3-Bet: Denis Gergoc, Eric Yanovsky & Keith Johnson Win Live Titles

The live poker action has been relentless, producing jaw-dropping victories and life-changing payouts. From Liechtenstein’s grand stage to Florida’s electric atmosphere and the prestigious halls of the UK, here’s a 3-bet report that dives deep into three recent victories.

Switzerland’s Denis Gergoc (cover image – left) etched his name into the record books with an awe-inspiring victory at the Euro Poker Million Championship in Liechtenstein for a career-best payday of CHF 250,000 ($283,543). Runner-up Jakob Rapatz from Austria claimed a well-earned CHF 167,304 (~$189,751).

In Hollywood, Florida, Eric Yanovsky (cover image – centre), a 22-year-old from New York, claimed the spotlight by winning Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLHE at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO) for $261,920—his biggest cash to date. Omar Morillo finished as the runner-up for $173,000.

The ongoing GUKPT Grand Final in Luton delivered another standout performance, with Keith Johnson (cover image – right) capturing the £1,500 High Roller title, pocketing £46,420 for his second major title of 2024. South Asian origin Mukhtar Ahmed finished as the runner-up, netting £30,250 – his second-best live score.

From Online Crusher to Live Poker King: Denis Gergoc Conquers Euro Poker Million Championship ($283,543)

The Grand Casino Liechtenstein was buzzing from November 18 to 25 as the Euro Poker Million (EPM) took over, culminating in the CHF 600 buy-in Euro Poker Championship that set new local records. A staggering 2,835 entries across nine starting flights meant the CHF 1 Million guarantee was blown out of the water, creating a mind-blowing CHF 1,469,650 ($1,666,836) prize pool. For the 284 players who cashed, a minimum payday of CHF 1,200 was a nice consolation, but everyone had their eyes on the top prize.

After three gruelling days of play, Switzerland’s Denis Gergoc stood tall, claiming the title and a career-best CHF 250,000 ($283,543). This wasn’t some random dude hitting a lucky streak; Gergoc is a beast online who transitioned to live poker in 2022. He already has a WSOP Circuit Main Event ring to his name (€200,000 win, no biggie), but this EPM victory is his biggest score yet, pushing his total live earnings close to half a million dollars.

“I played to win; I wanted it at all costs, and I’m not someone who likes to make deals. I always play for first place and the trophy,”Gergoc grinned after his win.

He admitted the win hadn’t fully sunk in yet. “Winning is a beautiful feeling. I’m very satisfied, even though, at this exact moment, it’s hard to describe how I feel. I’m still overwhelmed by emotions. Did I ever think I wouldn’t make it? There’s never any certainty in tournaments until you raise the trophy in the air. To be honest, at the final table, I was card-dead for quite a while, but I always tried to hold my ground and play every spot as best as I could. Then the cards started smiling at me, and I capitalized on the situations where I could gain an advantage over my opponents.”

The final table was stacked with talent, and Andreas Merk came in as the chip leader. Gergoc, starting with a shorter stack, knew he needed to pick his spots carefully.

He first tangled with Kanzler, putting him to the test with a gutsy move holding , scooping a crucial early pot. Later, he found pocket sixes against Adriano Bianco‘s pocket fives, sending him to the rail in fifth place.

Olivier Arm was the next to fall victim to Gergoc’s rise. With a completed straight staring him in the face on the board, Gergoc didn’t give Arm a chance to breathe, stacking his chips and solidifying his position as a serious contender.

Despite a strong start, Andreas Merk couldn’t maintain his momentum and ended his run in third place. The stage was set: Denis Gergoc vs. Jakob Rapatz in a heads-up battle for the title.

Gergoc entered the final duel with a commanding chip lead – 134 Million to Rapatz’s 37 Million. It looked like a David vs. Goliath situation, but Rapatz wasn’t going down without a fight.

