PGT PLO: Sean Troha Wins $10,000 Eight-or-Better Event

Sean Troha is establishing himself as a player to be reckoned with in high-stakes pot-limit Omaha tournaments. The North Olmsted, Ohio native exploded last summer by winning the $10,000 pot-limit Omaha Championship Event at World Series of Poker for his first bracelet and grand prize of over $1.2 million. This week he secured his second biggest win at the circuit as of 2023 PGT extension PLO extension series, besting a field of 80 entries in the $10,000 pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better event for $200,000.

This latest title run saw Troha eclipse $2 million in career tournament earnings. The win also resulted in a string of ranking points being added to Troha’s 2023 tally. The 480 Card player The Player of the Year points he was awarded for his fifth-place finish at the final table of the year were enough to put him within striking distance of the top 100 in the standings POY extension ranking presented by Global Poker. He also earned 200 PGT extension points for her second qualifying score in that race, moving up to 26th in the 2023 PGT extension rankings consequentially.

This event kicked off on Tuesday, March 14 and attracted 80 entries by the time registrations closed, building up an $800,000 prize pool. At the end of day 1, only six contenders remained with a shot at the title, with Troha leading a tight group of four at the top of the leader board.

Jake Schwartz started day 2 as the second short stack, but was ultimately the first to bust. He was beaten by the live ace and deuce by a minimum held by two-time bracelet winner Yuval Bronshtein and eliminated in sixth place ($48,000).

2023 PGT extension Mixed games Mixed triple draw event winner Nick Guagenti was next to fall when he ran into set nines from two-time bracelet winner Michael Wang. Guagenti earned $64,000 as the fifth-place finisher.

Bronshtein gasped after doubling up short stack Paul Zappulla. In his final hand, Wang hit an eight-high straight and a low 7-6-5-4-2 to win the pot and bust Bronshtein with $80,000.

Zappulla was soon the only all-in and at risk, with his second pair and open-ended straight draw behind Troha’s set of fives and flush draw with one card to come. The river was no help for Zappulla who settled for $104,000 for third place.

Heads-up play began with Wang leading Troha by about 2:1. That soon changed when Troha doubled up with trip sevens to beat pocket kings. The final hand ended the raising war with all of Wang’s chips in the middle with AQ73. Troha held QQ65. The board went down K10697 and Troha’s pocket queens for the top was enough to take down the pot and eliminate Wang in second place ($136,000).

Here’s a look at the prizes and ranking points awarded at the final table:

Photo credit: PokerGO / Antonio Abrego.