2026 Pure Poker Tour Series #3 – Event #6: $560 NLH PKO

Johnny Dalphond was in control for most of the final table, with the biggest stack throughout. Stefan Maloney briefly took over the lead at one point, but Dalphond was dialed in and running hot, and quickly regained it. After he sent Jo Teliani out in 3rd place, he was on a mountain of chips, with runner-up Benny Sarnelli running on fumes.

The final hand didn’t take long to materialize, and it was a pretty decisive spot for Dalphond. He shoved and Sarnelli called off his fumes with king-high. It was all over on the flop, however, when Dalphond smashed quad fives. The turn and river were irrelevant, and Dalphond scooped his second live win and first PPT trophy. Both players got $6k from the prize pool, while Sarnelli added $475 in bounties and Dalphond bumped his cash by more than $5,500.

Johnny Dalphond raised to 125k from the button, and Jo Teliani called from the big blind. It all kicked off on the 10♠5♣A♠. Teliani checked before Dalphond shoved the covering stack. Teliani hit the tank before calling it off with a spade draw against an ace for Dalphond.

The turn and river bricked for Teliani, while Dalphond rivered a third ace for the win. Teliani scorec $4k from the prizes plus an extra $2,080 in bounties.

Shabab Khan shoved about 10 big blinds, and Jo Teliani called it off. Khan had a suited king-deuce, but Teliani woke up with ace-queen and held for the win. Khan added $525 in bounties to his $3,300 in prizes.

The PKO field is down to 4 after Stefan Maloney hit the rail for 5th place tonight. Maloney jammed pocket fours, but Johnny Dalphond woke up with eights and called. Dalphond flopped a set and turned a boat to send Maloney home.

Maloey earned $3,845 in combined prizes & bounties tonight.

The PKO is down to five after Tyler Foran sent his stack to Stefan Maloney. Maloney flopped a set of fives, and Foran couldn’t find the outs he needed with his ace-eight.

Jo Teliani raised to 50k, before Tyler Foran shoved the cutoff. Teliani was in the tank until someone at the table jokingly asked “What would Weston do?” as Weston Pring is railing the final six.

“Oh, he’d fold,” Teliani joked. “I call.”

She was on ace-four offsuit against pocket eights for Foran, and the eights held on a board of 3♣9♥6♦6♥10♥.

Teliani then doubled back up the next hand, when her sixes held against ace-king.

Shabab Khan raised the button to 40k before Stefan Maloney made it 200k to go from the big blind. Khan muttered about raising light, then folded, showing the ace of clubs. Maloney let him know it was a good fold by showing ace-queen as he collected the pot.

In the final hand before the break, Jeffrey Weiss got it in against Jo Teliani on the turn. He was on pocket nines on a ten-high board, but Teliani had two pair and a flush draw and held to win it.

Jo Teliani raised to 40k from the hijack, and Stefan Maloney called from the small blind. Maloney check-called for 40k on the 5♦Q♣Q♦ flop, and they both checked the 5♣ turn.

Maloney slid out 100k on the 8♣ river, and Teliani mucked her cards to send the pot to Maloney.

They are down to 7 quickly on the final table. Shane Hall was the first to fall in 9th place, followed shortly by Ning Zhuang in 8th. I missed the action while I was getting the pictures uploaded.

It was quick action down to the final table after hand-for-hand was completed, with Kevin Voyer out in 11th, and Braedon Worobetz out in 10th. They are now setting the final table – stay tuned for final table faces.

The PKO game is in the money after Michael “Berny” Bernstein couldn’t win a race. Stefan Maloney raised to 40k from the cutoff, and it folded to Berny in the big blind. He was on fumes, and after a long tank, made the call with ace-jack of hearts.

Maloney was on pocket sixes, but Berny flopped huge with a flush draw. The turn and river weren’t as friendly, however, and he bricked the 3♥10♥9♣4♠7♦ board. The remaining 11 players are now guaranteed at least $860 from the prize pool, while the top two players are set to make $6k, with the final bounties making up the difference for the winner.

Jo Teliani raised to 30k from the cutoff before Jeffrey Weiss shoved 121k. Teliani tanked for a bit, muttering about “committing herself” before tossing in the call.

She was on a suited king-deuce against pocket queens for Weiss, and the queens held, though Teliani turned a club draw on J♥6♥9♣6♣5♠.

