3-Bet: Arian Kashani, Jeremy Lenz & Preston McEwen Win Main Event Titles

The poker world is buzzing with excitement as players battle it out for glory and life-changing prizes across the globe. In this 3-Bet report, we dive headfirst into the thrilling action from the Main Event showdowns at three prominent international stops!

Arian Kashani‘s (cover image – left) decade-long dream has finally come true! After an arduous 11-year journey, the Iranian poker player conquered the UK and Ireland Poker Tour Nottingham £1,100 Main Event, capturing the title and a staggering £201,900—the biggest payday of his career! This victory, marking his fifth win and an impressive 89th cash, solidifies his place as a true veteran of the felt. The UK’s Philip Joyce finished as the runner-up, taking home a career-best £126,000!

The 2024 WSOP Circuit stop at the Grand Victoria Casino in Chicago witnessed a massive turnout in the $1,700 Elgin Main Event. Illinois’ Jeremy Lenz (cover image – centre) emerged victorious, riding a wave of birthday luck just a day after turning 39 to claim his first WSOP Circuit ring and a career-high $194,977 payday. Wisconsin’s Cero Zuccarello put up a strong fight but settled for the runner-up spot, earning $120,506.

Preston McEwen (cover image – right) is on an absolute tear! Fresh off his dazzling win in Gulf Coast Poker’s $400 No Limit Hold’em – Double Stack Bag Bonus, and a string of final table appearances, McEwen has added another victory to his collection. This time, he conquered the RGPS Rungood Resort Tunica $600 Main Event, walking away with $57,206 and his sixth RGPS ring. McEwen dominated the final table, holding the chip lead throughout the night. His heads-up clash with John Holley was a quick showdown, ending in just one decisive hand and leaving him with $38,137 in second place.

Arian Kashani’s 11-Year Journey to Poker Glory Culminates in UKIPT Nottingham Main Event Victory (£201,900)

Arian Kashani has finally done it. After eleven years of grinding, battling setbacks, and chasing the dream, the Iranian poker pro finally claimed his biggest victory yet – the UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) Nottingham £1,100 Main Event title and a staggering £201,900 in prize money. UK’s Philip Joyce clinched the runner-up spot, taking home a career-best £126,000.

A huge congratulations to Arian Kashani who won the Nottingham UKIPT last night.

Arian dominated the final table from start to finish, beating the 1,282 field to take home a career-best £201,900 score!

We love following your poker journey.

Keep up the good work Arian!
♠️♥️♣️♦️ pic.twitter.com/qxxNAnm11K

— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) November 19, 2024

You could see the emotion etched on his face as he held the trophy aloft. “I’m a little bit emotional right now,” he admitted, his voice thick with the weight of the moment. “I’ve been at this for eleven years. There have been a lot of obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments, but I’ve always managed to push through, stay consistent, and persevere when things got tough.”

For years, Kashani toiled away, honing his skills and quietly building a formidable poker resume. “The recognition is nice,” he shared, “but honestly, I always knew I had it in me. This win is the result of years of hard work, and it feels incredible to finally see it pay off.”

Kashani’s journey began over a decade ago, captivated by the intensity and high stakes of the European Poker Tour. “Back then, I didn’t even know the rules!” he laughed. “But I loved how intense it was. I loved the competitiveness and everything about it. I was drawn to it and hooked.”

Now, years later, he’s not just competing against those same players who inspired him – he’s outplaying them. “It’s incredibly rewarding,” he said, a hint of pride in his voice.

But Kashani’s passion for poker extends beyond his own achievements. For the past two and a half years, he’s been mentoring aspiring players, guiding them on their own poker journeys. “Helping others achieve their goals is a very rewarding feeling,” he shared.

His approach to the game is as philosophical as it is strategic. “I don’t really think about whether it’s ‘my day,’ Kashani explained. “I just try to focus on every decision and only that decision. If you’re making good decisions in the long term, the results will come.”

This dedication is fueled by a genuine love for the game. “I never take a break—I love what I do,” Kashani confessed. “It`s the problem-solving aspect, the human psychological aspect of it. I love it all. It’s so diverse. There’s nothing else in the world that brings together so many people from so many different backgrounds. It’s very, very unique.”

His victory at Dusk Till Dawn wasn’t just his fifth recorded victory. But knowing Kashani, this is just another chapter in a story that’s far from over.

India’s Pranav Agarwal Makes a Mark

Pranav Agarwal, fresh off his victory in Event #13: NLH – 20/15/10 at the APPT Manila Championship last month, flew the flag for India at the UKIPT Nottingham Main Event. He was the only player from the country to make a deep run, finishing in 24th place for a respectable £5,490 (~₹4.89 Lakhs). This cash followed a 13th-place finish in Event #1: Warm Up, where he took home £1,700. Agarwal’s strong performance across the series saw him accumulate a total of £7,190 (~₹6.41 Lakhs) in winnings.

