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3-Bet: Nichan Khorchidian, Jianting Cai & Saurabh Gulati Win Main Event Titles

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  • RUPAM THAKUR December 2, 2024

  • 5 Minutes Read

The poker world has been busy lately, with three major stops crowning their Main Event champions! From the beautiful island of Cyprus to the bustling cities of Jeju and Cape Town, let’s dive into these exciting wins in this 3-bet report!

At the luxurious Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in Cyprus, Lebanon’s Nichan Khorchidian (cover image—left) dominated the 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series $3,300 Main Event, taking home a whopping $307,700. This victory holds special significance for Khorchidian, who made the unusual choice to decline the trophy at the Merit Poker Western Series Main Event earlier this year. He embraced the win this time, leaving Serbia’s Bogdan Jontulovic to settle for second place and $211,400.

The 2024 Jeju Poker Festival at the Landing Casino, Jeju Shinhwa World, culminated in an exciting win for China’s Jianting Cai (cover image—centre) in the KR₩ 2 Million Red Dragon Championship, who earned a career-best KR₩ 243.80 Million (~$174,200). This win represents Cai’s first major live tournament victory in eight years, a result of his continued effort and love for the game. His com[atriot, Zehao Li, achieved a respectable second-place finish, earning KR₩ 162.15 Million (~$115,859).

The 2024 SunBet Poker Tour (SPT) at Cape Town’s GrandWest Casino set a new record with Mauritius-based Saurabh Gulati‘s (cover image—right) victory in the ZAR 15,000 Main Event. He topped a massive field of 504 entries, the largest in South African poker history, and earned ZAR 975,280 (~$53,966) after a three-way deal. Adding to the excitement, the final table featured two women in the top three for the first time in SPT history. Ronit Chamani finished third, earning ZAR 900,000 (~$44,267), and Diane Walker placed second for ZAR 800,000 (~$49,801), demonstrating the growing presence of women in competitive poker.

 

Nichan Khorchidian: The Lebanese Lion Roars to Victory in the Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series Main Event ($307,700)

The 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series concluded last night at the opulent Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in Cyprus after 13 days of intense poker action. The spotlight, however, belonged to Nichan Khorchidian, who stole the show in the $3,300 Main Event with a performance that was as captivating as it was dominant.

Khorchidian outlasted a field of 614 entries to claim the top prize of $307,700 and the coveted trophy. This victory was particularly meaningful for Khorchidian, who earlier this year made headlines by declining the trophy in the 2024 Merit Poker Western Series $3,300 Main Event after striking a deal. Well, not this time! He earned it, and he owned it. Serbia`s Bogdan Jontulovic put up a great fight, but in the end, he had to settle for second place and a still-impressive $211,400.

Khorchidian’s journey to the top was a spectacle in itself. This guy is a natural entertainer at the tables – always chatting and laughing but never taking his eyes off the prize. He played with a fearless style, pulling off bold bluffs and making incredible reads that left his opponents reeling. Through it all, he maintained a massive stack, adapting his style to the game’s ever-changing dynamics.

“It feels good, bro,” Khorchidian exclaimed after his victory, a mix of relief and exhilaration in his voice. “It was a very fast heads-up. The whole tournament was great for me—I had 100 big blinds the whole time, and I kept that stack for such a long time.”

Addressing his previous decision to forgo the trophy, he explained, “It wasn’t really second place. We chopped fairly, but I didn’t want all the attention, so I just lost the heads-up. I didn’t want the trophy that time.”

With this win, Khorchidian’s lifetime live earnings have now soared past the $1 Million mark, reaching $1,084,082, according to The Hendon Mob.

Khorchidian’s love for the game was evident in his relaxed yet focused approach. He dismissed the idea that his talkative table presence was a calculated tactic, saying, “People think I do it to gain an edge or make people think, but I’m just like this. I like to have fun; I enjoy the game.”

He also defended his unconventional plays, stating, “I do some stuff that maybe poker players think is wrong, but for me, it’s right. I’m at the table, I know the dynamics, and I know the stack sizes. For example, the eight-six hand—I know a lot of people will criticize, but for me, I do what I want to do. It’s my money, it’s my stack, and for me, that was the right play.”

