PokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion: Robert Notkin

In a hand that was as surreal as can be, online satellite qualifier Robert Notkin managed to eliminate the 3 other final players to become the 2014 PokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion!

It all started when Robert limped into the pot from under the gun holding King of Clubs King of Hearts, and was followed by an all-in from Justin Miller (400,000) with King of Spades Queen of Hearts, another all-in from Vincent Jacques (7,000,000) with Ace of Hearts 10 of Diamonds, and a third all-in from Ryan Rivers (1,025,00) 8 of Clubs 8 of Hearts. Robert had all three of them covered, and made the call with the second best hand in poker, pocket kings.

The board ran out 3 of Hearts 7 of Diamonds Jack of Spades 7 of Hearts 5 of Clubs, and in just one hand, the tournament went from 4-handed down to one champion: Robert Notkin! His first place finish earned him an impressive $366,660 prize, as well as the PokerStars Canada Cup Champion’s trophy! Not a bad return for a man who invested $30 into a satellite on PokerStars.

Based on the stack sizes, Vincent Jacques placed 2nd place for $257,280, Ryan Rivers in 3rd place for $165,280, and Justin Miller in 4th place for $122,410.

Congratulations Robert Notkin!

PokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion: Robert Notkin, $366,660

PokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion: Robert NotkinPokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion: Robert NotkinPokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion: Robert NotkinPokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion: Robert NotkinLast Hand of the PokerStars Canada Cup Main Event: 4-Way All-inPokerStars Canada Cup Main Event Champion: Robert Notkin

2nd place: Vincent Jacques, $257,280

Vincent Jacques

3rd place: Ryan Rivers, $165,280

Ryan Rivers

4th place: Justin Miller, $122,410

Justin Miller

Rivers hangs around

  • Level: 31
  • Small Blind: 60K
  • Big Blind: 120K
  • Ante: 20K
  • Chip Average: 4.3M
  • Remaining: 4
  • Entries: 578


  • Ryan Rivers seems to be playing survivor rather than poker at this final table of the Main Event of the PokerStars Canada Cup, and has recently doubled his short stack up once again. Joe Stapleton made an amusing comment earlier in the PokerStars.tv live stream, saying that ‘Rivers is better at laddering up than Mario in a Donkey Kong video game’. He has been on the short side of the leaderboard right from the start, but has managed to ladder up to the top 4, guaranteeing himself at least $122,410.

    In the most recent hand, Rivers found himself all-in preflop with Ace of Diamonds King of Hearts versus the Ace of Clubs 10 of Clubs of Vincent Jacques, and managed to double his 890K stack up on the 4 of Diamonds King of Spades Queen of Clubs 10 of Spades 7 of Spades board.

    Miller doubles up

  • Level: 31
  • Small Blind: 60K
  • Big Blind: 120K
  • Ante: 20K
  • Chip Average: 4.3M
  • Remaining: 4
  • Entries: 578


  • Justin Miller just doubled up his 1.5M stack by limp-calling an all-in from Vincent Jacques in a battle of the blinds.

    Justin: 7 of Spades 7 of Hearts

    Vincent: King of Hearts Queen of Diamonds

    Board: Ace of Spades 5 of Spades 6 of Spades Ace of Clubs Queen of Spades

    Chip counts of final 4

  • Level: 30
  • Small Blind: 50K
  • Big Blind: 100K
  • Ante: 10K
  • Chip Average: 4.3M
  • Remaining: 4
  • Entries: 578


  • With the recent elimination of Rayan Chamas in 5th place, here is how the chips are currently spread out:

    Final Table

    1. Thiago Nishijima – eliminated 7th: $61,300
    2. James Armstrong – eliminated 9th: $36,660
    3. Francois Goulet – eliminated 8th: $48,880
    4. Ankush Mandavia – eliminated 6th: $73,520
    5. Rayan Chamas – eliminated 5th: $91,760
    6. Robert Notkin – 7.125M
    7. Justin Miller – 2.995M
    8. Vincent Jacques – 6.425M
    9. Ryan Rivers – 840K

    5th place: Rayan Chamas

  • Level: 30
  • Small Blind: 50K
  • Big Blind: 100K
  • Ante: 10K
  • Chip Average: 4.3M
  • Remaining: 4
  • Entries: 578


  • Rayan Chamas, known for his online success as ‘zebest_666’, has had quite the ride here at this Main Event of the PokerStars Canada Cup. He held the early chip lead for most of Day 1b before getting crippled near the end. He managed to reclaim the chip lead in Day 2 after making a huge call on the money bubble for nearly his tournament life, and kept a healthy stack all the way until the final table. His aggression payed off in many spots throughout the tournament, but in the last few orbits he lost a number of pots, dwindling his stack down to under 15 big blinds.

