John Yelaney Claims Event #2 Title of 2022 Stairway To Millions

John Yelaney has claimed his first-ever tournament victory by winning Event #2: $460 No-Limit Hold'em from the 2022 Stairway To Millions at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.

Yelaney denied Event #1 winner Francis Anderson of a second consecutive victory by emerging victorious at the grueling final table. Yelaney pocketed $6,417 in prize money and a seat into the $1,640 buy-in level of Event #5 or #6. This was Yelaney's first-ever tournament victory, according to The Hendon Mob, and when taking into account the seat, it was also the second largest victory of his career. Yelaney now sits with more than $94,000 in lifetime tournament earnings after winning Event #2.

After beginning with 94 entrants, just six players returned for the final table on Saturday with Arsh Grover holding the chip lead. Grover immediately extended his lead and then eliminated Edward Jiang in sixth place. Grover climbed to four million in chips before Victor Shih was eliminated in fifth place by Yelaney. Samy Dighlawi was the next to fall when he three-bet shoved ace-nine but ran into the superior ace of Francis Anderson to leave the tournament down to the final three.

The final three were all evenly positioned among each other, but it would be Anderson leaning on his experience to surge into the lead by pressuring his opponents. The overnight chip leader Grover would exit in third when he was flushed out by Anderson, leaving the Event #1 winner holding a three-to-two lead over Yelaney.

Yelaney would river a king-high flush on Anderson to take the lead, but Anderson immediately snapped it back when he pushed Yelaney off pocket jacks. Anderson surged to more than a four-to-one favorite before his pocket aces were cracked. Yelaney was all-in on the turn with a pair and flush draw and improved to a flush to take the lead once more. The two continued to trade blows back-and-forth before the final hand saw Anderson raise the button with ace-king. Yelaney shoved with pocket sixes and Anderson called. Yelaney flopped a full house to render Anderson nearly drawing dead, and when the Event #1 winner failed to go runner-runner, he would be forced to be content with a runner-up finish to Yelaney.

Stairway To Millions Event #2 Final Table Results

According to The Hendon Mob, this is Yelaney's first tournament victory and second biggest tournament score when factoring in the $1,640 seat into Event #5. Yelaney moves to over $94,000 in lifetime tournament earnings, and will have a chance to improve on those in Monday's Event #5 tournament when he claims his $1,640 seat.

2022 Stairway To Millions Schedule

Currently underway from The Venetian Resort Poker Room is Event #3 of the Stairway To Millions with Sunday set to host another $900 buy-in. Monday will see the stakes raised to $1,640, and all the live updates from the entire Stairway To Millions will be provided by the PGT.com Live Reporting Team.

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