Andrew Lichtenberger won the Poker Masters High Roller
Buy-ins of the Poker Masters series have grown. After completing six tournaments of 10,000 USD, it was the turn of events worth 25,000 USD. The first such tournament gathered 69 entries, thanks to which 1,725,000 USD turned out to be in the prize pool. After two days of playing, Andrew Lichtenberger won the Poker Masters High Roller and earned 465,750 USD.
The 35-year-old poker professional from East Northport, New York, increased his career earnings to 14.1 million USD. The amount earned in the last tournament became the eighth largest, and the title became the fifteenth in the player’s career.
As usual, the winner was awarded rating points. Lichtenberger received 540 POY points and is ranked 52nd in the CardPlayer ranking. This year, the poker player has played 8 times at the final tables and won twice. In 2022, the player managed to earn 1.7 million USD. He also received 279 PGT points. In the global ranking, he is in 37th place, but he leads the race for the purple jacket and 50,000 USD, which will go to the best Poker Masters player.
- Andrew Lichtenberger — 465,750 USD
- Sean Winter — 345,000 USD
- Kazuhiko Yotsushika — 224,250 USD
- Cary Katz — 172,500 USD
- Chance Kornuth — 138,000 USD
- Billy Wragg — 103,500 USD
- Brian Rast — 86,250 USD
- Erik Seidel — 69,000 USD
The top 10 poker players of the event received money, but only 6 of them made it to the second game day. Bill Klein, Isaac Kempton, Erik Seidel, and Brian Rast left the game at the very end of the first day. Day 2 started with Kazuhiko Yotsushika in the lead and Lichtenberger in second.
Sean Winter was left alone with Andrew Lichtenberger
Billy Wragg was the first to be eliminated when his A-K turned out to be weaker than the pocket aces of the reigning US Poker Open champion Sean Winter. Wragg, who used to be an esports player, earned 103,500 USD, which was the largest amount in his career.
3-time WSOP champion Chance Kornuth was sent home after losing a coinflip when his pocket queens were weaker than A-K of Lichtenberger. Everything was decided by the king, which fell on the turn. The prize money of the Kornuth was 138,000 USD. In 2022, the American played at the 8th final tables and won four trophies, including the WPT Choctaw main event. Cary Katz finished 4th and got 172,500 USD. Katz went all in with A-Q and came across Yotsushika’s pocket fives. This is Katz’s 13th finals game this year.
Sean Winter had the shortest stack among the three remaining players, but he managed to double it in a confrontation with Yotsushika. After the loss, Yotsushika had 12 BB left. He went all-in from the small blind with J-9 and got a call from Winter, who was in the big blind and held pocket sixes. Yotsushika collected a gutshot, but it was impossible to collect the full combination, and he left the game, taking 224,250 USD.
Sean Winter was left alone with Andrew Lichtenberger. At the very beginning of the game, Lichtenberger’s stack was 5,850,000 chips, and Winter’s was 4,500,000. Lichtenberger was constantly increasing the stack, and by the final hand, the stack ratio was 5 to 1. On the last hand, Winter had 8-8, and Lichtenberger had 9-4. A-5-2 appeared on the flop, 9 on the turn, and J on the river. Lichtenberger’s pair was stronger, and he became the champion.
Sean Winter was the second and received 345,000 USD and 420 POY points. The year is going great for the American: 13 final tables, 2 titles, and 3 million USD prize money. In the CardPlayer rating, the player takes 3rd place, and in the PGT table – 9th.