Poker Masters Event #1 Sees Qualifiers Battle Heads-Up as Champlin Wins

The first event of the 2024 Poker Masters has finished, with qualifier Spencer Champlin taking the title and $160,475 as he outlasted fellow satellite qualifier Jessica Vierling heads-up. With players such as Dan Shak and Dylan Linde falling just short at a thrilling final table, there were a massive 131 entrants involved as a prizepool of $655,000 was shared between the top 19 players who finished in the money places.

Coleman Among Early Winners

One of the many players to watch in this year’s Poker Masters schedule is David Coleman. Finishing fifth in EPT Barcelona’s Main Event for over $440,000, Coleman has already bagged a cash in Las Vegas, with his 17^th-place finish earning him $9,825 in this opening event. All-in with against Dan Shak’s and Ryan Riess’ , two live cards and a straight-chasing flop of still somehow managed to miss Coleman as the turn made the inconsequential as both Coleman and Riess departed for the same amount.

By the time Isaac Haxton left in 8^th place for $26,200, Shak’s immense stack had been reduced, with Dylan Linde taking over at the top. Haxton shoved with but lost to Linde’s when a cruel board of offered Haxton hope in the window but dashed it all away on the river.

With seven left, Matthew Wantman busted for the same amount as his American compatriot Haxton. Calling off his stack with , he was well behind the qualifier Jessica Vierling’s and her ladies held for the last lady in the event, as an eight-high board took out Wantman and made Vierling the chip leader overnight.

Shak Shocked as Better Pair Loses  

Returning to the action on the final day, Vierling’s stack of 5,825,000 dwarfed most around hr, with only Linde (4.1m) having over half of her stack. Nicholas Seward was one of the four players who were very short and he soon got his stack in with the best cards, holding to the eventual champion Champlin’s . A flop of kept the at-risk player in the lead, as did the turn but a on the river ejected Seward in sixth place for $32,750.

Next to go was Zachary Grech, who endured an up and down level before dropping short and shoving with . Dylan Linde made the call with from the small blind and while a flop of momentarily made Grech favorite to double up and the maintained that hope. But a fateful on the river ended matters in Linde’s favor and sent Grech to the rail with $39,300.

Dan Shak was one of – if not the – most experienced players at the final table but his tournament ended in fourth place for $52,400. The American was all-in pre-flop with and looked in a prime position to double through Vierling when she turned over . The flop of kept Shak ahead but the put Vierling into the lead and left Shak chasing a straight. He was open-ended but only for one card as the came on the river to confirm his exit and reduce the field to three players.

Champlin the Champion

Down to three players, Jessica Vierling was very much still the player to watch and had an almost unassailable lead. With 11,475,000 chips, she had more than double her two opponents stacks combined, with Linde (3.85m) and Champlin (1m) chasing shadows. Champlin caught an early double when held against Vierling’s , however, and while that didn’t change the stacks too much, the momentum was shifting slightly.

Champlin got lucky to double through Linde next, as usurped Linde’s . Linde was busted with as Champlin had no problem holding with the dominating hand, his winning easily to eliminate Linde for $72,050. Linde will be disappointed, as any points gained in this event might put him in line for a PokerStars NAPT Gold Pass thanks to their recent partnership with PokerGO.

Heads-up, the German player Vierling still had the chip lead and it was a big advantage, as she had double the chips of Champlin. That edge grew as wide as the gap between them at the table, as Vierling won with pocket aces but Champlin hadn’t lost his whole stack, and despite being 9:1 down in chips, mounted an astonishing comeback. The accountant doubled up, once when dominated, then again while dominating to draw level after two pre-flop boosts.

Winning again with a high straight against a low straight, Champlin nabbed the lead and when Vierling shoved with , Champlin snap-called with and only needed to fade five cards to be the champion. Hitting a queen on the measure for good luck, Champlin had done it, leaving Vierling to collect $98,250 as runner-up while Champlin scored $160,475 as the winner.