Congratulations Kym Newgen ($104,320*), 2023 Stacked Poker Main Event Champion!
Kym Newgen is the 2023 champion of the Stacked Poker Championship Main Event after wrestling the chip lead off David Ewing for the title.
Newgen outlasted a record field of 266 entries to collect $104,320, after doing a heads-up deal with David Ewing.
Despite being well behind dominant chip leader at the start of day’s play, and slipping dangerously under the million mark at one point – Newgen’s performance was held with grace and a great deal of patience, scoring double ups and chips as Ty West and P.P. Huang were knocked out, and grinding it out to heads up.
His win capped a memorable week at Stacked Social, with the third-run of Stacked Poker Championship Main Event building on its success. Congratulations to the 2023 Main Event Champion Kym Newgen, and the Director of Stacked Poker, Andrew Michael, on a brilliant and entertaining tournament!
STACKED POKER CHAMPIONSHIP MAIN EVENT ($2,200 buy-in, 266 entries, 32 players paid)
| Place | Name | Amount |
| 1 | Kym Newgen | $104,320* |
| 2 | David Ewing | $95,000* |
| 3 | Gary Benson | $67,400* |
| 4 | Ryan Hong | $36,870 |
| 5 | Bunteoun Bok | $30,180 |
| 6 | P.P. Huang | $25,280 |
| 7 | Ty West | $20,000 |
| 8 | Fred Chaptini | $16,000 |
| 9 | Milan Mehta | $11,950 |
| 10 | Pierre Aoukar | $7,900 |
Well folks, it’s been a massive day for us here at Stacked Social, and we simply cannot thank you all enough for your continued support. From all of us here in Adelaide, it’s ‘bye for now!
David Ewing eliminated in 2nd place ($95,000*)
After an incredible performance and masterclass in running it up from 55,000 in chips earlier today, David Ewing fell just short of the Champion title, settling for runner up and a payout worth almost six figures.
Ewing went all in blind in the next hand after being left short with 750,000, with Kym Newgen easily making the call to the final heads up showdown:
Ewing: 7♣5♥
Newgen: 4♦2♥
The dealer fanned out 3♥6♣5♠Q♠A♠, giving Newgen the rivered straight for the win and eliminating Ewing.
| Kym Newgen | 13,300,000 |
| David Ewing | BUSTED! |
Massive downswing for Ewing
Kym Newgen opened on the button for 400,000 and David Ewing called. On the flop and turn, both checked to the river as the board was spread 6♣K♥3♦K♦4♦. Ewing check-called for 400,000 and turned up Q♥4♠ for the two pair win.
Several hands later, the balance of chips had already turned in Newgen’s favour as he limped on the button, Ewing raised to 400,000 and called Newgen’s 3 bet to 800,000.
On the flop 5♠Q♣J♥, Ewing checked, Newgen bet 500,000 then called after Ewing shoved all in for 1,400,000 and was snap-called.
Newgen: A♥A♦
Ewing: Q♠8♦
With the 3♥ turn and 10♠ river, Ewing’s stack was crippled to under 4BB as Newgen was the overwhelming chip leader.
| Kym Newgen | 12,550,000 |
| David Ewing | 750,000 |
Heads Up!
The blind level has now jumped up early after both David Ewing and Kym Newgen agreed to move it forward in order to colour up chips for their heads up. Both have agreed to play it out for $95,000 each, playing out the difference for the remainder and bragging rights to the title of 2023 Stacked Poker Championship Champion.
Both players’ stacks are evenly matched, with the chip counts at the start of heads up below:
| David Ewing | 6,845,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 6,495,000 |
Level 31: 100,000/200,000 (200,000)
Gary Benson eliminated in 3rd place ($67,400*)
Kym Newgen limped on the button and Gary Benson checked to take the action to the flop of 3♥A♦6♣. Benson quickly moved all in and was snapped up by Newgen.
