Max Payne! Brutal beat sends Joshua Payne out of the Main Event

Blaise Bourgeois
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Posted on: July 14, 2023 7:04 pm EDT

We may have just witnessed one of the most brutal super-deep Main Event bad beats in recent memory.

Joshua Payne opened to 1.8 million with K♠️K♦️ from the lojack and Jose Aguilera 3-bet to 4.5 million with Q♠️Q♣️ from the button. Daniel Weinman woke up with J♠️J♣️ and shoved all in for 29.1 million from the small blind.

Payne, visibly distraught, puffed out his cheeks before making the call. A wide-eyed Aguilera opted to call after roughly 30 seconds.

The 4♠️A❤️7❤️ flop was as good as Payne could have hoped for but the J❤️ turn had the events center rocking. Daniel Weinman let out an “Oh my god” while Payne looked up to the sky in total agony and disbelief.

Daniel Weinman reacts after finding a miracle jack

The 3♠️ river sealed the 23-year-old’s fate as Payne finished in 14th place for $430,200. 

Afterward, he told PokerGO’s Kara Scott, “It was crazy. It’s crazy that it’s over. I had a lot of fun and I’m glad Daniel won. That’s awesome for him. He’s a friend of mine. I hope he takes all of it. Just wishing everyone else the best of luck.”

Payne, wearing a cheeky “No Euros” patch, discussed the epic bad beat: “I’m glad it was a jack and not a queen, that’s for sure. I would much rather (see) Daniel win than anyone else. Yeah, it sucks. It’s heartbreaking. But it happens. It’s poker.”

While many people who suffered the same beat might have run far away never to be seen again, Payne is back on the rail to support his good friend in his pursuit of poker’s biggest prize.

The remaining 13 players have all locked up $535,000. Daniel Weinman has now soared to 79.4 million chips while Jose Aguilera finds himself down to 12.5 million.