Event #12: $1,100 Main Event ($990 + $110)
Day 2: Feb 25 - 1 pm
Day 3: Feb 26 - noon
Blinds: 60 Min
Entries: 417
Prizes: $392,189
Winner: Eric Wasylenko ($73,049)

Eric Wasylenko has been close to the Main Event title a lot recently, but he's come up short. At least, he had done until today when he went the distance to take it all down.

He had to make his way through 417 entries across the two starting days after bagging the second biggest stack on Day 1a. That brought him into Day 2 with a top-five stack and he made his way through the 79 returning players to the final nine.

When they returned for the final table, he was second from the bottom in chips but he was dialed in, making well-timed aggressive moves to help build up his stack. He was looking up at Dave Howat's stack for most of the day, with Herbert Zamora also holding the lead for part of the final table, but it was in the late stages that Wasy turned it up a notch.

He was able to find good spots against early leader Dave Howat to chip up. He took a lead three ways after besting Howat's pair of sevens with queen-nine suited, and He and Jadson Heang traded the lead back and forth from then on until Wasylenko took a huge lead by sending Howat to the cage for third place.

That gave Wasylenko about 3/4 of the chips in play and heads-up was a quick affair. The money went in just a few hands into the two-way game when both players flopped a pair. Heang was on middle pair but Wasy flopped top pair and held to take down the win.

Wasy has had quite a bit of success on the PPT of late. In November at Yellowhead he shipped two of the early events before final tabling the Main for 4th place. In fact, he's final tabled the last four Main Events on the PPT, so it seemed only a matter of time before he took one down and that time was today.

The $73k win today looks like his second-biggest score ever and will certainly push his Hendon Mob earnings over $900k USD.

Heads up was a quick affair as Eric Wsylenko had about 3/4 of the chips in play to start. The money went in quickly in a hand where both players flopped a pair. The flop was and Heang's ace-four flopped middle pair while Wasy's king-nine of diamonds hit top pair.

on the turn and river didn't change anything and Heang had to settle for second place tonight.

Three-way play went on for a while, but they are finally heads up after Dave Howat hit the cage for third place. Eric Wasylenko raised his button and Howat shoved a bit more than 1 million with Wasy calling it off.

Dave Howat:
Eric Wasylenko:

Wasy's kicker played on the dry board and the game is heads up.

Jason Heang just took a slight lead after a big pot against Dave Howat. Howat limped, then called when Heang raised to 360k. Heang fired 240k on the flop and Howat called.

Heang check-called for 300k on the turn, then fired 580k on the river. Howat's cards hit the muck to send the nice pot to Heang with no showdown.

The players have taken an early break with about 15 minutes to play in Level 28 and Eric Wasylenko with a big lead.

Eric Wasylenko raised to 220k from the button and Dave Howat called the small blind. Howat check-called for 200k on the flop and both players checked the turn.

Howat fired 300k on the river and Wasy snap-called. Howat showed pocket sevens, but it was no good versus the queen-nine of hearts for Wasy.

The flop read and Dave Howat bet 300k. Jason Heang called to the turn and Howat shoved for 2.485 million. Heang hit the tank for a bit, but ultimately gave up his hand.

"What do you think I had," Howat asked?

"Small Pocket pair, like fives?" replied Heang. Howat showed four-five as he collected the pot.

It looks like Eric Wasylenko is a slight leader now, but there's not much between them. Wasy just took a big pot from Jason Heang. Action was on the turn with a huge pot already and the board reading and Heang check-folded to a bet of 650k from Wasylenko.

Dave Howat looks to be back in the lead with 5 million now, to about 4 million for Jason Heang and a bit more than three for Eric Wasylenko.

It's been rare for all three players to be involved in the same hand since three-way play began, but they came close recently. Dave Howat opened from the button to 160k before Jason Heang reraised his small blind to 440k. Eric Wasylenko decided it was time to put his chips in, and he shoved fro more than 2 million, sending both Howat's and Heang's hands to the muck.

I picked up the action on the turn with the board reading and a sizeable pot already in the middle. Dave Howat check-called a bet of 280k from Jason Heang to see on the river.

Howat checked again and Heang slid out 500k. Howat thought for a bit before calling but mucked his hand when Heang showed pocket sixes for the flopped set. It looks like the pot gave Heang a small lead now.

