$1,100 Mystery Bounty ($1,000,000 GTD)
Day 1b Completed
2023 PokerNews Cup
$1,100 Mystery Bounty ($1,000,000 GTD)
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
2023 PokerNews Cup
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$2,261,070
Entries
2,331
Level
37
Blinds
500,000 / 1,000,000
Ante
1,000,000
Entries
812
Players Left
102
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The $1,100 PokerNews Cup Mystery Bounty saw the second of three flights conclude today. A total of 812 players came out to play this event which saw only 102 players make it to the end of the day. Last year’s flight got 455 entrants and with this near doubling the entrants, the $1,000,000 guarantee has been passed with one flight to go.
The total number of entries is already at 1,316 which beats the number from last year already when 1,245 players showed up to the Golden Nugget. There's a full flight to go in this already record-breaking tournament.
Leading the way is Forrest Kollar who ended the night with 695,000. Kollar put in a deep run last summer in the PokerNews Cup, finishing in third place for his best tournament score of $92,095.
Just behind him Norman Michalek, who ended their day with 682,000. The New Jersey resident has amassed over $500,000 in earnings with his best score coming from a runner-up finish in a WSOP online bracelet event for $192,073. With this stack built for the second day, he could easily find himself winning many grand prizes in this mystery bounty tournament.
Also bagging a big stack is New York grinder Greg Himmelbrand (574,000). With $2,300,060 in live earnings, Himmelbrand sees a wealth of experience that will go with him into the second day of this mystery bounty. With two MSPT titles under his belt and many other titles to his name, Himmelbrand looks to get his first major Golden Nugget title.
Other notables who made their way through the day included Samuel Bifarella (644,000), Viet Vo (544,000), Tim Garles (449,000), Donny Rubinstein (336,000), Josh Prager (271,000), Xuan Liu (144,000), and Will “The Thrill” Failla (103,000), each looking for a chance to knock out players to get unknown prizes, as well as a shot at the PokerNews cup.
Play ended with 3:15 left on the clock in Level 17 with blinds at 4,000/8,000. The 102 players will come back to this level along with the other two flights unless the following flight ends earlier.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
695,000
525,000
|
525,000 |
|
||
|
682,000
560,000
|
560,000 |
|
679,000 | |
|
644,000
644,000
|
644,000 |
|
574,000
477,000
|
477,000 |
|
544,000
544,000
|
544,000 |
|
543,000
543,000
|
543,000 |
|
539,000
539,000
|
539,000 |
|
472,000
472,000
|
472,000 |
|
452,000
417,000
|
417,000 |
|
449,000
449,000
|
449,000 |
|
445,000
445,000
|
445,000 |
|
443,000
443,000
|
443,000 |
|
|
411,000
411,000
|
411,000 |
|
407,000
407,000
|
407,000 |
|
||
|
403,000
403,000
|
403,000 |
|
399,000
399,000
|
399,000 |
|
399,000
399,000
|
399,000 |
|
|
379,000
379,000
|
379,000 |
|
373,000
373,000
|
373,000 |
|
352,000
262,000
|
262,000 |
|
343,000
343,000
|
343,000 |
|
||
|
|
337,000
-2,000
|
-2,000 |
|
336,000
183,000
|
183,000 |
|
333,800
333,800
|
333,800 |
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Harrison Gimbel opened to 16,000 in middle position which saw another player three bet to 45,000 in the cutoff. In the small blind Agustin Naranja moved all in for 500,000 effective and Gimbel called for his last 130,000 while the other player folded.
Harrison Gimbel: K♣K♠
Agustin Naranja: A♣Q♣
The board ran out A♠Q♦7♥4♣4♦ and Naranja ascended the chip counts as Gimbel exited the tournament one shy of the money.
The remaining 102 players put their chips in the bag to return on Sunday at noon. Stay tuned for a full recap.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
679,000 | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The small blind moved all in for 127,000 effective and in the big blind, Josh Prager called to put himself at risk.
Small blind: J♠6♠
Josh Prager: 7♥7♦
The board ran out 7♣2♣A♥7♠K♠ and Prager made quads to double up on the stone bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
266,000
215,000
|
215,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The players have reached the stone bubble and hand for hand will now commence.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
A player raised to 16,000 in the hijack which saw Tim Garles three bet to 45,000 from the small blind and the initial raiser called.
The flop peeled off 8♦8♥Q♣ and Garles continued for 30,000 which his opponent called.
On the K♦ turn, Garles fired once more, this time to the tune of 75,000 and his opponent quickly folded, prompting Garles to show 5♣4♣ for just five-high as the pot was pushed his way.
At another table, Brian Hastings was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
449,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level: 17
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Level 16
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Tim Garles raised on the button to 13,000 and in the big blind, another player moved all in for roughly 100,000. Garles called.
Opponent: 7x7x
Tim Garles: KxKx
The board ran out as no help the big blind, as Garles added to his growing stack as the night wound down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
394,000
201,000
|
201,000 |
Level 16
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
A player raised to 12,000 in middle position which saw Lena Evans move all in for 100,000 in late position and only the initial raiser called.
Lena Evans: Q♦Q♥
Opponent: 10♦10♥
The board ran out J♦9♠6♦6♥4♥ and the queens held up for Evans to secure a double as the night crept closer to the money.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
215,000
160,000
|
160,000 |