Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2023 bestbet Winter Open
Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2023 bestbet Winter Open
Prize Pool
$580,425
Entries
327
Level
25
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
50,000
Entries
9
Players Left
1
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
He’s a high school football and baseball coach by profession, but Justin Macella of McRae, GA is also now a major tournament poker champion after defeating a field of 327 players to take down the $2,000 bestbet Winter Open Main Event for a career-best $122,017 score.
In an interesting twist that was fitting of some of the crazy events of the tournament, Macella defeated high-stakes cash game player Russell Quick heads-up. Quick was the same player Macella needed to hit a miracle two-outer against on Day 2 to survive when he jammed his ace-five into Quick’s ace-jack and needed not one but two fives to hit to survive after both players paired their kicker on the flop.
“When the hand happened, I kept telling myself he can’t run over me all day, he can’t always have it and I was making a bluff with it and didn’t expect to get called and didn’t expect to get called by ace-jack, he made a heck of a call. Now knowing afterwards, he wouldn’t be the player I pick to shove ace-five on. I thought I was out. But then the turn hits and here we are.”
Their heads-up match featured plenty of big pots and aggressive play with Quick taking the lead from Macella early in their one-hour duel. Macella clawed back and retook the lead late when he earned a disbelieving call with ace-high from Quick when he held a winning straight.
Macella won shortly after when he turned a better top pair versus Quick’s flopped top pair and Quick moved all in and got called.
After that key hand on Day 2, Macella said felt it was fitting that it was Quick that he got heads-up with for the title.
“It was fun. We have similar styles in that we’re both fearless, it doesn’t matter what two cards we’re holding, we’re willing to mix it up and find spots, so that was a lot of fun.”
bestbet Winter Open Main Event Final Table Results
| PLACE | NAME | HOMETOWN | PAYOUT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Macella | McRae, GA | $122,017 |
| 2 | Russell Quick | Jacksonville, FL | $81,343 |
| 3 | Thomas Carroll | N. Augusta, SC | $59,679 |
| 4 | Aftab Patni | Orlando, FL | $44,339 |
| 5 | Michael Frierson | Jacksonville, FL | $33,366 |
| 6 | Toby Boas | Sylva, NC | $25,437 |
| 7 | David Tuthill | St. Petersburg, FL | $19,648 |
| 8 | Maxwell Young | Portland, OR | $15,379 |
| 9 | Bryce McVay | Tampa, FL | $12,201 |
Final Table Action
The nine remaining players arrived with their eyes on taking home the lion’s share of the $580,425 prizepool, but it didn’t take long for the first player’s hopes to be dashed as Bryce McVay was eliminated within the first 15 minutes of play on the bestbetLIVE stage.
More tough competition fell early as Maxwell Young was eliminated before the first break in 8th place.
After the break the other two most accomplished players left in the field were the next to go as David Tuthill busted in 7th place and Toby Boas fell in 6th.
With a combined $7 million in career-tournament earnings now gone from the table, it felt like it could be Thomas Carroll’s tournament to lose, as the most accomplished player remaining was building chips and was just behind Macella.
However, following the elimination of Michael Frierson in 5th place, a rough stretch in level 24 shrunk Carroll’s stack and Macella solidified his lead again.
After Aftab Patni was eliminated in 4th place, Carroll’s run ended in 3rd place at the hands of Macella, leaving him heads-up with Quick for the title he would eventually claim.
Parting Words From the Winner
With his first career six-figure score now in the books after a great performance this week, Macella was asked if he’d be trading in his coaching whistle for more time on the tournament grind.
“No, no, I’m a high school coach, an old football and baseball coach. I do this on the side just to try to add some extra pocket change and have some fun from time to time. No, I’m not going pro or anything like that.”
Well, Macella certainly has a hefty bit of pocket change after Monday’s win. Congratulations to him for his impressive victory.
This concludes PokerNews’ coverage from the 2023 bestbet Winter Open. Stay tuned for more exciting coverage from live events around the world.
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
After Justin Macella limped with 
, Russell Quick raised to 250,000 with 
and Macella called.
