Tommy Nguyen Wins 2018 WSOP Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em for $1,037,451

Tommy Nguyen won the 2018 WSOP Event #48: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em MONSTER STACK, making his way through an enormous field of 6,260 entries to win his first gold bracelet and the top prize of $1,037,451. This was without a doubt the biggest live tournament score for the 28-year-old from Oakville, Ontario.

“I don’t know. I’m just taking it all in right now. I dreamed of this and I believed I could make it. I came for a bracelet and I got it,” Nguyen told WSOP reporters after winning. “I just final tabled the millions event not too long ago in Montreal. It gave me a chance to come here. I took my shots. I felt really good. I played really good.”

Nguyen came right into the 4th and final day of this occasion in 22nd chip setting with 29 players remaining. Regardless of being just one of the fastest heaps to begin the day, however, he made his means to the unofficial final table in 6th position. After a couple of very early removals, he lost an all-in against a short stacked Michael Benko. Nguyen’s ace-king was outdrawn by ace-queen, which struck 4 clubs making a flush. After that hand, Nguyen was left as the quickest player with 7 remaining.

Nguyen discovered a double up not too long after that, and then knocked out Shyam Srinivasan in 7th place ($154,463), winning a race with ace-king versus pocket nines to climb near the top of the leaderboard. 2014 World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Celebrity main event champ James Carroll sent Michael Benko to the rail in 6th place ($202,327) to keep himself within striking distance of the top spot.

Nguyen scored his next double up when he called Chris Chong’s shove with AClub SuitKSpade Suit and found himself up against ASpade Suit5Diamond Suit. Both players paired their aces on the flop, but by the river Nguyen’s king kicker was still enough to earn him the pot. He soared into the chip lead three-handed, while Chong was sent home in fourth place ($354,903).

Frank Rusnak was eliminated in third place, earning $475,212. He then continued to grind Carroll down, allowing him to double up once, prior to completing it with none apart from ace-king to finish the event stylishly. Carroll was awarded $640,916 as the runner-up finisher.

“I wasn’t even focused on the money,” said Nguyen. “I was focused on the bracelet. The pay jumps help because it puts you in a better position to win. I melted at the final table before, so I learned from my mistake. I came here, and I did it.”

Official Final Table Results: