Martin Zamani Wins 2019 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 High RollerAmerican Poker Pro Defeats Field of 162 To Win $895,110 |
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Martin Zamani, captured his first major live tournament title at the 2019 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, defeating a field of 162 total entries to win the $25,000 PCA high roller. Zamani took home $895,110 for the win, by far the largest score of his career. He now has lifetime live earnings of more than $1.3 million.
Zamani also earned 1,092 Card Player Player of the Year points as the champion of this event, enough to see him climb into 15th place in the overall POY race standings.
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 A5. Muehloecker called with QQ to put Zamani at risk, but the A72 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 AK. Bedell was in rough shape with the KQ. 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 55. Bedell re-shoved for 1,625,000 holding A9. Zamani looked down at QQ in the big blind and made the call. The 832J8 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 K10 and Zamani raised to 250,000 holding A8. 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 J9. Zamani made it 360,000 to go with A7 and Nitsche called. The flop brought the A107 to give Zamani two pair. He bet 300,000 and Nitsche called. The 9 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 2, securing the pot and the title for Zamani. Nitsche earned $606,360 for his runner-up showing.
Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded in this event:
Place | Player | Earnings (USD) | POY Points |
1 | Martin Zamani | $895,110 | 1092 |
2 | Dominik Nitsche | $606,360 | 910 |
3 | Thomas Muehloecker | $404,240 | 728 |
4 | Tom Aksell Bedell | $331,100 | 546 |
5 | Markus Durnegger | $265,640 | 455 |
6 | Gianluca Speranza | $205,980 | 364 |
7 | Sean Winter | $152,460 | 273 |
8 | Davidi Kitai | $112,040 | 182 |