    On his last hand, Rayan shoved his last 1.395M from under the gun with King of Clubs Jack of Hearts, and got the call from Robert Notkin with Ace of Diamonds Queen of Diamonds in the cutoff. Rayan failed to improve on the 6 of Hearts 7 of Diamonds 6 of Clubs Queen of Clubs 9 of Clubs board, effectively ending his Main Event run in 5th place.

    5th place: Rayan Chamas, $91,760

    Rayan Chamas

    Notkin extends his lead

  • Level: 29
  • Small Blind: 40K
  • Big Blind: 80K
  • Ante: 10K
  • Chip Average: 3.5M
  • Remaining: 5
  • Entries: 578


  • Robert Notkin just extended his chip lead by taking a big pot from Rayan Chamas.

    In an unopened pot, Rayan opened from the button to 160K with Queen of Spades 10 of Spades, to which Robert replied with a 3bet to 665K with Ace of Clubs King of Spades. The flop ran out 4 of Hearts King of Hearts Jack of Clubs, and Robert check-raised to 1.15M after Rayan bet 475K. Both players checked the 8 of Clubs turn, and on the 2 of Diamonds river, Robert threw in 500K, which was uncalled.

    With that pot, Robert now has over 6.5M and is in the chip lead.

    Chip counts of final 5

  • Level: 29
  • Small Blind: 40K
  • Big Blind: 80K
  • Ante: 10K
  • Chip Average: 3.5M
  • Remaining: 5
  • Entries: 578


  • Here are the chip counts of the final 5:

    Final Table

    1. Thiago Nishikima – eliminated 7th: $61,300
    2. James Armstrong – eliminated 9th: $36,660
    3. Francois Goulet – eliminated 8th: $48,880
    4. Ankush Mandavia – eliminated 6th: $73,520
    5. Rayan Chamas – 2.650M
    6. Robert Notkin – 5.405M
    7. Justin Miller – 2.915M
    8. Vincent Jacques – 4.850M
    9. Ryan Rivers – 1.560M

    6th place: Ankush Mandavia

  • Level: 29
  • Small Blind: 40K
  • Big Blind: 80K
  • Ante: 10K
  • Chip Average: 3.5M
  • Remaining: 5
  • Entries: 578


  • Online shark Ankush ‘pistons87’ Mandavia was sitting with under 15BB when he open jammed from middle position. Justin Miller made the call from the button, committing 1.195M chips, and they went heads-up to the flop:

    Ankush: Ace of Hearts 9 of Spades

    Justin: 9 of Diamonds 9 of Hearts

    Justin hit a flush on the Jack of Clubs 2 of Diamonds 6 of Diamonds Queen of Diamonds 5 of Diamonds board, and Ankush got a warm congratulatory applause from his rail for his 6th place finish.

    6th place: Ankush Mandavia, $73,520

    Ankush Mandavia

    7th place: Thiago Nishijima

  • Level: 28
  • Small Blind: 30K
  • Big Blind: 60K
  • Ante: 5K
  • Chip Average: 2.5M
  • Remaining: 7
  • Entries: 578


  • After losing big pots to Vincent Jacques and Robert Notkin, Thiago Nishijima fell on the short side of the leaderboard. He eventually got his last 795K all-in preflop with King of Spades 10 of Spades, and was called by Robert holding Ace of Spades Jack of Diamonds.

    Thiago couldn’t improve his hand on the 9 of Clubs 3 of Clubs 2 of Diamonds Queen of Spades Queen of Hearts board, and his Main Event run ended in 7th place.

    7th place: Thiago Nishijima, $61,300

    Thiago Nishijima

    Miller survives his all-in

  • Level: 28
  • Small Blind: 30K
  • Big Blind: 60K
  • Ante: 5K
  • Chip Average: 2.5M
  • Remaining: 7
  • Entries: 578


  • Justing Miller fell to just below 1 million in chips before getting all of them into the middle with Ace of Diamonds King of Hearts. He was up against the Ace of Hearts 10 of Spades of Robert Notkin, who has been running quite well so far in this tournament.

    Robert outflopped Justin on the 10 of Hearts Ace of Spades 2 of Hearts flop, but the running Jack of Clubs Jack of Diamonds gave Justin the winning hand, who doubled to around 2 million.