A dramatic three-way all-in, spousal rivalries, and a miraculous two-outer on the river highlighted a night where four players split $400 in prize money
The Moayedis Are Surging
When Tania finished 5th in the Season Opener—just outside the money but leading the Bingo Challenge—it looked like she was picking up where she left off in the 2025 season when she finished 5th in the Player of the Year race after picking up her first tournament win. Her husband Kasra missed that first event, but both Moayedis made their mark at the Luck of the Irish Survivor Championship: Tania claimed the chip lead and the overall victory while Kasra locked up a survival cash of his own, giving the couple $200 of the $400 prize pool between them.
The Survivor format meant the last four players standing would split the prize pool equally—$100 each. That made every elimination after the final table formed absolutely critical. Nobody wanted to be the last player out before the money was locked in, and the bubble drama did not disappoint.
Quang’s Triumphant Return
Making his Season 4 debut after missing the opener, Quang dominated the red table from the moment he sat down. If it felt familiar, that’s because it was—Quang finished 2nd in The Battle For Position near the end of last season, and he picked up right where he left off, building a massive chip stack that he held for most of the night.
Quang’s dominance started early and didn’t let up. During Level 8 (500/1,000 blinds), minutes after Thuy knocked out Daniela in 14th place with a straight, Thuy’s good fortune ran out. She and Quang both flopped top pair on a board of J♦️ 8♣️ 5♦️, but when the chips went all in, Quang’s K♣️ J♠️ had Thuy’s J♣️ T♦️ dominated. Thuy picked up a flush draw when the 8♦️ hit the turn, but the 9❤️ on the river sealed her fate. Quang knocked out his wife in 13th and added to his already impressive stack.
Quang didn’t surrender the overall chip lead until the very last few hands of the tournament, finishing narrowly behind Tania for the night. He picked up a tournament-leading three knockouts along the way and earned his first PPC cash of Season 4.
The Hand of the Night
With 12 players remaining in Level 9 (800/1,600 blinds), three players got involved in a hand that completely reshaped the game. Roughly 35,000 chips—more than 20% of all the chips in play—ended up in the middle.
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The hands:
- Tania (middle stack): K♦️ K♣️
- Altaf (short stack): J♣️ J♠️
- Christina (biggest stack): 4♦️ 3♦️
The flop came T♣️ 5♦️ 2♦️, and that’s when all three players got their chips in. Despite holding the weakest hand at the moment, Christina was actually a 54% favorite to win the pot. Her 4♦️ 3♦️ had flopped an open-ended straight flush draw—any diamond, any Ace, or any 6 would give her the win. Tania’s Kings had a 42% chance, and Altaf’s Jacks were all but dead at 4%.
The turn brought the 2♣️—no help for Christina. Tania surged to a 64% favorite with her Kings still in front. Christina needed a diamond (but not the J♦️, which would now give Altaf a full house), an Ace, or a 6. Altaf was hanging on by a thread, needing one of just two remaining Jacks.
The river: 8❤️. A blank for everyone chasing, and Tania’s pocket Kings held up. Altaf was eliminated in 12th, and Tania scooped a massive pot that started her march toward the chip lead. Christina survived as the larger of the two side stacks, but the hand marked the beginning of Tania’s takeover.
Spousal Rivalries Take Center Stage
The Quang-Thuy showdown wasn’t the only marriage tested at the felt. During Level 9, Hari knocked out his wife Lakshmi in 11th place, marking a second spousal elimination. Between the Moayedis splitting prize money between them and two husbands busting their wives out of the tournament, it was a night where family dynamics made for some entertaining poker.
A Rough Night for the Defending Champ
Defending champion James came into the Luck of the Irish riding a wave of confidence after his breakthrough win in the Season Opener. But this time, the cards had other plans. By the re-entry deadline, James was down to his last 300 chips—not even a single big blind.
