James Chen Captures First PokerGO Tour Title With $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Victory

The stakes have been raised on the 2024 PokerGO Tour Pot-Restrict Omaha Collection II. The primary three occasions of the PLO competition all featured $5,100 buy-ins, however the price of entry grew to $10,1000 for occasion no. 4. With 100 whole entries, there was $1,000,000 in prize cash up for grabs on this occasion, with the biggest share in the end being awarded to James Chen.

The Pennsylvania resident walked away with $220,000 and his first PGT title because the final participant standing. This was his second-largest match payday but, and it elevated his lifetime earnings to $1,049,287.

Chen’s largest rating got here in 2023, when he completed because the runner-up within the $10,000 Omaha eight-or-better championship on the World Collection of Poker. Almost a yr faraway from that shut name, Chen took down the $1,500 Omaha eight-or-better eight-max occasion at 2024 WSOP to safe his first bracelet.

Chen secured 255 PGT factors for this win. This was his second money of the collection, having additionally eked into the cash in occasion no. 1. With 263 whole factors, he now sits in second place within the collection standings. He additionally climbed to simply outdoors the highest 150 on the season-long PGT factors leaderboard.

This occasion noticed the highest 15 finishers made the cash, with massive names like two-time bracelet winner Dylan Linde (fifteenth), two-time bracelet winner Sam Soverel (14th), three-time bracelet winner Jim Collopy (thirteenth), six-time bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus (twelfth), two-time Tremendous Excessive Curler Bowl champion Isaac Haxton (eleventh), two-time bracelet winner Ben Lamb (tenth), two-time bracelet winner Alex Livingston (ninth), and ten-time bracelet winner Erik Seidel (eighth) all working deep.

The second and closing day of this match noticed seven gamers return to the PokerGO Studio inside ARIA Resort & On line casino Las Vegas, with Chen within the lead and PGT PLO Collection II occasion no. 3 champion Matthew Wantman sitting on the second-largest stack.

Jose ‘Nacho’ Barbero scored the primary knockout of the day, together with his double-suited kings outrunning the double-suited aces of bracelet winner Joni Jouhkimainen (seventh – $40,000). Chen then despatched bracelet winner Eelis Parssinen packing in sixth place ($50,000), with an overpair holding in opposition to center pair and a flush draw for the Finn.

Samuel Sipila got here out on prime within the factors race on the first PGT PLO Collection of the yr, successful two titles and making two extra closing tables at that competition. His first money this time round was for $65,000. He completed fifth on this occasion when his double-suited pocket queens with ace-high spades bumped into pocket aces for Chen, who backed right into a flush to safe the pot.

Chen’s surge continued when his QQ83 received in opposition to the AJ52 in a preflop conflict with Wantman, who got here into the hand short-stacked. Pocket queens performed for Chen by the top and Wantman was eradicated in fourth place ($90,000). The 90 PGT factors he earned have been sufficient to maintain him within the lead within the collection standings, with 319 whole factors earned throughout 4 cashes.

Sean Rafael’s final chips went in preflop with AOk97 going through the AAQ9 of Chen. An ace-high runout gave Chen a successful set and the knockout. Rafael earned $115,000 because the third-place finisher.

Chen entered heads-up play with 11,475,000 to Nacho Barbero’s 1,025,000. The bracelet winner from Argentina managed a pair fast double-ups and even overtook the lead, however Chen regained management in time for the ultimate hand of the match. Chen opened to 450,000 on the button with QJ87 and Barbero potted, making it 1,350,000 from the massive blind with AOkJ4. Chen referred to as and the Q106 flop prompted a 2,850,000 guess from Barbero, who had flopped a wrap draw. Chen shoved together with his prime pair and gutshot. Barbero referred to as for 4,725,000 whole. The three on the flip gave Chen a spade flush draw and the 6 on the top formally earned him the title. Barbero earned $200,000 because the runner-up. He now has greater than $21 million in recorded earnings.

Barbero additionally earned 500 Card Participant Participant of the 12 months factors. This was his eighth final-table end of the yr. With 4,043 whole factors, he’s now the Twenty sixth-ranked contender within the 2024 POY standing offered by International Poker. He additionally climbed to 66th place within the PGT season-long rankings.

Place
Participant
Earnings
POY Factors
PGT Factors

1
James Chen
$220,000
600
255

2
Jose Barbero
$200,000
500
165

3
Sean Rafael
$115,000
400
115

4
Matthew Wantman
$90,000
300
90

5
Samuli Sipila
$65,000
250
65

6
Eelis Parssinen
$50,000
200
50

7
Joni Jouhkimainen
$40,000
150
40

Picture credit: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego.