Griffin Paul Wins PGT Stairway #1: $3,200 No-Limit Hold’em for $54,000
Following a roller coaster of emotions three-handed, Griffin Paul survived the waves to capture the PGT Stairway #1: $3,200 No-Limit Hold’em title for $54,000.
Paul came into three-handed play with nearly 60% of the chips in play, but after doubling Andrew Lichtenberger and losing a few small pots, Paul found himself third in chips on the break between levels 16 and 17.
Paul watched as Lichtenberger doubled through James Weatherman to take the chip lead with just south of three million chips, but Paul turned a full house against Lichtenberger a few hands later to retake the chip lead.
After being crippled down to less than 800,000 chips when he doubled Lichtenberger, Weatherman found himself all-in on the turn holding two pair, but Paul had turned a set of queens and rivered a flush to eliminate Weatherman in 3rd place for $25,200 and take 81% of the chips into heads up play.
Three hands into heads-up action, Lichtenberger was all in for 1.3 million, holding ace-eight against Paul’s king-jack of clubs. Paul rivered a straight, and Lucky Chewy was eliminated in 2nd place for $36,000.
U.S. Poker Open runner-up Tamon Nakamura continued his success in PGT events as the Japanese pro finished in 4th place for $18,000 after running his pocket sevens into the ace-king of Weatherman.
Also making the money included Jaime Cervantes in 5th for $14,400, Dylan Linde in fifth for $10,800, Ameer Wakil in seventh for $9,000, Nathan Zimnik in eighth for $7,200, and Jesse Lonis in ninth for $5,400.
Just missing out on the money included Brian Lamkin, who finished on the direct money bubble when the ace-king of Paul bested his ace-four. Others to finish outside the top nine included Jared Jaffee, Darren Elias, Kitty Kuo, and Ema Zajmovic.
The PokerGO Live Reporting Team will be back inside the ARIA Poker Room tomorrow, April 20, at 12:00 p.m. for the start of ARIA High Roller Event #4: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em.
