Event #51: $1,000 Tag Team
Day 3 Completed
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #51: $1,000 Tag Team
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2023 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$1,140,980
Entries
1,282
Level
32
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
26
Players Left
1
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
It was around 10:30 p.m. on the third and final day of Event #51: $1,000 Tag Team that a championship team was crowned in Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. WSOP bracelets were awarded to both members of Team Savakinas, Michael Savakinas and Satoshi Tanaka, taking home their first WSOP bracelet and a first-place prize of $190,662.
Tanaka attributed their natural chemistry as friends as one of the main keys to their success. "I think we get along outside of poker too, so naturally, if things go wrong in poker, we help each other out, but not just poker-wise, with everything."
The event gathered 1,282 teams, setting a new record, and 193 teams cashed for a minimum of $1,602. Team Savakinas started Day 3 with only 19 big blinds and managed to cruise to the 10-handed final table with 23 big blinds. Michael Savakinas and Satoshi Tanaka each took their turn, making their way through the final heads-up battle to secure the victory.
Tanaka also mentioned he felt their strategy of when and how often they tagged in and out gave them an edge. "When the final table started, we decided to switch on the levels, and I think that gave us an edge because no one else was doing that."
Event #51: $1,000 Tag Team Final Table Payouts
| Place | Team/Players | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Savakinas - Satoshi Tanaka | United States | $190,662 |
| 2 | Vincent Moscati - Tanner Bibat | United States | $117,872 |
| 3 | Jonah LaBranche - Dustin Wills | United States | $85,040 |
| 4 | Rickey Evans - Roberto Valdez | United States | $62,090 |
| 5 | John Ventre - Kenneth Gallo | United States | $45,884 |
| 6 | Marcus Stein - Amber Donatelli | United States | $34,326 |
| 7 | David Williams - Theo Tran | United States | $26,000 |
| 8 | Carlos Inukai - Emmaniel Avila | United States | $19,942 |
| 9 | Justin Pechie - Ronnie Bardah | United States | $15,492 |
| 10 | Ramon Kropmanns - Jessica Serial | Brazil | $12,190 |
Among the 193 teams who cashed, only 26 came back for the final day. The action was quite fast, as a redraw with 18 players left occurred within two levels.
Final table Action
Ramon Kropmanns and Jessica Serial of Team Kropmanns, the only non-American team among the final table, finished in tenth place just before regulars Justin Pechie and Ronnie Bardah of Team Pechie.
Then, players moved to a feature table, and the rail started to grow. Team Inukai (Carlos Inukai - Emmaniel Avila) and Team Williams (David Williams - Theo Tran) were the next to exit. Six-handed play lasted for a while before Team Stein (Marcus Stein - Amber Donatelli) were eliminated.
Team Ventre (John Ventre - Kenneth Gallo) lost a crucial flip against Team Moscati (Vincent Moscati - Tanner Bibat) who built a nice stack as a result. Team Evans (Rickey Evans - Roberto Valdez) took fourth place and Team Moscati held the lead when Jonah LaBranche of Team LaBranche (Jonah LaBranche - Dustin Wills) decided to put his stack in with king-seven of diamonds. He ran into aces, and Team Moscati started the heads-up battle with a huge advantage.
The heads-up play turned into an epic back-and-forth battle, with Team Savakinas staring down a four-to-one chip lead and at one point being down as much as eight-to-one. However, after three straight double-ups, Team Savakinas evened it up and would win the next two all-in confrontations, including the final one to take home the coveted gold bracelets and $190,662 divided between them.
Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews live reporting team for live updates from the floor throughout the rest of the 2023 World Series Of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Tanner Bibat of Team Moscati moved all-in from the button for their remaining 2,500,000 and Satoshi Tanaka of Team Savakinas quickly called.
Tanner Bibat: K♠3♠
Satoshi Tanaka: K♥8♣
Team Moscati would need to spike a three in order to overcome their dominated king, but the 8♠4♣A♥ flop would leave them needing runner-runner to pull off the double-up.
