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6:00 PM: Nguyet Kim Dao Wins Poker Night in America Choctaw for $286,402
Level 41 – Blinds (250,000/500,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 1
Chip Average: 21,280,000

After Nguyet Kim Dao shoved all in on the button with Q♣J♠ and got called by Hasan Haq holding 10♥9♠, the flop and turn came all spades leaving Haq drawing dead.  The native Texan has just won the very first Poker Night in America Main Event here at Choctaw Casino in Durant, Oklahoma. 

The walls of Choctaw are adorned with banners of past Championship winners, and Dao will be the first ever woman to grace the walls of Choctaw.  (See photo below.)  Prior to her $286,402 win here, Dao had a documented total of $2,984 in tournament winnings. Congratulations to Dao on her amazing win, and we hope to see her at Poker Night in America again very soon.  

6:00 PM: Hasan Haq Eliminated in 2nd Place ($177,074)
Level 41 – Blinds (250,000/500,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 2
Chip Average: 10,640,000

As mentioned in our previous post, play had slowed considerably over the last few levels and Hasan Haq found himself having to fold quite a few hands preflop.  In the middle of this final level Haq shoved all in on his button three times and managed to get through all three times.  A few hands later, it was Nguyet Kim Dao that shoved all in, and Haq called.  Dao showed Q♣J♠, and Haq showed 10♥9♠.  The K♠Q♠2♠  flop moved Dao even further into the lead with her pair of queens, and higher flush draw. The 8♠ on the turn gave her that flush, and at that point Haq was drawing dead.  The 3♣ river concluded the hand, and Haq would be our second place finisher taking home $177,074.  It should be mentioned that this will be Haq’s second ever tournament poker cash as he is predominantly a cash game player. We are guessing this won’t be the last time we see Haq at a Poker Night in America tournament, as he has more than proven his tournament play skill.

5:45 PM: “Poker is Boring”
Level 40 – Blinds (200,000/400,000/50,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 2
Chip Average: 10,640,000

Since the elimination of David Morton in Level 38, we have seen a big slowdown in action.  If we see a flop, rarely do we get to a turn.  A river card has been almost non existent.  The slow in action has caused the two remaining players to openly discuss how slow things are moving. Nguyet Kim Dao recently turned to the Tournament Direction and asked him, “Have you ever seen such a boring final table?”  The TD responded, “It’s not boring, you guys are playing for a lot of money. You are just focused.”  The two players then jokingly talked to the rail about taking shots with them.  “Poker is boring,” Dao said with a slight giggle.  “You’re right, there’s just not break in action ever since we are heads up. Let’s just power through this,” Hasan Haq said.  The rail started to giggle at the idea of ‘powering through’ playing for more than $286,000.

Over the last two levels, Haq has had to fold a lot of his buttons and it’s caused the two to really separate in terms of numbers.  Haq currently sits with 3,500,000, and Dao with 17,000,000.  We anticipate forced action on the part of Haq very soon.

3:56 PM: David Morton Eliminated in 3rd Place ($131,590)
Level 38 – Blinds (120,000/240,000/40,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 7,093,333

David Morton was our recent third place finisher.  Morton opened to 480,000 in the small blind, and Hasan Haq called in the big.  The flop came J♣7♣6♦.  Morton bet 700,000, and Haq called.  Morton led for 1,000,000 when turn came the 6♥ and Haq shoved all in.  Morton called the all in and tabled J♠9♣, but Haq was in the lead with trip sixes holding K♥6♠.  Unfortunately for Morton, the 5♥ river did not improve his hand, and he would become our third place finisher taking home $131,590.

It should be noted that earlier in the day, Morton told his table mates that he actually went to work early this morning and then drove from Dallas to get to this final table in time for the 2pm restart.  We can only guess that the $131,590 was well worth the half day off of work he had to take. Congrats to Morton on his first ever Poker Night in America cash.

We are now heads up with Nguyet Kim Dao holding the chip lead 13,000,000 to Haq’s 8,275,000.

3:27 PM: Rich Dixon Eliminated in 4th Place ($98,925)
Level 38 – Blinds (120,000/240,000/40,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 4
Chip Average: 5,320,000

Our second elimination of the day took place just a few hands after Rich Dixon was eliminated in 5th place.  Action folded to Nguyet Kim Dao in the small blind who opened to 530,000.  Merkow looked at his cards, and quickly announced that he was all in.  Dao snap-called and turned over A♥A♣.  “You sure do run good,” Merkow said to Dao as he turned over J♣J♦.  The 9♥7♦3♥ flop came safe for Dao, and the 7♣ turn left her higher two pair in the lead.  Merkow called out, “One time,” but it was the Q♥ on the river that would send Merrkow home in 4th place, with a $98,925 payday.

3:27 PM: Rich Dixon Eliminated in 5th Place ($75,223)
Level 38 – Blinds (120,000/240,000/40,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,256,000

Despite not a lot of action the first few levels, the first elimination of the day just took place a few minutes ago.  Rich Dixon shoved all in on the button, and with action on Hasan Haq in the small blind, he asked for a count.  Upon hearing the 1,325,000 total, Haq thought for a minute before announcing the call.  Dixon was ahead holding A♥K♠ against Haq’s A♦5♣.  Even though he was ahead Dixon said, “Can we please run it twice?  I just know how you run man.”  Gregg Merkow, not involved in the hand said, “I feel a wheel comin.”  Dixon said, “Hey now.”  Merkow responded, “Well, I feel a wheel comin.”  Merkow was close as the flop came 6♠5♠3♥.  While the 3♦ turn and 8♣ river did not bring the wheel, Haw’s two pair were enough to take down the pot, eliminating Dixon in 5th place.  Haq is now sitting with 9,000,000 in chips.