Herbert Zamora was just coolered to the rail in 4th place. The money went in between him and Jason Heang with Zamora on ace-king and Heng on ace-queen. The board of wasn't kind to the big slick, however, giving Heang his queen and the win.

Dave Howat still leads with more than 5 million, but Eric Wasylenko is catching up with more than 3.5 million.

Dave Howat has nearly half the chips in play right now with almost 6 million.

They are down to four remaining in the Main Event now after Bash Ramahi shoved and got a call from Herbert Zamora. Zamora was on king-jack against queen-six and Ramahi got a queen in the window, but unfortunately for him, there were also two jacks on the flop. Nothing else changed and Ramahi hit the rail for 5th place and $18,480.

Things are moving quickly on the Main Event now with Jason Law out in 6th place. He shoved ace-nine but ran into ace-king and couldn't find his cards.

Benson Westwood was in good shape to get more than a double-up after the money went in three ways with big stack Dave Howat holding kings, Westwood at risk with aces, and Kyle Levicki in with fumes and a suited hand.

Howat is running Pure with kings however as he spiked his king on the flop to take the lead and send two players to the rail in the same hand.

Kyle Levivki was near felted after doubling up Jason Law recently, and he shoved his dregs from the small blind after a raise from Dave Howat. Benson Westwood also shoved the big for more, and Howat called it off.

Howat had kings versus aces for Westwood and for the short-stacked Levicki. It looked good for Westwood to get a double plus, but the king in the window sent a huge pot to Howat.

Kyle Levicki and Jason Law just ran into each other again. Levicki had ace-king again versus ace-ten but Law spiked two tens on the board, with two queens, for a boat.

Kyle Levicki shoved the middle for 190k and Jason Law called him off from the big blind.

Kyle Levicki:
Jason Law:

Levivki was in good shape with the dominating ace and after a runout of the king kicker still played and Levicki doubled up.

Jason Heang raised to 110k from the hijack before button Kyle Levicki reraised to 330k. Heang tanked for a bit before calling to the flop. Heang shoved the flop, giving Levicki a bit of a problem. He thought about it for about 30 seconds before folding pocket kings face up.

Bash Ramahi shoved early with ace-king over a raise from Jason Heang, and they ended up in a race with Heang on pocket nines. Ramahi was calling for an ace from space, and while that didn't happen, he did race out to Broadway for the win.

"Broadway works," he said with a smile as he collected the pot.

Big stack Herbert Zamora limped the small blind and Eric Wasylenko checked his option to see ]4s7c7s] on the flop. Zamora check-called for 50k, and both players checked the turn.

Zamora checked again on the river and Wasy fired 70k. Zamora called before the bet was even out, and his queen-three was good against the jack-six for Wasylenko.

They are down to 8 players left in the Main after Yeping Shan hit the rail first off the FT. He was very short at the break after starting the day with one of the shortest stacks. He shoved early in the first hand after the break for just 95k and Herbert Zamora to his left pumped it up to 200k.

No one else came along, and Shan was dominated with into . Both players rivered a queen, but that was the only help on the board for either so Zamora's ace kicker played.

The weather has forced a change of venue this morning as the Social room is a deep freeze. Main Event players should head to the poker room to kick off the day.

The final table is now set after Kim Graham bubbled the final table and final day. He raised to 95k early and got calls from Jason Heang on the button and Benson Westwood on the small blind. It all kicked off on the flop when Westwood checked, Graham shoved, Heang called and Westwood backed away from the hand.

Graham flopped top pair with ten-eight, but Heang flopped the set with pocket sevens. The runout just improved Heang, and Graham was the last player to bust before the final day.

Stay tuned shortly for Day 3 chips and seats.

They are down to 10 players left now after Paul Bihis lost his stack to Herbert Zamora. Bihis shoved the button and Zamora snap-called from the big blind.

"Oh oh," said Bihis at the quick call, and his alarm was accurate as he ran into the kings for Zamora. Bihis turned a jack on but it wasn't enough help to save him and he hit the rail in 11th place to leave them one off the final table and the end of the night.

Zamora now looks to be the chip leader with about 2.8 million, about 300k ahead of tablemate Dave Howat in second.