Benson: K♣6♥
Newgen: A♠2♠
Newgen’s flopped top pair held through the 4♦ turn and 2♥ river, eliminating Benson as he went to collect his three-way deal payout*.
| Kym Newgen | 6,495,000 |
| Gary Benson | BUSTED! |
Kym climbing
Kym Newgen limped into the action pre from the button and both blinds David Ewing and Gary Benson checked. The flop dealt 2♣6♠J♦ to which Ewing put in 230,000 for Newgen to call after Benson folded.
Ewing made it 285,000 on the 8♥ turn, called by Newgen, before check-folding on the river 6♥ after Newgen bet 300,000.
| David Ewing | 6,180,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 5,800,000 |
| Gary Benson | 1,320,000 |
Level 30: 80,000/160,000 (160,000)
Ewing brewing more
David Ewing raised 260,000 on the small blind to Gary Benson on the blind to call. The flop 10♦8♦6♠ saw Benson bet 300,000, which Ewing check-raised to 2,700,000 and pressured a fold from Benson.
On the next hand, Ewing limped on the button, Benson made it 240,000 from the small and both Kym Newgen and Ewing called. Newgen bet 250,000 on the flop 3♦9♣2♥, called by the others to the J♥ turn. Both blinds checked and Ewing bet 565,000, prompting folds to take the pot.
Benson raised on the button a few hands later, called by Ewing in the big blind to see the flop 5♠3♠4♥. Ewing check-called 210,000 to the turn 2♥ which both checked, before Benson called Ewing’s bet 365,000 on the river Q♠.
Both players had connected a straight with an Ace in the hand, delivering a chopped pot and leaving Ewing as the clear chip leader with more than half the chips in play.
| David Ewing | 7,300,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 4,000,000 |
| Gary Benson | 2,000,000 |
Boos from Benson
Kym Newgen on the big blind raised after Gary Benson limped from small blind, then snap-called Benson after he shoved all in.
Both players chopped on 8♦4♥4♦5♠8♠ as they both held an Ace kicker with the two-pair on the board. Some great camaderie from our players as Benson started a round of boos as the dealer chopped the pot.
Talkin’ about Newgen-eration
After a deal was made between the remaining three players, the action on the felt has livened up with an incredible hand. Gary Benson and Kym Newgen in the small and big blinds respectively opened and called to the flop for 260,000. On the flop J♣A♥J♦, Newgen called Benson for 180,000. The turn J♦ saw both check, before Benson fired off all in and Newgen called him off, with A♠ hitting the river.
Benson: A♦10♠
Newgen: J♥5♣
The rail went ballistic as they saw Newgen had turned quads against Benson’s boats, an incredible showdown and big double up for Newgen!
| Kym Newgen | 5,630,000 |
| Gary Benson | 2,815,000 |
Ryan Hong eliminated in 4th place ($36,870)
Ryan Hong’s run has come to an end, after running up an incredible 60% of chips in play at one point which quickly crumbled over the last two levels. David Ewing opened 240,000 from the button, Hong moved all in from the small blind for little more than a million, with Gary Benson folding blind blind to move out of the way for Ewing to snap-call.
Ewing: A♠Q♥
Hong: J♣10♠
Hong hit first window, but was quickly pulled back under as Ewing hit top pair on the second window and held out on the board J♥Q♦7♣6♥4♣.
The clock has now been paused with three players remaining as they discuss a deal on the remaining payouts, so we have an update on the chip counts as they stand:
| Gary Benson | 5,550,000 |
| David Ewing | 5,000,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 2,800,000 |
| Ryan Hong | BUSTED! |
New era of Newgen
The tug of war for the chip lead continues after Kym Newgen scooped a pot of chips off Gary Benson. Benson opened pre to 250,000 from UTG, with Newgen calling from the button. On the flop 8♠Q♥10♠, Benson check-called Newgen for 300,000. Both checked down the 9♦ turn and 3♠ river, with Newgen turning up K♥Q♦ for the top pair, and Benson mucked.
| Kym Newgen | 3,900,000 |
| Gary Benson | 3,630,000 |
Level 29: 60,000/120,000 (120,000)
Break!
