September WSOP Circuit
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek, FL
Event 6
$400 Monster Stack NLH
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 586
Prize Pool: $193,380
September 18-20, 2018

The Monster Stack lived up to its reputation. The multi-day WSOP Circuit event gave players a lot of chips, a slow structure, and two starting days to run up a castle of chips. The tournament drew 586 entries and Colorado native Mitchell Lekarczyk outlasted them all to win the title after a marathon final table.

The tournament was a great warmup for the WSOP Circuit Main Event and sported a $100,000 Guarantee that was nearly doubled. The last 63 players were set to split the $193,380 prize pool with 69 players returning for Day 2.

The money bubble burst early with three players splitting a min-cash and the rest of the players began queueing up at the payout desk.

There were 12 players around when they hit the scheduled dinner break and Ray Millard was in command. He had the clear chip lead and held it when they formed the final table after Rodney Moret-Rojas and Matt Smith were knocked out on the same hand at separate tables.

Paul Shafran and Kammar Andries were quick exits before the last seven players settled in for the long haul. Millard continued to build his lead but Lekarczyk was making up ground as players were eliminated.

Millard and Lekarczyl traded the lead with Andrew Kaplan and Dan Kent when it was only those four remaining, each taking a turn at the top. Kent was eliminated by Millard and then his night ended at the hands of Kaplan to set up a tight heads-up battle.

Both players had near identical stacks and battled back-and-forth over several levels. The biggest hand of the tournament saw Lekarczyk turn a full house against Kaplan’s pocket queens for a 12 million chip pot that all but locked up the title.

A few hands later, Kaplan’s miracle comeback fell short and he had to settle for second place while Lakearczyk had his first WSOP come along with a WSOP Circuit title and ring.

Monster Stack final table results:

1st: Mitchell Lekarczyk – $40,619 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Andrew Kaplan – $25,118
3rd: Ray Millard – $18,367
4th: Dan Kent – $13,629
5th: John Gorsuch – $10,225
6th: Miguel Parlade – $7,822
7th: Rick Riviello – $6,049
8th: Kammar Andries – $4,742
9th: Paul Shafran – $3,767

Complete Monster Stack results

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 35: 120,000/240,000 with a 40,000 Ante

Andrew Kaplan tried to battle back into the match for the ring, found one small double, and tried again when put his 2,750,000 stack in the middle. Lekarczyk called with a shot at the ring.

Kaplan:
Lekarczyk:

It was a flip for the jewelry, Kaplan missed the flop, but picked up a bunch of outs to double. He called for a diamond, Lekarczyk called for a black card, and the board finished to end the tournament.

Kaplan had to settle for $25,118 as the runner-up while Lekarczyk earned $40,619 along with the Monster Stack title and WSOP Circuit ring.

Full tournament will be posted later.

1st: Mitchell Lekarczyk – $40,619 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Andrew Kaplan – $25,118

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 35: 120,000/240,000 with a 40,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 586

Andrew Kaplan took the lead after the break and soon they played the biggest hand of the tournament.

Kaplan limped his button and Mitchell Lekarcyzk checked his option to the flop. Lekarcyzk checked, Kaplan bet 375,000 and Lekarcyzk check-raised to 1,100,000. Kaplan called, the turn was , and Lekarczyk bet 1,750,000.

Kaplan asked how much he was playing behind, heard around 6 million, and Kaplan announced all in.

Lekarczyk quickly called and Kaplan let out a small expletive when he saw the hands.

Kaplan:
Lekarczyk:

Lekarczyk flopped trip aces, turned a full house, and Kaplan was drawing dead to the river. They counted down Lekarczyk and he had 6,065,000 for a massive lead.

Seat 4: Andrew Kaplan – 2,600,000 (11 bb)
Seat 7: Mitchell Lekarczyk – 14,980,000 (62 bb)

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 35: 120,000/240,000 with a 40,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 586

Another break rolled around after Level 34 to give Andrew Kaplan and Mitchell Lekarczyk a little breather from the action. Lekarczyk pulled into the lead by a slight margin so it is still anyone’s game.

