Daniel Gagnon Wins Playground Poker Montreal Festival Main Event for $190,750
Day 4 of the Playground Poker Montreal Festival Main Event came to an end on Wednesday as the final nine players of a 1,063-entry field played down to a winner. After five levels of intense play, Daniel Gagnon emerged as champion to claim the title and $190,750 first-place prize.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Daniel Gagnon | $190,750 |
| 2nd | Noeung Troeung | $125,410 |
| 3rd | Thi Nguyen | $89,700 |
| 4th | Yannick Lamarre-Delooz | $72,690 |
| 5th | John Helou | $53,100 |
| 6th | Michael Mellor | $40,720 |
| 7th | Daniel Gagne | $28,350 |
| 8th | Alex LAvigne | $20,620 |
| 9th | Lorne Wechsler | $15,360 |
According to the Playground Poker Blog, the first elimination of the final table occurred in Level 31 (60,000/120,000/20,000) when Lorne Wechsler bowed out in ninth place for $15,360, and then Playground Poker regular Alex Lavigne followed him out the door one level later. With the blinds at 75,000/150,000/25,000, Lavigne moved all in from the button for 2.025 million and John Helou called from the big blind.
Lavigne: A♦3♥
Helou: 7♦7♥
Lavigne was in need of some help, but the 4♣7♣2♣ flop proved disastrous as Helou flopped a set. The Q♣ turn meant a fifth club would result in a chop, but that didn’t happen as the 8♠ blanked on the river. Lavigne took home $20,620 for his eighth-place finish.
After Daniel Gagne and Michael Mellor exited in seventh and sixth place, respectively, Helou took his leave in fifth. It happened in Level 33 (100,000/200,000/25,000) when Helou got his last 1.5 million all in preflop holding the 9♥9♠ and was racing against the A♠Q♠ of Gagnon. The 2♠7♥3♠ flop didn’t hit Gagnon directly, but it did give him a flush draw to go with his overs. The 6♥ turn was of no consequence, but the K♠ river was as Gagnon spiked his flush. Helou received $53,100 for his performance.
Minutes later, Yannick Lamarre-Delooz was eliminated in fourth place when his K♠Q♠ failed to overcome the A♣10♣ of Noeung Troeung, and then it was time for the last woman in the field to go. Thi Nguyen fell in Level 35 (150,000/300,000/50,000) when she moved all in for 2.4 million from the small blind. Gagnon, who had limped the button, made the call and Nguyen was in great shape to double.
Nguyen: A♥8♥
Gagnon: A♦6♦
Both players held an ace, but Nguyen’s kicker had her out in front. The 10♠3♠Q♣ flop changed nothing, though the Q♦ turn put out chop opportunities. Gagnon could only win outright with a six on the river, and much to Nguyen’s dismay, it came when the 6♣ spiked. Nguyen was eliminated in heartbreaking fashion and had to settle for third place and $89,700.
Gagnon took a 4-1 chip lead into heads-up play against Troeung, and it didn’t take long for him to finish things off. In what would be the last hand of the tournament, Troeung moved all in holding the K♦J♠ and needed to improve against the A♦9♠ of Gagnon. The A♠J♥6♦ flop gave both players a pair, but Gagnon’s aces were best. Neither the 10♦ turn nor 5♥ river helped Troeung, and he took his leave in second place for $125,410 while Gagnon captured the $190,750 first-place prize.
*Pictures and data courtesy of playgroundpoker.ca.
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