The flop came 
giving Quick top pair, top kicker. He bet 375,000 and Macella called with his overcards and backdoor straight draw.
The turn hit Macella with the 
, now giving him top pair.
Quick moved all in for 2,635,000 and after a brief bit of thought, Macella called.
The high school football coach just needed to fade an ace or eight on the river to win the title.
The dealer dropped the 
on the river sealing the victory for Macella and sending Quick home with $81,343 for his 2nd place effort.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,810,000
3,965,000
|
3,965,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Russell Quick raised to 250,000 with 
and was called by Justin Macella with 
.
The flop came 
and both players checked.
The 
fell on the turn, giving Macella a straight and he bet 300,000. Holding the , Quick made the call.
The 
came on the turn and Macella bet 1,250,000.
Quick went into the tank and after about a minute he called with his ace-king high and saw that his hero call had failed, giving the chip lead back to Macella.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,845,000
1,665,000
|
1,665,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,965,000
-1,665,000
|
-1,665,000 |
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
In a limped pot, the flop came 
and Justin Macella checked his 
to Russell Quick who bet 100,000 with his 
Macella called with his second pair and saw the 
fall on the turn.
Macella checked again and Quick fired another 300,000 with his gutshot straight draw.
Macella called again and the board paired on the river with the 
.
He checked a final time and Quick moved all in for Macella's last 1,615,000.
The high school football coach gave it some thought then tossed chips forward with his pair of sixes which were good enough to double up and get him back into the match.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,630,000 | |
|
|
4,180,000 | |
|
|
||
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Russell Quick raised to 150,000 with 
and was called by Justin Macella with 
.
On the 
flop, Quick bet 100,000 and Macella continued his aggression with a raise to 325,000.
Quick called and the 
came on the turn. Macella now bet 450,000 and Quick moved all in.
Macella folded, leaving himself with just over two million chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,770,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
2,040,000
-1,100,000
|
-1,100,000 |
|
|
||
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Russell Quick quickly evened the stacks in heads-up play and has now taken a 2-1 chip lead over Justin Macella.
Macella raised to 150,000 preflop with 
and was called by Quick who held 
.
The flop came 
, giving Quick a straight. He bet 100,000 and Macella called with devious intentions that could quickly go awry.
On the 
turn, Quick now checked and Macella bet 375,000.
Quick called to see the 
fall on the river. He again checked and Macella now bet 1,000,000.
Quick asked Macella if he had the flush, to which Macella replied, "You're the one who makes hearts."
Quick called and dragged the huge pot which now sees Macella with a sizeable deficit for the first time all day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,670,000
3,175,000
|
3,175,000 |
|
|
3,140,000
-3,175,000
|
-3,175,000 |
|
|
||
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Thomas Carroll raised to 950,000 in the small blind, leaving himself 85,000 behind. Justin Macella called in the big blind.
The flop came 
and the last few chips went in instantly.
Thomas Carroll:
Justin Macella:
The turn was safe for Carroll, but the on the river eliminated Carroll and set up heads-up play between Macella and Russell Quick.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,315,000
1,135,000
|
1,135,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,495,000
-425,000
|
-425,000 |
|
Busted | |
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Justin Macella raised in the small blind to 150,000 with and got called by Russell Quick in the big blind with 
.
The players checked the 
flop, then on the 
turn, Macella check-called a bet of 200,000 from Quick.
The river completed Quick's flush and after Macella checked again, Quick bet 350,000.
Macella pondered for a bit then paid off the bet and saw Quick's flush.
With the win, Quick is now just over a million chips behind Macella's lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,180,000
-950,000
|
-950,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,920,000
925,000
|
925,000 |
Level 25
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Aftab Patni raised to 115,000 on the button and Russell Quick moved all in from the big blind for 690,000 effective.
Patni called it off and was at risk.
Aftab Patni:
Russell Quick: 
The flop came 
, pairing Quick's king and giving him the lead.
The turn gave Patni a gutshot, but the 
on the river cinched the hand for Quick.
Patni took home $44,339 for his 4th place effort, over four times more than his previous total career earnings.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,995,000
965,000
|
965,000 |
|
Busted |