The 2023 PokerGO Cup tournament festival's second last competition was a $25,000 buy-in event that attracted 31 entrants. ARIA Resort & Casino hosted the tournament and Punnat Punsri emerged victorious taking home $310,000. It was his third biggest live poker event cash in his career.
Punsri had almost $80,000 scores in 2021. Yet, he has increased them to over $4.8 million now. The player won most of his cashes after bagging $2.6 million at the 2022 Triton Mediterranean Poker Party's $100,000 buy-in tournament.
Even so, the Thailand poker pro reached his last final table at the 2023 PokerGO Cup when he finished second with $149,400 in Event No.2. Thus, Punsri has won $459,400 in total in the ongoing series and is third in its points race.
Punsri increased his position to third place in the PokerGO Tour standings. His recent victory earned him 336 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points that improved his position on Global Poker's 2023 POY Leaderboard to 15th place.
Five finalists in the $25,000 High Roller won money. Day 1's action ended after Sean Winters's pocket tens lost to Daniel Colpoys' pocket eights. The latter landed a set on the river.
What Were the Event's Payouts and Ranking Points?
- Punnat Punsri-$310,000; 336 POY points and 186 PGT points
- Daniel Colpoys-$201,500; 280 POY points and 121 PGT points
- Daniel Negreanu-$124,000; 224 POY points and 74 PGT points
- David Peters-$85,250;168 POY points and 51 PGT points
- Sam Soverel-$54,250; 140 POY points and 33 PGT points
What Transpired on the Tournament's Final Day?
David Peters kicked off the final day's action with the largest stack and Daniel Negreanu followed him closely. Punsri had the fewest chips when the action began. Even so, Sam Soverel was the first finalist to leave the table after Negreanu's A-Q beat his A-K.
The latter paired queens on the turn which held, thus ending the former's run in fifth place. Poker enthusiasts enjoyed watching intensive four-handed action for two hours.
Punsri's pocket jacks defeated Peters' K-Q in a double-up and got a big flip. Peter lost most of his chips and was at the bottom of the standings. Unfortunately, Punsri held K-Q before calling Peters' Q-6 suited from a small blind after he put 12 big blinds and sent him packing in fourth place.
The Hendon Mob reports that Peters' poker career event earnings exceed $44.7 million after his latest performance. Negreanu followed Peters in the third position after using ASpade SuitQHeart Suit to move all in from a button and lead Punsri's AHeart Suit10Diamond Suit.
The latter made a big blind three-bet shove while the former opened for a min-raise and later made a 27 big blinds all-in call. The board revealed 10Spade Suit8Spade Suit8Heart Suit4Diamond Suit2Club Suit hence eliminating Negreanu whose exit set up heads-up action between Colpoys and Punsri.
Punsri had a 2:1 chip advantage over Colpoys and he prolonged it after getting a pot with a full house and reducing his opponent's stack to 15 big blinds. Colpoys used 10Heart Suit8Club Suit to make a button limp for 40,000 in the final hand and Punsri used JDiamond Suit9Club Suit to make a big blind check.
JSpade Suit8Heart Suit2Spade Suit appeared in the flop and prompted Punsri to check-call a 40,000 min-bet using a top pair. Both of them checked after the 2Diamond Suit turn as 4Club Suit filled the board.
Punsri made his third check and Colpoys wagered 80,000 chips from his 530,000 stack using deuces and eights. The former made an all-in check-raise and the latter called. Colpoys left the table as a runner-up with $201,500.
