2023 NAPT Las Vegas

$1,650 Main Event
Day: 4
Event Info

2023 NAPT Las Vegas

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a10
Prize
$268,945
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,650
Prize Pool
$1,609,650
Entries
1,095
Level Info
Level
35
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Players Info - Day 4
Entries
7
Players Left
1

Poker Dealer & Soon-to-Be-Father Sami Bechahed Wins PokerStars NAPT Main Event ($268,945)

Level 35 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Sami Bechahed, Main Event Winner, NAPT Main Event Winner
Sami Bechahed, Main Event Winner, NAPT Main Event Winner

The PokerStars North American Poker Tour Las Vegas $1,650 Main Event wrapped up at Resorts World Las Vegas on Saturday. The final seven players from a 1,095-entry field returned to battle it out at a live-streamed final table, and after eight hours of play, it was poker dealer Sami Bechahed, whose wife is nine months pregnant, emerging victorious to claim a $268,945 top prize and the first NAPT Main Event title in 12 years!

“(It took) a lot of patience. I don’t know what to say, I’m seriously so shaken,” Bechahed told PokerNews after the win. “It’s surreal to me with this stacked final table with (Sergio) Aido, (Nick) Schulman, (David) Coleman … very good players. I came out on top. It’s surreal.”

Bechahed started collecting live tournament cashes in July 2018 when the French-born poker dealer moved to the other side of the felt. He had already nabbed three six-figure scores in his five-year career and had $941,234 in prior tournament earnings. Two of those came from sub-$400 buy-in tournaments in L.A.; a runner-up finish among 5,302 entries and a victory in a 3,065-entrant field. In addition to that, Bechahed claimed $274,916 for his win in the WSOP Circuit Dallas/Oklahoma Main Event in November of last year.

“I came in as the chip leader, so I didn’t have to be intimidated by anybody,” he added. “I have a lot of mad respect for all of them, but I’m here to play poker. I’m mostly playing poker to have fun but I take it very seriously. So, I came here to have fun, play my best game, and got really lucky.”

2023 NAPT Las Vegas Main Event Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Sami BechahedUnited States$268,945
2Jonathan BorensteinUnited States$168,175
3David ColemanUnited States$120,130
4Ping LiuUnited States$92,410
5Sergio AidoSpain$71,080
6Nick SchulmanUnited States$54,680
7Sandeep PallampatiUnited States$42,060

Final Table Action

The 2023 NAPT Main Event final table.
The 2023 NAPT Main Event final table. Image: Joe Giron

Day 4 resumed at 12:30 p.m. PST in Level 30 with blinds of 50,000/100,000/100,000, and there was an elimination in the very first hand! It happened when Sergio Aido raised to 200,000 from early position with two red tens and Ping Liu called from the button with queen-jack suited. Sandeep Pallampati was in the big blind with jack-four suited and opted to call. A jack-ten-four flop had action written all over it, and sure enough, Pallampati got his stack all in with two pair and ultimately failed to get there against Aido’s set.

It took a few hours for the next elimination to occur but happened when four-time bracelet winner Nick Schulman lost a flip with pocket fours against the king-seven of Bechahed.

It was another four hours before the next elimination, and it occurred on the first hand back from the dinner break. That is when Aido open-jammed his short stack from the cutoff with king-three only to have Jonathan Borenstein call from the button with ace-ten. An ace on the flop ultimately led to Aido’s demise in fifth place for $71,080.

Not long after, Bechahed and Ping Liu, who sat first and second in chips respectively, clashed in a huge hand. The former flopped a set of nines on a nine-high board and the latter held pocket queens. The chips went in and Liu failed to get there, falling in fourth place and giving Bechahed a huge chip lead over his remaining two opponents Borenstein and David Coleman, East Coast grinders who happened to be good friends.

David Coleman, Jonathan Borenstein
David Coleman & Jonathan Borenstein

Bechahed soon dispatched Coleman in third place and took a nearly 5:1 chip lead into heads-up play against Borenstein. On the fourth hand of their match, Borenstein jammed with ten-nine only to have Bechahed wake up with ace-ten. Borenstein, who earlier this year finished fourth in the Borgata Return for a career-best $368,324, was left drawing dead on the turn and had to settle for second place and $168,175 in prize money.

