$3,500 Main Event | 2023 BetMGM Poker Championship

06-13-2023 15:03 UTC-8

Song Jams on Chip Leader

Calum Grant

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Stephen Song opened to 450,000 with A♣K♥ from the cutoff before Leo Taffe made it 1,150,000 with his dominated A♦8♣ from the small blind. Song ripped his 3,825,000 stack into the middle and Taffe folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	24,825,000 -1,150,000	-1,150,000

Mike Vanier	5,725,000 -400,000	-400,000
Stephen Song	5,375,000 1,550,000	1,550,000

Mo Zhou	3,025,000
Sundiata DeVore	1,850,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Stephen Song

06-13-2023 15:01 UTC-8

Taffe's Domination Continues

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Calum Grant

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	25,975,000 1,500,000	1,500,000

Mike Vanier	6,125,000 1,500,000	1,500,000
Stephen Song	3,825,000 -1,800,000	-1,800,000

Mo Zhou	3,025,000 -700,000	-700,000
Sundiata DeVore	1,850,000 -500,000	-500,000

06-13-2023 15:00 UTC-8

The Chad & Jesse Poker Show: Poker Legend Jack McClelland Shares Untold Stories

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Chad Holloway

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

On the latest The Chad & Jesse Poker Show[/I][/B] straight from the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP),Chad Holloway and Jesse Fullen are joined by Poker Hall of Famer Jack McClelland, who served as the Tournament Director of the WSOP from 1984-98.

He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2014 alongside Daniel Negreanu, and he talks about that honor as well as memories of Stu Ungar and Doyle Brunson, and what it was like to work for the legendary Benny Binion.

06-13-2023 14:51 UTC-8

Johann Ibanez Eliminated in 6th Place ($114,157)

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Calum Grant

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 400,000 from the button and snap-called when Johann Ibanez jammed for 2,050,000 from the big blind.

Johann Ibanez: A♣4♥
Leo Taffe: A♠A♦

The 9♣7♥6♣ flop gave Ibanez some backdoor possibilities, and the 5♣ turn left him with some hope. However, the 5♥ river paired the board, and Ibanez bowed out in sixth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	24,475,000 2,150,000	2,150,000

Stephen Song	5,625,000 500,000	500,000

Mike Vanier	4,625,000 -500,000	-500,000
Mo Zhou	3,725,000
Sundiata DeVore	2,350,000 -100,000	-100,000
Johann Ibanez	Busted

Tags: Johann Ibanez Leo Taffe

Level: 30

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000

06-13-2023 14:46 UTC-8

Kevin Berthelsen Eliminated in 7th Place ($94,523)

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Kirk Brown

Level 29 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Kevin Berthelsen moved all in for 2,000,000 with Q♠J♠ and Stephen Song shoved over the top with A♣Q♣. The other players quickly got out of the way and the cards were tabled.

The board ran out 3♦6♦4♦2♥A♦ with the ace on the river to give Song the clear win and Berthelsen was eliminated in 7th place for $94,523.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	22,325,000 375,000	375,000

Mike Vanier	5,125,000
Stephen Song	5,125,000 2,100,000	2,100,000

Mo Zhou	3,725,000 -375,000	-375,000
Sundiata DeVore	2,450,000 -404,000	-404,000
Johann Ibanez	2,050,000 75,000	75,000
Kevin Berthelsen	Busted

Tags: Kevin Berthelsen Stephen Song

06-13-2023 14:37 UTC-8

Vanier Folds the Best Hand

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Calum Grant

Level 29 : 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 300,000 from the button with 10♦9♦ before Mike Vanier looked down at his third premium hand of the day. Vanier made it 1,075,000 from the small blind with J♠J♣, and Taffe called.

The A♠8♥7♠ flop kept Vanier ahead, and he continued for 550,000, swelling the pot to 3,000,000. Taffe called with his open-ended straight draw.

Vanier then check-called on the 2♠ turn after facing a bet of 1,200,000.

The 7♦ river gave Vanier the checkmark, and he checked once more. Taffe put on max pressure by moving all in for 5,125,000, which pushed Vanier out of the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	21,950,000 3,200,000	3,200,000

Mike Vanier	5,125,000 -3,125,000	-3,125,000
Mo Zhou	4,100,000
Stephen Song	3,025,000 300,000	300,000

Sundiata DeVore	2,854,000 -146,000	-146,000
Kevin Berthelsen	2,075,000
Johann Ibanez	1,975,000

Tags: Leo Taffer Mike Vanier

06-13-2023 14:28 UTC-8

Taffe Puts DeVore to the Test

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Kirk Brown

Level 29 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened to 300,000 under-the-gun with K♠K♦ and Mike Vanier made the call to his left with 6♠6♣. The action folded around to Sundiata DeVore who woke up with J♥J♣ and puts in a three-bet to 1,100,000.

Taffe then clicked it back to 1,900,000 and DeVore went into the tank before making the call and the two players went to a flop of 10♠9♣4♣.

DeVore checked over to Taffe who then continued for 700,000 and DeVore made the call.

The turn came out the 4♠ and DeVore checked again to Taffe who then moved all in to cover.

DeVore burned through all of his time banks before he finally decided to make the correct fold, awarding the huge pot to the chip leader.

The @BetMGMPoker Championship final table kicked off with fireworks between chip leader Leo Taffe and… https://t.co/c2BY9TIGV2
— PokerGO (@PokerGO)

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	18,750,000 3,125,000	3,125,000

Mike Vanier	8,250,000 -300,000	-300,000
Mo Zhou	4,100,000
Sundiata DeVore	3,000,000 -2,750,000	-2,750,000
Stephen Song	2,725,000

Kevin Berthelsen	2,075,000
Johann Ibanez	1,975,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier Sundiata DeVore

06-13-2023 14:18 UTC-8

Updated Stacks

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Calum Grant

Level 29 : 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	15,625,000 750,000	750,000

Mike Vanier	8,550,000 700,000	700,000
Sundiata DeVore	5,750,000
Mo Zhou	4,100,000 -75,000	-75,000
Stephen Song	2,725,000 -1,375,000	-1,375,000

Kevin Berthelsen	2,075,000 -375,000	-375,000
Johann Ibanez	1,975,000 -375,000	-375,000

06-13-2023 14:07 UTC-8

Another Premium for Vanier

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Calum Grant

Level 29 : 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Leo Taffe opened from middle position to 300,000 with K♦Q♦. Mike Vanier, who had ace-king in the previous hand, looked down at his A♠A♥ and three-bet to 900,000 from the hijack. Taffe reraised to 2,000,000 and made the snap-fold when Vanier jammed.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Taffe	14,875,000 -2,000,000	-2,000,000

Mike Vanier	7,850,000 2,375,000	2,375,000

Tags: Leo Taffe Mike Vanier