braxton DunawayJesse Rockowitz

Dunaway Picks Off Robinson's Bluff

Level 44 : Blinds 2,500,000/5,000,000, 5,000,000 ante

Braxton Dunaway raised to 10 million on the button and Colin Robinson called from the big blind to see a flop of 4J3, which they both checked.

On the 3 turn, Robinson bet 12 million, Dunaway called, and the 5 completed the board on the river.

Robinson bet 20 million and Dunaway called with the A7 for an ace-high. It was good as Robinson turned over K9 for king-high.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Braxton Dunaway us
Braxton Dunaway
181,000,000
45,000,000
45,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Colin Robinson us
Colin Robinson
124,500,000
-39,500,000
-39,500,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Braxton DunawayColin Robinson

Robinson Fires Big on the River

Level 44 : Blinds 2,500,000/5,000,000, 5,000,000 ante

Jesse Rockowitz raised to 13 million from the small blind and Colin Robinson called from the big. Robinson then called a bet of 9 million on the 535 flop before the dealer burned and turned the 8.

Rockowitz checked, Robinson did the same, and the 3 double paired the board on the river.

Rockowitz checked for a second time and Robinson thought for a bit before betting a hefty 58 million. Rockowitz gave it some thought but ultimately released.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Colin Robinson us
Colin Robinson
164,000,000
39,000,000
39,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Jesse Rockowitz us
Jesse Rockowitz
123,000,000
-32,000,000
-32,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Colin RobinsonJesse Rockowitz

Dunaway Gives One Up

Level 44 : Blinds 2,500,000/5,000,000, 5,000,000 ante

Braxton Dunaway raised to 10,000,000 from the button and Colin Robinson was the caller from the big blind.

The flop was 789 and Robinson bet 6,500,000 to a call from Dunaway. The turn was 2.

Robinson bet again on the turn, this time 14,000,000, and Dunaway called to see 5 on the river.

Robinson fired 42,000,000 on the river and Dunaway gave it a thought, but it was too much so he got away from it.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jesse Rockowitz us
Jesse Rockowitz
155,000,000
-41,600,000
-41,600,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Braxton Dunaway us
Braxton Dunaway
136,000,000
-13,400,000
-13,400,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Colin Robinson us
Colin Robinson
125,000,000
55,000,000
55,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Braxton DunawayColin Robinson

Level: 44

Blinds: 2,500,000/5,000,000

Ante: 5,000,000