3-Bet: Martins Adeniya, Taylor Wilson & Young Kyu Kim Win Live Titles

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  • RUPAM THAKUR January 24, 2025
  • 4 Minutes Read

The live poker circuit has kicked off 2025 with a bang, delivering headline-making performances across the globe. In this 3-Bet report, we bring you highlights from two marquee series: the Lucky Hearts Poker Open in South Florida and the Taiwan Millions Tournament 17 in Taipei. From career-defining victories to dramatic showdowns, these events captured all the excitement and intensity that live poker is known for.

British pro Martins Adeniya took the spotlight at the 2025 Lucky Hearts Poker Open $3,500 Main Event inside the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in South Florida. Outlasting 1,162 entries, Adeniya claimed the trophy and a career-best $512,600 payday. Spencer Champlin finished second, earning $425,000 in a fiercely contested finale.

The 2025 Lucky Hearts Poker Open Event #48: $25,500 No Limit Hold’em – High Roller saw Taylor Wilson and Brandon Wilson battling it out heads-up. Taylor bested the 56-entry field to take home $511,900, marking the most significant score of his career. Brandon, a back-to-back winner of two $10,100 PokerGO Tour Last Chance events earlier this month, added $304,300 to his already stellar year.

Over in Taipei, South Korea’s Young Kyu Kim triumphed in the Taiwan Millions Tournament 17 Main Event. The TWD 9,000 buy-in event smashed its $1 Million guarantee with 6,463 entries. After a three-way deal, Kim earned TWD 4,124,500 (~$125,285) and the beautifully crafted Calocedrus Formosana wood trophy. Japan’s Yamaguchi Junya and Germany’s Denny Kruezi each took home TWD 3,600,000 (~$109,820) from the same deal.

 

Martins Adeniya Wins Lucky Hearts Poker Open Main Event ($512,600)

Martins Adeniya, a name long recognized in the poker world, has achieved a new career milestone. The British poker professional, who has been competing in live tournaments since 2009 and amassed millions in earnings, captured the top spot in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open Main Event. The $3,500 buy-in Event#35: No Limit Hold’em – LHPO Championship at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in South Florida saw Adeniya outlast a competitive field of 1,162 entries to walk away with $512,600—his largest tournament payday to date, along with the LHPO Trophy. Spencer Champlin finished as the runner-up for $425,000.

This victory brings Adeniya’s total live earnings to $2.235 Million, surpassing his previous best of $333,625 earned from a third-place finish in a $2,200 Mystery Bounty event at the 2023 Wynn Summer Classic.

The Lucky Hearts Poker Open Main Event ran from January 17-21 and drew a massive turnout, nearly doubling its $2 Million guarantee. The prize pool swelled to $3,718,400, with payouts distributed among the top 146 finishers and a min-cash worth $6,400.

Check out the complete final table replay below.

2025 LHPO CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL TABLE

Adeniya entered the final day as the chip leader among nine finalists, setting the stage for a dominant performance.

 

Final Table Recap

The final table was packed with dramatic moments, and Adeniya’s skill and composure were on full display. The first elimination of the day came when Ricardo Eyzaguirre‘s suited king-queen lost to Ryan Hogan’s suited ace-jack. Soon after, Ryan Hoenig found himself on the rail in eighth place ($71,000) when his queen-jack couldn’t topple Adam Nattress’s ace-king.

Adeniya made his presence felt early, knocking out Kyle Taddei in seventh place ($92,000). Taddei moved all-in with ten-nine, but Adeniya’s ace-queen held strong, leaving him with aces and jacks by the river. Adam Nattress, who secured his first-ever six-figure score, exited in sixth place ($119,000) when his queen-jack couldn’t overcome Spencer Champlin’s ace-queen.

Fifth place ($156,000) went to Joost Schippers, whose pocket jacks were cracked by Champlin’s ace-five after a dramatic river card gave Champlin aces and fives. Ryan Hogan followed in fourth place ($205,000) when his ace-four fell short against Adeniya’s pocket nines.

With just three players remaining, the intensity only increased. Caio De Lucca, who had built a solid stack, faced a crucial hand against Champlin. De Lucca called Champlin’s all-in shove on a rivered flush board with just a third pair, only to see Champlin’s winning hand. This decision ended De Lucca’s run in third place for $275,000.

The heads-up battle between Martins Adeniya and Spencer Champlin began with nearly identical stacks. After a brief pause to adjust payouts—awarding $425,000 to the runner-up and $512,600 to the winner—the heads-up showdown began. Adeniya gradually built a lead, and the decisive hand came dramatically. Champlin moved all-in with on the board, but Adeniya, holding a flush, called to clinch the title and the most significant win of his career.

Martins Adeniya
Martins Adeniya

Final Table Results (USD)

  1. Martins Adeniya – $512,600
  2. Spencer Champlin – $425,000
  3. Caio De Lucca Sobral – $275,000
  4. Ryan Hogan – $205,000
  5. Joost Schippers – $156,000
  6. Adam Nattress – $119,000
  7. Kyle Taddei – $92,000
  8. Ryan Hoenig – $71,000
  9. Ricardo Eyzaguirre – $56,000

 

Taylor Wilson Wins LHPO High Roller For $511,900

The 2025 Lucky Hearts Poker Open Event #48: $25,500 No Limit Hold’em – High Roller at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood delivered a headline-worthy finale. Two players with the same last name—Taylor Wilson and Brandon Wilson—went head-to-head for the title, creating a dramatic and unforgettable conclusion. When the dust settled, it was Taylor Wilson who overcame the 56-entry field, claiming victory and walking away with a career-best $511,900.