While Bechahed took down a major poker tournament as a player, don’t expect him to give up his day job.

“I will never do poker full time, ever. I don’t need the stress of the downswings,” he shared. “I like to have my little (dealing) job and it keeps me in the poker. I’m always thinking poker, whether I’m at work or I’m playing.”

Complete North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Results

LocationDateBuy-InEntriesWinnerPrize
PCA (Bahamas)Jan. 5-11, 2010$10,3001,529Harrison Gimbel$2,200,000
PCA (Bahamas)Jan. 11-14, 2010$25,50084William Reynolds$576,400
Venetian (Las Vegas)Feb. 20-24, 2010$5,000872Tom Marchese$827,648
Venetian (Las Vegas)Feb. 23-25, 2010$25,60049Ashton Griffin$560,000
Mohegan Sun (Connecticut)April 7-11, 2010$5,000716Vanessa Selbst$750,000
Mohegan Sun (Connecticut)April 23-25, 2010$25,60035Jason Mercier$475,000
Bicycle Casino (Los Angeles)Nov. 12-17, 2010$5,000701Joe Tehan$725,000
PCA (Bahamas)Jan. 8-15, 2011$10,3001,560Galen Hall$2,300,000
Mohegan Sun (Connecticut)April 9-13, 2011$5,000367Vanessa Selbst$450,000
Resorts World (Las Vegas)Nov. 5-12, 2023$1,6501,095Sami Bechahed$268,945

Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team will be back on-site at Resorts World tomorrow for continued coverage of the NAPT.

Be sure to check out the NAPT Las Vegas portal in the meantime.

Sami Bechahed, Main Event Winner, NAPT Main Event Winner
2023 NAPT champ Sami Bechahed

Tags: Sami Bechahed

Jonathan Borenstein Eliminated in 2nd Place ($168,175)

Level 35 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Jonathan Borenstein
Jonathan Borenstein

On the fourth hand of heads-up play, Jonathan Borenstein moved all in for 3,925,000 from the small blind and Sami Bechahed quickly called from the big.

Jonathan Borenstein: 109
Sami Bechahed: A10

Borenstein was dominated and the kicker made the difference after both players paired their tens on the 310K flop. The A on the turn left Borenstein drawing dead, and the meaningless7 on the river proved to be the final card of the 2023 NAPT Las Vegas Main Event.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sami Bechahed fr
Sami Bechahed
32,850,000
5,950,000
5,950,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Jonathan Borenstein us
Jonathan Borenstein
Busted

Tags: Jonathan BorensteinSami Bechahed

David Coleman Eliminated in 3rd Place ($120,130)

Level 35 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
David Coleman
David Coleman

Sami Bechahed moved all in from the small blind and David Coleman called off for 1,875,000.

David Coleman: K7
Sami Bechahed: AQ

Coleman had two live cards but the 249 flop took away outs by giving Bechahed a flush draw. The 4 turn was of no consequence, and Coleman missed when the 8 completed the board on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sami Bechahed fr
Sami Bechahed
26,900,000
1,720,000
1,720,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of David Coleman us
David Coleman
Busted

Tags: David ColemanSami Bechahed

Ping Liu Eliminated in 4th Place ($92,410)

Level 34 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Ping Liu
Ping Liu

Sami Bechahed looked down at two black nines in the small blind and raised to 800,000. Ping Liu was in the big and three-bet to 2.4 million with a pair of queens, which Bechahed called.

The 498 flop gave Bechahed a set and he coyly checked to Liu, who bet 2.2 million with his overpair to the board. Bechahed woke up with an all-in check-raise to 11.8 million and Liu, who had 6.13 million behind, called it off to create a pot of 21.7 million.

Ping Liu: QQ
Sami Bechahed: 99

Liu was looking to catch either a queen or running straight cards, but that failed to happen as the 3 bricked on the turn followed by the 6 on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sami Bechahed fr
Sami Bechahed
25,180,000
11,655,000
11,655,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Ping Liu us
Ping Liu
Busted

Tags: Ping LiuSami Bechahed

Sergio Aido Eliminated in 5th Place ($71,080)

Level 34 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Sergio Aido
Sergio Aido

Sergio Aido open-jammed a stack of 1,425,000 in the cutoff and Jonathan Borenstein called on the button with a bigger stack.