The plan today is to play down to the final table, then bag up and return tomorrow to finish the game out. They are now down to 11 players after Tyrone Hanna shoved ace-four but ran into pocket nines in the hand of Kyle Levicki. The nines held to send Hanna to the payout desk and bring the game to 11.

The money went in on the flop with Eric Wasylenko holding queen-ten of diamonds. He ran into aces for Jason Law and was in trouble for his life. the turn bricked, but on the river gave Wasy two-pair and the double up.

Shariq Khan took the 14th place cash tonight before Kris STeinbach had his aces cracked in a massive hand. Tyrone Hanna limped early before Kris Steinbach made it 65k to go. Big stack Dave Howat thought for a bit before pumping it up to 180k from Steinbach's left.

Hanna hit the tank and eventually mucked before Steinbach made it 400k. Howat shoved and Steinbach snapped it off. It was a huge confrontation between aces for Steinbach and kings for Howat. Hanna said he folded jacks once the hands were tabled.

Steinbach looked good for a double until the flop of put Howat open-ended. The turn was a brick, but the river hit the bottom end of Howat's straight for the huge win. Howat now has about 1/4 of the chips in play with 12 left.

They are down to 14 players left now with Joe Herlein as the most recent bust. He won the first payout of $5,540 for 15th place.

Jayvee Lumahan was the most recent exit from the Main Event in 16th place for $4,660.

Bash Ramahi is back up to 1 million chips again after Benson Westwood raised to 50k from the cutoff, Ramahi shoved for 485k and Westwood called it off with more.

Ramahi was on black aces against pocket jacks for Westwood and the aces turned a set on board for the double up.

They are down to 16 players left now after Ali Khani busted shortly after Holly Berry from the same table.

Holly Berry was the first player off the final two tables after she suffered a bad beat when her pocket jacks were set up by nines with a nine on board.

Joe Herlein raised to 60k early and it folded to button Kris Steinbach who made it 120k to go. Herlein shoved and Steinbach called it off with more.

Steinback was on a pair of tens, but he ran into the aces for Herlein and the board bricked for him to improve. Steinbach lost some but he's still up from his dinner count.

John Donnelly, who won the Main here in July last year, as well as the Seniors at Yellowhead in September, just bubbled the final two tables of this year's first Main Event.

Jason Heang shoved the small blind over a raise to 40k from Bash Ramahi. Kyle Levicki decided to reshove the big with more, pushing Ramahi off his hand.

It was a race between jack-queen for Heang and pocket tens for Levicki. Heang looked to be headed to the exit until he spiked a queen on the river.

"If he folds, you're dead," Ramahi said after the hand, indicating that Ramahi folded the winner.

The first 10 minutes after dinner were active with four players hitting the rail to bring the field down to 19.

Here is a look at the final 23 stacks as counted at dinner.

The remaining 23 players are now on break with Colten Yamagishi as the 24th place finisher tonight.

Shane Brotherwood opened early to 30k and Benson Westwood called from the big blind. The both checked the flop but after a check from Westwood on the turn, Brotherwood bet 30k, then called with less when Westwood shoved.

Shane Brotherwood:
Benson Westwood:

Brotherwood was in good shape with the best king, but the flipped the script on him to give Westwood two pair and send Brotherwood to the rail in 26th place. Sheraz Nasir lost his chips on another table shortly after to bring it down to 24.

Jason Law just got a double through Holly Berry when his queens held against her jacks, but she's clearly in the zone. In the next hand, Shariq Khan raised to 30k and Berry called before Colten Yamagishi shoved for 393k. Khan got out of the way quickly, but Berry hit the tank.

"I think you have kings," she said during the thought process. Eventually, she found the muck, but Yamagishi said she was right, and then showed the pocket kings to prove it.

There are just under 10 minutes left in Level 19 and Dave Howat is the big leader now with almost 2 million chips. I didn't see any other stacks of more than 1 million as Bash Ramahi, the other millionaire from the break, lost a bit at this level.

They are down to 27 left and redrawing for new seats on the final three tables.

They are down to 29 players left and I've updated the chip counts from the previous break. Dave Howat is still leading with Bash Ramahi in second and Eric Wasylenko in 3rd.

