Benjamin Juhasz emerged as the victor in the 2023 PGT PLO Series II, solidifying his status as the latest champion. Hailing from Hungary, Juhasz displayed his prowess by outlasting a field of 86 competitors in Event #7, a high-stakes $10,100 buy-in pot-limit Omaha tournament. For his remarkable victory, he was awarded a substantial prize of $206,400, marking the most significant accomplishment on his poker résumé to date.
This triumph marked Juhasz’s third cash during the series, with prior finishes including a respectable fifth place in the inaugural event and a 17th-place performance in Event #5. His impressive earnings of $275,100 and a total of 275 PGT points have propelled him to the third position in the ongoing series standings.
The tournament unfolded over two days, set within the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The final day commenced with six players still in contention, and Juhasz maintained a commanding lead throughout.
On the second day, Juhasz displayed exceptional skill by eliminating every opponent he faced. His string of successes began by eliminating the champion of the kickoff event, Matthew Wantman, who finished in sixth place with a $51,600 prize. Juhasz continued his dominance by flopping the nut flush, which led to the exit of Zhen Cai, the sixth-place finisher in the 2019 World Series of Poker main event, who took home $68,800 for his fifth-place finish.
During the four-handed action, Juhasz amassed over 75 percent of the total chips in play. He further solidified his lead by defeating Joao Simao, whose pocket kings were defeated by Juhasz’s double-suited A-J-10-9, with all chips going in preflop. Juhasz’s flush on the turn sealed Simao’s fate, leaving him with no hope, and Simao collected $86,000 for his fourth-place finish. This marked Simao’s fifth cash of the series, including a victory in Event #6 for $182,000. With 341 PGT points and earnings totaling $340,650, the two-time bracelet winner now sits atop the series leaderboard.
Joni Jouhkimainen bowed out in third place, going all-in with a short stack and middle pair with backdoor flush possibilities. He faced Juhasz, who held top and bottom pair, and Juhasz’s hand remained strong through the river, earning him the pot and sending the Finnish bracelet winner home with $107,500.
As heads-up play commenced, Juhasz held a chip lead of more than 10 to 1 against Jim Collopy, a three-time bracelet winner. The advantage swiftly translated into the championship title for Juhasz. With a flop of 10Club Suit7Club Suit5Diamond Suit, Juhasz confidently bet the pot, and Collopy, holding KSpade SuitJHeart Suit9Heart Suit8Spade Suit for a wrap straight draw, called all-in. Juhasz’s QClub Suit10Heart Suit2Spade Suit2Diamond Suit provided him with top pair and a ten kicker, which held strong through the 3Club Suit turn and AHeart Suit river. This secured Juhasz’s victory and the title, while Collopy secured the runner-up position with $141,900 in winnings. Collopy’s series earnings reached $286,200, and with a total of 287 points from three cashes, he climbed to second place in the festival’s standings.
Event #7: $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Payouts
Place | Name | Country | Prize | PGT Points |
1st | Benjamin Juhasz | Hungary | $206,400 | 206 |
2nd | Jim Collopy | United States | $141,900 | 142 |
3rd | Joni Jouhkimainen | Finland | $107,500 | 108 |
4th | Joao Simao | Brazil | $86,000 | 86 |
5th | Zhen Cai | United States | $68,800 | 69 |
6th | Matthew Wantman | United States | $51,600 | 52 |
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