Main Event Highlights

The £1,100 buy-in UKIPT Nottingham Main Event drew a massive field of 1,282 entries, generating a prize pool of over £1.2 Million. With 193 places paid, players were guaranteed a minimum cash prize of £1,660.

Day 2 began with 193 players, with familiar names like Ashraf Desai (33rd for £4,150), Harrison Herbert (46th for £3,610), Thomas Bingham (64th for £3,140), Barny Boatman (68th for £3,140), Patrice Brandt (114th for £2,380), Charles Combes (124th for £2,070), and Tom Middleton (167th for £1,800) making deep runs.

Day 3 began with 21 hopefuls, each dreaming of victory. But the pace was relentless, and within the first two levels, the field was whittled down to a mere 12 contenders. Abraham Gozum, despite a valiant effort, fell just short of the final table, finishing in 10th place for £14,450.

The final table was set, and the atmosphere was electric. Daniel Rudd was the first to fall, his no match for Philip Joyce’s . The board ran out , sending Rudd to the rail.

Moments later, Nathan Slater, holding , made a daring move, four-bet shoving against Joyce’s pocket queens. The flop came , giving Slater a crucial double-up. But his luck wouldn’t last. Slater, unfazed, found himself all-in with against Kashani’s . A king on the flop spelt disaster for Slater, leaving him wondering what could have been.

Parminder Kandola, meanwhile, was on a rollercoaster ride. First, he nearly eliminated Justin Tsui, his dominating Tsui’s until a queen on the river saved Tsui. Undeterred, Kandola moved all-in the very next hand with , only to find himself up against Michael Casson’s pocket aces. But fate intervened. The board ran out , giving Kandola an improbable two-pair and a dramatic escape from elimination.

Justin Tsui, who started the final table seventh in chips, couldn’t gain any momentum. He three-bet shoved with , but Kandola woke up with pocket jacks. The board bricked, and Tsui was out in seventh place.

Yannik Seabrook was the next to go, his running into Joyce’s . Despite hitting a five and an ace on the board, a cruel nine on the river counterfeited his hand, sending him home in sixth.

Michael Casson, the initial chip leader, suffered a brutal beat. All-in with against Kashani’s , he watched in disbelief as the board completed Kashani’s gutshot straight on the river, eliminating him in fifth place.

The four-handed play saw Christopher Brammer at risk of elimination, his pocket eights up against Kashani’s pocket kings. But a miracle eight on the flop gave him a set and a much-needed double-up.

Brammer even managed to snatch the chip lead for a brief period, expertly extracting value from Kashani with a perfectly timed pot-sized bet on the river. But Kashani quickly regained control, calling Joyce’s ambitious bluff on the river to reclaim the top spot.

Parminder Kandola’s run ended when he shoved with , only to run into Kashani’s pocket tens. The board brought no help, and Kandola exited in fourth place.

With three players remaining, the tension was almost unbearable. Christopher Brammer narrowly avoided elimination against Kashani’s pocket aces, making a disciplined fold on the river. But his luck finally ran out when he shoved with and ran into Joyce’s . Joyce flopped a flush, ending Brammer’s tournament in third place.

Heads-up play between Arian Kashani and Philip Joyce was a seesaw battle. Kashani began with a commanding chip lead, but Joyce quickly fought back, finding a crucial double-up to even the stacks. But Kashani refused to be denied. In the final hand, Joyce shoved with , and Kashani called with . The flop came , giving Joyce a pair of nines. But the turn brought the , giving Kashani a flush draw. And then, the river: the magical , completing Kashani’s backdoor flush and securing him the title.

Final Table Results (Pound Sterling)

1. Arian Kashani – £201,900
2. Philip Joyce – £126,000
3. Christopher Brammer – £90,000
4. Parminder Kandola – £69,200
5. Michael Casson – £53,680
6. Yannik Seabrook – £41,300
7. Justin Tsui – £31,760
8. Nathan Slater – £24,430
9. Daniel Rudd – £18,780

Jeremy Lenz Makes Birthday Wish Come True at the WSOP Circuit Elgin Main Event ($194,977)

The energy was electric at the Grand Victoria Casino in Chicago as the 2024 WSOP Circuit stop reached its climax. Amidst the cheers and the clatter of chips, one name rose above the rest: Jeremy Lenz, an Illinois native who turned his birthday weekend into a life-changing celebration.

Your @GVCElgin Circuit Main Event winner, Jeremy Lenz!

The Main Event drew a field of 757 entries, generating a total prizepool of $1,146,85, and Lenz takes home $194,977 for the win.

Congratulations, Jeremy!

Event Recap & Interview: https://t.co/AMFMq1mikp pic.twitter.com/7byf6tPzah

— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) November 19, 2024

Lenz, a seasoned former online grinder who rediscovered his love for poker after a hiatus following “Black Friday,” navigated a field of 757 entries in the $1,700 Elgin Main Event to claim the coveted WSOP Circuit ring, a place on the Wall of Winners, and a career-best $194,977 payday. Wisconsin’s Cero Zuccarello took home $120,506 for his second-place finish.

“It’s still sinking in,” Lenz shared, a grin spreading across his face. “I played one of the earlier events this week and did well enough to bankroll me into the Main Event. Then, well, let’s just say the birthday luck was on my side.”

Indeed, Lenz, who had just turned 39 the day before his victory, seemed to ride a wave of good fortune throughout the tournament. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. He faced formidable opponents and navigated treacherous waters, including a near-crippling encounter with two-time WSOPC champion Richard Bai.

“I was down to just four big blinds after a rough patch against Bai,” Lenz recalled. “My immediate thought was despair. But I have been going up and down all tournament and you just need to reset. Once I tripled up after, I realized I wasn’t that short. Have to readjust and evaluate.”

Lenz’s resilience paid off. He battled his way to the final table, a gauntlet of seasoned professionals, and emerged as the champion.

“I knew coming into today that this would be a final table full of strong players,” Lenz admitted. They were all incredible today. I was preparing as much as I could because I knew they wouldn’t be coming in light.”

Main Event Highlights

The $1,700 buy-in Main Event drew a strong field, generating a prize pool of $1,146,855. The top 111 finishers were guaranteed a minimum payout of $38,601.

Notable players who cashed but fell short of the final table included Blake Battaglia (97th for $3,423), Tyler Reiman (96th for $3,429), Alexander Ziskin (83rd for $3,473), Aaron Flores (82nd for $6,896), Brekstyn Schutten (20th for $8,696), and Patrick Quinn (11th for $15,190).

Renmei Liu‘s elimination in 10th place for $15,190 set the stage for the unofficial nine-handed final table on Day 2. A series of quick eliminations followed, with Blake Borden finishing ninth for $18,801, Natan Lidukhover taking eighth place for $23,584, and Ryan Johnson exiting in seventh place for $29,976. The tournament then paused, leaving six players to return for the final day.

The final day began with a bang. Richard Bai, holding pocket kings, raised pre-flop. Dana Marie Muse, a two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, moved all-in with pocket queens. The flop brought both a king and a queen, giving Bai a set of kings and Muse a set of queens. This cooler led to a massive pot exceeding 100 big blinds. Unable to improve, Muse was eliminated in sixth place.

In the next big encounter, Caleb King went all-in with pocket nines but ran into Roland Israelashvili’s pocket queens. The board offered no help, and King was eliminated in fifth place.

Richard Bai‘s rollercoaster journey ended when his ten-seven couldn’t outrun Cero Zuccarello’s ten-eight. With no help from the board, Bai exited in fourth place.

With three players remaining, Roland Israelashvili briefly held the chip lead but couldn’t maintain his momentum. His ace-nine fell short in two crucial hands – first against Zuccarello’s pocket eights and then against Lenz’s pocket jacks. Left with a short stack, Israelashvili was eliminated in third place.

Lenz entered heads-up play with a commanding 2:1 chip lead over Cero Zuccarello and quickly extended his advantage. Just 20 minutes later, the tournament reached its dramatic conclusion. Zuccarello pushed his remaining ten big blinds with queen-six, only to face Lenz’s pocket aces. The board ran out clean, and Zuccarello finished as the runner-up.

Jeremy Lenz had done it. He’d etched his name into poker history, claiming the Main Event title, the WSOPC ring, and a life-changing $194,977 payday.

“Holy cow, that’s amazing!” Lenz exclaimed when he learned that his victory also earned him a seat in the 2025 WSOP Tournament of Champions.

With his sights set on future Circuit events, Lenz shared his plans to continue his winning ways. “Now that I’ve got this one under my belt, I might head to Harrah’s Cherokee and then probably Verona. I love the Circuit; it’s where I feel most at home.”

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Jeremy Lenz – $194,977
2. Cero Zuccarello – $120,506
3. Roland Israelashvili – $88,976
4. Richard Bai – $66,514
5. Caleb King – $50,350
6. Dana Marie Muse – $38,601
7. Ryan Johnson – $29,976
8. Natan Lidukhover – $23,584
9. Blake Borden – $18,801

Preston McEwen: The RGPS Ring Collecting Machine Strikes Again in Tunica! ($57,206)

Preston McEwen is a man on a mission. Fresh off a victory in Gulf Coast Poker’s Event #3: $400 No Limit Hold’em – Double Stack Bag Bonus last month and a string of final table appearances, he’s just notched up another win. This time, it was the RGPS Rungood Resort Tunica $600 Main Event that fell victim to McEwen’s poker prowess, earning him a cool $57,206 and his sixth RGPS ring.