Haven Taylor was the most recent bust today in 33rd place, shortly before the end of Level 18. I'll get full chip counts on the break to update the remaining players.

Glenn Tarasoff and Kyle Bonazzo were the most recent casualties today from the Main Event, bringing the field to 33 left.

Ryan Comely just picked up his payout ticket for 36th place, the first player out from the final four tables.

There are 36 players left now on the final four tables after Ricardo Teixeira busted in 37th place for the final payout of $2,400. The next player out will get a pay jump to $2,630.

Chris Lawson raised to 22k and Hamish Tong called from the big blind to see on the flop. Both players checked to the turn where Tong fired 30k.

Lawson called to the river and bet 35k after a check from Tong. Tong decided to check-raise it to 150k, but after a short time in the tank Lawson called. His was good against missed draw with queen-eight for Tong.

Meanwhile, Josh Wallace and Jay Tran hit the rail on other tables to put the field at 37.

They are down to 39 players left after Andy Li and Thomas Taylor hit the rail late in Level 17.

They are down to 41 players left in the Main Event with about 5 minutes to play in Level 17. Nu Teliani and Ian Modder were the most recent busts.

Darcy van Wachem was the most recent bust from the Main Event to bring the field to 44 players left now. There are about 20 minutes remaining in Level 17.

They are down to 5 tables now with 45 players left alive. 

They are down to 48 now after Vuong Nguyen hit the rail in 49th place.

Mike X was the player out in 50th place tonight while Dave Howat and Bash Ramahi look to have taken over the top two stacks coming back from the break.

Matt McLeish was the third player to exit with cash today. There are 5 more payouts of $2,240 before it jumps to $2,400.

Ed Zurawell was the first player out in the money today, followed shortly by Tiny Hoang.

The remaining players are now all guaranteed some cash today after start of day leader Hasan Al Ghunaim was the unfortunate bubble today.

They are down to 54 players left in the game on six tables now, and the action is hand for hand to the money.

They are three off the money spots now after Kijoon Nam, Harold Boutelier, and Guy Alm hit the rail just before the cashouts.

They are down to 59 players left in the game now as Shawn Leis was one of the recent players to hit the rail before the money. I think there are a couple more busts that I've missed so far but I'll try to update those as they get closer to the money,

They are down to 61 players now, nine off the money spots. The players on the Chip Counts page are now accurate for who is still in and who has hit the rail, though the stack sizes are stale from the start of day still. I'll try to grab counts on the break.

They are down to 63 players left now and breaking down to the final 7 tables with Table 20 breaking up now. I'm a bit behind in busting players as they leave as the action has been moving pretty quickly today, but most of the players in the counts are still in the game.

The action is moving quickly today with 67 players left and just over 15 minutes to go in the opening level of the day.

They are down to 72 players left now and are breaking down to 8 tables now as Table 21 is breaking after the exit of Skyler York in 73rd.

They are down to 73 players left now in the Main Event after a few quick busts in the first 20 minutes of play. Among the players to hit the rail in the early running have been PLO winner David Ko, Zeyu "Skytrain" Huang, and Julius Roque.

Day 2 of the Main Event is now underway with 79 players returning for 53 paid spots.

Event #12: $1,100 Main Event ($990 + $110)
Day 2: Feb 25 - 1 pm
Day 3: Feb 26 - noon
Blinds: 60 Min
Entries: 417
Prizes: $392,189 ($73,049 to the Winner)

Day 2 of the first PPT Main Event of 2024 is now set and Hasan Al Ghunaim is the runaway leader with more than twice the chips of his next closest rival. Al Ghunaim will start the day with 779,500 while the rest of the top 5 are all playing in the 300k range.

It's going to be a grind to the money, however. There are 53 paid spots in this Main, but after a huge Day 1b ended with well over the 14% minimum, 79 players are coming back to the table on Sunday. That means 26 players will be going home empty-handed from Day 2 before anyone gets paid.

The action kicks off at 1 pm, but players should be in the room no later than 12:45 so the cards are in the air on time. The typical plan for Day 2 is to play down to the final table, but decisions will be made as the day progresses. Look for another post here shortly with seat assignments, and go to Chip Counts for a look at how the combined Day 2 field stacks up.