The game is now hand for hand with 19:53 remaining in Level 19. Sean Chapman was the soft bubble tonight after he jammed ace0king suited and Johnny Dalphind called off with the big stack and a pair of tens.

The tens held on a board of 6♦3♠J♠6♠7♠. The next elimination will put the remaining players in the money.

It folded to Kevin Voyer in the small blind, and he shipped his last 65k. Tyler Foran had a look in the big blind, and called it off with more. Foran was on a suited queen-nine in diamonds, while Voyer was on an off-suit ace-five.

Foran flopped some straight outs, but Voyer turned his five and held on a board of 7♠J♦8♥5♣3♦.

They are down to 13 left in the PKO, two off the money, with 20 minutes to play in Level 18. They’ll go hand-for-hand after the next elimination for the bubble play.

They are 6 off the money as Level 17 begins.

The PKO game is down to the final two tables with about 20 minutes to play in Level 16. They’ll take a break following this level, and I’ll get a full round of counts while they are away.

The PKO field is at 21 players now, putting them 10 off the money spots with about 25 minutes to play in Level 15. They’ll take another break following Level 16, and I’ll grab full counts for all players on that break.

The PKO game is down to 27 remaining on the final three tables now. 20 minutes remain in Level 13, and they are now 16 players away from the money spots for tonight.

The PKO field is down to 32 remaining, with 11 paid spots later tonight. I’m not paying too much attention to this one as Event #3 is still four-handed at the final table. Once that game finishes, I’ll devote more attention to this one.

The prizes are in, and the field is confirmed at 108 entries. That means 11 players will share in $29,700 in prizes later tonight, with $21,600 in bounties out there.

The PKO game is back in action after the dinner break, and entries are now closed. The final tally on the board is 108 entries, and if that holds, it should mean 11 players sharing in $29,700 in prizes later tonight, with $21,600 extra in bounties in the field.

I’ll confirm all the numbers when the prizes are posted shortly.

The side game is over 100 entries, with about 13 minutes to play in Level 7. Among the recent entries was Jody Fayant, who jumped into this one immediately after busting Day 2 of Event #3. Ron Lauzon, Stefan Maloney, Tyler Foran, Johnny Dalphond, DJ Sharma, Jeff Clarke, Suru Patel, Ryan Comely, Kyle Levicki, Jordan Banfield, and Alex Liu are among the other players in the game right now.

The combined prizes are nearing $45k with 92 entries on the board. Level 6 has about 8 minutes to play, and there are two more levels of open entry following this level.

Entries remain open through the 30-minute break following Level 8, but will close when they sit down for Level 9 at about 6:45 PM, about 95 minutes from now.

The PKO game is on the first break of the day, and there are still four more levels with open entry to follow the break. With 79 entries on the board, it looks like a reasonable bet for this game to crack 100 entries before the entry desk shuts down at about 6:45 PM. Note that I said in my opening post that entries were open until 7 PM, but I had the wrong dinner length in my spreadsheet, so please note that entries will close 15 minutes earlier than originally advertised, at 6:45 PM.

The PKO game is growing quickly in the early play. The field is about 20 minutes from their first break, and there are already more than 70 entries on the board. That puts the combined prizes at $34,200, with $14,400 of that in the bounty pool, and the rest waiting for payouts later tonight.

Action for the PKO is in Level 2, with the field now at 53 entries. That puts the combined prizes at more than $25k – note that my first prize pool calculation in the opening post for this event was incorrect as I was using the wrong buy-in value in my spreadsheet, but I should have accurate numbers now.

The PKO side game is underway, with 34 entries on the board in the opening level. Among the players in their seats to start are Cindy Grabia, Shane Hall, Keith Stick, Johnny Dalphond, Weston Pring, and Ramaz Haymour.

Event #6: $560 NLH PKO ($300 + $200 + $60)

The Sunday side game is a Progressive knockout (PKO). $200 from each buy-in goes to the starting bounty, but as players are eliminated, half their bounty goes into the winner’s pocket with the other half going into their bounty total. For example, if a player knocks another out in the first hand, they will get $100 right away, while their own bounty increases to $300.

The action starts at 2 PM, and players have 8 levels to buy in or rebuy. That should mean the desk closes at about 7 PM, and after that, they’ll play down to a winner.

In the May series, Ed Sorensen was the winner of this one, taking down Ali Razzaq heads up. The game drew 82 entries for combined prizes of $38,950.

