After a back-and-forth heads-up match, James ‘Wayne’ Leonard emerged victorious in the 2024 Card Player Poker Tour bestbet Jacksonville $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event. The longtime Jacksonville resident, now based out of Tampa, defeated a field of 440 entries to earn a career-best tournament score of $87,820.

“It could have been him, it could have been me,” said Leonard of his final showdown against Gourg Khanchat. “I’ve been in that situation three or four times in my career, and to get it one time… I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”

Leonard, who is known to many as ‘The Irishman’, has definitely had several close calls at this very venue. He’s previously finished third in a $400 RunGood Poker Series event earlier this year, second in a $360 buy-in during the 2019 Summer Series, and had another runner-up showing in a $1,500 buy-in during the 2022 Summer Heater. Now, he finally broke through for a marquee victory on the big stage.

“bestbet is just amazing,” said Leonard when asked about his years of experience playing at bestbet Jacksonville. “I remember when they opened it and it was just such a relief to get this kind of a poker room in Jacksonville… I mean, it’s top-notch. You get the best food, get the best service. Everybody here treats you with respect. They know your name and they really, really appreciate the players.”

This latest score increased Leonard’s lifetime tournament earnings to $375,081. While he is a dentist by trade, he has been playing poker for more than 25 years.

“In the last three years, I’ve really put time into [poker] and have been working really, really hard for this win. I’m fortunate to have video of myself that I can watch, kind of take away some of my tendencies, see what I do, and correct those actions and really, and kind of work on it myself.”

Leonard was awarded 720 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win. This was his fourth final-table finish of the year. With 1,043 total points, he is now sitting inside the top 500 in the 2024 POY race standings presented by Global Poker.

In addition to the top prize, Leonard also secured $29,500 in bounty payouts from his five knockouts made during the bounty portion of this tournament. He picked the third-largest bounty that was up for grabs, a $20,000 payout, along with a $5,000 bounty, two $2,000 bounties, and one $500 payout.

This event had a total prize pool of $662,200, with $220,000 set aside for the bounties. Those were all awarded from day 2 on, with the 55 players that cashed in this event earning a bounty for each knockout they secured. Runner-up Khanchat drew the top bounty of $50,000. The payouts ranged from that top bounty down to $500.

The big one has been pulled!

Gourg Khanchat has drawn the $50,000 bounty in the 2024 Card Player Poker Tour @bestbet_jax $1,700 mystery bounty main event. Congrats to Gourg pic.twitter.com/uvG54lKmaP

— Card Player: The Poker Authority (@CardPlayerMedia) August 25, 2024

The final day of this event began with just five players remaining, with Khanchat in the lead and Leonard in second chip position. Nikhil Sunku)!Nikhil Sunku was the first to fall, with his short stack going in with K5 against a dominating KQ for Anthony Pathman. Sunku was unable to come from behind and was eliminated in ninth place ($8,780.)

Yi Chi Li soon followed Zunku to the rail. The bestbet Jacksonville regular got all-in with A-j trailing the A-K of Thad McNulty and found no help on a queen-high runout. Li earned $11,135 as the eighth-place finisher.

Juan Tellez’s run came to an end when his J-10 suited was outrun by the J-9 suited of Khanchat, who had been more or less on fire since drawing the $50,000 bounty back on day 2. Both players had flush draws going into the river, but Khanchats’ club came in on the end to eliminate Tellez in seventh place ($14,280).

Longtime poker industry member Johnny Pham lost a huge chunk of his stack in a clash with Khchat during six-handed play. He managed a few double ups, but was soon all-in and at risk again with K6 trailing the 1010 of Pathman. Pham failed to connect with the board and was knocked out in sixth place ($18,525).

This was McNulty’s third CPPT bestbet Jacksonville main event final table showing, having finished fourth in the 2019 running and ninth in 2023. This time around he placed fifth for $24,295. The score increased the Jacksonville mainstay’s lifetime tournament earnings to $653,542.

McNulty was sent packing when he got all-in with J9 on a 1044J board. He was trailing the KJ, and the 3 on the end was of no help. With that, the field was narrowed to four contenders.

Alex Kimpel placed fourth in this same event in 2023. Incredibly, that was his finishing position this year as well. Kimpel got all-in with A4 leading the 76 of Khanchat, but the J7243 runout gave Khanchat a pair of sevens and the elimination. Kimpel secured $32,220 for the most recent leg of his back-to-back final tables in this tournament.

The next knockout hand began with Pathman moving all-in for 510,000 from the button with 85. Khanchat three-bet to 1,050,000 from the small blind, only to have Leonard come over the top with a four-bet shove for 5,445,000 out of the big blind. Khanchat went into the tank before laying down his A5. Leonard revealed the QQ.