In a surprising turn of events, Khorchidian hinted at a possible retirement from poker. “I was telling the table there’s an 80% chance I quit poker if I win—and I won. So now there’s an 80% chance I won’t play again,” he said with a laugh, leaving everyone wondering about his future.

 

Main Event Highlights

The $3,300 Main Event generated a prize pool of $1,694,640, and the top 79 players finished in the money with a min-cash worth $4,470. Notable deep runs included Assyl Tleuzhanov (17th for $16,600), WSOP bracelet winners Shai Zurr (36th for $8,805) and Nikolay Fal (40th for $8,805), Kirill Shcherbakov (47th for $7,615), two-time WSOP bracelet winner Simone Andrian (51st for $7,615), and Mikhail Zavoloka (65th for $5,580).

The final table started with fireworks as Felipe Ketzer was eliminated in the very first hand. His pocket tens were cracked by Anton Wigg’s ace queen, which flopped two pair, sending him out in ninth.

The action continued at a furious pace. Naji Tannoury‘s pocket jacks fell to Dmitry Gromov’s ace-king when an ace appeared on the flop, ending Tannoury’s run in eighth place.

Andrey Pateychuk lost most of his stack preflop and got the rest in on a low board with king-queen, only to run into Adrian State’s pocket kings, exiting in seventh.

Bogdan Jontulovic gained momentum with a massive five-bet shove holding pocket kings against State’s pocket jacks, vaulting him up the leaderboard.

Meanwhile, Anton Wigg took control with several strong plays, including winning a key pot with backdoor trips against Jontulovic. However, Nichan Khorchidian, quiet until then, struck back with his own backdoor trips against Wigg, regaining his footing.

Adrian State, down to a short stack, was eliminated in sixth place when his ace-six couldn’t improve against Gromov’s ace-seven.

Vedat Yilmaz, who had been steadily climbing the payout ladder, fell in fifth place when his eight-seven was outkicked by Khorchidian’s ace-eight.

Khorchidian then survived a crucial all-in with pocket kings against Jontulovic’s ace-ten, defying his own prediction that the hand would be his downfall. He continued his surge, eliminating Anton Wigg in fourth place with king-queen against king-three and Dmitry Gromov in third with ace-queen against ace-four.

Heads-up play began with Nichan Khorchidian holding a slight chip advantage, which he quickly extended to a commanding four-to-one lead. The final hand saw Khorchidian’s ace-eight crack Bogdan Jontulovic‘s king-three with a dramatic rivered Broadway straight. He celebrated his victory in style, claiming a career-best $307,700 top prize and the trophy!

Final Table Results (USD)

  1. Nichan Khorchidian – $307,700
  2. Bogdan Jontulovic – $211,400
  3. Dmitry Gromov – $142,470
  4. Anton Wigg – $102,570
  5. Vedat Yilmaz – $76,930
  6. Adrian State – $61,640
  7. Andrey Pateychuk – $51,300
  8. Naji Tannoury – $40,930
  9. Felipe Ketzer – $30,770

 

8 Years in the Making: Jianting Cai’s Red Dragon Championship Triumph at Jeju Poker Festival ($174,200)

The 17-day Jeju Poker Festival concluded in spectacular fashion, with 24 trophies awarded across its Red Dragon Poker Tour leg. The highlight of the festival was undoubtedly the KR₩ 2 Million Red Dragon Championship, where China’s Jianting Cai emerged as the champion, overcoming a formidable field of 642 entries.

This wasn’t some overnight success story. Cai has been grinding for eight years, and this win – his first major title – was a long time coming. He had to navigate a field packed with seasoned pros and hungry newcomers, but he did it with style, taking home a career-best KR₩ 243.80 Million (~$174,200). His fellow countryman, Zehao Li, put up a great fight but had to settle for second place and KR₩ 162.15 Million (~$115,859).