Johnny Dalphond was in control for most of the final table, with the biggest stack throughout. Stefan Maloney briefly took over the lead at one point, but Dalphond was dialed in and running hot, and quickly regained it. After he sent Jo Teliani out in 3rd place, he was on a mountain of chips, with runner-up Benny Sarnelli running on fumes.

The final hand didn’t take long to materialize, and it was a pretty decisive spot for Dalphond. He shoved and Sarnelli called off his fumes with king-high. It was all over on the flop, however, when Dalphond smashed quad fives. The turn and river were irrelevant, and Dalphond scooped his second live win and first PPT trophy. Both players got $6k from the prize pool, while Sarnelli added $475 in bounties and Dalphond bumped his cash by more than $5,500.

Johnny Dalphond raised to 125k from the button, and Jo Teliani called from the big blind. It all kicked off on the 10♠5♣A♠. Teliani checked before Dalphond shoved the covering stack. Teliani hit the tank before calling it off with a spade draw against an ace for Dalphond.

The turn and river bricked for Teliani, while Dalphond rivered a third ace for the win. Teliani scorec $4k from the prizes plus an extra $2,080 in bounties.

Shabab Khan shoved about 10 big blinds, and Jo Teliani called it off. Khan had a suited king-deuce, but Teliani woke up with ace-queen and held for the win. Khan added $525 in bounties to his $3,300 in prizes.

The PKO field is down to 4 after Stefan Maloney hit the rail for 5th place tonight. Maloney jammed pocket fours, but Johnny Dalphond woke up with eights and called. Dalphond flopped a set and turned a boat to send Maloney home.

Maloey earned $3,845 in combined prizes & bounties tonight.

The PKO is down to five after Tyler Foran sent his stack to Stefan Maloney. Maloney flopped a set of fives, and Foran couldn’t find the outs he needed with his ace-eight.

Jo Teliani raised to 50k, before Tyler Foran shoved the cutoff. Teliani was in the tank until someone at the table jokingly asked “What would Weston do?” as Weston Pring is railing the final six.

“Oh, he’d fold,” Teliani joked. “I call.”

She was on ace-four offsuit against pocket eights for Foran, and the eights held on a board of 3♣9♥6♦6♥10♥.

Teliani then doubled back up the next hand, when her sixes held against ace-king.

Shabab Khan raised the button to 40k before Stefan Maloney made it 200k to go from the big blind. Khan muttered about raising light, then folded, showing the ace of clubs. Maloney let him know it was a good fold by showing ace-queen as he collected the pot.

In the final hand before the break, Jeffrey Weiss got it in against Jo Teliani on the turn. He was on pocket nines on a ten-high board, but Teliani had two pair and a flush draw and held to win it.

Jo Teliani raised to 40k from the hijack, and Stefan Maloney called from the small blind. Maloney check-called for 40k on the 5♦Q♣Q♦ flop, and they both checked the 5♣ turn.

Maloney slid out 100k on the 8♣ river, and Teliani mucked her cards to send the pot to Maloney.

They are down to 7 quickly on the final table. Shane Hall was the first to fall in 9th place, followed shortly by Ning Zhuang in 8th. I missed the action while I was getting the pictures uploaded.

It was quick action down to the final table after hand-for-hand was completed, with Kevin Voyer out in 11th, and Braedon Worobetz out in 10th. They are now setting the final table – stay tuned for final table faces.

The PKO game is in the money after Michael “Berny” Bernstein couldn’t win a race. Stefan Maloney raised to 40k from the cutoff, and it folded to Berny in the big blind. He was on fumes, and after a long tank, made the call with ace-jack of hearts.

Maloney was on pocket sixes, but Berny flopped huge with a flush draw. The turn and river weren’t as friendly, however, and he bricked the 3♥10♥9♣4♠7♦ board. The remaining 11 players are now guaranteed at least $860 from the prize pool, while the top two players are set to make $6k, with the final bounties making up the difference for the winner.

Jo Teliani raised to 30k from the cutoff before Jeffrey Weiss shoved 121k. Teliani tanked for a bit, muttering about “committing herself” before tossing in the call.

She was on a suited king-deuce against pocket queens for Weiss, and the queens held, though Teliani turned a club draw on J♥6♥9♣6♣5♠.

