2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

$3,500 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aa
Prize
$560,442
Event Info
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$3,283,200
Entries
1,026
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
485
Players Left
150

Jing Wang Bags Best in Bumper Day 1a Field of BetMGM Poker Championship

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Jing Wang
Jing Wang

Day 1a of the 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship $3,500 Main Event at the ARIA Resort and Casino has concluded with 150 players remaining after ten hours of play. This tournament is on track to easily surpass its $2,000,000 guarantee with today��s 485 entries contributing $1,552,000 to the prize pool.

Jing Wang is the one who emerged leading the pack and is in a prime position to control the action when players return for Day 2 on Sunday. Wang scooped the biggest pot of the day after turning a two outer in the last level of the night.

Wang will be joined on Day 2 by fellow big stacks Jonathan Jaffe and Anuj Agarwal.

Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts

PlaceNameCountryChipsBig Blinds
1Jing Wang 667,500267
2Anuj AgarwalUnited States453,500181
3Paul GunnessUnited States362,000145
4Leo TaffeUnited States350,500140
5Brett BassockUnited States329,000132
6Ivan GalinecCroatia317,000127
7Joshua BoultonUnited States315,000126
8Stephen SongUnited States285,500114
9Alexandre VuilleumierSwitzerland284,000114
10Fernando GarciaSpain280,500112
Thomas Coan
Thomas Coan

Agarwal collected his own large pot late on at the expense of qualifier Thomas Coan. He hit a set while his opponent held ace-king for top pair top kicker on a ace-high board.

Alex Keating had the highest hand of the day and received a momentum-shifting double up after flopping quads and getting paid off.

There were 110 players who qualified for the Main Event by playing online on BetMGM Poker and 63 of them took part in today��s flight. Among them were Jim Farrelly, Patrick Hensley, and Laura Church.

Joining Farrelly in Day 2 will be ambassador Darren Elias, who also registered in the opening flight and found a bag.

Notable names to not survive include Ethan ��Rampage�� Yau, Jesse Lonis, Robbi Jade Lew, Landon Tice, and defending BetMGM Champion Joey Weisman.

Those who wish to try their luck in this tournament Saturday can do so, as Day 1b kicks off at noon local time with the same structure.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be back on-site tomorrow, June 10th, for continued coverage of the BetMGM Poker Championship at ARIA, so stay tuned!

Tags: Alex KeatingAlexandre VuilleumierAnuj AgarwalBrett BassockDarren EliasFernando GarciaIvan GalinecJesse LonisJim FarrellyJing WangJoey WeismanJonathan JaffeJosh BoultonLandon TiceLaura ChurchLeo TaffePatrick HensleyPaul GunnessRobbi Jade LewStephen SongThomas Coan

Wang Sun Runs to Chip Lead; Binks Two Outer in Huge Pot

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Jing Wang
Jing Wang

The middle position player opened 4,500 and was called by opponent. Big stack Jing Wang then squeezed to 25,000 from the big blind. The original raiser then four-bet to 66,000 and only Wang called.

The middle position player continued for 40,000 on the 7?4?3? flop. Wang moved all in as the bigger stack and his opponent, who had around 275,000 behind, snap-called for his tournament life.

Middle Position: KxKx
Jing Wang: JxJx

Wang was way behind and was about to be reduced to crumbs until he binked a set on the J? turn to the disbelief of his opponent. The river bricked out and Wang became the overwhelming chip leader.

The following hand, the player in the under-the-gun position moved all in for around 35,000 and Wang called from the small blind.

Wang had 7?7? and was up against K?J?. Wang claimed another elimination as he held out to scoop following the A?9?6?6?A? runout.

Player Chips Progress
Jing Wang cn
Jing Wang
700,000
355,000
355,000
Day 1A Chip Leader

Tags: Jing Wang

Qualifier Coan Falls Late

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Thomas Coan
Thomas Coan

Thomas Coan opened to 5,500 from middle position and Anuj Agarwal called from the big blind.

Agarwal check-called for 7,000 on the A?10?2? flop, bringing in the 5? turn. Agarwal checked once more and Coan just ripped in his stack of around 75,000 and was snap-called.

Thomas Coan: AxKx
Anuj Agarwal: 10x10x

Coan had top pair top kicker but was behind Agarwal's set of tens. The river was a brick and Agarwal took in the massive pot to become one of the chip leaders.

Player Chips Progress
Anuj Agarwal us
Anuj Agarwal
320,000
320,000
320,000
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Thomas Coan us
Thomas Coan
Busted

Tags: Anuj AgarwalThomas Coan

Full House at the Lucky Lodge

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

The player in middle position opened to 3,500 and the cutoff three-bet to 10,000, but then Harry Lodge moved all in for around 30,000.

The initial raiser got out of the way while the cutoff snapp called to put Lodge at risk.

Harry Lodge: 10?10?
Cutoff: J?J?

Lodge was not too happy when he saw what he was up against, but his attitude quickly changed when the flop came out 7?10?9? to give him the lead with top set.

The turn came the 7? to further improve him to a full house and the Q? completed the board to secure his win for the double-up.

Meanwhile, his opponent was only left with around 6, 000and ended up busting the very next hand when Dong Chen flopped trip queens against his ace high.