There’s been a lot of swings in play, so as our players head off for another break we bring you an update on the chip counts between our final four. There’s been a big change of order, with Gary Benson as our current chip leader, followed closely behind by David Ewing. Ryan Hong’s stack has taken a severe beating in the last two levels, slipping just under 2 Million and clinging on as the short stack behind Kym Newgen. It’s still anyone’s game, as Ewing has proven after an incredible grind!
Over on the other final table for the Stacked Poker Championship PLO High Roller event, Jin Li has emerged as the winner, besting Michael Tomeny heads up for the win. Congratulations to the champion, Jin Li!
The board played out 10♠7♥K♣A♦Q♦, with Li’s J♥10♦8♠7♦ finding a straight against Tomeny’s K♦Q♠6♣4♣ top two pair. We’ll have a full update on the results in our wrap later today.
For now, check out the chip counts for our Main Event final table:
| Gary Benson | 4,305,000 |
| David Ewing | 4,160,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 2,955,000 |
| Ryan Hong | 1,920,000 |
Tug of War
Ryan Hong is slipping down further in the ranks, as the balance of power is now shifting more quickly through the exchanges between the four remaining players.
Kym Newgen limped UTG, with Hong completing from the small blind and Benson checking the big blind. All players checked down the flop and turn J♦3♥8♠7♣, with the river J♠ prompting Hong to feel-bet 300,000, called by Newgen whose Q♥J♥ had rivered trips to scoop the pot.
Hong’s stack took a further hit after some blind-on-blind action, with Hong checking after David Ewing completed small blind. On the flop J♣10♣9♠, Hong called Ewing for 185,000, and then both checked on the 3♠ turn. Ewing fired off 590,000 on the 8♣ river and Hong called, mucking to Ewing who flipped up K♣5♣.
| David Ewing | 4,165,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 3,700,000 |
| Ryan Hong | 2,495,000 |
Ewing soaring
David Ewing has been slowly but surely building up his stack and climbing up. He checked on the big blind after Kym Newgen limped in from the small blind, and called for 200,000 on the flop 3♥2♥3♠. Newgen check-called Ewing for 330,000 on the 6♥ turn, before they both checked down the 9♣ river. Ewing raked in the pot with A♥6♠ for the two-pair. Astonishingly, after finding himself left with 55,000 in chips only 2 hours prior, David Ewing has grinded out to emerge as the current chip leader, very closely neck-and-neck with Ryan Hong.
| David Ewing | 4,480,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 1,485,000 |
Newgen in new gear
A big change of chips has been exchanged after Ryan Hong opened on the button to 200,000, with Kym Newgen calling from the big blind. On the flop 6♥2♠8♣ Newgen checked, Hong bet 200,000 before calling Newgen’s shove all in for 1,430,000.
Hong: Q♠8♠
Newgen: 7♣7♦
The board had something to offer both players, with Hong flopping top pair before Newgen turned a set on 6♥2♠8♣7♠, with the Q♣ river completing the board to award the pot to Newgen, closing the gap between the top two chip leaders.
| Ryan Hong | 4,200,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 3,170,000 |
Level 28: 50,000/100,000 (100,000)
Bunteoun Bok eliminated in 5th place ($30,180)
And then there were four! Another elimination not long after P.P. Huang has left, as Bunteoun Bok committed the last of his 450,000 effective stack on the button and was called from Ryan Hong on big blind. Bok’s K♥7♦ faced off against Hong’s A♦K♠, with Hong holding out on 4♦10♥3♠5♥9♠ to knock out Bok.
On the very next hand, we saw some blind-on-blind bullying action as the Hong plonked a column of pink 100K chips in, enough to cover Benson’s stack behind his big blind. Benson called short, taking the action heads up with his Q♥J♦ against Hong’s Q♣7♠, holding the edge and rivering second top pair on 3♣K♠4♦2♣J♥ to give Benson a full double up.
| Ryan Hong | 7,800,000 |
| Gary Benson | 1,700,000 |
| Bunteoun Bok | BUSTED! |
P.P. Huang eliminated in 6th place ($25,280)
P.P. Huang has exited the final table in sixth place after moving all in preflop and was called by David Ewing.
