Esther Taylor has made history by becoming the second-ever woman to cash the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, after making the final table of one of the summer's showpiece events.
The American, who has over $2.3 million in total live earnings, joins trailblazer Melissa Burr as the second female player to cash the event, eleven years on from Burr's 7th-place finish in 2014 for $165,435.
Davide Kitai opened to 600,000 from middle position, leaving just 40,000 behind. Michael Acevedo then shoved from the small blind, which put Kitai in the tank. On a pay jump, Kitai mulled over his decision for five whole minutes before the clock was eventually called. He flicked his remaining chips in with just one second left.
Davide Kitai: A♦10♣ 
Michael Acevedo: K♣J♦
There wasn't too much of a sweat for Kitai, who ended up with a full house on the 3♣5♣10♥A♥10♦ runout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,800,000 | |
|
||
|
1,400,000
420,000
|
420,000 |
|
||
Ryuta Nakai jammed from early position for roughly 900,000. The action folded around to Harvey Castro in the big blind, who had roughly 800,000 behind. Castro took one look at his cards and made the call to put himself at risk.
Harvey Castro: 8♣8♦
Ryuta Nakai: K♠J♠
It was a crucial flip for both players. The board came K♥6♥5♣2♣J♥ to give Nakai the best hand with top two pair. Castro tossed his bounty chip over to Nakai and headed to the exit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,700,000
960,000
|
960,000 |
|
Busted |
Michael Brinkenhoff raised all in for 460,000 from the button. Jeffrey Hong in the big blind went deep into the tank and eventually made the call.
Michael Brinkenhoff: 4♠4♦
Jeffrey Hong: 10♥6♥
Brinkenhoff flopped a set on Q♥K♥4♣, but this board also opened a flush draw for Hong. The J♣ turn changed nothing, but the 8♥ river completed Hong's flush and sent Brinkenhoff to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,400,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Justin Saliba raised to 200,000 from middle position and Chad Thyzel jammed for 1,150,000 from the small blind. Saliba mulled it over for quite some time before eventually making the call.
Chad Thyzel: A♣A♦
Justin Saliba: K♥Q♣
Saliba was in trouble against the bullets of Thyzel. The board came 4♠9♠3♠6♣4♥, which was safe for Thyzel's aces, and he doubled up through Saliba.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,350,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
1,300,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
||
Yuya Arito and Harvey Castro were off to the races after getting it all in preflop.
Harvey Castro: 9♣9♠
Yuya Arito: A♥10♦
The A♠Q♣4♦2♦2♥ runout sent Castro packing.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
6,100,000
4,790,000
|
4,790,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Min Zhang moved all in for 410,000 in middle position before Samuel Mullur shoved for 1,100,000 on the button. Martin Kabrhel then announced all in for 1,130,000 from the small blind, just covering Mullur.
Min Zhang: A♦9♦
Samuel Mullur: A♣10♠
Martin Kabrhel: 8♣8♦
Kabrhel asked the dealer for the eight of hearts on the flop, but Zhang and Mullur still had life after seeing 5♥4♠Q♣ hit the board. The dealer then delivered the 8♥ on the turn, giving Kabrhel a set.
The 5♦ river saw Kabrhel improve to a full house, scoring two bounties by sending Zhang and Mullur to the payout desk.
The rest of the players bagged up their chips for the three table redraw, taking place in the Horseshoe Event Center.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
3,050,000
1,950,000
|
1,950,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 621 | 1 | Charles Shaverdians | United States | 1,217,000 | 12 |
| 621 | 2 | Chad Thyzel | United States | 2,580,000 | 25 |
| 621 | 3 | Raoul Kanme | Netherlands | 4,400,000 | 44 |
| 621 | 4 | Robert Cowen | United Kingdom | 825,000 | 82 |
| 621 | 5 | Ryuta Nakai | Japan | 2,200,000 | 22 |
| 621 | 6 | Colin Dentan | United States | 1,900,000 | 19 |
| 621 | 7 | Sohaib Choudhry | United States | 1,800,000 | 18 |
| 621 | 8 | Justin Saliba | United States | 295,000 | 2 |
| 622 | 1 | Rainer Kempe | Germany | 1,700,000 | 17 |
| 622 | 2 | Xiaoyao Ma | China | 5,400,000 | 54 |
| 622 | 3 | Venkat Chivukula | United States | 650,000 | 6 |
| 622 | 4 | Clemen Deng | United States | 350,000 | 3 |
| 622 | 5 | Ryan Wolfson | United States | 1,600,000 | 16 |
| 622 | 6 | Jeffrey Hong | United States | 1,700,000 | 17 |
| 622 | 7 | Brock Wilson | United States | 750,000 | 7 |
| 622 | 8 | Arden Cho | United States | 1,300,000 | 13 |
| 625 | 1 | Davidi Kitai | Belgium | 800,000 | 8 |
| 625 | 2 | Martin Kabrhel | Czechia | 2,900,000 | 29 |
| 625 | 3 | Rehman Kassam | United Kingdom | 1,600,000 | 16 |
| 625 | 4 | Dragana Mackelprang | United States | 1,500,000 | 15 |
| 625 | 5 | Boris Kolev | Bulgaria | 1,450,000 | 14 |
| 625 | 6 | David Shaw | United States | 2,900,000 | 29 |
| 625 | 7 | Michael Acevedo | Costa Rica | 1,700,000 | 17 |
| 625 | 8 | Yuya Arito | Japan | 5,600,000 | 56 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,600,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
5,400,000
4,050,000
|
4,050,000 |
|
4,400,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
2,900,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
||
|
2,900,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
2,580,000
230,000
|
230,000 |
|
|
2,200,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
1,900,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
1,800,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
1,700,000
850,000
|
850,000 |
|
||
|
|
1,700,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
1,700,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,600,000
840,000
|
840,000 |
|
|
1,600,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
1,500,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
1,450,000
575,000
|
575,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,300,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
1,217,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
825,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
800,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
||
|
750,000
240,000
|
240,000 |
|
650,000
945,000
|
945,000 |
|
350,000
320,000
|
320,000 |
|
|
295,000
1,005,000
|
1,005,000 |
|
|
||
Justin Saliba opened to 260,000 from under the gun, Colin Dentan in the small blind three-bet all in and Saliba called off his last 40,000.
Justin Saliba: A♣Q♠
Colin Dentan: K♥8♦
Saliba was already in the lead and even hit two pair on 3♦3♥6♦Q♥8♣ to secure a double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,400,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
800,000
505,000
|
505,000 |
|
|
||
Clemen Deng raised to 315,000 from the hijack with just 10,000 behind. Arden Cho jammed from the big blind, and Deng called for his last few chips.
Clemen Deng: A♦10♦
Arden Cho: 10♣9♦
Cho was dominated by Deng, but if she could find a nine on the runout, she would claim Deng's bounty.
The flop of 6♠9♥7♥ put Cho in the lead with top pair. The rest of the board ran out K♦10♠ to give Cho two pair, and Deng was out in 24th.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,850,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
|
Busted |