Player Chips Progress
Dong Chen cn
Dong Chen
160,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Harry Lodge gb
Harry Lodge
67,000
42,000
42,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Dong ChenHarry Lodge

Keating Gets Paid with Quads

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
Alex Keating
Alex Keating

The under-the-gun player opened to 3,000, and Alex Keating called from middle position.

On the 7?6?6? flop, the original raiser check-called for 3,000, which brought in the 5? turn. Action checked through to the A? river, and the under-the-gun player checked. Keating fired out 5,000 and was met with a raise to 45,000. Keating three-bet jammed for 116,500, and his opponent called after some time in the tank.

Keating tabled his 6?6? for flopped quads while his opponent had the 7?5?.

Player Chips Progress
Alex Keating us
Alex Keating
255,000
255,000
255,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Adam Keating

Final Two Levels; Late Registration Closes

Level 9 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante
BetMGM Poker Championship
BetMGM Poker Championship

Late registration for Day 1a of the BetMGM Poker Championship has now closed. The first starting flight has seen 485 entries, and of those, 234 remain,

For players to make Day 2, they need to survive just two more levels of play. Anybody with chips in front of them will then bag and tag their stacks.

Players who bag today are still permitted to try and run up a bigger stack in Day 1b, however, only their best stack will be carried forward.

Qualifier Farrelly Building a Stack

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Jim Farrelly
Jim Farrelly

BetMGM Qualifier Jim Farrelly opened to 2,200 from the hijack before the cutoff three-bet to 6,500. Farrelly called.

Farrelly check-called bet of 2,500 and 10,500 on the flop and turn for the final board to read J?5?3?K?Q?. Both players checked through to showdown on the river and Farrelly tabled his K?4? for a pair of kings. The cutoff was less than impressed with Farrelly's holdings and mucked his hand.

Player Chips Progress
Jim Farrelly us
Jim Farrelly
222,000
50,000
50,000

Tags: Jim Farrelly

Helppi Downs BetMGM Poker Qualifier and Weissman

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante
Juha Helppi
Juha Helppi

A BetMGM Poker qualifier jammed for 4,000 from middle position and was called by Juha Helppi on hid direct left. Joey Weissman defended his big blind, which left him with 13,500 behind.

Weissman check-called for 4,000 on the Q?J?2? flop, bringing in the 8? turn. Weissman checked once more and then called for his tournament life after Helppi put him all in.

BetMGM Poker Qualifier: A?6?
Joey Weissman: K?Q?
Juha Helppi: A?Q?

Helppi and Weissman had a pair of queens, but the ace kicker put Helppi in front. The 10? completed the board to secure the double elimination for Helppi.

Weissman then headed to reentry desk and now has a fresh stack of 40,000. However, if Weissman busts again today, he will have to wait until tomorrow's Day 1b to have another crack of the whip.

Player Chips Progress
Juha Helppi fi
Juha Helppi
95,000
WSOP 2X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Joey Weissman us
Joey Weissman
40,000
23,000
23,000
Defending Champion
WSOP 1X Winner
StakeKings

Tags: Joey WeissmanJuha Helppi

Yau Wins a Small One Before Losing Big Flip

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante
Ethan Yau
Ethan Yau

Action was caught on the turn with around 7,000 in the middle on the A?K?3?8? board. Victoria Livschitz checked from the big blind before Ethan Yau bet 6,500 from under the gun. Jim Farrelly called from two seats over and Livschitz folded.

Yau sized up to 22,000 on the 7? river and his opponent conceded the pot.

The following hand, Yau and Rodney Turvin got into a preflop-raising war which saw the latter all in for 76,000. Yau called and the cards were tabled.

Rodney Turvin: A?K?
Ethan Yau: Q?Q?

It was a classic race and Yau's headstart was shortlived as Turvin made two pair on the A?K?3? flop. The A? turn gave Turvin the checkmark and the 6? completed the board.

Player Chips Progress
Jim Farrelly us
Jim Farrelly
170,000
98,000
98,000
Rodney Turvin us
Rodney Turvin
154,000
154,000
154,000
Laura Church us
Laura Church
40,000
-15,000
-15,000
Sean Alper us
Sean Alper
39,000
-17,000
-17,000
Ethan Yau us
Ethan Yau
12,000
-23,300
-23,300
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 2X Winner
StakeKings

Tags: Ethan YauJim FarrellyRodney TurvinVictoria Livschitz

Tice Wins Soma Them Chips

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante
Landon Tice
Landon Tice

In a heads-up pot between Landon Tice and Leo Soma, the board read 8?6?9?7? when Tice bet 6,000 into the 31,000 that was already in the middle.

Soma thought for a second before making the call, and the duo saw the Q? fall on the river. Soma quickly checked over to Tice who paused for a moment before moving all in for around 28,000.

Soma was not happy with this move and shook his head as he checked his cards one last time before tossing them into the muck. The pot was then pushed to Tice to bring his stack to a little over 70,000.

Player Chips Progress
Landon Tice us
Landon Tice
72,000
34,000
34,000
Leo Soma fr
Leo Soma
71,000
71,000
71,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Landon TiceLeo Soma