Sergio Aido: K3
Jonathan Borenstein: A10

The flop of A98 gave Borenstein a near lock on the hand before the K turn teased Aido with some hope ahead of the 2 river to mark his elimination in the first hand back from dinner break.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jonathan Borenstein us
Jonathan Borenstein
4,550,000
2,050,000
2,050,000
Profile photo of Sergio Aido es
Sergio Aido
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Jonathan BorensteinSergio Aido

Bechahed Turns Broadway

Level 33 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Sami Bechahed
Sami Bechahed

Sami Bechahed opened to 400,000 from under the gun holding AQ and David Coleman called on the button with Q10.

Bechahed bet 425,000 on the flop of K106 and Coleman called. Bechahed sized up to 950,000 on the J turn and Coleman again called.

Bechahed moved all in on the 6 river and Coleman folded to hold onto his remaining 15 big blinds.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sami Bechahed fr
Sami Bechahed
12,530,000
2,680,000
2,680,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of David Coleman us
David Coleman
3,080,000
-970,000
-970,000

Tags: David ColemanSami Bechahed

"Hero Call Gone Wrong"

Level 33 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Sergio Aido
Sergio Aido

Sergio Aido raised to 450,000 from under the gun with A3 and Sami Bechahed called on the button with 87.

Aido checked on the flop of 2108 and Bechahed bet 500,000. Aido called. Aido checked again on the 2 turn and Bechahed checked back.

Aido checked once more on the 9 river and Bechahed bet 1,750,000. Aido called with his ace-high and saw the bad news as Bechahed tabled his flush.

"Hero call gone wrong," noted James Hartigan.

"I absolutely hated that call," commented Phil Hellmuth.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sami Bechahed fr
Sami Bechahed
9,850,000
4,420,000
4,420,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Sergio Aido es
Sergio Aido
7,780,000
-750,000
-750,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Sami BechahedSergio Aido

A Blind-Versus-Blind All-In Confrontation

Level 33 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
David Coleman
David Coleman

Action folded to Ping Liu in the small blind to put David Coleman to the test in the big. Coleman opted to call off for 2,550,000 and the cards were turned up.

David Coleman: J10
Ping Liu: KQ

The 1068 flop gave Coleman the lead and he maintained it through the A turn and 10 river. Ship the double to Coleman.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ping Liu us
Ping Liu
7,900,000
-2,550,000
-2,550,000
Profile photo of David Coleman us
David Coleman
5,300,000
2,750,000
2,750,000

Tags: David ColemanPing Liu

Liu Has the Better Two Pair

Level 33 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Ping Liu
Ping Liu

Sami Bechahed completed in the small blind with Q6 and Ping Liu checked in the big blind with A6.

Bechahed bet 200,000 on the flop of A62 and Liu called. Bechahed then checked on the 5 turn and Liu bet 350,000. Bechahed called.

Bechahed led out for 200,000 on the Q river and Liu raised to 1,350,000. Bechahed called with his inferior two pair and saw the bad news.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ping Liu us
Ping Liu
10,450,000
3,350,000
3,350,000
Profile photo of Sami Bechahed fr
Sami Bechahed
5,430,000
-1,450,000
-1,450,000
Day 3 Chip Leader

Tags: Ping LiuSami Bechahed

Liu Cracks Jacks With Quad Threes

Level 32 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Ping Liu
Ping Liu

Jonathan Borenstein completed in the small blind and Ping Liu raised to 325,000 in the big blind. Borenstein three-bet to 875,000 and Liu took some time before four-bet jamming for 3,400,000 as Borenstein called to put him at risk.

Ping Liu: A3
Jonathan Borenstein: JJ

Liu had run into jacks but took a massive lead as the flop landed 339 to give him trips. Liu improved to a full house on the A turn before the 3 river improved him further to quads for a double.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ping Liu us
Ping Liu
7,100,000
2,110,000
2,110,000
Profile photo of Jonathan Borenstein us
Jonathan Borenstein
4,530,000
-3,400,000
-3,400,000

Tags: Jonathan BorensteinPing Liu