PNIA Main Event (Day 3): 1st Place – Johanssy Joseph ($210,737)

Level 41 (200,000/400,000/50,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 24,480,000

Poker Night in America Main Event Champion – Johanssy Joseph

The Poker Night in America Main Event here at Choctaw drew players from across the country to play in this $1,000,000 guaranteed tournament. With so many professionals making it to Day 2 with big stacks in front of them, it seemed as though the winner would come from that group.

Johanssy Joseph brought a top tier stack with him to Day 2 and only built higher from there. Joseph hit the ground running and surged to the top midway through play when he held with aces against kings in the biggest pot of the tournament at that point. From there, Joseph meandered his way through the field and started today’s final table third in chips.

As he did throughout the course of the tournament, Joseph used tactical and aggressive play to chip up and eventually close the event out. Joseph notched a key elimination of Miguel Fernandez and finished off runner-up Adrian Buckley in short order afterward.

This win marks Joseph’s first Main Event victory after a few previous close calls. Joseph is now pushing close to the $1,000,000 mark in career earnings and will surely pass that checkpoint in the coming months.

Joseph is most well known on the East Coast but this win certainly does well in creating a stronger presence across the country. More than just winning,  Joseph will now be immortalized among the Choctaw Wall of Banners for generations to come.

This is Matt Clark signing off from the Choctaw poker blog. Thank you to all the players, dealers and tournament staff for putting on such a great event. We will be back again soon with more coverage of Choctaw poker.

PNIA Main Event (Day 3): 2nd Place – Adrian Buckley ($130,601)

Level 41 (200,000/400,000/50,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 24,480,000

2nd Place: Adrian Buckley ($130,601)

Once he was knocked down early in his heads up match against Johanssy Joseph, Adrian Buckley never fully got back up off the canvas. As the blinds increased, Buckley was forced to make a move and ended up getting his chips in as a favorite but was unable to hold against Joseph.

Joseph opened the button for 800,000 and Buckley shoved for exactly 8,000,000 from the big blind. It didn’t take long for Joseph to call with A♦8♦ to put Buckley at risk. Buckley would need his 2♦2♥ to hold and did so through the K♥5♦4♣ flop.

The J♠ turn changed nothing and Joseph elected to use his “one time” before the river. It turned out to be a good decision as the 8♥ hit to ship Joseph the pot and the championship.

Buckley will take home over $130,000 for his run in this event and we will certainly be seeing him again down the road. A winner’s recap will be posted shortly.

PNIA Main Event (Day 3): Johanssy Joseph Starting To Pull Away

Level 40 (150,000/300,000/50,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 2
Chip Average: 12,240,000

Adrian Buckley and his shrinking chip stack have some work to do to regain lost ground on Johanssy Joseph. 

Johanssy Joseph started his heads up match with Adrian Buckley as the slight chip leader but has since increased that advantage over the first level of play. Most of the pots have been small with both players trying to chip away at one another but Joseph is starting to near the 20,000,000 mark following a recent victory over Buckley.

Joseph raised to 600,000 from the button and Buckley defended his big blind to see a J♣8♥3♠ flop. Buckley check-called a bet of 600,000 from Joseph and the two players checked the 5♦ turn. The river was the 5♥ and Buckley bet 1,400,000.

After taking a minute to think it over, Joseph called and Buckley conceded he was beaten as he turned over 10♠9♣ for a missed straight. Joseph turned over 8♦6♠ for a pair to take the pot.

With the blinds set to go up momentarily, Buckley and his 6,000,000 will soon be forced to make a move.

PNIA Main Event (Day 2): Heads Up Play Underway

Level 40 (150,000/300,000/50,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 2
Chip Average: 12,240,000

Johanssy Joseph comes into heads up play with the chip lead looking to close out a great run through the Poker Night in America Main Event. 

It’s been an amazing three days of poker to get to this point and we are down to the final two players in the Poker Night in America Main Event. Johanssy Joseph and Adrian Buckley will square off with a lot on the line including the $210,737 first place prize, the Choctaw Championship Banner and the title of “Main Event Champion.”