Seat 4: Andrew Kaplan – 8,535,000 (36 bb)
Seat 7: Mitchell Lekarczyk – 9,040,000 (38 bb)

1st: $40,619 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $25,118

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 34: 100,000/200,000 with a 30,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 586

The WSOP Circuit ring is on the table and heads-up play is underway. Cards went in the air between Andrew Kaplan and Mitchell Lekarczyk with one small blind separating the two.

Seat 4: Andrew Kaplan – 8,800,000 (44 bb)
Seat 7: Mitchell Lekarczyk – 8,700,000 (44 bb)

1st: $40,619 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $25,118

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 34: 100,000/200,000 with a 30,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 586

Ray Millard opened to 500,000 from the small blind and Andrew Kaplan called in the big to the flop. Millard bet 800,000, Kaplan announced all in and Millard quickly called.

Millard:
Kaplan:

Millard was ahead with the paired six and needed to dodge a king or diamond. The turn changed nothing but the river was good enough to send the pot to Kaplan. Millard was the at risk player and his night was over in third place.

Andrew Kaplan – 8,800,000 (44 bb)
Ray Millard – Eliminated in 3rd place ($18,367)

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 33: 80,000/160,000 with a 20,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 586

Andrew Kaplan opened to 360,000 from the small blind and Mitchell Lekarczyk called in the big to the flop. Both players checked, the turn came , and Kaplan check/called a 400,000 bet.

The river was , Kaplan checked, Lekarczyk bet 500,000 and Kaplan called with . Lekarczyk tabled for turned Broadway and the pot.

Soon after, Kaplan raised 380,000 from the small blind again and Lekarczyk called before the flop. Kaplan bet 350,000, Lekarczyk called, and the turn was . Both players checked, the river was and Kaplan checked again. Lekarczyk bet 300,000 and Kaplan quickly called with . Lekarczyk flipped up for the better two pair and the pot.

Mitchell Lekarczyk – 7,700,000 (64 bb)
Andrew Kaplan – 3,100,000 (26 bb)

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 33: 80,000/160,000 with a 20,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 3 of 586

Ray Millard opened to 400,000 from the button and Dan Kent moved all in for 1,650,000 from the small blind. Andrew Kaplan released his big blind and Millard quickly called.

Kent:
Millard:

“Queens again!” Kent said.

Earlier at the final table, Kent cracked queens with ace-deuce but he was drawing dead on the turn as the board ran .

Ray Millard – 6,900,000 (58 bb)
Dan Kent – Eliminated in 4th place ($13,629)

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 32: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 586

At the four-handed table, Andrew Kaplan began taking charge and picking up chips against the two bigger stacks ahead of him.

In a battle of the blinds against Mitchell Lekarczyk and the board reading , Kaplan bet 300,000 and Lekarczyk raised to 750,000. Kaplan put in a fourth bet to 1,500,000 to take the pot.

Soon after, he defended his big blind against Ray Millard to the flop. He checked, Millard bet 500,000 and Kaplan called. They both checked the turn and river. Kaplan tabled aces up to chip up more.

Seat 3: Dan Kent – 2,200,000 (18 bb)
Seat 4: Andrew Kaplan – 6,200,000 (52 bb)
Seat 7: Mitchell Lekarczyk – 3,800,000 (32 bb)
Seat 9: Ray Millard – 5,400,000 (45 bb)

$400 Monster Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 32: 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 4 of 586

John Gorsuch open-shoved from the cutoff and Dan Kent moved all in as well from the small blind. Andrew Kaplan released his big blind and the hands were tabled.

Gorsuch:
Kent:

“I deserve this one!” Kent joked.

And he got it on the flop to take the lead. The turn and river completed the board and Kent doubled his 1,135,000 stack. Gorsuch was left with 260,000 and was gone two hands later in fifth place.

Dan Kent – 2,490,000 (21 bb)
John Gorsuch – Eliminated in 5th place ($10,225)