Poker After Dark: Johnny "Freakin" Chan Wins Third Title

The Season 3 Poker After Dark “International Superstars” match was uncharacteristically tight during the early action of the table available exclusively on PokerGO. As the match progressed, an elimination wouldn’t come until the third episode and Johnny Chan lived up to his nickname of the “Oriental Express” – knocking out all five opponents.

The closest to home – Negreanu – stayed the shortest at the table as he busted midway through the third episode. He limped in early position with Ah Kc, Johnny Chan raised with pocket queens and Negreanu shoved. Chan hit a queen for a set, Negreanu didn’t improve and was eliminated.

Daniel Negreanu struggled to get any traction going in the match.
“You might not like to hear this, but it’s true, the international field is usually going to be the toughest ones ,” Negreanu said. “Especially the international players that are coming over to play – they’re good. The game of poker might have been an American game for a while but now it’s spread all over the world.”

Juanda was next to exit after but not until the blinds started to climb to $400/$800. De Wolfe open-shoved on the first hand of the final episode with Kd Qs and Juanda called off with less holding Kd Qs and doubled up.

Chan knocked out Juanda and Hansen in a three-way hand where Chan flopped a set of sixes. All the money went in preflop, Hansen held Ah 5s, Juanda held Ks Qc and they were both drawing dead on the turn.

Chan notched another elimination after de Wolfe moved in preflop with Kc Qs and Chan called with As 6s. Chan hit ace, stood from the table and took a huge chip lead into heads-up play.

Roland de Wolfe was the only player at the table without a PAD title.
Antonius was mostly silent and gorgeous for his match up, but viewers caught some grimaced, pained expressions from the normally stoic Finn. The ultimate cooler came in the final hand that saw Chan pick up pocket aces and Antonius pocket kings.

They saw a ten-high flop, Antonius bet $6,000 and Chan called. The board paired on the turn, Antonius tank-checked and Chan bet $12,000. Antonius clicked-back with a shove and Chan snap-called. The river bricked and their heads-up match lasted a single hand.

Chan picked up his third overall PAD win and he would ultimately go on win four PAD titles which tied Howard Lederer. Clonie Gowen and Gape Kaplan each won three and a handful of players won two PAD titles.

Most of the Season 3 matchups are available on demand exclusively on PokerGO and new blocks of episodes continue to be released. Season 1 and 2 are available in their entirety with Ali Nejad providing commentary.