Aram Zobian Wins Biggest 2024 PokerGO U.S. Poker Open Prize; Negreanu Denied in Event 5

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Apr 16, 2024 5 min read

Six of the scheduled 2024 PokerGO U.S. Poker Open events are in the bag, and it is Aram Zobian who holds a commanding lead going into the final stretch. Zobian took down Event #6: $15,100 No-Limit Hold'em for $264,290, the largest prize awarded thus far, and that victory plus three cashes are so far enough to top the series' leaderboard.

Zobian was one of 62 entrants in the $15,100 buy-in event and won $264,290 of the $930,000 prize pool, plus 298 PGT Points.

The official six-handed final table was set after Daniel Negreanu, John Riordan, and Jesse Lonis, champion of Event #2, were eliminated in the money places.

John Andress ran his ace-king into Joey Weissman's pocket aces, and busted in sixth before a short-stacked Dan Shak fell at the hands of Brock Wilson when his dominated ten-nine ended up crushed by Wilson's ace-ten.

Fourth place and the final five-figure score of the tournament went to Weissman, who turned trip sevens with his suited ace-seven only for Zobian's six-four to improve to a straight on the river.

Wilson's stack dwindled, and he called off his last three or so big blinds from the big blind with nine-seven after Zobian open-shoved from the small blind. Zobian revealed ace-nine. Both players improved to two pair, nines and threes, but Zobian's ace-kicker played, and Wilson was gone.

Zobian started the one-on-one clash with Sam Laskowitz with more than a two-to-one chip lead, but he couldn't shake off Laskowitz. The pair eventually struck a deal that left $20,000 and the cool eagle trophy to play for.

The final hand was somewhat a cooler. Laskowitz improved to trip kings on the river, but that king of spades gifted Zobian a flush and the victory.

Event #6: $15,100 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

*reflects a heads-up deal

Dan Smith Captures His Fifth Career PGT Title

Whenever big money is dished out in PokerGO events, , Dan Smith is always near, and this was the case in Event #3: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em. The 82-strong field meant the top 12 finishers received a slice of the $840,000 prize pool. Such luminaries as Sam Laskowitz, Victoria Livschitz, Nick Schulman, Andrew Lichtenberger, and final table bubble boy Phil Hellmuth all cashed.

Smith went into the final table third in chips from the seven remaining players, but found himself heads-up against Rodger Johnson after the untimely demises of Bill Klein, Dylan Linde, David Coleman, Jesse Lonis, and David Stamm. The latter losing a coinflip with ace-five against Johnson's pocket deuces.

At the start of heads-up play, Johnson held a 6,250,000 to 4,250,000 lead over Smith, but Smith quickly flipped the stacks around and defeated Johnson soon after. The final hand saw Smith move all-in with ace-nine, Johnson called with ace-four, and Smith river a pair of nines to clinch the title and the $235,200 top prize.

Event #3: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

David Coleman Stages Impressive Comeback to Win Event #4

David Coleman navigated his way to the star-studded final table of Event #4: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em as the chip leader, but found himself bringing up the rear by the time heads-up was reached.

After eliminating John Riordan and Jonathan Little from the seven-handed final table, Coleman looked to be in control and odds-on to win. However, he was pulled back into the chasing pack after both Aram Zobian and Shannon Shorr doubled through him.

Shorr's queen-nine then improved to beat Phil Hellmuth's pocket sevens, Coleman sent Dylan Weisman to the rail with ace-king versus ace-nine, and Shorr improved to an unlikely flush with his red pocket tens to crack the pocket queens of Zobian in a monster-sized pot.

Shorr went into heads-up against Coleman with 70% of the chip in play at his disposal. Despite the difference in stacks, the heads-up duo struck a deal, with Shorr securing an additional $30,100 and Coleman another $11,400, leaving $41,500 more for the eventual champion.

Coleman doubled twice before claiming the chip lead, and he never looked back. The final hand saw the players get to the eight-seven-three-three turn in an unopened pot, and Shorr moved all-in after Coleman checked. Coleman snap-called with king-jack of spades, having flopped a flush, and Shorr could only muster ten-eight. A brick on the river meant Coleman's comeback was complete.

Event #4: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

*reflects a heads-up deal

Matthew Wantman Denies Daniel Negreanu in Event #5

Everything pointed toward Daniel Negreanu winning another tournament in 2024 when he soared into a substantial lead in Event #5: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em, but Matthew Wantman and the deck had other ideas.

The final seven of 92 entrants were cut down to six when two newcomers clashed; Grant Wang's queen-jack came from behind to beat Paulius Plausinaitis' ace-king.

Negreanu then took center stage, eliminating David Peters, Wang, and Victoria Livschitz, to take a commanding chip lead into three-handed play. Wantman dispatched Erik Seidel in third, with ace-jack versus ace-eight, but still trailed Negreanu 6,300,000 to 5,200,000.

A huge hand as the 21st level began effectively ended the content. With blinds of 100,000/200,000/200,000a, Negreanu limped with ace-five, Wantman raised to 750,000 with king-queen, and Negreanu moved all-in. Wantman called and needed some help from the deck. Assistance arrived with a queen on the flop, although "DNegs" picked up a wheel draw. An eight on the turn was a brick, with the nine on the river equally as useless, handing Wantman a colossal pot and an 11,000,000 to 350,000 chip lead.

Negreanu clawed some chips back, but a Coleman-esque comeback was cut short when he open-shoved for seven big blinds with jack-eight, and Wantman called with king-three. Negreanu caught a jack on the flop, but Wantman paired his king. No further help arrived for Negreanu, and he had to make do with a second-place finish worth $151,800, leaving Wantman to bank $239,200 and the title of champion.

Event #5: $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

2024 U.S. Poker Open Leaderboard

Zobian has a hand on the U.S. Poker Open's overall title, with him holding a 200-point lead over the chasing pack. Event #7 is down to only seven players, and the winner will scoop $288,000 and 288 PGT Points, which won't be enough to topple Zobian. Play resumes at 12:00 p.m. PT on April 16.

The final event of the 2024 U.S. Poker Open shuffles up and deals at 2:00 p.m. PT on April 16, a $25,200 No-Limit Hold'em tournament. There will be plenty of leaderboard points available, but a semi-deep run from Zobian could be enough for him to be crowned king of the series, joining Stephen Chidwick, David Peters, Sean Winter, and Martin Zamani as U.S. Poker Open champions.

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.

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• Tags Andrew Lichtenberger Aram Zobian Bill Klein Brock Wilson Dan Shak Dan Smith Daniel Negreanu David Coleman David Peters David Stamm Dylan Linde Dylan Weisman Erik Seidel Grant Wang Jesse Lonis Joey Weissman John Andress John Riordan Jonathan Little Martin
• Related Players Daniel NegreanuErik SeidelJonathan LittleAndrew LichtenbergerDan ShakJohn Riordan