As mentioned in the PNIA blog yesterday, Dixon had an interesting story to get to this final table.  After bagging late on Day 1B he went to a hotel to sleep and his phone died overnight causing him to miss his alarm.  He started the day with only 77,500 in chips, and by the time he arrived, he was down to less than 4 big blind.  After doubling the first hand, and picking up the blinds and antes the second hand, he gained momentum and it was all uphill from there.  Until late last night (late Day 2), Dixon never had above average stack the entire tournament.  With his solid play and consistent determination, he made it to the televised final table and now has $75,223 to show for it.

3:15 PM: First Few Levels Update
Level 38 – Blinds (120,000/240,000/40,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,256,000

It had been a relatively slow start to the day.  In the first two levels of play we only saw a turn a handful of times, much less a river card.  The table talk has been lighthearted and fun, with Gregg Merkow and Hasan Haq primarily taking turns leading the table talk, and playing pots (but very rarely with or against each other).  Merkow decided to start taking shots early in the day in order to “loosen up a little,” he joked with the table. He has been trying to get the rest of the table involved in taking shots with him but has yet to actually get any takers.  Rich Dixon joked in the first level, “All this pressure, I may have to join you in the shots.”  Haq jokingly said, “I just can’t sir, I am too proper for that.”

One of the key phrases heard throughout the first few levels included “tight is right” by Merkow.  It remains to be seen if his “tight” strategy is working for him.

2:06 PM: Cards In The Air For Choctaw Main Event Final Table
Level 36 – Blinds (80,000/160,000/20,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,256,000

The wait is officially over, as the final five players in the Poker Night in America Choctaw Main Event are seated and play is ready to get underway. Cards are about to get in the air with play resuming with close to 37 minutes remaining in Level 36.

The PNIA blog will be here to bring you all the action as it happens and as a reminder, here are the remaining players seating assignments and chip counts:

1. Kim Dao Nguyen – 8,345,000
2. Greg Merkow – 4,140,000
3. David Morton – 2,690,000
4. Rich Dixon – 2,335,000
5. Hasan Haq – 3,770,000

1:30 PM: Half Hour From The Start
Level 36 – Blinds (80,000/160,000/20,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,256,000

We’re still a half hour away from the start of the Poker Night in America Choctaw Main Event final table but that doesn’t mean that you can’t start prepping yourself to follow all the action. The PNIA blog will be bringing you through updates from this five-handed final table but if you want to watch the action as it happens, there is also a live stream.

That stream will go live at 2:30 PM on the PNIA Twitch channel and the final table will also be filmed for television, for PNIA’s new production, The Final Table. Molly Mossey will be bringing you all the PNIA blog action, while Will OC will be calling the live stream action in the booth. – Will OC

11:25 AM: Final Table Set, Resumes Play At 2 PM
Level 36 – Blinds (80,000/160,000/20,000)
Total Entries: 1,064
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 4,256,000

After a grueling Day 2 session saw the Poker Night in America Choctaw Main Event field play down from over 150 players to a handful, that final five will now return to play down to a champion on the PNIA live stream. This PNIA Choctaw Main Event final table will not only be live streamed but also filmed for PNIA’s new television show The Final Table.

Before we the lights and cameras get turned on though, we need to know who is going to be contending for today’s title and an over $286,000 first place prize and when you’re previewing final tables, you have to start at the top of the leaderboard.

Thta’s where Kim Dao Nguyen holds more than double the amount of chips as her nearest competitor. Nguyen will return to today’s final table with just shy of 8,350,000 and while she might not boast a lengthy tournament resume, Greg Merkow does.

The Texan is the most experienced player at today’s final table by a long shot, with over $1,700,000 in career tournament earnings. Some of his biggest scores came over a decade ago, including a $560,000 win on the WSOP Circuit but Merkow is now in a great spot to notch another six-figure score today.

Hasan Haq comes back third in chips and the Oklahoman has stayed near the top of the leaderboard throughout this PNIA Choctaw Main Event. Haq’s tournament resume might be more quality over quantity, with his best score coming last fall. Haq finished 2nd in the RunGood Poker Series Main Event for a $16,000 score. He’s guaranteed to best that today and will try to turn his sub-average stack into a podium finish or better.

The bottom two stacks are also looking to play for career best scores today and while David Morton comes back with just shy of 3,000,000, the bottom man on the final table leaderboard, Rich Dixon, has some past final table experience to draw from. The Wyoming native’s best career result came from another $1,000,000 GTD event, on the Heartland Poker Tour in September of 2015.

He’ll try to regain that form today and no matter what story lines play out, we’re sure to have an exciting day of poker. Play will resume at 2 PM, with the PNIA live stream going live at 2:30 PM. The PNIA blog will be here to bring you all the updates in real time and, as a reference point, chip counts of the final five are listed below:

1. Kim Dao Nguyen – 8,345,000
2. Greg Merkow – 4,140,000
3. David Morton – 2,690,000
4. Rich Dixon – 2,335,000
5. Hasan Haq – 3,770,000

Also as a reference point, the remaining PNIA Choctaw Main Event final table payouts are listed below:

1. $286,402
2. $177,074
3. $131,590
4. $98,925
5. $75,223

– Will OC