Keith Lehr took down the $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha event at the Poker Masters on Monday. (Drew Amato photo/Poker Central)

The final table of Event #3 ($25,000 Pot Limit Omaha) of the 2018 Poker Masters was headlined by Brandon Adams making his third straight final table appearance but by the end of it all, two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Keith Lehr stood tall to claim the win.

Adams, who finished fourth in Event #1 and then won Event #2, and Lehr were joined at the final table by Dan Shak, Ben Yu, Jonathan Depa, and Isaac Haxton. It took nearly three hours before the first elimination on Monday.

From UTG, Dan Shak raised to 140,000 with 9d7d3c2c before Jonathan Depa re-raised to 480,000 with KdKh4s2s and Shak called all in. The board ran out QhQs9sAd4c to eliminate Shak in sixth place.

Even though he came into the final table with the second biggest chip stack, Brandon Adams fell short in his run for back-to-back titles thanks to Ben Yu. Action folded to Yu on the button and he raised to 175,000 with AcQsQh4h and Adams called from the big blind with [jsTh9d8h. Adams then checked after the Td5d5h flop and Yu bet 125,000. Adams tanked for nearly a full minute, using a time bank in the process, before moving all in for 715,000. Yu called. The 4s turn and 4c river actually improved Yu’s hand and eliminated Adams.

It took almost a full hour before the next elimination happened. Isaac Haxton raised to 280,000 from the button with AcQh9s3c and Jonathan Depa defended the big blind with JcTc7d4d. The Qs6s5d was followed by a bet from Depa and an all in call from Haxton. The turn was the Jh and the river was the Th to give Depa runner-runner two pair to send Haxton out in fourth.

Ben Yu lasted just one more hand. Yu raised to 280,000 with As7c7s6d on the button and Lehr defended his big blind with Qs9d8c6s. Lehr checked the JcTh9s flop to Yu and then snap-called Yu’s shove. The turn was the Jh and the river was the 8d and Yu was out in third.

Heads-up play started with Depa holding less than a single big blind more than Lehr and took just 20 minutes to get to a winner. Now down 3-1 in chips, Depa completed from the button with 7h4h3s2s and Lehr checked his option with KsJh8d5d to send both players to a Js3d2h flop. Lehr bet 240,000 and Depa raised to 720,000. Lehr announced he was all in and Depa called and found out he was ahead with two pair. The 8c turn flipped the script though and gave Lehr a bigger two pair. The 5s river changed nothing and Lehr eliminated Depa to claim his first career Poker Masters title.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Keith Lehr – $333,000
  2. Jonathan Depa – $222,000
  3. Ben Yu – $148,000
  4. Isaac Haxton – $92,500
  5. Brandon Adams – $74,000
  6. Dan Shak – $55,500

With his fifth-place finish, Adams continues to lead the overall points standings for the Poker Masters title and accompanying Purple Jacket.

Poker Masters Standings Through Event #3

  1. Brandon Adams – 510
  2. Keith Lehr – 300
  3. David Peters – 300
  4. Jared Jaffee – 210
  5. Jonathan Depa – 210
  6. Brian Green – 210
  7. Isaac Haxton – 180
  8. Jake Schindler – 150
  9. Ben Yu – 150
  10. Rainer Kempe – 150