The tension was thick as the two players exchanged glances. But the decisive hand came quickly. Rapatz, feeling the pressure, shoved all-in with . Gergoc snap-called, tabling his pocket sevens. The board ran out . A set of sevens for Gergoc! It was over. Just like that, in a matter of ten minutes, Gergoc had become the EPM champion.

With the trophy in hand and a mountain of cash to his name, Gergoc wasn’t about to slow down. “We’ll definitely see each other in December for the EPO Mystery Bounty,” he announced, his eyes already on the next challenge. “It’s a fantastic tournament with a great structure that I can’t wait to play. Has anyone ever won two EuroRounders trophies? Well, then I’ll be the first—or at least, I’ll try!”

Final Table Results (Swiss Franc)

1. Denis Gergoc – CHF 250,000
2. Jakob H.A. Rapatz – CHF 167,304
3. Andreas Merk – CHF 116,000
4. Olivier Rolf Arm – CHF 76,500
5. Adriano Bianco – CHF 55,400
6. Mojo – CHF 44,600
7. Lulei Hu – CHF 35,900
8. Kanzler – CHF 27,600
9. LEON17 – CHF 19,600

22-Year-Old Eric Yanovsky Conquers Massive Field to Win WPT RRPO Event #1 ($261,920)

The 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO) is underway at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. With 83 events crammed into two weeks (November 20 to December 4), the series has been buzzing with action from the start. But it was Event #1: $400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em that really kicked things off with a bang.

This seemingly modest buy-in event attracted a staggering 6,480 entries across eight starting flights, generating a prize pool of $2,138,400 – smashing the $2 Million guarantee! Over 650 players made it into the money, each guaranteed at least $820. But in the end, 22-year-old Eric Yanovsky from New York took home the lion’s share, banking a life-changing $261,920 after a thrilling final table battle. Omar Morillo finished as the runner-up for $173,000.

ICYMI: Eric Yanovsky beat a tough final table in RRPO Event 1 to take the title outright for $261,920.

Congrats Eric!

Updates and Results: https://t.co/Hc0yHJtb7Z pic.twitter.com/d1YyTqIXdW

— Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (@shrpo) November 26, 2024

“It feels pretty surreal,” Yanovsky admitted to SHR pokerblog reporters after his victory. “I’m 22, but poker has been tough. I’ve had my ups and downs, but this is the high point, and I hope it keeps going up from here.” With this win, his live tournament earnings now top $947,000—a remarkable achievement for the young player.

Event #1 wasn’t just about big numbers; it also attracted some serious poker talent. Two-time WPT champion James Carroll made a deep run, finishing 35th for $7,600. Sixteen-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Maurice Hawkins also showed his class with a solid seventh-place finish for $42,500. And Florida’s own Jessica Cai had a strong showing, ending her run in fifth place for $73,000.

Yanovsky’s path to victory began with a strong Day 1 performance. He fired a single bullet and bagged a healthy stack, putting him in a good position for Day 2. He started Day 2 in 60th place out of 650 returning players and steadily climbed the ranks, entering Day 3 in fourth place with only 26 players remaining.

A crucial hand developed with 15 players left. Yanovsky found himself all in preflop with ace-jack suited, facing Jeremy Becker’s pocket queens. The flop brought an ace, keeping his tournament hopes alive. From that point on, Yanovsky seemed unstoppable. He entered the final table as the chip leader and, despite a brief setback, regained control and never looked back.

Heads-up play saw Yanovsky with a commanding 3:1 chip advantage over Omar Morillo. The final hand was a nail-biter. Morillo shoved with , and was ahead as Yanovsky called with . But the equation changed quickly as the board ran out , giving Yanovsky a flush on the river and the title of 2024 RRPO Event #1 champion!

