The just concluded 2023 PokerGO Tour (PGT) PLO Series $10,000 pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better event attracted 80 entrants. Sean Troha stunned his supporters when he defeated all his opponents and won the $200,000 first-place prize.
The North Olmsted resident is a pro in high-stakes pot-limit Omaha events. He won over $1.2 million and his maiden bracelet last summer at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 pot-limit Omaha championship. This week's victory was his second-largest in the 2023 PGT PLO Series.
The Hendon Mob shows that Troha's latest win increased his poker career tournament earnings to more than $2 million. Besides, it was his fifth final table to qualify this year and he amassed 480 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points that improved his position in the 2023 POY leaderboard to the top 100.
Still, the poker pro garnered 200 PGT points, being his second qualified score in the race, and rose to the 26th position in the 2023 PGT rankings. The $10,000 Eight-or-Better Event started on March 14 with a $800,000 prize pool. But, only seven players advanced to Day 2 each of them eyeing the title.
The Tournament's Top Prizes and Points
- Sean Troha- $200,000; 480 POY points and 200 PGT points
- Michael Wang-$136,000;400 POY points and 136 PGT points
- Paul Zapulla-$104,000;320 POY points and 104 PGT points
- Yuval Bronshtein-$80,000;240 POY points and 80 PGT points
- Nick Guagenti-$64,000; 200 POY points and 64 PGT points
- Jake Schwartz-$48,000;160 POY points and 48 PGT points
- Maxx Coleman-$40,000;120 POY points and 40 PGT points
How Things Unfolded on Day 2
Troha was the largest stack early on Day 2 and Jake Schwartz had the second-smallest stack. Unfortunately, the latter got busted first at the final table in sixth place after Yuval Bronshtein (two-time bracelet champion) held his low pair using live deuce and aces up.
Nick Guagenti (2023 PGT Mixed Games mixed triple draw tournament champion) followed Schwartz in fifth place with $64,000 after losing to Michael Wang's trip nines. Bronshtein faced elimination when he doubled Paul Zappulla, the shortest stack.
Wang used a 7-6-5-4-2 low and eight-high straight to win the pot and end Bronshtein's run in the fourth position in his last hand. Zappulla was at risk when he moved all-in using an open-ended straight draw and second pair to face Troha's flush draw and set of five, with one card remaining. The river didn't aid Zappulla hence sending him packing in third place with $104,000.
Zappulla's exit setup heads-up action between Troha and Wang, who had an almost 2:1 chip advantage over his opponent. But, things changed fast after Troha used trip sevens to double up Wang's pocket kings.
Wang used ASpade SuitQHeart Suit7Diamond Suit3Spade Suit to put his remaining stack in the middle in the final hand as Troha held QSpade SuitQDiamond Suit6Club Suit5Diamond Suit. The board revealed KClub Suit10Club Suit6Diamond Suit9Spade Suit7Spade Suit ending Wang's run in second place as Troha's pair of queens won the pot.
