3 Bet: Brian Altman, Angel Guillen & Rafi Azam Win Live Titles

Brian Altman, Angel Guillen, Rafi Azam
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  • Naman Sharma March 3, 2023
  • 6 Minutes Read

This 3-bet report includes updates from three recently-concluded live events – WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event, WPT Prime Gold Coast $5K Challenge, and the RunGood Poker Series Checkpoint Main Event.

On February 27, Brian Altman emerged victorious in the WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event, held at Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina. The WSOP bracelet winner outlasted a massive 1,703-strong field to collect his fourth WSOP Circuit ring and a $393,753 cash prize. Ronald Sewell pocketed a career-best $242,121 in second place.

Angel Guillen staged an impressive comeback against former world champion Joe Hachem to win the WPT Prime Gold Coast $5K Challenge for AU$182,594. The intense heads-up match lasted for two hours and saw the chip lead change six times before Guillen pipped the Australian poker legend. Hachem, a WPT Champions Club member and the 2005 WSOP Main Event Champion, took home AU$114,981 as the runner-up.

Rafi Azam came out on top of a 533-player field in the RunGood Poker Series Checkpoint Main Event at Jamul Casino in San Diego, California, taking home the top prize of $52,820. Victor Kulish came second for $37,140.

 

Brian Altman Clinches Career-Fourth WSOP Circuit Ring in WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event ($393,753)

On February 27, Brian Altman emerged as the champion in the WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee Main Event at Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina.

Brian Altman
Brian Altman

 

A well-known name on the WSOP Circuit, Altman toppled a massive 1,703-entry field to take home the top prize worth $393,753 and his fourth WSOP Circuit ring. With the victory, the former WPT Player of the Year added another accomplishment to his glittering poker resume, which includes three WPT titles and a WSOP gold bracelet. Altman’s career earnings now total $7,760,182.

“I love playing circuit events. I would consider myself a main event player, and I really enjoy playing against all different kinds of player types. Trying to figure out how they play, and that’s what I really like about this type of player pool at the WSOP Circuits,” said Altman to the WSOP Circuit reporters after the win.

He continued, “I really love this stop because the casino is in the middle of the Smoky Mountains, it’s absolutely beautiful here, and there’s great hiking that’s very accessible.”

The $1,700 buy-in Main Event generated a prize pool worth $2,356,299 thanks to three starting flights that attracted 1,703 entrants. The top 171 finishers cashed for at least $3,488.

Just 171 players returned for the second day of the tournament, and the field whittled down to the final 15 before the final day`s play on Monday. It took less than four hours to reach the final table when play resumed.

Down to five players, Altman was firmly in the chip lead but had not eliminated any of the first four players to fall. However, he got to work by taking out Kyle Cartwright in fifth place, increasing his stack to 17.7 Million.

Ronald Sewell eliminated the next two players to climb up above Altman (22.85 Million) once the Main Event got down to the heads-up stage.

Altman retook the lead briefly, but Sewell survived a double-up with pocket kings to regain his advantage. Altman fought back and eventually won the tournament.

On the last hand of the tournament, Ronald Sewell jammed for 8 Million with , and Altman, who had him covered, called off with . The board ran , and Altman flopped top pair secured him the title.

Sewell, a former WSOP Circuit ring winner and local player from Shelby, North Carolina, might have lost out on winning a second WSOP Circuit ring but walked away with a career-best $242,121 as the runner-up.

 

Final Table Results (USD)

  1. Brian Altman – $393,753
  2. Ronald Sewell – $242,121
  3. Leo Taffe – $182,603
  4. Charles He – $138,936
  5. Kyle Cartwright – $105,656
  6. Ashraf Chehata – $82,614
  7. Shouyi Gao – $64,575
  8. Heath Claxton – $50,938
  9. Warren Sheaves – $40,553

 

Angel Guillen Champions WPT Prime Gold Coast $5K Challenge For AU$182,594

Veteran poker player Angel Guillen overcame a significant chip deficit against Australian poker icon Joe Hachem in WPT Prime Gold Coast $5K Challenge to win the tournament for AU$182,594.

Angel Guillen
Angel Guillen

 

The intense heads-up match lasted for two hours and saw the chip lead change six times, with the game ending past midnight local time. Hachem, a WPT Champions Club member, Australian Poker Hall of Famer, and the 2005 WSOP Main Event Champion, took home AU$114,981 as the runner-up, adding to his lifetime tournament earnings of over $12 Million.

