Martin Zamani Wins 2019 PCA $25,000 High Roller

Martin Zamani, recorded his very first major real-time event title at the 2019 PokerStars Caribbean Journey, defeating a field of 162 overall access to win the $25,000 PCA high-stakes gambler. Zamani took residence $895,110 for the win, without a doubt the largest rating of his job. He currently has lifetime online earnings of more than $1.3 million.

Martin Zamani is the brother of two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Ben Zamani. Tournament poker has seen a number of families with multiple members having had major success on the felt, including the likes of father-son duo of Doyle and Todd Brunson, brothers Michael and Robert Mizrachi, brothers Sam, Luc and Max Greenwood, and Blair and Grant Hinkle. With Martin Zamani’s win in this big event, there might be a new poker power family on the rise.

Martin Zamani came into the third and final day of this event in fourth chip position with 12 players remaining. Zamani survived to six-handed action before finding two key double ups to ascend to the top of the chip counts. He four-bet shoved over the top of Thomas Muehloecker’s three-bet holding ASpade Suit5Diamond Suit. Muehloecker called with QDiamond SuitQClub Suit to put Zamani at risk, but the AHeart Suit7Club Suit2Club Suit gave Zamani the lead and he held up from there.

Not long after that Tom-Aksel Bedell four-bet all-in and Zamani called with the ASpade SuitKSpade Suit. Bedell was in rough shape with the KDiamond SuitQSpade Suit. He failed to improve and Zamani doubled up to 3.8 million, taking the lead in the tournament.

Zamani furthered his advantage by scoring a double knockout with five players remaining. Markus Durnegger shoved for just under 600,000 on the button with the 5Spade Suit5Club Suit. Bedell re-shoved for 1,625,000 holding AHeart Suit9Heart Suit. Zamani looked down at QSpade SuitQClub Suit in the big blind and made the call. The 8Diamond Suit3Club Suit2Spade SuitJSpade Suit8Spade Suit runout secured the pot for Zamani, sending both Durnegger (5th – $265,640) and Bedell (4th – $331,100) to the rail.

Zamani kept things rolling by eliminating Thomas Muehloecker in third place. With blinds of 250,000-50,000 and a 50,000 big blind ante, Muehloecker limped in from the small blind with the KSpade Suit10Spade Suit and Zamani raised to 250,000 holding AHeart Suit8Spade Suit. Muehloecker moved all-in for 1,055,000 and Zamani called. Zamani was the only player to pair up and Muehloecker was sent home with $404,240.

Zamani took more than a 2-to-1 chip advantage into heads-up play against four-time WSOP bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche.

The final hand saw Nitsche limp in for 60,000 holding JSpade Suit9Spade Suit. Zamani made it 360,000 to go with ADiamond Suit7Diamond Suit and Nitsche called. The flop brought the AClub Suit10Diamond Suit7Heart Suit to give Zamani two pair. He bet 300,000 and Nitsche called. The 9Diamond Suit on the turn prompted Zamani to bet enough to put Nitsche all-in for his last 900,000. Nitsche made the call with his pair of nines and a straight draw. The river was the 2Heart Suit, securing the pot and the title for Zamani. Nitsche earned $606,360 for his runner-up showing.

PCA $25,000 High Roller Results