That window would open slightly with the 3♣ turn, but it was no dice on the J♦ river, shipping the final pot and the bracelet over to Team Savakinas.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
24,400,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Satoshi Tanaka of Team Savakinas opened to 600,000 and Vincent Moscati of Team Moscati raised it to 2,250,000.
Tanaka went all in for 11,750,000 and Moscati called.
Satoshi Tanaka: A♠K♦
Vincent Moscati: 7♥7♦
The board ran out 4♣K♥K♣J♥10♣ and Team Savakinas won this huge flip to leave Team Moscati with crumbs.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,600,000
11,000,000
|
11,000,000 |
|
|
1,800,000
-11,200,000
|
-11,200,000 |
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
In the first hand, Vincent Moscati of Team Moscati limped in on the button and Satoshi Tanaka of Team Savakinas checked his option.
The fireworks would start on the 7♠4♠3♣, when Tanaka check-raised a bet of 250,000 from Moscati to 700,000 and Moscati called.
Tanaka then moved all-in for 2,250,000 on the 10♣ turn and Moscati quickly called.
Satoshi Tanaka: 6♣5♦
Vincent Moscati: 10♥7♦
Tanaka flopped a straight and it was two pair for Moscati, who would need one of the remaining tens or sevens in the deck to fill up and take home the bracelets, but the J♥ on the river would give Team Savakinas the double.
In the second hand, Satoshi called on the button and Mascoti checked.
Again it was an action flop for the players as the dealer rolled out 10♦3♣J♦ and Satoshi three-bet all-in a check-raise from Moscati of 800,000.
Satoshi Tanaka: J♥3♥
Vincent Moscati: Q♦4♦
The K♠ on the turn created even more of a sweat, as it added straight outs to the flush outs of Moscati, but the J♣ river would close the door and give Team Savakinas another double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,000,000
-7,400,000
|
-7,400,000 |
|
|
11,600,000
6,400,000
|
6,400,000 |
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Vincent Moscati of Team Moscati opened on the button to 500,000 and Jonah LaBranche of Team LaBranche reraised it to 4,500,000 with only some chips behind. Moscati moved all in and LaBranche called.
Jonah LaBranche: K♦7♦
Vincent Moscati: A♠A♥
The board ran out 7♣J♦4♥4♦5♥ and Team LaBranche finished in third place of this Tag Team event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,400,000
8,200,000
|
8,200,000 |
|
|
5,200,000
-2,250,000
|
-2,250,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 32
Blinds: 125,000/250,000
Ante: 250,000
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Shorstack Roberto Valdez of Team Evans was at risk for 2,500,000 and Vincent Moscati of Team Moscati was the one who tried to eliminate him.
Roberto Valdez: A♠5♠
Vincent Moscati: 9♠9♣
The board ran out 8♠6♦9♦10♣3♥ and Team Evans ended his deep run in fourth position for $62,090.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,200,000
4,500,000
|
4,500,000 |
|
|
7,450,000
850,000
|
850,000 |
|
|
5,800,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Tanner Bibat of Team Moscati raised to 400,000 from the button and was called by Michael Savakinas of Team Savakinas in the big blind.
Savakinas check-called a bet of 250,000 from Bibat on a J♣4♠4♣ flop and then both players checked the K♠ turn and the J♦ river, with Savakinas showing down A♣7♣ for the win.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,700,000
-800,000
|
-800,000 |
|
|
6,600,000
-1,400,000
|
-1,400,000 |
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Vincent Moscati of Team Moscati opened to 400,000 under the gun and Jonah LaBranche of Team Labranche reraised it to 950,000. Roberto Valdez of Team Evans called all in for less in the small blind and Moscati called, creating a small side pot.
On the flop 5♣3♣Q♠, both Moscati and LaBranche checked.
On the turn 4♠, Moscati bet 450,000 and LaBranche called.
On the river J♦, they both checked.
Roberto Valdez: 5♦5♥
Vincent Moscati: K♦Q♦
Jonah LaBranche: K♠8♠
Valdez found a set and tripled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,500,000
-1,200,000
|
-1,200,000 |
|
|
8,000,000 | |
|
|
5,700,000
-2,300,000
|
-2,300,000 |
|
|
2,750,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |