Michael Wang Takes First Place in Stairway To Millions Event #5
Michael Wang wins 2022 Stairway To Millions Event #5 for $219,300. Wang topped the field of 43 entries to take the title, and with his prize came an entry into Stairway To Millions Event #6: $26,000 NL Hold’em.
Stairway To Millions Event #5 Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Michael Wang | United States | $219,300 |
| 2 | Larry Greenberg | United States | $135,450 |
| 3 | Bill Klein | United States | $90,300 |
| 4 | Vikenty Shegal | United States | $64,500 |
| 5 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $51,600 |
| 6 | Sean Winter | United States | $45,150 |
Wang is no stranger to the poker scene. He’s been in the industry for more than a decade and entered this event with nearly $3,300,000 in live tournament earnings, with cashes dating back to 2009. Wang has enjoyed plenty of success in poker, including a WSOP gold bracelet win in 2015, but this victory was his first inside the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
“I’m feeling really good, obviously,” Wang said with a big smile on his face. “It’s really good to be in an event where it’s so well run. The studio is amazing. It’s my first series playing here and I can see why all of the top high-stakes players love playing here. From start to finish, it’s been a great experience. Every little detail that I can think of, I just can’t think of any room for improvement. It’s a great venue, it’s a great series, it’s a great format – a really interesting idea. I’m really glad I ran well to start my series. I haven’t been playing too many high rollers, but I’m starting to get my feet wet a little bit and it’s good to not immediately be stuck 50 buy-ins.”
Not only did Wang win Stairway To Millions Event #5, but the victory pushed him to the top of the 2022 PGT leaderboard. This event was the first of the Stairway To Millions series that qualified for PGT leaderboard points. It’s only the first month of the PGT’s new season, so there’s a long way to go, but we could be seeing the early foundation of a breakout year for Wang on the high-roller scene. Wang now has 354 points on the PGT leaderboard. He’s cashed twice this season, with a second-place finish in a Venetian High Roller as his other result to date.
“At least the $25K for sure, since I’m already registered for that,” Wang said of what’s next. “It helps to have a little bit of success, not only for the bankroll but for confidence. I feel like I did OK. Obviously, I got very fortunate in my run-outs and my hole cards, but I think that more high rollers are on the horizon.”
There were 43 entries in Stairway To Millions Event #5: $15,800 NL Hold’em, creating a $645,000 prize pool. The top seven finishers made the money. Busting in seventh place for $38,700 was David Coleman.
For more on Wang’s victory, check out the full recap on PGT.com.
Watch the Event #5 Final Table on PokerGO.com at 4 p.m. ET
The final table of Event #5: $15,000 No-Limit Hold’em of the 2022 Stairway To Millions is set and will be airing on PokerGO.com at 4 p.m. ET.
Watch the Event #5 final table on PokerGO.com here!
Michael Wang is the chip leader with 1,465,000 in chips ahead of Bill Klein, Stephen Chidwick, Vikenty Shegal, Larry Greenberg, and Sean Winter. The final six players are guaranteed $$45,150 in prize money and a seat into Event #6, while all eyes are on the $219,300 first-place prize. All seven players that cashed in Event #5 have qualified into Event #6: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em which begins at 12 p.m. PT from inside the PokerGO Studio.
| Event #4 Final Table | |||
| Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
| 1 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 1,015,000 |
| 2 | Larry Greenberg | United States | 570,000 |
| 3 | Bill Klein | United States | 1,020,000 |
| 4 | Vikenty Shegal | United States | 925,000 |
| 5 | Michael Wang | United States | 1,465,000 |
| 6 | Sean Winter | United States | 385,000 |
When play resumes there is 9:34 remaining in level 12 and the button is in seat 3
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Michael Wang Leads the Final Table of Event #5: $15,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Michael Wang eliminated Michael Lang in 11th place in over a million chip pot to take the chip lead and didn’t look back as he takes the chip lead into the final six of Event #5: $15,000 No-Limit Hold’em with 1,465,00.
Following closely behind Wang is Bill Klein in second with 1,020,000, Stephen Chidwick in third with 1,015,000, Viketny Shegal sits in fourth with 925,000, Larry Greenberg sits in fifth place with 570,000 and Sean Winter is the short stack with just 385,000, good for 19 big blinds.
David Coleman headed into the final table third in chips but could not get anything going, eventually losing three-quarters of his stack when he ran his king-queen into the ace-queen of Greenberg. Coleman had Greenberg just covered, and when the board ran out nine-high, Greenberg doubled, and Coleman was left with just 55,000 in chips.
On the next hand, Coleman got his last 55,000 into the middle holding queen-nine against the pocket aces of Chidwick. Chidwick’s aces held, and Coleman was out the door in seventh place for $38,700.
Jeremy Ausmus attempted to make it four cashes in a row over the last four events and doubled up on consecutive hands to start the final table. Still, the Las Vegas-based pro found himself all-in and at risk holding pocket jacks against the ace-queen of Chidwick. Ausmus needed to fade an ace or a queen for his third double up of the final table, but an ace in the window on the flop sealed his fate and sent him out the door in eighth place on the direct bubble.
The 43-entrant field in Stairway To Millions Event #5: $15,000 No-Limit Hold’em created a prize pool of $645,000 that paid the top seven spots. Each player that finished in-the-money automatically qualified into Event #6: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em, and the remaining six players have all locked up a cash of at least $45,150, with the winner walking away with $219,300.
Click here to view the 2022 Stairway To Millions Structure and Payout Information
| Event #4 Final Table | |||
| Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
| 1 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 1,015,000 |
| 2 | Larry Greenberg | United States | 570,000 |
| 3 | Bill Klein | United States | 1,020,000 |
| 4 | Vikenty Shegal | United States | 925,000 |
| 5 | Michael Wang | United States | 1,465,000 |
| 6 | Sean Winter | United States | 385,000 |
When play resumes there is 9:34 remaining in level 12 and the button is in seat 3
The final six players will enter the PokerGO Studio on Monday, January 17, at 12 p.m. PT with the final table airing on PokerGO.com at 1 p.m. PT.
Connect with PokerGO Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use code “PGT2022” for $20 off an annual PokerGO.com subscription now!
End of Day Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Wang | 1,465,000 |
190,000  |
| Bill Klein | 1,020,000 | - |
| Stephen Chidwick | 1,015,000 | - |
| Vikenty Shegal | 925,000 |
-135,000  |
| Larry Greenberg | 570,000 | - |
| Sean Winter | 385,000 |
-115,000 |
David Coleman Eliminated in 7th Place ($38,700)
David Coleman open-shoved his last 55,000 from middle position, and Stephen Chidwick raised to 90,000 next to act. The rest of the table folded, and the cards were tabled.
Coleman: [Qd9c]
Chidwick: [AcAd]
The board ran out [Kd5h2s7sQc], and Chidwick’s aces held to eliminate Coleman in 7th place for $38,700.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Chidwick | 1,015,000 |
300,000 |
| David Coleman | Busted |
-55,000 |
Larry Greenberg Doubles Through David Coleman
David Coleman opened to 180,000 from cutoff and action folded to Larry Greenberg in the small blind, and he moved all-in for 265,000 total. Coleman called.
Coleman: [KdQd]
Greenberg: [AcQc]
The board ran out [3d7s6s9c4h], and Greenberg’s ace-queen high held to double.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Larry Greenberg | 570,000 |
165,000 |
| David Coleman | 55,000 |
-275,000 |
Jeremy Ausmus Eliminated by Stephen Chidwick to Burst the Money Bubble
Stephen Chidwick opened to 50,000 from late position and action folded to Jeremy Ausmus in the small blind. Ausmus moved all-in for 320,000, and Chidwick called.
Ausmus: [JdJs]
Chidwick: [AhQd]
The board ran out [Ad2d2c5h4s], and Chidwick flopped a pair of aces to eliminate Ausmus in eighth place and burst the Event #5 money bubble.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Chidwick | 715,000 |
365,000 |
| Jeremy Ausmus | Busted |
-335,000 |
Chip Leaders Tango
Bill Klein opened to 50,000 on the button, and Michael Wang called in the big blind.
The flop fell [Kc4c3c] Wang checked. Klein continued for 30,000, and Wang check-raised to 80,000. Klein called.
The turn [Ad] hit the felt, and Wang checked. Klein bet 60,000, and Wang mucked.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Wang | 1,275,000 |
-125,000 |
| Bill Klein | 1,020,000 |
-5,000 |
Bill Klein and Stephen Chidwick Chop It Up
Bill Klein opened to 35,000 from middle position, and Sean Winter called on the button. Stephen Chidwick was in the big blind and called.
The flop fell [KhKs5d], and action checked through.
The dealer burned and turned the [9s], Chidwick checked, Klein bet 25,000, Winter folded, and Chidwick called.
The river [9d] completed the board and action checked through.
Chidwick tabled [As4s] for ace-high, and Klein tabled [Ad8h] for his own ace-high to chop the pot.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Klein | 1,025,000 |
195,000 |
| Sean Winter | 500,000 |
-60,000 |
| Stephen Chidwick | 350,000 |
20,000 |
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