Rather than limp into elimination, James made the smart play: he surrendered his remaining chips, paid the $25 re-entry fee, and got a fresh 10,000-chip stack to start over. It was the right call, but the comeback bid didn’t last. Christina knocked out her father-in-law in 10th place during Level 9, bringing James’s title defense to a disappointing early end.
Kasra’s Big Night
Kasra was one of several players we called out in the Season Opener recap as someone to watch in his Season 4 debut—and he didn’t disappoint in his season debut. Early in the evening during Level 4 (150/300 blinds), Kasra hit quad Kings against Jon’s full house to claim the high hand of the night, a valuable bingo square.
The quads didn’t end Jon’s night—but Quang did. During Level 9, Jon hit a pair of Kings on the turn and ended up all in, only to find that the same card had completed Quang’s flush. Jon was eliminated in 9th.
Shortly after, with eight players remaining, Kasra found himself in a three-way all-in that would define his tournament. He moved all in with A♦️ Q❤️, Christina called with K❤️ 6❤️ as the covering stack, and short-stacked Luciano called all in with T♣️ 8♣️. The board ran out 9-5-2-2-9, and Kasra’s Ace-Queen held to bust Luciano in 8th place and triple up. That pot gave him the chips he needed to survive into the money.
The Final Table Forms
After Kasra tripled up, seven players gathered for the final table: Tania, Kasra, Hari, Quang, Rob, Christina, and Chris. The Survivor format meant only four would cash—and the next three eliminations would be critical.
Rob out in 7th — Rob moved all in with AJ against Chris’s KT during Level 10 (1,200/2,400 blinds). Rob was roughly a 60% favorite to double up, but the flop came T-9-5, giving Chris a pair of Tens. Rob still had plenty of ways to win (an Ace, a Jack, or two more cards to make a straight), but a 4 on the turn, and a 5 on the river sent Rob home just shy of the money despite making the right plays all night.
Christina out in 6th — During Level 12 (2,000/4,000 blinds), Quang flopped top pair with A6 against Christina’s QJ on a board of A-8-3 and put her all in. The turn (8) and river (2) didn’t help, and Quang knocked out Christina in 6th.
With the bubble approaching, even the smallest pots felt enormous. Kasra moved all in from the button and got both Chris (who folded 7-3) and Quang (who mucked 9-2) to lay down their hands. The 6,000 in blinds nearly doubled Kasra’s 10,000-chip stack—a critical steal to keep his survival hopes alive.
Hari’s Miracle—and Heartbreak
Hari had been on a roller coaster all night. During Level 7 (300/600 blinds), his AJ held against AT on an Ace-high board—an eerily similar hand to one he played in the Season Opener that cost him a huge chunk of his stack, except this time the Ten didn’t come and his hand held up.
Then came the moment that had the entire table on its feet. During Level 10, Hari was all in with A❤️ 8❤️ against Quang’s A♣️ K♣️. The board ran out 9♠️ 5❤️ 5♣️ T♣️, and Hari was drawing dead to everything except the 8♦️ or 8♠️ (the 8♣️ would give him a pair but make Quang a flush). The river: 8♦️. The table erupted. Hari had hit a two-outer to stay alive.
He survived again in Level 12 when his TT held against Chris’s QJ on a board of 9-5-4-A-3. But poker giveth and poker taketh away.
In Level 13 (3,000/6,000 blinds), Hari found himself in a pot against Tania with the flop of A-T-3. Tania moved all-in and Hari called with T2 for middle pair. Tania revealed A4 for top pair. The 8 on the turn and 6 on the river were no help to Hari, who busted out 5th on the bubble. After his miracle river earlier, it was a heartbreaking end to another deep run.
The Bubble Pops—and Tania Takes the Lead
Hari’s elimination as the bubble boy locked in the prize money and ended the tournament. The pot from busting Hari also pushed Tania past Quang and into first place, earning her the bonus POY point for finishing as chip leader. Tania, Quang, Chris, and Kasra each took home $100.
