We have a new winner! Jason Comtois is the winner of the partypoker.net WPT National: Canadian Spring Championship! After less than 5 hours of play, Jason emerged victorious over the other final table players alongside his large group of friends and family who were there to support and cheer him on. Tony Dunst and Mike Sexton provided commentary during the live streamed final table which you can rewatch right here:
Live Stream
Mario Lim 6th (CAD $36,108)
Johnny Mazzaferro min-raised to 400,000, Mario Lim moved all in for about 2.2 million, and Mazzaferro called with 
. Lim turned over 
, and he needed to improve to stay alive. The board came out to 
, and Mazzaferro won the pot with his ace to eliminate Mario Lim in sixth place during level 33. Mario Lim took home CAD $36,108.
Alexander Wong 5th (CAD $44,586.)
The next elimination didn’t happen until about two hours later. Alexander Wong min-raised to 650,000, and Daniel Gagne called. The flop came out to 
, Wong bet 550,000, Gagne raised to 1,200,000, and Wong moved all in for 4,975,000. Gagne showed 
for top two pair, and Wong turned over 
. Wong needed to improve to stay alive. The turn was the , the river was the , and Gagne won the pot with two pair to eliminate Alexander Wong in fifth place. Alex took home CAD $44,586.
Johnny Mazzaferro 4th (CAD $59,762)
Johnny Mazzaferro exited the tournament next. Jason Comtois raised to 750,000, Johnny Mazzaferro moved all in, and Comtois called with 
. Mazzaferro turned over 
, and he needed to improve to stay alive. The board came out to 
, and Comtois won the pot with a pair of queens and his ace kicker to eliminate Mazzaferro in fourth place. Mazzaferro took home CAD $59,762.
Daniel Gagne 3rd (CAD $80,904)
Daniel Gagne was the next to bust out. Daniel Gagne raised to 850,000, John Paul Tabago re-raised to 2,000,000, and Gagne thought about it for a bit before he called. Both players checked to the turn on a board of 
, Tabago bet 2,000,000, Gagne raised to 4,000,000, and Tabago moved all in. Gagne called with for a king-high straight, and Tabago turned over 
for a set of nines. Gagne needed his hand to hold to stay alive. The river card paired the board with the 3s, and Tabago won the pot with a full house, nines full of threes, to eliminate Daniel Gagne in third place. Daniel took home CAD $80,904.
John Paul Tabago 2nd (CAD $124,758) Jason Comtois 1st (CAD $178,114)
The last elimination of the night happened less than an hour later. Jason Comtois raised to 925,000, John Paul Tabago re-raised to 2,600,000, and Comtois moved all in. Tabago called all in with 
, but he needed to improve to stay alive against the 
of Comtois. The board came out to 
, and Comtois won the pot – and the WPT National title – with two pair, kings and threes. John Paul Tabago finished as the runner-up, earning CAD $124,758. Jason Comtois won, earning CAD $178,114, a trophy, and a Playground Poker Club championship belt.
Another One For Quebec!
Comtois, who is from Chateauguay, a suburb of Montreal, also picked up the WPT crystal trophy and the coveted Playground Poker Champion’s belt around his waist. He was also not alone in celebrating his win with a big noisy rail which cheered each of his double ups with great enthusiasm but saved the loudest ovation for the final hand of the night!
“I’m happy to keep the WPT title in Quebec,” said emotional 27-year-old Comtois who has been playing poker for just two years and lives just minutes from the host venue. “It was great to have such great support – I really think my friends carried me through at times.”
Tough Field
There were 1,079 entries into this bumper event that took place March 27 – April 1 at Playground Poker Club in Montreal and like the corresponding event in 2013, it was Canadian and specifically the Quebec contingent who dominated the final stages. The popular event had a CAD $1,100 buy-in, three starting flights and next-day re-entry for all players. Amongst those failing to make the latter stages were Team partypoker.net’s Kara Scott as well as Playground Players Club members Antonio Esfandiari, Jeff Gross, Chanracy Khan and Gavin Smith. Team partypoker Mike Sexton and the WPT’s Tony Dunst commentated on the live stream.
The event was part of the Playground Poker Spring Classic featuring 10 additional events. Last year’s event was won by Toronto’s Amir Babakhani who triumphed over an all Canadian final table while Quebec featured prominently on the final tables of the last two partytpoker.net WPT Montreals, including inaugural winner Jonathan Roy. The record breaking partypoker.net WPT Montreal will return to Playground Poker Club in late November this year. We hope to see you there!
1 Comment
How completely exciting- high stakes poker. I am thinking of coming out of retirement myself, haven’t played in 15 years. These sort of purses make me extremely excited. I’ve been studying up with this: dick good luck to everyone!