Joseph will start with the chip lead but one pot can change anything given the size of the blinds. With only about 80 big blinds in play, anything is capable of happening. Regardless of who takes the title, will have been a well-earned victory and the Choctaw blog will be here to take you to the end. Below is a look at the heads up chip counts and the remaining payouts.

1. Adrian Buckley – 10,550,000 (35 bb)
2. Johanssy Joseph – 13,900,000 (46 bb)

1. $210,737
2. $130,601

PNIA Main Event (Day 3): 3rd Place – Miguel Fernandez ($95,849)

Level 39 (120,000/240,000/40,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 2
Chip Average: 12,240,000

3rd Place: Miguel Fernandez ($95,849)

Three-handed play was a tactical affair for the most part with small pots being traded left and right among the trio of finalists. Miguel Fernandez was inactive for the early part of the final table but began to spring into action as shorthanded play generally demands for. Adrian Buckley and Johanssy Joseph gradually started to pull away from Fernandez once they started play and the final blow was dealt but Joseph himself.

Fernandez opened from the button for 500,000 and Joseph defended his big blind to see a 5♥5♣3♠ flop. Joseph checked to Fernandez, who bet 650,000. Wasting little time Joseph put in a check-raise to 1,425,000. Fernandez then pushed all-in for 6,055,000 and Joseph called to create a pot worth nearly half the chip in play.

Joseph flipped over A♦5♦ for flopped trips that had Fernandez and his A♥4♠ in rough shape. Needing a two for the wheel, Fernandez missed on the ensuing K♦ turn and 9♣ river. Joseph had Fernandez covered by a few hundred thousand and will come into heads up play with the chip lead against Buckley.

For his run, Fernandez will take home $95,849 to cap off three great days of poker. Buckley and Joseph are on a short break and will begin their match shortly.

PNIA Main Event (Day 3): 4th Place – Jonathan Alfonso ($72,424)

Level 38 (100,000/200,000/30,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 8,160,000

4th Place: Jonathan Alfonso ($72,424)

With Gints Galvins one the rail, all eyes were Jonathan Alfonso, who was the short stack coming into play and did little to improve that standing. Shortly after Galvins was eliminated, Alfonso was at risk for his tournament life against Johanssy Joseph.

Joseph raised to 400,000 from the button and Alfonso three-bet all-in for 1,500,000 total from the small blind. Miguel Fernandez folded his big blind and Joseph called to put Alfonso at risk.

Alfonso would need help as he showed A♥4♦ against the A♣7♣ of Joseph. The 7♠5♥2♦ flop gave Joseph a pair and Alfonso outs to a straight. The turn was the Q♠ which changed nothing and the J♦ would be the last card Alfonso would see in this event.

Joseph chipped up to about 6,250,000 with the bustout and will be the short stack as three-handed play gets started. With the blinds set to go up, it will be interesting to see the battle that takes place among the final three.

PNIA Main Event (Day 3): 5th Place – Gints Galvins ($55,268)

Level 38 (100,000/200,000/30,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 4
Chip Average: 6,120,000

5th Place: Gints Galvins ($55,268)

First blood has officially been drawn at this final table as Gints Galvins has hit the rail in fifth place. Both Galvins and Jonathan Alfonso came into the final table as the short stacks and with a $17,000 pay jump between fifth and fourth place, it would be interesting to see how both played given that dynamic.

The two players both had their chips but with little peril to show for it until Galvins got involved with Adrian Buckley in a classic flip. Buckley raised from the cutoff to 425,000 and Galvins moved all-in for 2,700,000 on the button. Action folded back to Buckley, who snap-called with Q♣Q♠ and would need to hold against the A♦K♠ of Galvins.

The 6♥5♣2♦ flop did little to generate a sweat for Galvins. A 9♠ turn kept the status quo and the 9♣ river would send Galvins to the payout desk.

With the pot, Buckley is the new chip leader with 10,550,000. Alfonso can breathe a little easier now with his 2,100,000 having completed one step of the climb up the payout ladder.

PNIA Main Event (Day 3): Cards In The Air

Level 38 (100,000/200,000/30,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,895,000

Players have taken their seats and play is ready to get started at the Poker Night in America Main Event. Play will begin at the start of Level 38 with each level remaining at 40 minutes in length. As a reminder, the Twitch live stream will be broadcasting on a 30-minute delay. Anyone interested in tuning into live stream should click here.

