In back-to-back final tables, going wire-to-wire with the chip lead in both, Michael Addamo took down the finale of the 2021 Poker Masters, Event #12 ($100,000 NLH), for a career-high live score of $1,160,000 as well as the Purple Jacket and $50,000 leaderboard prize.

Addamo somehow makes taking on some of the toughest competition in the world look easy. The Australian came in late to the series, played in just the final three events, and in 48 hours won two of them. He earned $1.84 million, was rewarded as the player of the series, and on this particular day, wrapped up the final table in a little under an hour.

“It’s insane, I’m incredibly tired, I’m looking forward to getting some sleep,” Addamo said right after the win. “It’s been an amazing run and I’m grateful the cards turned my way I guess.”

In the early action of the final table, Addamo continually leveraged his enormous chip lead to apply constant pressure on his opponents as Mikita Badziakouski, Alex Foxen, and Stanly Tang all had stacks of less than 15 big blinds and with significant pay jumps ahead.

Twenty-five minutes in, with the blinds at 15,000/30,000 (30,000 bb ante), Addamo raised from the button to 265,000 holding the . After Tang released his small blind, Badziakouski looked down at the and called off the rest of his short stack. The kept Badziakouski in the lead but offered Addamo gutshot straight outs to go with his overcards. That’s exactly what came in with the turn, giving Addamo a straight and leaving Badziakouski drawing dead to the river. Badziakouski fell in fifth place and picked up a score of $203,000.

The very next hand, Addamo was back at it. He raised to 420,000 from the cutoff holding and Tang, with exactly 420,000 in his stack, quickly pushed all-in on the button with his . Foxen and Nick Petrangelo folded in the blinds the two live hands were turned up, with Tang as a two-to-one favorite. The flop came keeping Tang in the lead but bringing Addamo open-ended straight outs to go with his nine. Yet again, Addamo spiked the card he was looking for on the turn when hit. Addamo picked up a pair and then it was Tang looking for help. The , however, was a brick, and Addamo sent Tang to the rail in fourth place for $319,000.

With the elimination of Tang, Foxen laddered the pay scale for more than $200,000, but his stack continued to slip. Minutes later, it was the two-time GPI Player of the Year’s turn to get it in. And this time, it wasn’t Addamo who he was up against. From the small blind, Foxen shoved his final eight big blinds with the and Petrangelo, in the big blind, quickly made the call with the . The put Foxen in jail, leaving him looking for runner-runner outs to a straight or trip fours. When the hit the turn, it was all over. Foxen was already pushing his chips into Petrangelo’s stack when the completed the board. Foxen grabbed his backpack and headed to the cashiers to collect his $464,000 third-place prize.

Once Foxen was eliminated, the race for the Poker Masters Purple Jacket was over. Thanks to his victory in Event #11 and the prize money he’d secured in the finale, Addamo had a future date to be fitted for the Poker Masters trophy as well as claim the additional $50,000 that goes along with it.

“I’m surprised it fits actually,” Addamo said as a break in the action allowed him to slip on the jacket for the first time. “It’s really amazing. I actually didn’t even there’d be a chance. I only came for three events. I didn’t know the points system would give me a chance, but yea, that’s amazing.”

“It definitely gives me a lot of confidence, but I guess there’s also a lot of luck in these tournaments. A lot of the players are very strong players I respect a lot. I’m very fortunate the cards went my way as well.”

But before any real celebrating could be done, Addamo and Petrangelo had a heads-up battle to finish. After a short break the two sat back down with Addamo having a four-to-one chip lead. Unlike some of the early final tables of the Poker Masters, where the heads-up portion took an extended time to complete, the finale was over in roughly 15 minutes.

The blinds were still at 15,000/30,000 when Petrangelo raised to 70,000 with the on the button and Addamo defended the big blind with the . The flop came and Addamo checked it over to Petrangelo who bet 50,000. Addamo then check-raised to 165,000 and Petrangelo opted for a call. The turn was the and Addamo checked it to Petrangelo who made it 250,000 to go, leaving himself with roughly 15 bigs behind. Addamo made the call and the river came the . Addamo checked it again and Petrangelo stuck the rest of his chips in the middle with his king-high.

Addamo instantly looked uncomfortable, uttered an audible expletive, and went into the tank. “I know I’m supposed to fold but I don’t like it.” He tossed in a time extension and then, suddenly, tossed in a single chip and called for it all. Petrangelo finished up in second place, good for $754,000 while Michael Addamo won a career-high live cash of $1,160,000 and the aforementioned Poker Masters Purple Jacket.

2021 Poker Masters Event #12 Final Table Results

1. Michael Addamo – $1,160,000
2. Nick Petrangelo – $754,000
3. Alex Foxen – $464,000
4. Stanley Tang – $319,000
5. Mikita Badziakouski – $203,000