Jean-Pascal Savard Wins PartyPoker Millions North America Main Event

Montreal native Jean-Pascal Savard secured the biggest win of his career in May when he took down the PartyPoker Millions North America main event at the Playground Poker Club for a CAD $956,000 ($697,880) payday.

Savard, whose previous best performance was a fourth-place finish in the $25,000 high roller event in the 2015 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for $508,080, now has more than $1.5 million in career tournament earnings. In order to secure the title, he had to overcome a huge field of 1,168 entrants, and a final table that included the likes of Niall Farrell, Matt Waxman and Ari Engel.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Savard to the win.

Tournament – PartyPoker Millions North America Main Event
Buy-In: CAD $5,300 ($3,902)
No. of Entries: 1,168
Prize Pool: CAD $5,709,750 ($4,202,974)
1st Place Prize: CAD $956,000 ($697,880)

The Action

With nine players left on the final table bubble, Jean-Pascal Savard raised to 6,000,000 from under-the-gun and Patrick Blye made the call immediately behind him. The blinds folded and the flop fell A A 2. Savard checked, and Blye bet 5,300,000. Savard called and the 10 hit the turn. Savard checked, and Blye bet 11,500,000. Savard called and then checked for a third time when the Kc rolled off on the river. This time, Blye moved all-in for his last 36,100,000 and Savard instantly called. Blye revealed pocket tens for a turned full house, but Savard held A K for a better full house on the river. Blye banked CAD $60,000 for his efforts.

The Action

Rayan Chamas raised to 10,000,000 from under-the-gun and Savard three-bet to 31,700,000 on the button. The blinds folded and Chamas moved all-in for his last 129,200,000. Savard quickly called with his pocket aces, which were an 80 percent favorite against Chamas and his pocket jacks. The flop of K 10 3 was no help to Chamas, but the Q on the turn gave him an open-ended straight draw. Needing either a nine or an ace, Chamas instead hit the J on the river, giving him a set. Unfortunately, it also gave Savard the winning hand with a Broadway straight. Chamas earned CAD $110,000 for his eighth-place showing.

The Action

With six players remaining, Niall Farrell limped in from the small blind and Savard moved all-in from the big blind. Farrell, who had 213,000,000 behind, immediately called with pocket kings. Savard was in bad shape with A J, but connected with the flop of A 3 3. Farrell needed one of the two remaining kings in the deck to stay alive, but the 7 and J failed to help him. He pocketed CAD $160,000 for his final-table appearance. The pot was enough to give Savard more than half of the chips in play during five-handed play.

The Action

During three-handed play, with Jonathan Bussieres sitting on the short stack, Savard raised to 16,000,000 on the button and Philippe D’Auteuil called from the big blind. The flop came down 4 4 3 and D’Auteuil checked. Savard bet 8,000,000 and D’Auteuil called. The turn was the 3 and both players checked. The river was the K and D’Auteuil bet 11,000,000. Despite holding only 10 7, Savard then raised to 102,000,000. D’Auteuil, who had made a value bet holding K Q, was forced to fold.

The Action

After making a heads-up deal, leaving CAD $165,000 to play for, Savard raised to 33,000,000 on the button. Bussieres then moved all-in for a total of 444,000,000 and Savard quickly called with A J. Bussieres was in terrible shape with Q J, less than 30 percent to double up according to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator. The flop of 7 3 3 dropped his chances to 15 percent, and he failed to improve when the turn and river fell 9 K. Bussieres earned CAD $693,950 for his runner-up performance, while Savard picked up his first major title and the CAD $956,000 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Jean-Pascal Savard — CAD $956,000 ($697,880)*
2. Jonathan Bussieres — CAD $693,950 ($506,584)*
3. Philippe D’Auteuil — CAD $450,000 ($328,500)
4. Louis Boutin — CAD $335,000 ($244,550)
5. Ari Engel — CAD $238,350 ($173,996)
6. Niall Farrell — CAD $160,000 ($116,800)
7. Matt Waxman — CAD $110,000 ($80,300)
8. Rayan Chamas — CAD $80,000 ($58,400)

*Denotes deal made during heads-up play.