McEwen’s dominance at the final table was undeniable. He held the chip lead for most of the night, and his heads-up duel with John Holley was over in a flash, lasting just a single hand. Holley, despite a valiant effort, had to settle for the runner-up spot and $38,137 in prize money.

“It feels really good,” McEwen said after his victory, a wide grin spreading across his face. His words, though simple, spoke volumes about the significance of this win. Playing in his hometown casino, surrounded by friends and familiar faces, McEwen’s joy was palpable.

“There was an odd feeling of Deja Vu,” he admitted. It’s like I’ve been here before.”

And in a way, he had. McEwen, who grew up in Memphis, has a history of success at Horseshoe Tunica, including a WSOP Circuit Main Event title from January 2023.

“I practically grew up playing here,” he explained. “Knowing the players and their tendencies definitely gives you an edge.”

That familiarity was evident as McEwen navigated the final table with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. He knew his opponents, he knew the game, and he knew how to win.

But McEwen was quick to acknowledge the support system that allows him to pursue his passion. “Thanks to my kids, and especially my wife, for letting me get out on the road to do this. I woke her up out of her sleep, and she was super happy.”

He also expressed his appreciation for his heads-up opponent, John Holley, hinting at a deeper connection between them.

“I had a really cool conversation with John at the end of Day 1,” McEwen shared. “ We’ve both been through a lot in poker. We have weird intuitions and shared stories about premonitions we’ve had in poker, so it’s weird that we ended up getting heads-up.”

McEwen assured his fans that this win was just the beginning, and he has his sights set on upcoming tournaments.

With this victory, Preston McEwen has crossed the $2 Million mark in total live earnings and climbed to sixth on Tennessee’s all-time money list, as recorded by the Hendon Mob.

Main Event Highlights

The $600 buy-in RGPS Rungood Resort Tunica Main Event drew a crowd of 598 entries, generating a $304,980 prize pool. The top 74 finishers got a piece of the action, with all 71 Day 2 returnees guaranteed a minimum payout of $937.

As expected, Day 2 started with a flurry of eliminations, quickly reducing the field to just four tables within a few hours. Many notable players made deep runs but fell short of the final table, including WPT Champion Mark Davis (32nd for $1,769), Rungood Ambassadors Maggie Fox (23rd for $2,087) and Cody Stanford (14th for $3,687), and ten-time WSOPC ring winner Robert Hankins (11th for $4,566).

With the elimination of Stephen Cleghorn in 10th place, the final nine players gathered around the final table just before the dinner break.

The post-dinner action started with a bang. Tim Garles, after losing a crucial 45-55 hand that doubled up an opponent, pushed his remaining chips with ace-nine only to be outdrawn by ace-queen when his opponent rivered a queen, despite Garles flopping a nine. Garles finished in ninth place.

Jacob Foley, the eighth-place finisher, was eliminated when his aces were cracked by a completed flush on the river despite being all-in on the flop with a strong lead.

The action then intensified with a double elimination. Todd Tucker moved all-in under the gun with pocket tens for ten big blinds, William Latta called from the small blind with slightly fewer chips holding ace-king suited, and John Holley in the big blind woke up with queens and held, knocking out both Latta and Tucker in seventh and sixth place, respectively.

The table continued five-handed for a while until Ryan Garren‘s elimination in fifth place. Garren shoved king-eight suited for ten big blinds over a button open but ran into McEwen’s ace-ten suited in the big blind, which held up.

Donnie Phan, who started the final table as the shortest stack, managed to climb to fourth place before his run ended. He went all-in with ace-eight but lost to ace-queen.

After another break, McEwen and Holley were neck-and-neck in chips, with Turner trailing in third. However, Turner dramatically flopped quads against Holley to double up and move up the leaderboard.

McEwen then regained momentum, eventually calling Jonathan Turner‘s all-in with pocket queens using his ace-jack. An ace on the turn sent Turner packing in third place.

The heads-up confrontation between Preston McEwen and John Holley was over in a flash. Holley’s went up against McEwen’s pocket threes, which held up to secure McEwen another victory at his home casino. The players shook hands as the tournament concluded, celebrating McEwen’s well-deserved win.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Preston McEwen – $57,206
2. John Holley – $38,137
3. Jonathan Turner – $28,133
4. Donnie Phan – $20,980
5. Ryan Garren – $15,819
6. Todd Tucker – $12,060
7. William Latta – $9,299
8. Jacob Foley – $7,252
9. Tim Garles – $5,721

Content and Images Courtesy: WSOP & PokerNews