Jason Koon started the final table of PokerGO Cup Event #6 ($25,000 NLHE) with the second shortest stack but over the course of four hours, Koon found himself on the winning side of a few dramatic hands and came through victorious for a $324,000 payday.
The first hand of the final table gave Koon a much-needed boost. Chip leader John Riordan raised to 30,000 from UTG and Koon defended his big blind. The flop came 
and Koon check-called a bet of 20,000. The turn was the 
and this time Koon check-called a bet of 75,000, leaving himself 245,000 behind. The river was the 
and Koon checked once more. Riordan moved all in forcing Koon to a decision for his tournament life. After utilizing four time banks, Koon called and tabled 
after Riordan showed 
. Koon moved into a tie with Thomas Winters for the second-biggest stack behind Riordan.
A half hour later, Riordan put his stack to work. Riordan opened to 30,000 from UTG with 
and Steve Zolotow called from his immediate left with 
. Both players checked after the 
flop. The turn was the 
and Riordan checked to Zolotow who bet 40,000. Riordan raised to 80,000 and Zolotow called, leaving just 140,000 in his stack. The river was the 
and Riordan moved all in. Zolotow took a moment to consider his options and called all in and was shown the nut flush and was eliminated in sixth place.
The five remaining players battled for another 90 minutes before a blind versus blind bad beat was responsible for the next bustout. Cary Katz called from the small blind and Koon checked. The flop came 
and Katz led out for 95,000. Koon moved all in for 1,000,000. Katz snap-called. Katz snap-called and turned over 
while Koon had flopped top pair with .
“I think I’m just going to get ya, man,” Koon jokingly said to Katz. “Just the injustice of this flop and you having 15 big blinds. There’s no way they let you out of this.”
Koon’s good-natured ribbing turned out to be prophetic as the 
turn gave him trip jacks. The river was the 
and Katz was out in fifth place.
It took another hour of play to go from four players to three. After Koon doubled through Anuj Agarwal with 
against , Agarwal was left with just 155,000 and was all in on the next hand on the button. Koon raised to 270,000 from the small blind and Riordan moved all in for 2,055,000 from the big blind and Koon called instantly. Agarwal tabled , Koon showed 
, and Riordan showed 
. The board ran out 
to ship the entire 3,405,000 chip pot to Koon and eliminate Agarwal in fourth place.
That hand propelled Koon to the chip lead with 80.7% of the chips in play. Just six minutes later, Koon added to that lead and expelled the player who came to the final table with the chip lead. Koon moved all in from the button for 3,535,000 holding . Riordan called with 
and Winters folded. The board ran out 
to give Koon top pair on the turn and eliminate Riordan in third place.
Koon needed just four more hands to finish off Winters and capture his first PokerGO Cup title. Koon limped with 
and Winters moved all in for 415,000 with 
. Koon called and then took an ever firmer grasp on the pot with te flop giving him top set. The turn left Winters drawing dead as the completed the board to make Winters the runner-up.
The win earned Koon, who finished second in Event #2 ($10,000 NLHE), 194 PokerGO Cup leaderboard points which moved him into second place, 107 points behind current leader Ali Imsirovic. Imsirovic will add to his total on Tuesday as he leads the final five players in Event #7 ($50,000 NLHE).
PokerGO Cup Event #6 Payouts
- Jason Koon – $324,000 USD
- Thomas Winters – $216,000 USD
- John Riordan – $144,000 USD
- Anuj Agarwal – $99,000 USD
- Cary Katz – $72,000 USD
- Steve Zolotow – $45,000 USD