The AK8 flop gave Pathman a pair some hope, but the 2 turn and 7 brought no more help. Pathman earned $43,190 as the third-place finisher, his largest score yet on the circuit.

Heads-up play began with Leonard holding 7,105,000 to Khanchat’s 5,980,000. Khanchat was able to close the gap and then overtake the lead in the early going. He had extended his advantage to roughly 3:1 when the next big clash arose. All of the chips went in preflop with Leonar’s QJ trailing the AJ of Khanchat. The board came down 109874 and Leonard flopped a straight to double back to roughly even.

Leonard then stretched out a lead of his own when a very similar situation played out. Khanchat was all-in with K10 in rough shape against the KQ. This time Khanchat spiked broadway on the turn to double back in front.

Eventually, Leonard was able to retake the lead for the final time. In the last hand, Khanchat raised to 480,000 from the button with A3 and Leonard three-bet shoved with A5 out of the big blind. Khanchat called all in for 5,430,000.

The AQ456 runout gave Leonard aces and fives for the win. Khanchat earned $58,530 as the runner-up. This was the second time he has finished in this position in a $1,700 mystery bounty event at bestbet Jacksonville. He previously did so during the 2023 World Poker Tour stop. He now has $107,861 in career tournament earnings after this latest deep run.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Here is a look at the full list of bounty payouts awarded:

$50,000 – Gourg Khanchat
$25,000 – Kennie Garison
$20,000 – James Leonard
$10,000 – Gourg Khanchat
$10,000 – Bryan Bennett
$10,000 – Johnny Pham
$10,000 – Dickie Malone
$5,000 – Thad McNulty (x2)
$5,000 – James Leonard
$5,000 – Gourg Khanchat
$5,000 – Bryan Bennett
$5,000 – Kennie Garrison
$5,000 – Anthony Pathman
$5,000 – Alex Kimpel
$2,000 – Bryan Bennett (x2)
$2,000 – James Leonard (x2)
$2,000 – Kennie Garrison
$2,000 – John Connors
$2,000 – Nikhil Sunka
$2,000 – Tommy Doyle
$2,000 – Christian Johnson
$2,000 – Kelly Joe Andrews
$2,000 – Jessica Cai
$1,000 – Johnny Pham (x2)
$1,000 – John Connors (x2)
$1,000 – Kyle Terrel
$1,000 – Juan Tellez
$1,000 – Kennie Garrison
$1,000 – Yi Chi Li
$1,000 – Ken Brosnahan
$1,000 – Jose Reyes
$1,000 – Anthony Pathman (x2)
$1,000 – Jared Reinstein
$500 + Draw 1 – Jose Reyes
$500 + Draw 1 – Joshua Adcock
$500 – John Connors (x2)
$500 – Thad McNulty (x2)
$500 – Gourg Khanchat (x2)
$500 – Anthony Pathman (x3)
$500 – James Leonard
$500 – Yi Chi Li
$500 – Johnny Pham
$500 – Jose Reyes
$500 – Danny Clarkson
$500 – Renee Bacherman
$500 – Dante Cianfarra
$500 – Nicholas Chong
$500 – Joshua Adcock

Gourg Khanchat raised to 480,000 from the button, James Leonard reraised all in with his chip-leading stack from the big blind, and Khanchat called all in after a few seconds for 5,430,000.

Khanchat: A3
Leonard: A5

The flop came AQ4, pairing both.

The turn was the 5, giving Leonard the lead with a pair of fives and leaving Khanchat draw to a non-diamond deuce to win or a queen to chop the pot.

The river was the 6, no help to Khanchat, ending his tournament with a runner-up showing for $58,530.

James Leonard is the winner for $87,820.

A recap of the event will be posted later tonight.

Blinds are up to 80,000-160,000 with a big blind ante of 160,000 for level 30.

Gourg Khanchat raised to 360,000 from the button and James Leonard called in the big blind.

The flop was K32, Leonard checked, Khanchat bet 450,000, and Leonard called.

The turn was the A, Leonard checked, Khanchat bet 700,000, and Leonard called.

The river was the Q, Leonard checked, Khanchat bet 2,000,000, and Leonard called.

Khanchat showed 74, while Leonard tabled A6 for a pair of aces to win the pot and retake the chip lead.

James Leonard – 9,665,000
Gourg Khanchat – 3,420,000

Gourg Khanchat raised to 360,000 from the button, James Leonard reraised all in for 3,110,000 from the big blind, and Khanchat called.

Khanchat: AJ
Leonard: QJ

The board ran out 109874, giving Leonard a queen-high straight to double up.

James Leonard – 6,340,000
Gourg Khanchat – 6,745,000