PokerGO Cup Event #2 Won by Aram Zobian for $207,000

The second PokerGO Cup event has been won by the American player Aram Zobian, after he beat Thai professional Punnat Punsri heads-up for $149,400. With a top-quality final table of six players including stars such as Kristen Foxen and Seth Davies, there was drama all the way in the race for the second trophy of the series after Sean Winter won the opening event for $216,000.

Making the Money Places

With a total of 83 entries in this $10,000 buy-in event, the prizepool of $830,000 would be divided a dozen ways, with just 12 players making the money. It was Brian Batt who became ‘Bubble Boy’ in just missing out on profit as he finished in 13^th place. Batt used three time extension chips to weigh up a call with nine five on a board showing T-9-5-2-4.

After some time, Batt made that call, but was wrong to do so, his opponent in the hand, eventual winner Aram Zobian, holding queen-eight of diamonds for a turned flush. Zobian winning the hand boosted him to chip leader in the event at a great time, and he used his stack to press home his advantage over the next level.

Calvin Lee became the first player to bust out of the action for money, cashing in 12^th place for $16,600 when his top pair tens with top kicker was outmatched by Punsri’s pocket jacks,  and Michael Rossitto (11^th for $24,900) and Masashi Oya (10^th for $24,900) both missed out next. Ben Miner left for $33,200 in ninth when Zobian’s king-jack of hearts flushed on the flop and the unofficial final table of eight was reached.

Rampage Hits the Rail

With eight players remaining, it was Ben Yu who lost out in eighth place, cashing for $33,200 when his ace-deuce of diamonds was deemed good enough to call with a board of A-Q-T-7-3 on display. Kristen Foxen was the aggressor and won the hand with pocket sevens which had turned trips, helping the Canadian to chip up.

In seventh place, Ethan ‘Rampage’ Yau busted for a score of $41,500. Yau shoved pre-flop with pocket sixes only to be called by Zobian with king-ten of diamonds and the overcards hit the river as a board of Q-J-3-3-9 gave Zobian a straight when he was drawing to a flush as well by 5^th street.

Out in sixth place, and the first casualty of the final day, was Cary Katz, who became the first player to reach the two final tables on offer to date. Katz, the owner of PokerGO, was all-in with ace-ten, but lost out to Punsri’s ace-nine as a nine on the turn came to confound the odds and skittle Katz’s chances of glory, instead sending him to the rail with $49,800.

Punsri Pipped at the Post

With five players remaining, Zobian still had the chip lead, but Punsri was in pursuit. The latter was doing all he could to force the action and took out a dangerous opponent in the tournament specialist Andrew Moreno. On a T-5-2 flop, Moreno’s bet was raised by Punsri and Moreno shoved, holding ace-ten. Punsri called it off with ten-eight of hearts with two on board. The turn of the nine of hearts have Punsri the flush and Moreno was drawing dead to another heart on the river as the six fell to doom Moreno to a fifth-place finish worth $66,400.

Seth Davies was the next victim of Punsri, exiting in fourth for $83,000. Davies was committed with the lowest pair of hole cards holding deuces, but Punsri swiftly called it off with the best – pocket aces. The board of A-J-T-3-Q never gave Davies any hope and he slid out of contention ahead of the podium places.

Out in third was Kristen Foxen. She had played her own major part in proceedings at the final table, but down to a short stack, she moved all-in with ace-eight and was called by Zobian, this time holding pocket aces himself. The flop of Q-T-7 looked safe enough for the chip leader, but the nine on the turn opened up the straight draw for the Canadian. It never came in on the ten river to condemn Foxen to an exit worth $99,600 as Zobian re-established his lead going into the final duel.

That battle didn’t last too long at all. With pre-flop and post-flop raising action, the board of 8-8-7-2-2 looked very good for Punsri with ace-seven. Zobian shoved the river and Punsri called it off, but it was no good, Zobian showing eight-six offsuit for the flopped trips and rivered full house. That gave Punsri the runner-up prize of $149,400 and Zobian the second trophy of the series, to go with the top prize of $207,500.