Ewing: A♠K♣
Huang: K♦Q♦
Huang’s royal suited connectors couldn’t find the edge against Ewing’s top offsuit cards, with the board 6♦8♣5♦10♥5♣ offering little and sending Huang to collect his cash.
| David Ewing | 2,050,000 |
| P.P. Huang | BUSTED! |
Ewing flying up
David Ewing isn’t giving up yet as he went all in for 620,000 UTG+1 and Kym Newgen called from the small blind. Newgen’s 8♣8♥ was a strong preflop favourite which fell behind Ewing’s A♣Q♥ as it flopped top pair and a subsequent two pair on 9♥4♠A♥K♦A♠, giving him a full double up.
| Kym Newgen | 1,845,000 |
| David Ewing | 1,440,000 |
Huang v Hong
P.P. Huang moved all in pre UTG+1 for 350,000, snapped up by massive chip leader Ryan Hong in the small blind. Hong’s A♥10♠ stood over Huang’s A♠5♥, but as the dealer spread 6♥8♣4♣7♣3♠, Huang rivered a straight to rake in the double up.
| Ryan Hong | 6,975,000 |
| P.P. Huang | 900,000 |
Level 27: 40,000/80,000 (80,000)
Break!
As our players take a quick 10-minute break and refresher, we bring you an updated round of counts from our remaining six players in the field. Ryan Hong has over 50% of the chips in play and a significant lead of a little more than 5 Million in chips to the second chip leader, Kym Newgen:
| Ryan Hong | 7,305,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 2,175,000 |
| Gary Benson | 1,615,000 |
| David Ewing | 830,000 |
| Bunteoun Bok | 810,000 |
| P.P. Huang | 730,000 |
Huang Up
P.P. Huang is still trying to stay in the game, doubling up through Kym Newgen. Newgen raised to 330,000, targeting Huang blind-on-blind and putting him all in to call and going heads up. Huang’s J♦5♠ was trailing far behind Newgen’s A♥2♦ top pair on the flop A♠3♠K♦ and Huang stood up to leave, but the turn 9♠ and river 4♠ redeemed Huang with a runner runner flush for the double.
Kym Newgen managed to claw back some chips and bounce back up in the next couple of hands, raising from the button to steal the blinds and another pot of chips off Bunteoun Bok and David Ewing.
| Kym Newgen | 1,950,000 |
| Bunteoun Bok | 680,000 |
| P.P. Huang | 610,000 |
Ty West eliminated in 7th place ($20,000)
The sun has set for Ty West after his stack struggled to stabilise against the growing stacks emerging in this final table. West went all in preflop for 215,000 and was called by Ryan Hong in blind-on-blind action. West was all in with 6♣9♥, but couldn’t pair up against Hong’s J♣8♦ on a board of A♠A♣Q♣K♦5♥, sending him to the rail. Hong now moves significantly further up as the dominating chip leader past the 6 Million mark.
| Ryan Hong | 6,290,000 |
| Ty West | BUSTED! |
Wind changes for West
Ty West’s stack has wildly fluctuated after the last series of hands. West defended his big blind after Kym Newgen made it 130,000 from the Hijack. The flop 9♦2♥8♦ saw West check-call for 200,000. On the 3♠ turn, West check-called Newgen’s all in for 745,000.
Newgen: Q♣Q♥
West: Q♠9♠
The river A♦ shut out any hope of a two outter for West, cripping his stack to a lowly 55,000 as Newgen moved back up past the 2 Million mark. On the next hand, West went all in UTG+1, finding two callers from the blinds in P.P. Huang (small blind) and Bunteoun Bok (big blind). Both Bok and Huang checked through the board 5♠3♦A♠10♥9♦, and West rolled over A♦5♣ for the triple-up.
| Kym Newgen | 2,300,000 |
| Bunteoun Bok | 795,000 |
| P.P. Huang | 335,000 |
| Ty West | 180,000 |
Ewing and a prayer
David Ewing has netted himself two consecutive double ups to stay in the game and improve the health of his stack. He moved all in from the cut off for 250,000 short stack, which Ty West shoved on top to isolate from the button. Ewing’s A♥6♣ managed to push back against West’s more strongly suited connectors A♦Q♦ on a spread of 3♠6♣7♥4♣10♦, the low pair good to double up to 650,000.
