Tamon Nakamura Wins U.S. Poker Open Event #4 for $169,600

Tamon Nakamura wins Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix at the 2022 U.S. Poker Open, taking home a payday of $169,600. It was Nakamura’s largest live tournament cash to date and his first victory on the PokerGO Tour (PGT) and inside the PokerGO Studio.

Nakamura topped a field of 53 entries to win the event. At the final table, he defeated Rok Gostisa in heads-up play, with Daniel Negreanu finishing third and Stephen Chidwick placing fourth. According to HendonMob.com, Nakamura now has more than $560,000 in live tournament winnings, which moves him to 15th on Japan’s all-time money list.

2022 U.S. Poker Open Event #4 Results

Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix drew a field of 53 entries to the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas, creating a $530,000 prize pool. The top eight players finished in the money and earned both U.S. Poker Open and PGT leaderboard points. Alex Livingston and Jeremy Ausmus placed seventh and eighth, respectively.

Nakamura’s Road To Victory in Event #4

After registration closed in Event #4: $10,000 Big Bet Mix, Tamon Nakamura knocked out Brian Rast in a hand of no-limit Texas hold’em. Nakamura had pocket aces against Rast’s ace-queen of clubs and held.

Nakamura then took out Phil Hellmuth when his ace-king bested Hellmuth’s pocket queens thanks to an ace on the turn.

Although Nakamura lost chips when Andrew Lichtenberger doubled through him, he won some back when he busted Chino Rheem in Level 8. Then in Level 9, Nakamura took out Ren Lin in a hand of pot-limit Omaha.

Eight places paid in Event #4, and it was Cary Katz busting on the money bubble. Daniel Negreanu knocked Katz out with queens versus jacks.

Nakamura eliminated Jeremy Ausmus in eighth place, with Ausmus squeaking into the money for a $21,200 payday. That allowed Nakamura to enter the final table second in chips behind only Negreanu.

Rok Gostisa then busted Alex Livingston in seventh place to end play for Day 1. By busting Livingston, Gostisa concluded Day 1 in second place on the leaderboard. Nakamura was in third, but only 20,000 in chips separated the two. Negreanu was in the chip lead by a healthy margin.

At Sunday’s final table, Negreanu knocked out John Riordan in sixth place to get things started. Then it was Nakamura busting Dylan Weisman in fifth place when his ace-jack bested Weisman’s pocket fives in a hand of no-limit hold’em.

Stephen Chidwick fell short during four-handed play and was the next player to bust when Nakamura took him out in a hand of no-limit 2-7 single draw.

Negreanu had the chip lead to start three-handed play but he eventually fell short and got his money all in against Gostisa in a hand of no-limit 2-7 single draw. Negreanu was drawing two with a seven-three-two after having pitched a seven and a two away. Gostisa drew one to a ten-nine-four-three. Gostisa ripped off a five and Negreanu pulled a queen and a six. That left Negreanu with no chips and a third-place finish.

Heads-up play started with Nakamura having 4,290,000 in chips to Gostisa’s 2,340,000, and the final hand was played in NL hold’em.

With the blinds at 25,000-50,000 with a 50,000 big blind ante, Gostisa called on the button with ten-seven. Nakamura checked his option in the big blind with nine-five. The flop fell nine-five-four with all hearts and Nakamura checked. Gostisa had the ten of hearts in his hand and bet 75,000. Nakamura called to see an eight come on the turn. Nakamura checked again. Gostisa fired 300,000, and Nakamura made the call. The river was a two and Nakamura checked. With the pot at 900,000, Gostisa moved all in for 1,990,000 to put maximum pressure on Nakamura. Nakamura tanked for a bit and eventually made the call, successfully picking off Gostisa’s bluff to win the tournament.

Nakamura Moves To Fifth On Series Leaderboard

With the victory, Tamon Nakamura climbed to fifth place on the 2022 U.S. Poker Open leaderboard through four events. Nakamura now has 189 points in the series, with 170 coming from the victory in Event #4 and another 19 coming from his 14th-place finish in Event #1: $10,000 NL Hold’em.

Shannon Shorr remains in the lead with 302 points. Rok Gostisa jumped up to fourth place, and Daniel Negreanu moved into sixth place.

The winner of the leaderboard will be crowned 2022 U.S. Poker Open Champion and take home the $50,000 Championship Bonus.

2022 U.S. Poker Open Leaderboard Top 10

Negreanu Jumps Wilson On PGT Leaderboard

On the 2022 PGT leaderboard, there wasn’t much movement in the top 10. Jeremy Ausmus and Alex Livingston did add to their point totals thanks to in-the-money finishes in Event #4 of the 2022 U.S. Poker Open, but they didn’t change positions on the leaderboard – Ausmus remaining in sixth and Livingston remained in seventh. Daniel Negreanu, however, leapfrogged Brock Wilson to move into eighth place with 743 points.

At the end of the season, the top 21 point earners on the PGT leaderboard will compete in a winner-take-all freeroll for $500,000 in prize money. Click here to view the complete PGT leaderboard.

2022 PGT Leaderboard Top 10