Even though the tournament fell slightly short of its advertised guarantee, there was still a whopping KR₩ 1.38 Billion (~$990,995) in prize money up for grabs. The top 119 players all got a piece of the pie, with even the min-cash worth a respectable KR₩ 4.15 Million. But the real drama unfolded at the final table.

If you want to relive the excitement, check out the replay of the final table live stream on the Red Dragon Poker Tour YouTube channel below with commentary by Richard Cooper and India`s own Akshay Kapoor!

#5 RDPT MAIN EVENT FINAL DAY livestreaming is ON now！

Eight players returned for the final day, all dreaming of victory. Jianting Cai had the chip lead coming in, and he wasted no time putting that stack to work, never relinquishing control.

It took over an hour for the first elimination to happen. Xiaobin Zhou got his stack in, but his top two pair proved no match for Chi Jen Chen flopped flush. Tough break for Zhou, who finished in ninth.

The eliminations continued as Japan’s Kyosuke Nagami, short-stacked with just ten big blinds, moved all-in. Unfortunately for Nagami, he ran into Cai’s pocket kings and couldn’t improve, finishing in eighth place.

Even Joseph Cheong, the most accomplished player on the final table, couldn’t find his footing. Facing a crucial decision, he shoved his last chips with , only to be called by Ngoc Ha Nguyen holding . The board brought no help for Cheong, and he exited in sixth place.

Then came the hand that shifted the tournament decisively in Cai’s favour. In a breathtaking double knockout, Cai eliminated both Chi Jen Chen (fourth place) and Ye Li (fifth place) in a single hand! Suddenly, Cai held nearly half the chips in play, and the championship seemed within his grasp.

With a commanding chip lead, Cai began applying relentless pressure, utilizing preflop aggression to wear down his opponents. His stack continued to grow, and he seemed unstoppable.

Li then eliminated Ngoc Ha Nguyen in third place after winning a coin flip, setting up the heads-up match against Cai.

Zehao Li started heads-up as a big underdog, down 3:1 in chips. He fought hard, but Cai’s momentum was unstoppable. In a lightning-fast two-hand burst, it was all over. The final hand saw Li move all in with pocket kings, only to have Cai look him up with . The flop brought Cai a pair of sixes, and the turn improved him to trips, cracking Li’s kings and ending the tournament in spectacular fashion.

Zehao Li
Zehao Li

This was more than just a win for Cai; it was the culmination of years of dedication to the game. He took home a life-changing prize and etched his name in poker history as the Red Dragon Champion.

Jianting Cai
Jianting Cai

Final Table Results (South Korean Won)

  1. Jianting Cai – KR₩ 243,800,000
  2. Zehao Li – KR₩ 162,150,000
  3. Ngoc Ha Nguyen – KR₩ 112,450,000
  4. Chi Jen Chen – KR₩ 79,350,000
  5. Ye Li – KR₩ 57,000,000
  6. Joseph Cheong – KR₩ 41,700,000
  7. Kyosuke Nagami – KR₩ 31,050,000
  8. Xiaobin Zhou – KR₩ 23,450,000

 

Saurabh Gulati’s Stunning Victory at the SunBet Poker Tour GrandWest Main Event!

The GrandWest Casino in Cape Town was buzzing last night! After 12 days of intense poker action, the 2024 SunBet Poker Tour (SPT), in partnership with Monster Jam Poker Tour (MJPT), wrapped up its biggest festival ever. And at the centre of it all was Saurabh Gulati, who took down the ZAR 15,000 Main Event for a whopping ZAR 975,280 (~$53,966) after a three-way deal.

This Main Event was historic. With a record-breaking 504 entries, it was officially the largest live poker tournament ever held in South Africa! The SPT is clearly on the rise, and this event proved it.

Gulati, who’s originally from Australia but now calls Mauritius home, played like a man possessed. Once he grabbed the chip lead, he never looked back, just crushing the final table. “Loved it,” he said after the win.” It was pressure in the start, but after that, it got easier with the chip lead and everything. It got so much easier, and I had a ball time.”

