This Week’s Big Winner: Taylor Black Wins PartyPoker LIVE MILLIONS North America Main Event

The 2018 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS North America $5,300 CAD no-limit hold’em main event at the Playground Poker Club in Montreal featured a $10 million CAD guaranteed prize pool. In the end, a total of 1,954 entries were made, falling just short of the guarantee.

Nonetheless, this was still a gigantic field with a lot of money up top. The largest payday of all was awarded to American Taylor Black, who came out on top with the title and the top prize of $1.4 million CAD ($1,092,000 USD).

“It feels great, it’s hard to describe,” said Black after emerging victorious. “You play a million tournaments and to actually win one is really awesome.”

This was Black’s largest tournament score. In 2017, he finished second in the WSOP Colossus event for $545,480. In addition to the title and the money, Black also earned 2,160 Card Player Player of the Year points, enough to see him catapulted into 14th place in the POY standings.

Here are five key hands that propelled Black to victory.

Tournament – PartyPoker LIVE MILLIONS North America
Buy-In: $5,300 CAD ($3,882) • No. of Entries: 1,954 • Prize Pool: $10,000,000 CAD ($7,764,789) • 1st Place Prize: $1,400,000 CAD ($1,092,000)

The Action

Lagos raised to 11,000,000 from middle position and was called by Guillaume Nolet in the cutoff. Black called as well from the button and the flop came down Q J 8. Lagos bet 15,000,000 and both Nolet and Black called. The turn was the 6 and Lagos checked. Nolet also checked and Black bet 40,000,000. Lagos called and Nolet folded his pocket kings. The river was the 3 and Lagos checked again. Black bet 70,000,000 and Lagos called with K Q for top pair. Black had J 8 for two pair and scooped the large pot to take the chip lead.

The Action

Nguyen raised to 12,000,000 from early position and Black raised to 35,000,000 from the hijack. Nguyen called, and the flop fell 8 5 3. Both players checked, and the turn was the 8. Nguyen bet 27,000,000 and Black called. The river was the 6 and Nguyen checked. Black moved all in, putting Nguyen’s remaining 129,000,000 at risk. Nguyen didn’t wait long to call with 9 6 for a rivered second pair, but Black held J 8 for trip eights, which was more than enough to win the pot. Nguyen pocketed $215,000 CAD ($167,700) for making the final table.

The Action

Kiriopoulos was short-stacked and moved in for his last 59,000,000 from under the gun. Black called from the cutoff with pocket fives, and was ahead of Kiriopoulous and his A 2. The board ran out 6 4 3 8 9, and Black’s fives were good enough to drag the pot. Kiriopoulous banked $400,000 CAD ($312,000) for his sixth-place finish.

The Action

Ruberto raised to 25,000,000 from the button and Black three-bet to 85,000,000 from the big blind. Ruberto made the call and the flop came down J 5 4. Black checked, and Ruberto bet 25,000,000. Black check-raised to 135,000,000 and Ruberto called. The turn was the 8 and Black checked again. Rubeto moved all-in for 439,000,000, and Black instantly called with pocket jacks for top set. Ruberto’s cards were unclear, but it appeared as though he had some sort of straight draw. The river was the 10, and Ruberto was eliminated in third place, earning $1 million CAD ($780,000). After winning the pot, Black took a nearly 4:1 chip lead into heads-up play.

The Action

Fish raised to 45,000,000 on the button and Black three-bet to 140,000,000. Fish called, and the flop fell 9 6 4. Black made a continuation bet of 130,000,000 and Fish moved all-in for his last 345,000,000. Black immediately called with pocket aces, which were well ahead of Fish and his Q 9 for top pair. The turn was the 6, eliminating some of Fish’s outs. The river was the Q, giving Fish two pair, however his queens and nines were second best to Black’s aces and sixes. Fish was eliminated in second place, earning $1.2 million CAD ($936,000), the largest score of his career. Black earned the top prize of $1.4 million CAD ($1,092,000), the trophy and the title.

Final Table Results

1. Taylor Black — $1,400,000 CAD ($1,092,000)
2. Darryll Fish — $1,200,000 CAD ($936,000)
3. Anthony Ruberto — $1,000,000 CAD ($780,000)
4. Markus Prinz — $800,000 CAD ($624,000)
5. Charles La Boissonniere — $600,000 CAD ($468,000)
6. Demosthenes Kiriopoulos — $400,000 CAD ($312,000)
7. George Lagos — $302,500 CAD ($235,950)
8. Tommy Nguyen — $215,000 CAD ($167,700)