This win marked a significant moment for Taylor, who surpassed his previous high of $304,704 earned at the 2023 Wynn Millions $10,500 buy-in event. With this result, Taylor’s lifetime tournament earnings climbed past $2.69 Million.

Brandon Wilson, who finished as the runner-up, added $304,300 to his already impressive start to the year. He narrowly missed out on his third high roller title this month, having won back-to-back $10,100 buy-in events at the PokerGO Tour Last Chance festival for a combined $582,500. His remarkable consistency over the past few weeks has brought his career earnings to $4.16 Million.

The $25,500 buy-in high roller event drew 56 entries, smashing the $1 Million guarantee and creating a total prize pool of $1,383,200. The top seven finishers were paid, with a min-cash worth $62,300.

The bubble burst late on Day 1, with Clemen Deng becoming the last player to exit without cashing. Day 2 began with seven players guaranteed a payout and plenty of action still ahead.

Brian Luo was eliminated in seventh place for $69,200, followed by Matthew Sabia in sixth place, netting $86,400. The WPT Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open champion from last month, Dylan Smith, finished fifth for $103,600.

The field then narrowed to four, with WSOP bracelet winner Daniel Sepiol finishing in fourth place for $131,400. Four-time WSOP bracelet winner Chance Kornuth followed in third place, taking home $186,700.

The heads-up match wasn’t just about the money; it was a clash between two players who had dominated the tournament from start to finish. Brandon, who had already made waves with his back-to-back high roller wins earlier this month, was aiming for yet another victory. Taylor, however, was determined to seize his moment in the spotlight.

After a series of back-and-forth exchanges, Taylor built a lead and sealed the deal, earning his largest tournament payout to date. Brandon, while unable to claim the title, walked away with yet another six-figure payday.

Taylor Alex Wilson
Taylor Wilson

Complete Results (USD)

  1. Taylor Wilson – $511,900
  2. Brandon Wilson – $304,300
  3. Chance Kornuth – $186,700
  4. Daniel Sepiol – $131,400
  5. Dylan Smith – $103,700
  6. Matthew Sabia – $82,900
  7. Brian Luo – $62,300

 

Young Kyu Kim Triumphs at Taiwan Millions Tournament 17 Main Event (TWD 4.12 Million)

The bustling Asia Poker Arena in Taipei was the center of the action from January 12 to 20 as the Chinese Texas Hold ’em Poker Association (CTP Club) hosted the 17th edition of its iconic Taiwan Millions Tournament (TMT). With its $1 Million guarantee, the TWD 9,000 TMT Main Event once again drew a massive crowd, shattering expectations with 6,463 entries. This enormous turnout swelled the prize pool to an impressive TWD 47,958,700 (~$1,456,825), almost 50% more than the guarantee.

After a three-day battle, South Korea’s Young Kyu Kim emerged victorious, netting a career-best payday of TWD 4,124,500 (~$125,285) following a three-way deal. Making his first-ever trip to Taipei, Kim returned home with not just life-changing winnings but also the coveted TMT Main Event trophy, masterfully crafted from the rare Calocedrus Formosana wood—a fitting symbol of his monumental achievement

The other two contenders from the deal were Japan’s Yamaguchi Junya and Germany’s Denny Kruezi, with each of them netting TWD 3,600,000 (~$109,820).

Kim’s journey to the title was nothing short of spectacular. He entered the final table with a stack just below average but quickly gained momentum by delivering the table’s first elimination. This early success set the tone for what would become a defining moment in his poker career.

Two pivotal hands against Ching En Chen marked the turning point for Kim. Both situations saw Kim in underdog positions, holding just a 30-70 win rate. Against the odds, Kim managed to double up twice through Chen, gaining a decisive chip lead in the process. These key hands not only propelled Kim forward but also sent Chen to the rail in fourth place.

With three players remaining, the competition reached a critical juncture. The stacks evened out, leading to a deal that guaranteed each of the final contenders TWD 3,600,000 (~$109,820). This deal left TWD 524,500 ($15,930) and the trophy up for grabs.

Hyper-aggressive player Denny Kruezi, whose erratic yet effective play had been a storyline of its own, was the next to bow out in third. His rollercoaster run ended at the hands of Kim, who entered the heads-up battle against Japan’s Yamaguchi Junya with a commanding 2:1 chip lead.

The heads-up match was brief but decisive. Kim closed out the event in just two hands, with the final one cementing his victory when his king-jack of clubs outlasted Junya’s ten-eight offsuit. Yamaguchi Junya, despite a commendable performance, had to settle for the runner-up position.

Adding to the excitement, all final table players received a Main Event entry for October’s TMT Championship games, ensuring they’ll have another shot at glory later this year.

Young Kyu Kim
Young Kyu Kim

Final Table Results (TWD)

  1. Young Kyu Kim – TWD 4,124,500*
  2. Yamaguchi Junya – TWD 3,600,000*
  3. Denny Kruezi – TWD 3,600,000*
  4. Ching En Chen – TWD 1,800,000
  5. Zi En Huang – TWD 1,340,000
  6. Liang Hao Lin – TWD 1,039,000
  7. Shih Yu Hsiao – TWD 825,000
  8. Cheng Chih Cheng – TWD 662,000
  9. Kim Chang Chang – TWD 533,000

*denotes a three-way deal

 

Content and Images Courtesy: Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open, So Much Poker and Card Player

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