The $2 Million GTD Lodge Championship Series $3,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event concluded, with Michael Liang winning the coveted title and the top prize worth $428,000. The victory marked Liang’s third largest career score, trailing his $606,890 for his runner-up finish in the 2021 WPT Venetian main event and the $515,014 he scored for a second-place in a $25,000 high roller at the 2021 WSOP. He now has more than $3.1 million in live poker tournament earnings.
2024 Lodge Championship Series Main Event Final Day Action
This event drew 581 entries and paid out the top 63 finishers, with a min-cash worth $7,600. The final day began with 13 players, with Liang tied for third place in the chip counts.
The first knockout on the final table was WPT champion Ryan Van Sanford who lost a preflop race against Eitan Sternlicht to finish ninth ($36,000). Sternlicht won another preflop all-in showdown, with his pocket nines holding up against the pocket queens of Ebony Kenney (8th for $47,000).
The 2023 Lodge Championship Series main event champion Preston Duron bowed out in seventh place ($62,000) when his 6-4 failed to best the 7-6 of Pupillo. Andrew Ostapchenko then shoved his Q-J against Pupillo’s A-10 to exit in sixth place ($82,000). He was followed by Casey Diener whose A-10 ran into A-Q of Liang, who flopped aces to eliminate Diener in fifth place ($109,000).
Justin Carey (4th for $145,000) was the next to fall, with his pocket sevens losing against Pupillo’s A-K. Pupillo made two pairs to score the knockout. Sternlicht then called off with A-4 against Liang, who had shoved with pocket kings, which held up, busting Sternlicht in third place ($197,000).
Pupillo began the heads-up holding 18,640,000 to Liang’s 10,380,000. Liang quickly pulled ahead and built a sizable lead by the time the final hand arrived. On the final hand, Liang raised to 1,000,000 from the button with As 8c and Pupillo three-bet shoved with Kd 5d. Liang made the call and the board ran out 10d 7d 2c 9c 8s, giving Liang the pot as well as the coveted title. Pupillo earned $277,200 as the runner-up, taking his live earnings to more than $5.8 million.
2024 Lodge Championship Series Main Event Final Table Payouts (USD)
1st – Mike Liang ($428,000)
2nd – Nick Pupillo ($277,200)
3rd – Eitan Sternlicht ($197,000)
4th – Justin Carey ($145,000)
5th – Casey Diener ($109,000)
6th – Andrew Ostapchenko ($82,000)
7th – Preston Duron ($62,000)
8th – Ebony Kenney ($47,000)
9th – Ryan Van Sanford ($36,000)
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Image Credit: Lodge Card Club