The Choctaw blog will be here providing updates for the full duration of the final table as we play down to a champion.

PNIA Main Event (Day 3): Final Table Set To Get Started

Level 38 (100,000/200,000/30,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,895,000

It has been an incredible couple of days of poker here at Choctaw and we’re now a few hours away from crowning the next Poker Night in America Main Event Champion. It will make for an interesting dynamic with the average stack at only 24 big blinds and major pay jumps lurking for each elimination.

Miguel Hernandez starts today as our chip leader after riding a late surge to the top during the latter stages of the final table. Things have been falling Hernandez’s way for much of today as he nears his first career main event victory. Despite having the chip lead, Hernandez will face stiff competition from Adrian Buckley and Johannsy Joseph, both of whom are one hand from claiming the chip lead. With Buckley sitting on Hernandez’s direct left, it will be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out between the two biggest stacks at the table.

Buckley is probably the most well-known player at the final table by virtue of his win in the 2015 World Series of Poker “Millionaire Maker.” Buckley followed that run up with another final table appearance this summer and is in search of another title.

While perhaps not as familiar in this part of the country, Johanssy Joseph is well regarded on the East Coast. Joseph has over $767,000 in career earnings and a win here today would mark his second largest career score as he took third in the Planet Hollywood Main Event this summer for $239,000.

Gints Galvins and Jonathan Alfonso have their work cut out for them as short stacks, but with chips at a premium, any double up will put them right back in the thick of things. Both grinded and laddered up to perfection during the unofficial final table and if a few things go their way early, we may see a shift across the chip spectrum.

For Galvins, this cash marks only the second of his tournament career after notching a smaller score at Choctaw earlier this year. Alfonso recently crossed the $100,000 in career earnings and wherever he places will be the largest score of his career.

The live stream final table will start at 2:00 pm with the stream running on a 30-minute delay. Anyone interested in watching the stream should click here. We’re nearing the end of what has been a fantastic tournament as we close in on hanging the banner of the next Choctaw Champion.

Below is a look at the chips counts for all players along with the remaining payouts.

1. Miguel Hernandez – 8,300,000 (44 bb)
2. Adrian Buckley – 7,050,000 (35 bb)
3. Gints Galvins – 2,820,000 (14 bb)
4. Johannsy Joseph – 4,625,000 (23 bb)
5. Jonathan Alfonso – 1,700,000 (9 bb)

1. $210,737
2. $130,601
3. $95,849
4. $72,424
5. $55,268

PNIA Main Event (Day 2): Final Table Set For Tomorrow

Level 38 (100,000/200,000/30,000)
Total PNIA Main Event Entries: 1,224
Total Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,895,000

Miguel Hernandez will come into tomorrow with the chip lead as he shoots for his first career major tournament victory. 

It was a long day of poker to get to this point, but the final table of five for tomorrow’s Poker Night in America live stream has been reached. What started as a race to the money bubble turned into a slog to the finish line. When all was said and done, though, the five players who made it through hell and high water are certainly worthy of their accomplishment.

Miguel Hernandez will come into tomorrow as the chip leader after eliminating Brady Hooper in the last hand of the night to move over 8,000,000. Hernandez battled all day long to make it to this point and is, for now, close to a career-best $210,000 score.

Hernandez will face stiff competition tomorrow as Adrian Buckley and Johanssy Joseph are second and third, respectively on the chip counts. Both players have tournament victories to their name and have the experience required to close out another win.

Gints Galvins and Jonathan Alfonso are at the bottom of the leaderboard but are worthy opponents based on the display both put on today. Each grinded stacks of all shapes and sizes and dug their heels in to make it this far.

Play will start at 2:00 pm tomorrow with a live stream  of the final table to be broadcast on Twitch. The Choctaw blog will also be providing updates for the final table as we near the end of another exciting Poker Night in America Main Event. A look at the seating assignments for tomorrow’s final table is below.

1. Miguel Hernandez – 8,300,000
2. Adrian Buckley – 7,050,000
3. Gints Galvins – 2,820,000
4. Johanssy Joseph – 4,625,000
5. Jonathan Alfonso – 1,700,000