Martin Zamani is the latest 2022 Poker Masters champion at the high-stakes festival. He beat 96 opponents to win $233,100 hence being his third biggest score in his professional poker career. The two-time bracelet champion's latest victory increases his lifetime cashes to over $4 million.
Zamani amassed 540 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points and it was his second 2022 POY-qualified score. His first score was when he reached the $5,000 buy-in tournament's table at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood's Lucky Hearts Poker Open in January.
He garnered 223 PokerGo Tour points in the Poker Master High Roller and improved his position in the Poker Masters Purple Jacket's race to second place. Zamani trails Jeremy Ausmus who led in the kickoff tournament and was seventh in Event No.2.
It was the largest turnout in this year's 2022 Poker Masters as it had a $970,000 prize pool that the last 14 finishers shared. They included Amit Lehavot, Mitch Halverson, Ben Yu, and Jim Collopy. Yet, they got busted on Day 1.
The Final Table's Payouts and Points
- Martin Zamani-$223,100; 540 POY points and 223 PGT points
- Jared Jaffee-$155,200;450 POY points and 155 PGT points
- Justin Saliba-$116,400;360 POY points and 116 PGT points
- Matthew Wantman-$97,000;270 POY points and 97 PGT points
- Anthony Hu-$77,600;225 POY points and 78 PGT points
- Masashi Oya-$58,200;180 POY points and 58 PGT points
- Ken Aldridge-$48,500;135 POY points and 49 PGT points
- Jesse Lonis-$38,800;90 POY points and 39 PGT points
Action on the Final Day
Nine players advanced to Day 2, the tournament's final day as Masashi Oya lead the pack while Zamani was fourth in the chip standings. Dan Shak got busted first after his pocket sevens lost to pocket tens and ended his run in ninth place with $38,800.
Jesse Lonis (latest WSOP online bracelet champion) followed Shak. He used A-K suited to preflop against Oya's pocket jacks but lost the flip. This earned him 90 POY points and $38,000 as it was his 14th table to qualify this year.
Lonis is in the 59th position in the 2022 POY race standings that Global Poker sponsors. Ken Aldridge's run ended after Matthew Wantman's J-10 cracked his pocket aces. The latter got two pair from the flop which was the best by the river.
It eliminated Aldridge in the seventh position with $48,500. Oya still lead the chip standings when six-handed action began. But he lost most of his chips after doubling up Jared Jaffee (bracelet and World Poker Tour champion).
Oya missed a preflop coin flip when Zamani's A-Q outraced his pocket nines. The latter collected the former's last few blinds as J-8 best A-5. Oya finished sixth with $58,200.
Anthony Hu used A-J to stake his remaining eight big blinds against Zamani's pocket kings and Jaffee's A-Q suited. An ace appeared on the river and Jaffee got two pair thus eliminating Hu in the fifth position with $77,600. The former and Zamani later pulled even.
Wantman used K-4 to stake his remaining 2.5 big blinds in preflop. But, Jaffee's Q-10 called him twice and made the flush win a pot. Wantman finished fourth with $97,000 and earned 270 POY points.
Justin Saliba's pocket eights faced Jaffee's pocket nines in preflop. Unfortunately, he left the table in third place with $116,400 and earned 360 POY points that improved his position in the race to 61st place.
Zamani had a 6,400,000:5,725,000 chip advantage over Jaffee when their heads-up battle began. He later increased the lead to 2:1. But, Jaffee's A-9 beat his A-4 suited and he got the chip lead.
Jaffee used ADiamond SuitJHeart Suit to shove from the button in the final hand for 13 big blinds as Zamani used QHeart Suit9Heart Suit to call. The board ran out KDiamond Suit10Diamond Suit9Diamond Suit3Spade Suit9Club Suit as Zamani improved to trip nines on the river. Jaffee finished as the runner-up with $155,200 and his lifetime poker savings increased to over $5.8 million.
