Yifrach wins Main Event with PokerStars Ambassador Jen Shehade third
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The $5,300 buy-in NAPT Las Vegas Main Event has a $3 million guarantee
Reporting by PokerStars Media Coordinator Jan Kores
Gal Yifrach took down the $5,300 NAPT Las Vegas Main Event, prevailing from 738 entries. Yifrach claimed the title along with $543,025 after a heads-up deal with Thomas Boivin. PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade finished in third place.
Yifrach overcame a big heads-up deficit to win the coveted NAPT trophy. He had to make it through the tumultuous start, which had seen Boivin capitalize on his massive chip lead, squeezing chips from the short-stacked opponents.
When Yifrach and Boivin remained the only two players at the feature table, Yifrach was nearly a 5-to-1 underdog. But he connected well with most of the boards and narrowed the gap before turning it around.
The final match saw the momentum swing back and forth, and at one point, Yifrach and Boivin decided to look at the numbers. They quickly agreed on an even deal, considering Yifrach’s chip lead and Boivin’s high-stakes background.
After that, Yifrach closed it out, succeeding last year’s champion Nick Marchington on the NAPT Las Vegas Main Event throne.
Today’s payout is the biggest in Yifrach’s live poker career, which includes a bracelet win and a third-place finish in a $50,000 WSOP High Roller. The NAPT win brought his total earnings close to $3 million.
NAPT Las Vegas 2025 Main Event final table results:
• 1st – Gal Yifrach, USA, $543,025
• 2nd – Thomas Boivin, Belgium, $518,575
• 3rd – Jennifer Shahade, USA, $291,800
• 4th – Ekrem Bozkurt, USA, $224,450
• 5th – Michael Berk, USA, $172,650
• 6th – Peter Mugar, USA, $132,850
• 7th – Abdullah Akbarpoor, Turkey, $102,200
• 8th – Richard Green, USA, $78,600 •
PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade could not find many spots on the final day, but she managed to maneuver her stack into the top three. Shahade’s run came to an end when she shoved with ace-queen only to see Boivin turn up pocket kings.
PokerStars Ambassador Shahade second in chips at NAPT Las Vegas final table, $653K up top
Thomas Boivin is a runaway chip leader in the $5,300 NAPT Las Vegas 2025 Main Event, which has narrowed from 738 entries to the final six contenders. Boivin has four times as many chips as his nearest challenger, PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade.
The battle for the $653,050 top prize will culminate on Wednesday, November 12, with action streamed by PokerStars TV from 1 p.m. local time.
Boivin was the chip leader entering the penultimate day and managed to seize pole position for the second consecutive night. It was anything but smooth sailing for the Belgian high roller, though. With the field down to nine players, Boivin briefly dropped all the way to the bottom of the standings before showing a jaw-dropping surge towards the top.
He was one card away from busting in eighth place, but a spade on the river filled his flush draw to kickstart the dominating run that propelled him to the massive lead over the rest of the finalists.
It was fitting that Boivin closed out his fantastic rally by coolering Abdullah Akbarpoor, whose ace-king was no match for the chip leader’s pocket aces. With Akbarpoor’s exit in seventh, play halted for the night. Boivin reported 12,545,000, which is more than half of all chips in play.
Whatever happens, Shahade will have a new biggest score
Guaranteed the best result of her poker career, PokerStars Ambassador Jennifer Shahade sits in second place with 30 big blinds. Shahade was successfully manoeuvring a short stack for the majority of the day and found help from a runner-runner flush after she’d dropped to under five bigs.
That was a turning point for the two-time US Women’s Chess Champion, who will be in an excellent position to ladder up further up the results page, trailing only one opponent.
With Boivin amassing such a huge advantage, the rest of the field owns very shallow stacks. Ekrem Bozkurt and Gal Yifrach are squeezed in the middle of the pack with 26 and 23 big blinds, respectively, while short stacks Michael Berk and Peter Mugar will be looking to make a move in one of the first orbits on Wednesday.
All remaining players are guaranteed a six-figure payout, having secured $132,850 for the top-six finish.
NAPT Las Vegas 2025 Main Event final table line-up:
- Seat 1: Jennifer Shahade, USA, 3,015,000
- Seat 2: Gal Yifrach, USA, 2,280,000
- Seat 3: Ekrem Bozkurt, USA, 2.570,000
- Seat 4: Peter Mugar, USA, 715,000
- Seat 5: Michael Berk, USA, 985,000
- Seat 6: Thomas Boivin, USA, 12,545,000
And here’s a look at what they’re playing for:
- 1st – $653,050
- 2nd – $408,550
- 3rd – $291,800
- 4th – $224,450
- 5th – $172,650
- 6th – $132,850
ABOUT NAPT LAS VEGAS 2025
After two phenomenal years and a landmark 2024 edition, the PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) is heading back to the neon lights of Las Vegas for 10 days of poker action from November 3 to 12 at Resorts World Las Vegas.
Last year’s NAPT Las Vegas Main Event attracted 895 entries and a staggering $4.3 million prize pool, with 26-year-old English pro Nick Marchington emerging as champion to earn $765,200, his second-biggest career cash. The success of NAPT Las Vegas 2024 cemented the tour’s place as a premier destination on the global poker calendar.
The NAPT in 2025 will continue to bring together seasoned pros and rising stars for high-stakes action, world-class hospitality, and unforgettable moments.PokerStars is once again set to deliver a dynamic, inclusive, and electrifying poker experience.
KEY DATES
- $5,300 buy-in Main Event with a $3 million guarantee
- PokerStars Open: November 3-6 – $1,100 ($500,000 GTD)
- PokerStars Open High Roller: November 5-6 – $2,200
- NAPT Super High Roller: November 5-7 – $50,000
- NAPT Main Event: November 6-12 – $5,300 ($3,000,000 GTD)
- NAPT Women’s Event: November 9-10 – $330 ($50,000 GTD)
- NAPT Women’s High Roller: November 10 – $1,100
- NAPT High Roller: November 10-12 – $10,300
- NAPT Mystery Bounty: November 10-12 – $550 ($200,000 GTD)
With guaranteed prize pools of over $3 million across the US and Ontario markets, and qualification paths available online via freerolls, second-chance events, and satellites, PokerStars ensures that every type of player has a shot at a seat in Las Vegas.
“NAPT has become a cornerstone of PokerStars’ live offering in North America,” said Steve Preiss, PokerStars VP of North America. “From the electric atmosphere on the tournament floor to the strength of the fields and the overall player experience, we’re committed to making this year’s event the best yet. Whether you’re playing your first hand or aiming for another title, NAPT Las Vegas promises to be another must-play event on the poker calendar.”
Fresh from winning her first spade and second PokerStars title at EPT Monte Carlo, PokerStars Ambassador Maria Konnikova said: “Winning my first spade at EPT Monte Carlo was an incredibly special moment. I’m more motivated than ever and can’t wait to be back under the lights at NAPT Las Vegas later this year. The energy, the competition, the atmosphere, there’s nothing like it.”
For more info, head to the official NAPT Las Vegas 2025 site.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?
British pro Nick Marchington defeated a 895-entry field in the $5K Main Event and won a whopping $765,200 — the lion’s share of the $4,340,750 prize pool.
Catch up on stories from the 2024 festival here.
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