When asked about his competition, he grinned and said, “There was no big competitor at the table because I knew I would take it down.” Confidence is key!

This victory is a huge deal for Gulati, who rediscovered his love for poker after moving to Mauritius a couple of years ago. He’s mostly a cash game player, but after this win, who knows? Maybe we’ll see him crushing tournaments more often.

This Main Event was also special because, for the first time in SPT history, two women made the final table! Ronit Chamani and Diane Walker not only made it to the final nine, but they finished third and second, respectively! This was another first for the tour, as no women had ever reached three-handed play before.

Walker was confident from the get-go. Before Day 2 even started, she jokingly complained about the lack of media attention after her impressive performance in Turbo Heat 1d. “I will reach the final table, and you will write about me,” she declared, and she certainly did! Even after a tough hand against Nic Ioannoy early at the final table, Walker fought back with a vengeance and made it all the way to heads-up play.

Chamani took home ZAR 900,000 (~$44,267) for her third-place finish, and Walker scored ZAR 800,000 (~$49,801) for second. These two ladies showed everyone that they are serious contenders in the South African poker scene.

 

SunBet Poker Tour on Fire!

The 2024 SPT was a smash hit! They crushed all their guarantees and had over 30% more players than last year. The 504 entries in the Main Event blew away last year’s 429, showing just how much live poker is growing in the region. The SPT, run with Sun International and Monster Jam Poker Tour, is now officially the richest poker tour in Africa.

 

Main Event Highlights

The ZAR 15,000 Main Event created a massive ZAR 6,350,400 prize pool (~$351,395). The top 63 players got paid, with a min-cash worth ZAR 22,545.

Some big names cashed but missed the final table, like Ahmed Karrim (15th for ZAR81,855), WSOP bracelet winner Joey Weissman (21st for ZAR58,045), Matthew Mulhall (36th for ZAR 35,880), and Dylan Wilkerson (43rd for ZAR30,800).

The final table was a mix of intense poker and history-making moments. As mentioned, it was the first time in SPT history that two women made the final table, with Ronit Chamani and Diane Walker making it all the way to the top three!

Early on the final table, Divan Le Roux was eliminated in ninth place by Walker’s pocket tens. Then, Giovanni Zanette hit the rail in eighth place when Gulati’s king-ten cracked his ace-queen.

Struggling with a short stack, Hennie Appel was the next to go in seventh place. For a moment, it looked like Walker would be next when her queens were cracked by Nic Ioannoy’s ace-five, but she pulled off two incredible double-ups in a row, keeping her hopes alive! Gareth Fourie was then knocked out in sixth place.

Nic Ioannoy, a three-time Main Event champion, couldn`t make it four. He had a rough run of cards and ended up finishing fifth. Colin Horgan was eliminated in fourth place when his ace-ten was outflopped by Gulati’s pocket sixes.

The most exciting part of the tournament was the three-handed play, where a deal was struck. Ronit Chamani doubled up through Gulati with pocket kings against ace-king, but her run ended when her top pair lost to Gulati’s flush draw. Her third-place finish earned her ZAR 900,000, the biggest cash of her career!

Diane Walker
Diane Walker

Heads-up play between Diane Walker and Saurabh Gulati was a back-and-forth affair. Walker took a big lead after a crucial double-up, but Gulati fought back and regained control. On the final hand, Walker had top pair, but Gulati turned a flush to win it all!

Saurabh Gulati
Saurabh Gulati

Final Table Results (South African Rand)

  1. Saurabh Gulati – ZAR975,280*
  2. Diane Walker – ZAR800,000*
  3. Ronit Chamani – ZAR900,000*
  4. Colin Horgan – ZAR388,265*
  5. Nic Ioannoy – ZAR298,025
  6. Gareth Fourie – ZAR248,430
  7. Hennie Appel – ZAR206,835
  8. Giovanni Zanette – ZAR165,555
  9. Divan Le Roux – ZAR124,230

*denotes a three-way deal

 

Content and Images Courtesy: PokerNews & So Much Poker

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