2023 WSOP Paradise

Event #5: $25,000 High Roller PLO
Day: 2
Event Info

2023 WSOP Paradise

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
9a65
Prize
$871,600
Event Info
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$3,500,000
Entries
140
Level Info
Level
24
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
32
Players Left
1

Level: 22

Blinds: 100,000/150,000

Ante: 150,000

Accused Private Poker Game Cheater: "I Didn't Bring Any Cards Anywhere"

Level 21 : Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

One day after being accused of cheating a California home game out of millions, Tony Mars issued a statement to PokerNews denying the allegations.

Wesley Fei and Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot, both Hustler Casino Live regulars, claim that Mars, who also plays on HCL, brought a special UV-marked deck that allowed him to decipher face-down cards.

The alleged scandal occurred in a game at a private residence in Yorba Linda, California, a community in Orange County.

Read the full story on what happened here!

Moncek Hits River Double Before Dinner

Level 21 : Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Michael Moncek
Michael Moncek

In the final hand of the level, Michael Moncek raised to 450,000 in the cutoff. Imad Derwiche reraised the pot from the next seat and Moncek got it in for Derwiche to call.

Michael Moncek: AK104
Imad Derwiche: AA64

The J107 flop gave Moncek middle pair and a gutshot broadway draw while Derwiche remained ahead with aces and held the nut flush draw. Nothing changed with the 8 turn but the 10 river gave Moncek trips tens.

Derwiche sunk into his chair and shook his head, while the stack of Moncek was counted. His double was for 1,355,000 and put another big dent into Derwiche's stack. The T-5,000 chips were then raced off and below are the updated dinner break counts of the final nine contenders.

SeatPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Nick SchulmanUnited States1,950,00013
2Dan ShakUnited States2,150,00014
3Matthew WantmanUnited States2,225,00015
4Isaac HaxtonUnited States975,0007
5Michael MoncekUnited States3,050,00020
6Imad DerwicheFrance3,450,00023
7Tyler BrownUnited States1,150,0008
8Nikolaos LampropoulosGreece4,125,00028
9Yuri DzivielevskiBrazil1,825,00012
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Nikolaos Lampropoulos gr
Nikolaos Lampropoulos
4,125,000
265,000
265,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Imad Derwiche fr
Imad Derwiche
3,450,000
-1,100,000
-1,100,000
Profile photo of Michael Moncek us
Michael Moncek
3,050,000
1,650,000
1,650,000
Day 1 Chip Leader
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Matthew Wantman us
Matthew Wantman
2,225,000
125,000
125,000
Profile photo of Dan Shak us
Dan Shak
2,150,000
150,000
150,000
Profile photo of Nick Schulman us
Nick Schulman
1,950,000
-150,000
-150,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Profile photo of Yuri Dzivielevski br
Yuri Dzivielevski
1,825,000
-650,000
-650,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Profile photo of Tyler Brown us
Tyler Brown
1,150,000
-50,000
-50,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Isaac Haxton us
Isaac Haxton
975,000
-125,000
-125,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Imad DerwicheMichael Moncek

Schulman Doubles Through Derwiche

Level 21 : Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Nick Schulman
Nick Schulman

Nick Schulman opened pot to 450,000 before the action moved to current chip leader Imad Derwiche in the small blind who put Schulman all in. He snap-called and the hands were tabled with Schulman at risk.

Nick Schulman: AA36
Imad Derwiche: KKJ8

The full board ran out 24479 and Schulman earned the pure double to move up the leaderboard.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Imad Derwiche fr
Imad Derwiche
4,550,000
-2,150,000
-2,150,000
Profile photo of Nick Schulman us
Nick Schulman
2,100,000
600,000
600,000
WSOP 5X Winner

Tags: Imad DerwicheNick Schulman

Another Kings Versus Aces Showdown Avoided

Level 21 : Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Imad Derwiche raised to 325,000 and the action then reached Dan Shak, who potted to 1,175,000 on the button.

"Two aces?" Derwiche asked when the blinds had folded and flicked in one time bank extension right away.

Derwiche needed the thirty additional seconds to make up his mind, rearranging the cards high-up before folding and exposing KK face-up.

Shak returned the favour and flashed his AA82.

"I have only seen one king this entire final table so far," Tyler Brown joked.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Imad Derwiche fr
Imad Derwiche
6,700,000
100,000
100,000
Profile photo of Dan Shak us
Dan Shak
2,000,000
500,000
500,000
Profile photo of Tyler Brown us
Tyler Brown
1,200,000
-250,000
-250,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Dan ShakImad Derwiche

No Flops But Some Action

Level 21 : Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Isaac Haxton raised the pot two times in a row to force folds and chip back up without showdown.

Dan Shak then raised to 425,000 and Matthew Wantman moved all-in from the next seat. It folded back to Shak, who tanked for a while and exposed suited kings. Wantman returned the favour and flashed his AAJ7 for Badugi aces.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Matthew Wantman us
Matthew Wantman
2,100,000
600,000
600,000
Profile photo of Nick Schulman us
Nick Schulman
1,500,000
300,000
300,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Profile photo of Dan Shak us
Dan Shak
1,500,000
-450,000
-450,000
Profile photo of Isaac Haxton us
Isaac Haxton
1,100,000
400,000
400,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Dan ShakIsaac HaxtonMatthew Wantman

Wantman Doubles Through Haxton

Level 21 : Blinds 75,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

The action folded all the way to Matthew Wantman in the small blind who opened to 325,000 before getting a call from Isaac Haxton in the big blind.

The Q52 flop landed and Wantman led all in for his last 200,000. Haxton called and the cards hit their backs.

Matthew Wantman: A864
Isaac Haxton: K567

The A and 4 completed the board and Wantman retained life in the tournament after a pure double through Haxton.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Matthew Wantman us
Matthew Wantman
1,500,000
650,000
650,000
Profile photo of Isaac Haxton us
Isaac Haxton
700,000
-600,000
-600,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Isaac HaxtonMatthew Wantman

Level: 21

Blinds: 75,000/125,000

Ante: 125,000

Moncek Loses to Derwiche; Doubles Lampropoulos

Level 20 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Nikolaos Lampropoulos
Nikolaos Lampropoulos

Michael Moncek raised to 350,000 on the button and Imad Derwiche called out of the small blind as they headed to the 663 flop. Derwiche check-called for 450,000 before they checked down the 6 turn and K river.

Derwiche revealed the AQ44 for sixes full of fours and won the pot.

In the next hand, Moncek opened to 350,000 once more and Nikolaos Lampropoulos defended the big blind. Following a AK9 flop, Lampropoulos checked and Moncek continued for 850,000. The check-shove by Lampropoulos followed and Moncek called after a few seconds.

Nikolaos Lampropoulos: AQJ4
Michael Moncek: AQ97

Moncek's two pair were very vulnerable against Lampropoulos' straight and flush draw with a redraw to superior two pair. One of the many outs came with the 10 turn and the 2 river secured the double-up of Lampropoulos for 1,505,000.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Imad Derwiche fr
Imad Derwiche
6,600,000
900,000
900,000
Profile photo of Nikolaos Lampropoulos gr
Nikolaos Lampropoulos
3,860,000
2,010,000
2,010,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Michael Moncek us
Michael Moncek
1,400,000
-2,600,000
-2,600,000
Day 1 Chip Leader
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Imad DerwicheMichael MoncekNikolaos Lampropoulos