2017 PokerStars Championship Panama

Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info

2017 PokerStars Championship Panama

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
kj
Prize
$293,860
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$1,775,100
Entries
366
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Main Event

Day 6 Completed

Kenneth Smaron Wins the PokerStars Championship Panama Main Event ($293,860)

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Kenneth Smaron
Kenneth Smaron

The PokerStars Championship Panama Main Event is in the books after 170 hands of play on the final table. Kenneth Smaron has won, taking home $293,860. Except for the first player out, all players at one point held the chiplead on the action-packed final table, but Smaron would be the one to lift the trophy.

PositionPlayerCountryPrize
1Kenneth SmaronUnited States$293,860
2Harpreet GillCanada$217,860
3Denis TimofeevRussia$161,340
4Jonathan AbdellatifBelgium$119,480
5Robin Luca WozniczekGermany$88,480
6Anthony DiotteCanada$65,520

The final day of the PokerStars Championship Panama Main Event started with six players remaining. In the third hand, that number was decreased by one as Anthony Diotte hit the rail. Diotte started out the shortest stack and wouldn't make a comeback. He got it in with ace-jack against the deuces of Robin Luca Wozniczek and the latter flopped a set. On the turn, it was all over and the tournament was down to five players remaining.

While Robin Luca Wozniczek took the lead not much later, he would still be the next to go. He lost a bit and got it in soon after with a pair and a flush draw up against the inferior flush draw and double gut shot of Jonathan Abdellatif. A four on the river spelled doom for the German qualifier as it gave Abdellatif the winning straight.

The chip lead changed hands multiple times, with everyone in charge at one point. Abdellatif had been responsible for Wozniczek's demise but lost to quads with the top full house only to see his stack get halved. That made him the short stack and he was next to go not much later as his check-raise with a flush draw got called by Smaron's flopped top pair. Blanks on the turn and river resulted in a trip to the payout desk for Abdelattif, who secured the first six-figure score of his career.

Again, the chip lead changed hands multiple times. The start of day chip leader, Denis Timofeev, had his ups and downs but soon found himself short stacked as lots of pots did not go his way and Gill kept doubling up. Timofeev found one last double with ace-six to queen-jack but went down the next hand anyway getting it in with pocket tens to Smaron's ace-king. The river gave Smaron a wheel and Timofeev said his goodbyes.

That result left Harpreet Gill and Kenneth Smaron heads up with a slight lead for the latter. The two went on dinner break first but soon after returning, they ended up all in. In the ninth hand of heads up play, Harpreet Gill limp-shoved all in with ten-eight off suit and Smaron called with king-jack of clubs. While Smaron flopped a royal flush draw, in the end, he took down the pot and tournament with king-high.

The $293,860 first place-prize is the second-biggest score of Smaron's career, right behind the $654,302 he won taking down the 2015 EPT Prague High Roller.

Next up is the PokerStars Championship Macau, held March 30th through April 9th. PokerNews will be on the floor for coverage of that event with updates, photos, and videos from the Main Event and high roller events.

Kenneth Smaron

Harpreet Gill Eliminated in 2nd Place ($217,860)

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Heads Up Harpreet Gill and Kenneth Smaron
Heads Up Harpreet Gill and Kenneth Smaron

Hand #170: In the 9th hand of heads up play, Harpreet Gill limped in with {10-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}. Kenneth Smaron wasn't settling for that and bumped it up to 350,000 with {K-Clubs}{J-Clubs}.

Without much hesitation, Gill moved in for 2,615,000. Smaron asked for a count and contemplated what to do for a bit before he decided to go for it and call.

The pot was 5,250,000 and Smaron was the slight favorite but Gill was very much live. The flop came {Q-Clubs}{A-Clubs}{9-Hearts}, giving Smaron a royal flush draw while Gill picked up a gutshot but lost the tens as outs.

The {9-Diamonds} on the river was inconsequential and so was the {5-Spades} on the river. and just like that, after just 20 minutes or so of heads up play, a champion was crowned. Harpreet Gill had to settle for second place, banking $217,860.

Player Chips Progress
Kenneth Smaron us
Kenneth Smaron
10,980,000
3,745,000
3,745,000
Harpreet Gill ca
Harpreet Gill
Busted

Tags: Harpreet GillKenneth Smaron

Hands #166-169: Smaron Growing His Lead

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante

Hand #166: Harpreet Gill with the {A-Clubs}{2-Diamonds} on the button limped in, Kenneth Smaron checked {9-Hearts}{4-Clubs}. The flop came {K-Diamonds}{K-Spades}{8-Hearts} and Smaron check-folded to Gill's 250,000 over bet.

Hand #167: Kenneth Smaron limped in with {A-Spades}{8-Spades}, Harpreet Gill checked {A-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}. The flop came {3-Hearts}{7-Spades}{5-Diamonds} and both checked. The {2-Diamonds} hit the turn and Gill bet 100,000, Smaron called. The river {8-Clubs} paired Smaron and Gill checked. Smaron bet 350,000 into 420,000 and Gill folded.