Guillen’s win landed him his fourth-largest career score and his first outright victory in almost a decade. He last won the LAPT High Roller in June 2013 for over $35,000. The victory moves Guillen into second place on Mexico’s All-Time Money list, with total lifetime tournament earnings of just under $2.25 Million.

Although Guillen is from Mexico, he is a long-time resident of Australia, where his wife, Lynn Gilmartin, works as a WPT anchor. However, she was in Melbourne working on the upcoming film Sleeping Dogs (along with Russell Crowe and Karen Gillan) when Guillen won the tournament.

Guillen said he felt her support despite her absence and had his friends and family railing him in the tournament, including Lynn’s parents.

“Lynn just called me, she’s so happy,” Guillen told Poker Media Australia. “It always feels like she’s here, even if she’s not. I also had Lynn’s parents here and my friends. I didn’t feel like she mad missed this at all.”

The $5K Challenge drew 139 entries over two days, with 106 unique players, and included top local players, such as defending champion Gavin Best, Billy ‘The Croc’ Argyros, and the runner-up Joe Hachem’s son, Anthony Hachem, who finished Day 1 as the chip leader.

The strong turnout provides optimism for the upcoming WPT Prime Gold Coast AU$1,500 Main Event, raising hope that this year`s numbers will exceed last year’s field of 896 runners, where Yang Lei won the WPT Prime trophy for AU$152,710.

 

Rafi Azam Wins RunGood Poker Series Checkpoint Main Event For $52,280

Rafi Azam was named the champion in the Checkpoint $600 Main Event at the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) at Jamul Casino in San Diego, California. Azam had previously come close to winning an RGPS title when he final-tabled the $575 RunGood Poker Series Main Event at the same casino over a year ago. Although he finished third then, Azam went the distance this time, scoring his first RGPS title and a personal-best $52,820 first-place cash prize.

Rafi Azam
Rafi Azam

 

“Patience was key throughout the day,” the newly-crowned champion remarked after the tournament. He began the day with 17 big blinds but found some early momentum to climb up the ranks throughout the day. “I played my hands, played my positions well, and the patience paid off.”

Azam acknowledged the ups and downs of poker, noting that a good rhythm can make all the difference. He thanked the staff before heading home to celebrate his well-deserved winnings.

Reflecting on his win, Azam noted that while poker can be a lot of work, it’s all about the ebbs and flows. “If the rhythm is good, then it’s good,” he said.

The RGPS Checkpoint Main Event saw 67 players making it to Day 2 from a 533-strong starting field, all with their eyes on the grand prize. All but Azam hit the rail as the day marched on, each taking a piece of the $277,160 prize pool.

Azam maintained a dominant position throughout his Main Event run, never losing the chip lead once the tournament was down to 16 players.

When he reached the final table, Azam held over twice as many chips as his opponents. Initially, he was not planning on participating in the tournament, but a friend, Afzal Atta, convinced him to join, which proved to be a wise decision.

“I actually wasn’t going to play this tournament, but my friend Afzal Atta convinced me to go, and he is the reason I’m here,” said Azam.

Returning after a five-month break from poker, Azam’s victory march in the RGPS event landed him his biggest career score of $52,280 and his first RGPS Ring. He also won a free seat in the end-of-year Thunder Valley tournament, where he will get another opportunity to qualify for the PokerGo Freeroll that takes place later in the year.

Anastasia Knapp was the first to fall on the final table, followed by Russell Davies and William B Allred. Yary Hing exited sixth, followed by Afzal Atta in fifth, Dan Duong in fourth, and Mark Feinberg in third place.

Rafi Azam won the heads-up battle against Victor Kulish to claim the $52,820 first-place prize and his maiden RGPS title.

 

Final Table Results (USD)

  1. Rafi Azam – $52,280
  2. Victor Kulish – $37,140
  3. Mark Feinberg – $24,015
  4. Dan Duong – $16,915
  5. Afzal Atta – $13,000
  6. Yary Hing – $10,700
  7. William B Allred – $8,920
  8. Russell Davies – $7,120
  9. Anastasia Knapp – $5,340

Images and Content Courtesy: WSOP, WPT, Cardplayer, PokerNews

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