The game is now hand for hand with 19:53 remaining in Level 19. Sean Chapman was the soft bubble tonight after he jammed ace0king suited and Johnny Dalphind called off with the big stack and a pair of tens.

The tens held on a board of 6♦3♠J♠6♠7♠. The next elimination will put the remaining players in the money.

It folded to Kevin Voyer in the small blind, and he shipped his last 65k. Tyler Foran had a look in the big blind, and called it off with more. Foran was on a suited queen-nine in diamonds, while Voyer was on an off-suit ace-five.

Foran flopped some straight outs, but Voyer turned his five and held on a board of 7♠J♦8♥5♣3♦.

They are down to 13 left in the PKO, two off the money, with 20 minutes to play in Level 18. They’ll go hand-for-hand after the next elimination for the bubble play.

They are 6 off the money as Level 17 begins.

The PKO game is down to the final two tables with about 20 minutes to play in Level 16. They’ll take a break following this level, and I’ll get a full round of counts while they are away.

The PKO field is at 21 players now, putting them 10 off the money spots with about 25 minutes to play in Level 15. They’ll take another break following Level 16, and I’ll grab full counts for all players on that break.

The PKO game is down to 27 remaining on the final three tables now. 20 minutes remain in Level 13, and they are now 16 players away from the money spots for tonight.

The PKO field is down to 32 remaining, with 11 paid spots later tonight. I’m not paying too much attention to this one as Event #3 is still four-handed at the final table. Once that game finishes, I’ll devote more attention to this one.

The prizes are in, and the field is confirmed at 108 entries. That means 11 players will share in $29,700 in prizes later tonight, with $21,600 in bounties out there.

The PKO game is back in action after the dinner break, and entries are now closed. The final tally on the board is 108 entries, and if that holds, it should mean 11 players sharing in $29,700 in prizes later tonight, with $21,600 extra in bounties in the field.

I’ll confirm all the numbers when the prizes are posted shortly.

The side game is over 100 entries, with about 13 minutes to play in Level 7. Among the recent entries was Jody Fayant, who jumped into this one immediately after busting Day 2 of Event #3. Ron Lauzon, Stefan Maloney, Tyler Foran, Johnny Dalphond, DJ Sharma, Jeff Clarke, Suru Patel, Ryan Comely, Kyle Levicki, Jordan Banfield, and Alex Liu are among the other players in the game right now.

The combined prizes are nearing $45k with 92 entries on the board. Level 6 has about 8 minutes to play, and there are two more levels of open entry following this level.

Entries remain open through the 30-minute break following Level 8, but will close when they sit down for Level 9 at about 6:45 PM, about 95 minutes from now.

The PKO game is on the first break of the day, and there are still four more levels with open entry to follow the break. With 79 entries on the board, it looks like a reasonable bet for this game to crack 100 entries before the entry desk shuts down at about 6:45 PM. Note that I said in my opening post that entries were open until 7 PM, but I had the wrong dinner length in my spreadsheet, so please note that entries will close 15 minutes earlier than originally advertised, at 6:45 PM.

The PKO game is growing quickly in the early play. The field is about 20 minutes from their first break, and there are already more than 70 entries on the board. That puts the combined prizes at $34,200, with $14,400 of that in the bounty pool, and the rest waiting for payouts later tonight.

Action for the PKO is in Level 2, with the field now at 53 entries. That puts the combined prizes at more than $25k – note that my first prize pool calculation in the opening post for this event was incorrect as I was using the wrong buy-in value in my spreadsheet, but I should have accurate numbers now.

The PKO side game is underway, with 34 entries on the board in the opening level. Among the players in their seats to start are Cindy Grabia, Shane Hall, Keith Stick, Johnny Dalphond, Weston Pring, and Ramaz Haymour.

Event #6: $560 NLH PKO ($300 + $200 + $60)

The Sunday side game is a Progressive knockout (PKO). $200 from each buy-in goes to the starting bounty, but as players are eliminated, half their bounty goes into the winner’s pocket with the other half going into their bounty total. For example, if a player knocks another out in the first hand, they will get $100 right away, while their own bounty increases to $300.

The action starts at 2 PM, and players have 8 levels to buy in or rebuy. That should mean the desk closes at about 7 PM, and after that, they’ll play down to a winner.

In the May series, Ed Sorensen was the winner of this one, taking down Ali Razzaq heads up. The game drew 82 entries for combined prizes of $38,950.