October 17-19
The number of big blinds Justin Vaysman had at one point during five-handed play at the final table.
- 1STJustin Vaysman$192,000
- 2NDSean Winter $124,800
- 3RDVictoria Livschitz$86,400
- 4THBrandon Wilson$64,000
- 5THTony Gregg$48,000
- 6THJoey Weissman$35,200
- 7THSam Laskowitz$25,600
Justin Vaysman entered the heads-up portion of play in Event #6 of the PokerGO Tour (PGT) Poker Masters with a significant chip deficit. And, to make matters worse, he was squaring off against one of the tour's most dominant regulars: Sean Winter.
With 19 big blinds to Winter's 61, Vaysman was in a tough spot to be sure – but after an hour of play he walked away with the Poker Masters trophy and a first PGT title.
While the heads-up rally was a key part of his comeback, it wasn't the start.
When Monday's seven-handed final table began, he was third in the chip counts. Winter held the chip lead, with Victoria Livschitz hot on his tail in second and Vaysman not far behind. Sam Laskowitz and Brandon Wilson were right there as well, in fourth and fifth respectively. Tony Gregg, a veteran player not often seen in the fields at the PokerGO Studio, and Poker Masters Event #3 champion Joey Weissman were the short stacks, but far from out of the fight.
Laskowitz took his leave in seventh place, soon after followed by Weissman. Then, during an extended period of five-handed play, Vaysman clashed with Winter in a blind versus blind spot that left him with 20K in chips – a fraction of a big blind.
That's where his comeback started.
Laskowitz and Weissman exit, Vaysman left with fumes
Laskowitz, having slipped down to a short stack across the first hour of play, committed the majority of his remaining chips with 
.
Livschitz called from the small blind with 
and the 
flop was gin for the Octopi Poker co-founder and CEO as she connected with bottom set.
Both players checked the flop, bringing in the 
turn to leave Laskowitz drawing dead. Livschitz's bet saw the rest of the chips go in and he made a prompt exit – well before the inconsequential 
completed the runout.
Weissman followed soon after, his 
downed by Livschitz's 
on a 
runout.
Victoria Livschitz drew first – and second – blood at the Poker Masters Event #6 final table. After an hour of play and no further eliminations, the showdown between Winter and Vaysman arrived.
From the small blind, Winter opted for maximum pressure by raising with 
, asking for all but 20K of Vaysman's chips to go in the middle. With , Vaysman made the call.
The two players checked the action all the way down on the 
runout and Winter won the pot with his rivered pair of sevens. Unlike Livschitz in the prior hand against Laskowitz, Winter was content enough to leave Vaysman on a short stack as it amplified the pressure he could apply to his opponents.
It was a decision he would ultimately regret.
Vaysman's super spin
With a chip and a chair still to his name, Vaysman was alive, but in need of a serious spin – and that's what he got.
The very next hand dealt, he was forced all-in by paying the small blind. Winter moved in from the button with 
, prompting Wilson to fold an unsuited version of the same hand in the big blind. The 
runout saw Vaysman's 20K turn to 140K, enough to last him another few hands.
When Vaysman's big blind came around next, he was forced all-in again. This time, his 
looked rough up against Gregg's , but the 
runout saw him double up for a second time.
After another orbit of rags, Vaysman was again forced to play for all of his chips as the blinds hit him.
And, again, he doubled up – this time in considerably more dramatic fashion as his ran down Gregg's 
on a 
runout.
It was a tough couple of hands for Gregg, but his day was about to get a whole lot worse.
Tony Gregg's return to the PokerGO Studio ended in a fifth-place finish for $48,000. After raising with 
, he called off an ensuing jam from Winter. Against Winter's 
, Gregg was in decent shape to score a full double – even more so on the flop.
The turn 
and river were twin daggers, providing Winter with a runner-runner flush and sending Gregg out the door in fifth place. Vaysman, meanwhile, was the happy recipient of a nearly $20,000 pay ladder.
He added more chips to his stack a few hands later when his held up against Winter's 
.
Winter had raised from under-the-gun and Vaysman opted to min-click raise. The two then checked it down on the 
runout and Vaysman hauled in the pot.
Following a break in play, a three-way all-in between Vaysman, Wilson, and Winter shook up the table.
Winter started the hand with an over-sized raise from the button with 
. Vaysman jammed from the small blind with and Wilson followed suit from the big blind with .
The Floridian called to put both players at risk and the 
runout saw Vaysman triple up with a straight. Wilson, meanwhile, was left with dust and Winter took a hit to his chip lead.
The last of Wilson's chips were summarily absorbed by Winter and only two hands were dealt during three-handed play. In the second, Livschitz moved all-in from the small blind with and ran smack dab into Winter's .
The case king materialized on the flop, leaving Livschitz drawing dead as the board ran out .
Completing the comeback
After treading water for most of the heads-up clash, Vaysman picked the right time to be a hero.
From the button, he limped in with and called a subsequent raise from Winter. The didn't connect in any meaningful way with Winter's 
, but he had the range advantage and was ready to wield it, firing out a small bet. Vaysman made the call to bring in the turn and Winter dialed up another small bet.
After a moment of thought, he called again and the completed the board. Winter fired a final shell, moving all-in for the rest of it, but Vaysman hadn't come this far to fold the river and he tossed in a stack of chips for a call.
With that, he took the chip lead. And then two hands later, he closed out the win.
Images courtesy of Antonio Abrego/PokerGO Tour
