It looks as though there is going to be overtime in the 2021 Poker Masters.
After Michael Addamo and Mikita Badziakouski took down the final two preliminary events on Friday and Saturday, the $100,000 Main Event of the 2021 Poker Masters was scheduled to be a one-day event. That was changed after 29 entries came to the felt for the tournament, however. Looking to make his late charge pay off, Addamo is in the lead of the Main Event final table, which will play out on Sunday.
Badziakouski Earns Title in $25,000 NLHE
There may have only been 38 entrants into the $25,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament, Event #10 on the 2021 Poker Masters schedule, but Mikita Badziakouski made the most of the game. Playing in his first event on the roster, Badziakouski was able to vanquish Seth Davies to capture the title of the event and seize a payday of $342,000.
Five players came back to the baize on Friday afternoon to play down to a champion in Event #10. Leading the way was Badziakouski by a sizeable margin, but the field behind him featured current PokerGO Tour leader Ali Imsirovic and Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu. In fact, with a second-place finish in the tournament Negreanu, who had taken down one of the $10K preliminary tournaments last week, would take over the lead in the race for the Purple Jacket signifying the overall champion.
Alas, Badziakouski had other ideas. After the departure of Jason Koon in fifth place, Badziakouski would solidify his lead in knocking out Imsirovic in fourth place. Imsirovic would actually have the lead pre-flop against Badziakouski, his pocket Kings leading Badziakouski’s Big Slick, but a straight by the river ended any hopes for Imsirovic in the event.
Three handed play would see Davies work some chips out of the stack of Badziakouski, enough to take over the lead in the tournament. Event after Badziakouski coolered Negreanu in third place, his pocket Aces standing against an all-in Negreanu’s pocket sixes, Badziakouski was still a million chips behind Davies at the start of heads-up play. Two hands would change their fortunes, however.
Davies had worked his way to a bit more than a 2:1 lead when he doubled up Badziakouski after Badziakouski miraculously caught a nine on the river against him to survive. This pushed Badziakouski slightly into the lead and, after some little skirmishes between them, the duo would get the chips to the center in a final hand that was dramatic.
The chips went in pre-flop and Badziakouski had the edge, his Q-10 holding court over Davies’ J-4, but a Jack on the flop immediately put Davies back into the lead. That flop, however, came J-8-7, giving Badziakouski outs to the gut shot straight and an over pair. A seven on the turn did not change anything, but the nine on the river struck like a thunderbolt. With one card, Badziakouski went from having to fight once again off the short stack to the top of the ladder and the champion of the event.
1. Mikita Badziakouski, $342,000
2. Seth Davies, $228,000
3. Daniel Negreanu, $152,000
4. Ali Imsirovic, $104,500
5. Jason Koon, $76,000
6. Chris Brewer, $47,500
Addamo Buzzsaws $50K Event Field
Perhaps getting himself warmed up for the Main Event, Michael Addamo led the final table from start-to-finish on Saturday, smashing the field in Event #11, the $50,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament. In fact, Addamo was responsible for the elimination of every player at the final table on his way to taking the $680,000 first place prize and assuming the lead in the overall championship race for the 2021 Poker Masters.
In this order, Addamo eliminated Cary Katz (Kings over Jacks), Alex Foxen (A-K over K-J), and David Coleman (pocket fours standing against Q-J) to reach heads up action against Jason Koon. Koon did not stand a chance against the stack built by Addamo and, when the final hand came down, Addamo once again held the better of it. With his K-J holding up against Koon’s K-9, Addamo took the title of the $50K event and put himself in prime position to win the overall championship.
1. Michael Addamo, $680,000
2. Jason Koon, $442,000
3. David Coleman, $272,000
4. Alex Foxen, $187,000
5. Cary Katz, $119,000
Addamo Rides Wave to Main Event Final Table Lead
Addamo did not waste any time with the formalities after the victory. He got a couple of photos and spoke for a couple of seconds with Donnie Peters of PokerGO for the streaming crowd, then he immediately put some of that $680K payday to work in the $100,000 Main Event. It turns out that was a great move as, by the end of the day, Addamo was at the top of the standings and to the point of cementing the overall title.
Addamo continued his smoking run on the tables after getting in the Main Event, building his stack to over three million chips by the time the table was down to the five men who would cash in the tournament. In fact, Addamo will enter today’s final table with more chips than the remaining four players on the felt:
1. Michael Addamo, 3.435 million
2. Nick Petrangelo, 1.225 million
3. Stanley Tang, 525,000
4. Alex Foxen, 405,000
5. Mikita Badziakouski, 215,000
In the race for the Purple Jacket that will signify the overall champion of the 2021 Poker Masters – and earn that player an additional $50,000 – it is Addamo’s title to lose. Only Badziakouski (205 points) has a chance to take the top slot from Addamo, and he would have to win the tournament while Addamo would have to leave in fifth place. Since both are starting in exactly the opposite positions, Addamo might be wanting to get sized for the Purple Jacket while the final table is played out!
1. Michael Addamo, 408 points
2. AP Louis Garza, 376
3. Daniel Negreanu, 372
4. Brock Wilson, 358
5. Chris Brewer, 349
6. Jason Koon, 345
7. Sean Perry, 280
8. Stephen Chidwick, 271
9. Dylan DeStefano, 260
10. Jeremy Ausmus, 219
(photo courtesy of PokerGO.com)