11 Nov 2024
3 min to read
The confetti exploded yesterday for the second edition of the $5,300 Main Event of the PokerStars North American Poker Tour Las Vegasand it is Nick Marchington who had the honor of brandishing the trophy, succeeding the French Sami Bechahed last year, and the impression of living a dream.
The 26-year-old British professional entered the final table as chip leader and continued his momentum, putting in one of the most impressive performances in recent times, before being crowned NAPT champion and winning the first price of $765,200.
“It was truly a dream. It’s one of the most fun experiences I’ve had playing poker,” Marchington said after winning the title. “Obviously, everyone likes to come in as the chip leader, and I was very lucky to be able to hold that lead and not come close to losing it for most of the final table.
Final Table Results NAPT Las Vegas Main Event 2024
| Rang | Player | Pays | Prix (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Marchington | United Kingdom | $765,200 |
| 2 | Joel Micka | United States | $478,450 |
| 3 | Jeff Madsen | United States | $341,750 |
| 4 | Marco Johnson | United States | $262,900 |
| 5 | Curt Kohlberg | United States | $202,250 |
| 6 | Masato Yokosawa | Japan | $155,550 |
| 7 | Brock Wilson | United States | $119,650 |
| 8 | Matt Affleck | United States | $92,000 |
Marchington overcame a field of 895 of the toughest players from the United States and around the world to win the biggest title of his young career. But it wasn't the first time he found himself in the poker spotlight. Five years ago, Marchington, then 21, made the final table of the world's biggest tournament, the WSOP Main Event, ultimately finishing in seventh place. He was then a newcomer to poker tournaments, with only one ITM under his belt. Today, five years older and more mature, he was better prepared to face the present moment.
» I think when I entered the Main Event in 2019, I was like a sissy, especially in tournaments. I was very inexperienced at poker, and now, in life and in poker, I feel much more experienced. I’ve been doing this for a living for six years now, and I felt much more ready for the whole final table experience,” he said.
Marchington beat her Joel Micka heads-up and, as befits such a performance, only needed one hand to achieve it. Marchington finished with a seven-high straight to beat six-high straight Micka. For the Washington native, it was the second time he came close to victory in a PokerStars event, after finishing second at the PCA in 2013. The victory allows Marchington to surpass $3 million in live winnings in career and to have his first championship title.
Five years ago, he fulfilled every poker player's dream of making the final table of the WSOP Main Event. Today, he had the pleasure of lifting the trophy at one of the most prestigious events on the poker calendar, a feeling he won't soon forget.
“PokerStars main events are the most prestigious to win, so it's great to win one. And it's a really cool trophy. It’s a memory that will stay with me forever,” he said.
This concludes the coverage with PokerNews of the NAPT Main Event 2024. PokerStars Live will then travel to EPT Prague from December 4-15, and PokerNews will be on hand to provide updates throughout the festival.
David Salituro