Ewing went all in a few hands later UTG, and Kym Newgen called on the button. Ewing’s A♥K♣ held more strongly against Newgen’s A♠9♠, without either hand hitting on the board 7♥5♠2♥7♣8♠, lifting Ewing back up past the Million mark.
| David Ewing | 1,450,000 |
| Ty West | 1,135,000 |
| Kym Newgen | 700,000 |
Not-so-comfortably Huang
There had been certainly no shortage of action up until the last few minutes of the previous level, but as the clock ticked over into Level 26.
From under the gun, Ty West raised to 110,000 and Hong called from the +1 position before action folded to P.P. Huang on the button, who also called to go three-handed to a flop of 5♦9♥3♣.
West opened for 225,000 and both Hong and Huang came along, keeping it three-handed to the turn of the 6♠, which then saw the action check to Huang.
Huang casually leant back in his chair, grabbed his latte from the side table, took a sip and smiled before putting it back down.
“Jeez, he looks so relaxed, doesn’t he?” chirped one of the railbirds.
“Looks like he’s about to light up a cigarette!” joked Kym Newgen.
Huang cut out a bet of 325,000 and pushed it out. West called, but then Hong deliberated for a good 90 seconds before firing out a check-raise of 925,000.
Another two minutes passed before Huang called. That prompted a fold from West, making it heads-up to the river of the A♣.
Hong then announced that he was all-in.
At this point, any signs of comfort that Huang had beforehand evaporated as he quickly jumped up out of his chair. Huang then sat back down, looked over his stack with a grimace and then reluctantly open-folded 5♠5♦.
Hong flashed the 9♠ before raking in the pot, which brought on a raucous cheer from the rail.
What did we just witness?!
| Ryan Hong | 7,060,000 |
| P.P. Huang | 1,140,000 |
| Ty West | 725,000 |
Level 26: 30,000/60,000 (60,000)
“You won, Gary!”
That was the cry from the table after Benson stood up on the showdown and walked over to the PLO High Roller final table to witness Amin Chehade’s knockout in third place, and was recalled back to the Main Event final table, as he asked of his win: “How?!”
Benson had opened UTG+1 for 100,000 and called by West defending big blind. The flop 4♣3♦8♣ quickly saw an all-in and call, after Benson bet 90,000 then called West all in.
Benson: A♣A♥
West: 3♠3♥
Benson saw the 3♦ which gave West the set, but the 4♣ had delivered the runner-runner nut flush for Benson to double up to 1,275,000. Nice, Gary!
In the next few hands, Benson raked in more chips for the road as he defended his small blind against Bunteoun Bok’s 110,000 raise from UTG+1. Benson fired out 100,000 on the flop which Bok flatted, and a further 125,000 bet on the turn which was called.
On the completed board of 6♦4♠8♣6♣7♠, Benson bet 320,000 on the river and Bok called. Benson’s 5♣5♠ connected a straight, good to take down the pot.
| Gary Benson | 2,450,000 |
| Ty West | 1,525,000 |
| Bunteoun Bok | 770,000 |
West moves north
A bit of lively banter flowing on our final table now as the players are settling in. P.P. Huang called a raise on his big blind from Ty West, check-calling for 125,000 on the flop J♣Q♠3♥. Both players checked it down through the A♠ turn and 7♣ river. As West showed J♠10♠ for the middle pair, Huang flashed a J♦ and mucked his hand.
Kym Newgen chatted up with Bunteoun Bok, “Got a call from my local this morning, I won a TV in a raffle!”
Bok: “How big is it?”
Newgen: “55 inches.”
Bok: “You can just give me that one, you still have one of my other TVs!”
(Rail laughs)
Bok: “This guy, borrowed a TV from me, never gave it back!”
