3-Bet: Ivelin Ganev, Nicholas Burris & Larry Negron Win Titles

The first edition of Deltin Poker Tournament (DPT) 2019 recently played out onboard the floating Casino Deltin Royale in Goa. While DPT was the center of attraction for the domestic circuit, there were a number of international stops that recently crowned champions. In this feature, we bring you reports from three events from across the U.S. and UK that crowned champions in Ivelin Ganev, Nicholas Burris and Larry Negron.

Kicking off the annual season for 888poker LIVE was the 2019 888poker Live London £440 Kickoff event that was hosted at Aspers Casino Westfield Stratford City in UK from February 7-10. A four-day deal saw Ivelin Ganev take down the title for £37,045 ($47,623) amidst a 745-strong entry field.

At Horseshoe Council Bluffs, the 2019 Run Good Poker Series (RGPS) $575 Main Event crowned a champion in Nick Burris who topped 399 entries to win $44,767 and the Showbound trophy.

Another popular tournament, the 2019 Ante Up Poker Tour Tampa Bay Downs $250 Main Event played out five starting flights, attracting 443 entries in total. Larry Negron was adjucated the champion and went home $14,070 richer following a three-way deal with Bill Melms and Landon Brown.

Ivelin Ganev Wins 888poker Live London Kickoff

The 2019 888poker LIVE London £440 Kickoff event marked the beginning of the annual roster of 888poker LIVE events to be hosted across several international destinations. The tournament saw a healthy congregation of 745 entries at the Aspers Casino Westfield in Stratford City. After a four-way deal between the final four contenders, it was Ivelin Ganev who walked away with the title and £37,045 ($47,623) in prize money.

Ganev, who had entered the event via a £120 live satellite at the casino, clinched his career-best live score at the event in addition to winning a package to the 2019 WSOP Main Event.

Day 2 began with 240 survivors, and another 31 joined in late taking the prize pool to £295,020 ($379,260), more than double the £120,000 ($154,265) guarantee. 888poker ambassadors Chris Moorman, Sofia Lovgren were busted short of the money line, while Martin Jacobsen (82^nd for £640) fared better.

Only 18 players advanced to Day 3, and an equally action-packed day saw the field whittle down to the nine-handed final table. The final table was live-streamed (with delay) on Twitch and Facebook with hole cards exposed where David Tuchman and Nick Weathall took on the commentating duties.

Watch 888poker Live London Kickoff Livestream here.

When only four players remained on the final table, an ICM deal saw the contenders agree to revised payouts, with £5,000 and the trophy left in play. Apostolos Stylinanou and Richard King were eliminated in fourth and third place, leaving only Tom Runnacles and Ganev in the race for the title. On the final hand, Ganev’s ace-king busted Runnacles’ ace-seven and just like that the former was declared the champion!

Final Table Results (GBP)

1. Ivelin Ganev – £37,045*
2. Tom Runnacles – £39,855*
3. Richard King – £28,525*
4. Apostolos Stylinanou – £27,925*
5. CosminJoldis – £13,360
6. Aotian Zhou – £10,790
7. Christopher Kyriacou – £8,930
8. Hamid Rowshanaei – £7,100
9. Michael Fernandez – £5,330

*denotes 4-way deal

Nicholas Burris Wins RGPS Council Bluffs Main Event

The 2019 Run Good Poker Series (RGPS) halt at Horseshoe Council Bluffs capped off with the $575 Main Event. Topping a field of 399 entries, Nick Burris won the event for $44,767. Even as Burris walked away with the Showbound trophy, all the final table finishers secured a seat in the season-ending Showbound satellite for a chance to play in a $5,000 Sit-N-Go and punch their ticket for Poker After Dark (PAD).

“I still want a bracelet, but I really wanted a Run Good Main title,” said Burris who runs an insurance business for a living. Over past four years, he has also been a part of the famous Kansas City $40 home game, ‘Monday Night Poker Crew’ where he gets randomly invited.

Burris’ heads-up opponent was former MSPT Grand Falls Regional Event champion Travis Gant and the duo jostled over the lead. Burris secured his win when he 3-bet shoved with pocket tens into Gant’s ace-jack and held. Gant had to make do with a runner-up finish.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Nick Burris – $44,767
2. Travis Gant – $27,664
3. Eric Atchison – $20,215
4. Nicholas Stille – $15,009
5. Ta Phan – $11,318
6. Thadd Wolf – $8,663
7. Shane Fuller – $6,727
8. Jovan Sudar – $5,299
9. Scott Lodes – $4,233

Larry Negron Takes Down 2019 Ante Up Poker Tour Tampa Bay Downs Main Event

The 2019 Ante Up Poker Tour Tampa Bay Downs $250 Main Event played out over five starting flights and besting 442 other opponents was local regular Larry Negron. Following a three-way deal with Bill Melms and Landon Brown, Negron claimed the title and banked $14,070, even as Melms pocketed the runner-up prize worth $13,958. Brown was happy to pick up $12,990 along with a package worth $1,650 to the 2019 Ante-Up World Championship Main Event.

The prize pool hit $89,503, surpassing the $60,000 guarantee. Day 2 saw 79 players return to action and 34 of them returned empty-handed. After Pat Buckley ended up bubbling the event in 46^th place, eliminations came by quickly.

Notables who finished in the money included WPTDeepstacks champion Anthony Astarita (14^th for $1,237), Day 1E chip leader Ben Brown (17^th for$1,029), Marv “Duckman” Karlins (38^th for $405), and Melissa Morvay (45^th for $405).

Neil Lawson was the first casualty on the final table after his ace-jack was cracked by Donald Brown’s ace-seven that flopped a pair.

Rapid eliminations soon narrowed the field down to the final three players who struck a deal. While the payouts were revised according to the deal, Brown agreed to dish out $500 each to Negron and Melms from the Ante Up package that he secured.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Larry Negron – $14,070*
2. Bill Melms – $13,958*
3. Landon Brown – $12,990 + $1,650 package*
4. Joao Figueiredo – $6,601
5. Donald Brown – $4,978
6. Troy Bercot – $3,810
7. Anthony Dianaty – $2,959
8. Donnie Kidman – $2,331
9. HyndiKhomutetsky – $1,862
10. Neil Lawson – $1,507