Bingo Challenge Update
The Bingo Challenge heated up considerably at the Luck of the Irish, with several players making major leaps on their cards.
Tania continues to lead the way, picking up four more squares at this event (for a total of 11)—including her first win, first cash finish, second final table, and fifth knockout of the season. She is now just one square away from completing two different lines: she just needs to show a bluff or complete a skills challenge at the next event.
Quang also grabbed four squares in addition to picking up up his first of two needed final table appearances on the road to more bingo progress.
Kasra checked off three squares in his Season 4 debut: his first appearance, his first cash, and the high hand of the night with those quad Kings. He also locked in his first of two needed final tables.
Jon and Thuy each picked up three squares as well—Jon’s full house (that lost to Kasra’s quads) still earned him a bingo square for getting his full house cracked.
Lakshmi added one square to her card for chopping a pot with Thuy (both players held exactly 99).
And keep an eye on Altaf and Peggy—both are still just one square away from completing a line.
Updated Player of the Year Standings
With two events in the books, the POY race is getting exciting. James still holds the lead with 14 points from his Season Opener victory, but Tania’s win in Event 2, Altaf’s runner-up finish in Event1, and Chris’s back-to-back 3rd place finishes have them right on his heels.
| Place | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James | 14 |
| 2 | Chris | 12 |
| 3 | Tania | 10 |
| 3 | Altaf | 10 |
| 5 | Kasra | 6 |
| 5 | Quang | 6 |
| 7 | Christina | 4 |
| 7 | Kara | 4 |
| 7 | Rob | 4 |
| 7 | Luciano | 4 |
| 7 | Hari | 4 |
| 12 | Peggy | 3 |
| 13 | Lauren | 2 |
| 13 | Ravina | 2 |
| 13 | Sunil | 2 |
| 13 | Keriann | 2 |
| 13 | Sam | 2 |
| 18 | Thuy | 1 |
| 18 | Daniela | 1 |
| 18 | Jon | 1 |
| 18 | Lakshmi | 1 |
The Final Results
| Position | Player | Knockouts | Prize | POY Points | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tania | 2 | $100 | 7 | — |
| 2 | Quang | 3 | $100 | 6 | — |
| 3 | Chris | 1 | $100 | 6 | — |
| 4 | Kasra | 1 | $100 | 6 | — |
| 5 | Hari | 1 | $0 | 3 | Tania |
| 6 | Christina | 1 | $0 | 2 | Quang |
| 7 | Rob | 0 | $0 | 2 | Chris |
| 8 | Luciano | 0 | $0 | 1 | Kasra |
| 9 | Jon C. | 0 | $0 | 1 | Quang |
| 10 | James | 0 | $0 | 1 | Christina |
| 11 | Lakshmi | 1 | $0 | 1 | Hari |
| 12 | Altaf | 0 | $0 | 1 | Tania |
| 13 | Thuy | 1 | $0 | 1 | Quang |
| 14 | Daniela | 0 | $0 | 1 | Lakshmi |
14 players, 16 total entries (1 re-entry, 1 surrender). $400 guaranteed prize pool. 12 levels played over approximately 3 hours of action.
Looking Ahead
Two events down, four to go—and the Season 4 races are heating up. James holds a slim lead in the POY standings, but with Tania, Chris, and Altaf all within striking distance and Kasra and Quang surging after strong debuts, the race is wide open. On the Bingo front, Tania, Altaf, and Peggy are all one square away from completing their first lines—will any of them break through at the next event?
Up next is the Kentucky Derby Freezeout Championship on Saturday, May 9. Unlike the Survivor format, this one is a true freezeout—no re-entries allowed. Just like the racers in the Derby, you’ll get one shot to run your race. We’ll have fun hats, great food, side betting contests, and of course, $400 guaranteed in prize money.
There’s only one way to find out what happens next—register for the Kentucky Derby and we’ll see you at the tables!