Hand #168: Harpreet Gill with the {A-Diamonds}{10-Hearts} on the button raised to 300,000. Kenneth Smaron called with {K-Clubs}{5-Diamonds} to see a flop of {K-Diamonds}{7-Spades}{3-Clubs}. Smaron check-called a bet of 450,000 before both checked the {Q-Hearts} on the turn. The {K-Spades} completed the board, giving Smaron trips. Smaron bet 1,125,000 into 1,520,000. Gill folded just about right away.

Hand #169: Kenneth Smaron picked up {A-Spades}{9-Spades} on the button and raised to 250,000. Harpreet Gill defended his big blind with {8-Spades}{7-Hearts}. The flop came {10-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}{K-Diamonds} and both players checked. The {2-Clubs} on the turn didn't do too much another two checks later, the {3-Clubs} completed the board. Gill check-folded to Smaron's 100,000 bet.

Tags: Harpreet GillKenneth Smaron

Hands #162-165: Smaron Tips the Scales

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Heads Up Harpreet Gill and Kenneth Smaron
Heads Up Harpreet Gill and Kenneth Smaron

Hand 162: Harpreet Gill completed on the button with {k-Clubs}{9-Spades} and Kenneth Smaron checked {k-Spades}{2-Diamonds} in the big blind. The flop came {5-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}{3-Clubs} and both players checked to the {j-Diamonds} on the turn. Smaron checked, and Gill bet 150,000. Smaron called. The river was the {4-Clubs} and Smaron checked again. Gill checked and took down the pot.

Hand 163: Kenneth Smaron raised to 250,000 on the button with {k-Spades}{8-Spades}. Harpreet Gill three-bet to 600,000 with {7-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}. Smaron called.

The flop came {a-Clubs}{a-Hearts}{4-Diamonds} and Gill checked. Smaron checked back. The turn was the {2-Hearts}. Gill quickly reached for chips and bet 675,000. Smaron folded.

Hand 164: Kenneth Smaron got a walk.

Hand 165: Kenneth Smaron was on the button and raised to 250,000 with {10-Hearts}{10-Clubs}. Harpreet Gill was in the big blind and three-bet to {j-Spades}{10-Spades}. Smaron put in a four-bet to 1,900,000 and Gill called.

The flop came {7-Hearts}{4-Hearts}{3-Hearts}. Gill checked and Smaron bet 1,400,000. Gill folded.

Player Chips Progress
Kenneth Smaron us
Kenneth Smaron
7,235,000
1,105,000
1,105,000
Harpreet Gill ca
Harpreet Gill
3,745,000
-1,150,000
-1,150,000

Tags: Harpreet GillKenneth Smaron

Level: 29

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 10,000

Dinner Break

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante

With the recent elimination of Denis TImofeev in third place, Harpreet Gill and Kenneth Smaron decided to go on a one-hour dinner break a few minutes earlier than scheduled.

Smaron leads with 6,130,000 and Gill still has a healty 4,895,000.

Play will resume in about 60 minutes.

Have a luck at some of the highlights from the week!

Tags: Denis TimofeevHarpreet GillKenneth Smaron

Hand #161: Denis Timofeev Eliminated in 3rd Place ($161,340)

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Denis Timofeev
Denis Timofeev

Hand 161: Kenneth Smaron raised to 160,000 on the button with {a-Clubs}{k-Spades}. Harpreet Gill got out of the way, and Denis Timofeev three-bet to 475,000 from the small blind with {10-Spades}{10-Hearts}.

Smaron went into the tank for about a minute before putting in a four-bet to 1,100,000. Action was back on Timofeev and he moved all in for a total of 2,910,000. Smaron quickly called.

The two players tabled their hand, only to reveal a classic race.

The flop came {7-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{4-Spades}, keeping Timofeev in the lead with a pair of tens.

The turn was the {2-Clubs}, giving Smaron more outs with a straight draw.

The river was the {3-Clubs} and Smaron made a straight to eliminate Timofeev in third place.

The remaining 2 players are now guaranteed $217,860 and play heads up for the title and $293,860

Player Chips Progress
Kenneth Smaron us
Kenneth Smaron
6,130,000
3,010,000
3,010,000
Harpreet Gill ca
Harpreet Gill
4,895,000
-90,000
-90,000
Denis Timofeev ru
Denis Timofeev
Busted

Tags: Denis TimofeevHarpreet GillKenneth Smaron

Hand #160: Double Up for Timofeev

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante

Hand #160: Harpreet Gill raised to 200,000 holding {Q-Spades}{J-Diamonds}. {A-Clubs}{6-Spades} for Denis Timofeev in the big blind and he shoved all in for 1.44 million. Gill asked for a count and tanked for some time before he eventually called.

"I got it in bad but I knew I got it in bad" Gill said.

With 44% equity, he hadn't gotten it in that bad. The {9-Clubs}{10-Spades}{A-Diamonds} flop paired Timofeev but Gill picked up a straight draw. The {2-Clubs} on the turn was a blank and so was the {7-Clubs} on the river. Double up for Timofeev.

Player Chips Progress
Harpreet Gill ca
Harpreet Gill
4,985,000
-1,435,000
-1,435,000
Kenneth Smaron us
Kenneth Smaron
3,120,000
Denis Timofeev ru
Denis Timofeev
2,920,000
1,480,000
1,480,000

Tags: Harpreet GillDenis Timofeev