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Eric Yanovsky – $261,920
2. Omar Morillo – $173,000
3. Rafael Lopez – $129,000
4. Michael Tarafa – $96,000
5. Jessica Cai – $73,000
6. Bradley Grossman – $55,000
7. Maurice Hawkins – $42,500
8. Kevin Vail – $33,000
9. Caleb Powell – $26,000

Keith Johnson’s Double Strike: Wins GUKPT Grand Final High Roller (£46,420)

The Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) Grand Final is heating up at the Grosvenor Casino in Luton, running from November 21 to December 1. With 12 action-packed events on the schedule, the festival has attracted players from all over.

One of the highlights, the £1,500 High Roller, concluded with a bang as Keith Johnson outlasted a tough field of 104 entries to claim the £46,420 top prize. This win marked Johnson’s second major title of 2024, pushing his live tournament earnings for the year past the $300,000 mark.

Congratulations to Keith Johnson for winning the GUKPT Grand Final High Roller Event.

Keith must be the only winner ever to be booed by the rail! 😂 pic.twitter.com/3p3WN9U7zs

— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) November 29, 2024

South Asian origin Mukhtar Ahmed, a GUKPT regular since 2019, came agonizingly close to capturing his first live title. Ahmed, who had previously finished second in the GUKPT London Leg 1 £2,000 NLHE High Roller in January, once again found himself as the runner-up, taking home £30,250 – his second-best live cash to date.

The Tower speaks to Mukhtar Ahmed as he finishes 2nd in the GUKPT Grand Final High Roller Event.

The peoples champ Mukhtar picks up £30k for his runners-up finish. pic.twitter.com/TVl0p2yW7w

— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) November 29, 2024

With a £149,760 in the prize pool, the top 11 places were guaranteed a payday, with a min-cash worth £3,440.

The High Roller was a real grind. Sixteen players returned for the final day, but only 11 would make the money. The early eliminations were brutal. Indian-origin Sandeep Shah was the first to fall after a grueling four-and-a-half-hour battle, while notable names like Kevin Allen, Jamie Dale (GUKPT Blackpool High Roller champion), and Yucel Eminoglu (GUKPT Grand Final Midi Main winner) also missed out on the cash.

The bubble finally burst when Sachin Joshi‘s pocket eights were cracked by Andrew Hulme’s king-ten, leaving the remaining 11 players in the money.

Kairat Turaliyev was the first to cash, taking home £3,440 for his 11th-place finish. Shortly after, 2023 GOLIATH champion Alex Todd exited in 10th place, paving the way for a fiercely competitive final table.

The action at the final table was fast and furious. Matt Davenport, the Grosvenor National Poker League leader, came out swinging, eliminating Dan Rudd with ace-king against ace-rag. He continued his aggression, taking out Preben Stokkan in a classic preflop coin flip.

Desperate for a double-up, Ian Bosley moved all-in with ace-king but ran straight into Mukhtar Ahmed’s pocket aces. With Bosley out, six players remained. Ahmed continued his hot streak, eliminating Andrew Hulme with top pair that held up against Hulme’s second pair on a jack-nine-deuce flop.

Meanwhile, Lorenc Boci was building a stack, eliminating Tamer Kamel, whose jack-nine couldn’t beat Boci’s pocket queens. Kamel exited with the first five-figure score of the event. However, Boci’s run came to an end when he clashed with eventual champion Keith Johnson, losing his stack in a crucial hand.

After Matt Davenport was eliminated in third place, the final heads-up showdown between Keith Johnson and Mukhtar Ahmed began. The final hand saw Johnson’s king-deuce improve to a pair on the board, beating Ahmed’s ace-jack to clinch the victory and the £46,420 top prize.

Final Table Results (GBP)

1. Keith Johnson – £46,420
2. Mukhtar Ahmed – £30,250
3. Matt Davenport – £19,770
4. Lorenc Boci – £13,930
5. Tamer Kamel – £10,330
6. Andrew Hulme – £7,490
7. Ian Bosley – £5,540
8. Preben Stokkan – £4,650
9. Dan Rudd – £4,190

Content and Images Courtesy: PokerNews & EuroRounders