Newgen: “It’s probably still in my garage!”
| Ty West | 2,380,000 |
| P.P. Huang | 2,040,000 |
Fred Chaptini eliminated in 8th place ($16,000)
The action is moving along very quickly now, as we bring you another elimination from the final table. Fred Chaptini opened UTG+1 to 150,000 and Ryan Hong defended his big blind. Thing quickly fired up on the flop 9♣8♠7♥, with Hong check-raising all in after Chaptini put in 285,000, then called Hong who easily had him covered.
Hong: 9♥8♥
Chaptini: Q♦Q♠
Hong had already made two-pair on the flop which held out on the remaining streets 2♣ and 5♦, denying Chaptini any outs for his overpair.
| Ryan Hong | 4,900,000 |
| Fred Chaptini | BUSTED! |
Milan Mehta eliminated in 9th place ($11,950)
Milan Mehta has met his match, after defending his big blind to call P.P. Huang’s 100,000 from the cut off. Action quickly heated up on a flop of 6♥8♦8♥, as Huang made it 75,000, and Mehta check-raised all in for a little over 600,000 and was snapped up.
Huang: K♦10♦
Mehta: J♥9♠
The board completed with 8♣ and 10♠ on the river for Huang to fill up and climb further up the leaderboard.
| P.P. Huang | 2,340,000 |
| Milan Mehta | BUSTED! |
Pierre Aoukar eliminated in 10th place ($7,900)
Ty West opened UTG+1 for 105,000 and Pierre Aoukar went all in for 380,000 effective from the lo-jack, called by West.
Aoukar: A♣Q♠
West: Q♣Q♦
Aoukar hit two pair on the flop 8♥8♣A♥, but was left reeling as West hit the one-outter Q♥ on the turn, and sent to the rail as the dealer flipped up 5♥ to complete the board.
| Ty West | 1,940,000 |
| Pierre Aoukar | BUSTED! |
Newgen generating
Kym Newgen is up and running after taking down a pot built to almost 1 Million. Milan Mehta opened 100,000 pre from middle position, and Newgen called from the big blind. On the flop of A♣J♣9♥, Newgen bet 80,000, and called Mehta’s raise to 180,000. Newgen check-called 200,000 on the 6♠ turn, and then both players checked the 7♥ river. Newgen flipped up A♣9♠ for the flopped two pair as Mehta mucked.
| Kym Newgen | 1,890,0000 |
| Milan Mehta | 675,000 |
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Our ten remaining players have taken to their seats as the unofficial final table, after agreeing late last night to shift the bubble to play today. We have a full rundown of the field’s stacks as they begin.
Final table draw
| Seat | Name | Chips |
| 1 | Bunteoun Bok | 1,310,000 |
| 2 | David Ewing | 815,000 |
| 3 | Milan Mehta | 1,175,000 |
| 4 | Ty West | 1,150,000 |
| 5 | Ryan Hong | 3,155,000 |
| 6 | Gary Benson | 870,000 |
| 7 | Pierre Aoukar | 510,000 |
| 8 | Fred Chaptini | 1,265,000 |
| 9 | Kym Newgen | 1,145,000 |
| 10 | P.P. Huang | 1,945,000 |
Level 25: 25,000/50,000 (50,000)
The final countdown
From wherever you’re watching in Australia, New Zealand or around the world, hello and welcome back to PokerMedia Australia for our final day of Live Reporting coverage of the Stacked Poker Championship Main Event!
After three days of action and 226 total entries, the field has been whittled down to just 10. Ryan Hong returns as the chip leader for our unofficial final table, holding 3.155 million in chips.
All our players have locked up a minimum of $7,900, and we’ll be playing down to a winner tonight, who will take home a whopping $134,000.
STACKED POKER CHAMPIONSHIP MAIN EVENT: REMAINING PAYOUTS (266 entries, 32 players paid)
| Place | Amount |
| 1st | $134,000 |
| 2nd | $85,320 |
| 3rd | $47,400 |
| 4th | $36,870 |
| 5th | $30,180 |
| 6th | $25,280 |
| 7th | $20,000 |
| 8th | $16,000 |
| 9th | $11,950 |
| 10th | $7,900 |
Play will resume at 2pm ACDT, so stay with us as the PMA Live Reporting Team bring you all the action until the final river falls!
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