Zhen Cai Scoops PGT PLO Series II $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Eight-or-Better Title2019 WSOP Main Event Sixth-Place Finisher Tops Field of 55 To Win $176,000 |
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Zhen Cai is on a roll down the stretch at the 2023 PGT PLO Series II. The 2019 World Series of Poker main event sixth-place finisher has cashed in three straight $10,100 buy-in events, improving placement each time as he went. He finished sixth in the Omaha dealer’s choice event, fifth in the pot-limit Omaha event, and came away with the title in the pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better event, earning $176,000 as the champion. Cai now has more than $3.3 million in career earnings after this latest victory.
This trio of deep runs has moved Cai into third place in the series-long standings, with 284 PGT points and $283,800 in earnings accrued along the way. He trails only Joao Simao (341 points) and Jim Collopy (297) in the race for the series champion title.
This event attracted 55 entries, building a prize pool of $550,000. Only the top eight finishers made the money, with the bubble bursting late on day 1. Day 2 began with just five contenders remaining and Cai in the lead.
He added to his advantage by knocking out Adam Hendrix in fifth place ($44,000). Ryan Rapaski then knocked out four-time bracelet winner Nick Schulman (4th – $55,000) to close the gap a bit, but Cai was still well out in front when three-handed play began.
Two-time bracelet winner Jesse Lonis doubled through Cai twice to tighten up the standings a bit, but was ultimately sent to the rail in third place. He got all-in with A
Q6
5
against the A
JJ4 of Cai. The board ran out 33258 and Cai scooped with his wheel. Lonis, who had won a $10,100 pot-limit Omaha high roller at ARIA just a few days earlier, earned $77,000 for his podium finish.
Heads-up play began with Cai holding 5,425,000 to Rapaski’s 1,450,000. Cai was able to pull even further ahead by the time the final hand was dealt. He limped in from the button with 8853 and Rapaski raised from the big blind with A1092. Cai re-potted and Rapaski moved all-in for not much more. Cai called and the board ran out Q9335, giving Cai threes full of fives for the scoop. Rapaski earned $115,500 as the runner-up.
Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded at the final table:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Zhen Cai | $176,000 | 300 | 176 |
| 2 | Ryan Rapaski | $115,500 | 250 | 116 |
| 3 | Jesse Lonis | $77,000 | 200 | 77 |
| 4 | Nick Schulman | $55,000 | 150 | 55 |
| 5 | Adam Hendrix | $44,000 | 125 | 44 |
| 6 | Bryce Yockey | $33,000 | 100 | 33 |
| 7 | Joao Simao | $27,500 | 75 | 28 |
Check out the current top ten in the series points race after eight events:
| Rank | Player | Points | Wins | Cashes | Winnings |
| 1 | Joao Simao | 341 | 1 | 5 | $340,650 |
| 2 | Jim Collopy | 297 | 0 | 3 | $286,200 |
| 3 | Zhen Cai | 284 | 1 | 3 | $283,800 |
| 4 | Bryce Yockey | 283 | 1 | 3 | $283,575 |
| 5 | Benjamin Juhasz | 275 | 1 | 3 | $275,100 |
| 6 | Adam Hendrix | 270 | 1 | 3 | $242,510 |
| 7 | Stephen Hubbard | 262 | 1 | 2 | $261,550 |
| 8 | Richard Gryko | 246 | 0 | 3 | $245,580 |
| 9 | Eelis Parssinen | 236 | 1 | 4 | $235,880 |
| 10 | Allan Le | 205 | 0 | 4 | $205,960 |
Photo credits: PokerGO / Antonio Abgrego.
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