Event #55: $1,000 TAG TEAM No-Limit Hold'em

After four days of play, Team Leonard — comprised of Patrick Leonard and Espen Jørstad — have won Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team for $148,067 after topping a field of 913 teams.

The popular format once again created a buzz around the new home of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) at Paris and Bally's Las Vegas, with the final day played under the lights on the PokerGO live stream.

A rapid-fire start culminated in a rollercoaster heads-up against the team of Jamie Kerstetter and Corey Paggeot, who had come into the day as the chip leaders, with the chip lead trading hands on multiple occasions. The final four players were all looking for their first bracelets, but it was Leonard and Jørstad who came out on top after overcoming an almost 6:1 heads-up chip advantage.

Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team Final Table Results

Winner's Reaction

It was an Instagram post that led to both Leonard and Jørstad becoming Tag Team partners, and after Jørstad played all of Day 1 Leonard said that he had a lot of confidence in his partner. Jørstad meanwhile had only praise for his partner after a series of "absurd" plays midway through the tournament.

"He was just making some absurd adjustments," said Jørstad. "Folding tens to a three-bet and the opponent shows aces. Folding jacks and the guy shows queens. Just absurd plays. And I was like 'Ok, we're winning this.'"

Leonard said that the biggest advantage both he and Jørstad had was their freshness, dividing the time at the table over the past few days in order to capitalize on it at the final table.

"A lot of people had played solo for the last few days," said Leonard. "Some had played four days by themselves, whereas we've probably played about 50:50. We were fresh and taking hours in, hours out, and when I was out I was studying and I knew what to do coming in, so that was our biggest advantage."

"We were prepared for a really hard grind," said Jørstad. "We had two coolers in our favor in the beginning and that got us up pretty good."

A pivotal hand where Jørstad five-bet shoved ace-jack saw them open a large heads-up chip lead before immediately tagging in Leonard to close out the victory.

Despite watching the final hand from the sidelines, Jørstad said that he himself felt all in watching Leonard in action.

"I felt 100% of the all in," said Jørstad. "It was against the team we wanted to get heads-up against as well. Jamie is obviously very popular in the community, everyone loves her - Corey as well - it felt really nice getting heads-up with them and winning in the end."

Day 4 Recap

The opening exchanges on the final day were cagey, with no team wanting to be the first to bust on the PokerGO live stream.

Team Paggeot held the overnight chip lead and extended it during the opening exchanges that included Team Kraemer running nines into jacks to bust to Kerstetter.

Leonard secured a vital double a few minutes later in an action-packed start, before Franco Spitale was sent to the rail, again by Kerstetter.

Team Leonard and Team Tsugaru were battling it out behind Team Paggeot, and it was Tsugaru who blinked first. Paggeot sent them to the payouts desk after rivering a pair.

That saw Team Kerstetter hold a huge heads-up chip lead over Team Leonard, but the tables flipped after two doubles for Jørstad through Paggeot.

Despite the rising blinds, the lead would change hands on numerous occasions before Jørstad opened up a sizeable chip lead. He tagged in Leonard who closed it out for his and Jørstad's first WSOP bracelets.

That does it for PokerNews coverage from Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team but there are still plenty of tournaments at the 2022 WSOP. Click here to see what other events PokerNews is reporting now.

In a limped pot, the two teams saw a flop of     and Patrick Leonard    check- called a bet of 350,000 from Corey Paggeot  .

On the turn   Leonard led out with a bet of 525,000 that was quickly called by Paggeot.

But on the   river, Leonard checked to Paggeot who then bet 875,000 which forced a fold from Leonard.

Patrick Leonard - Espen Jørstad	11,425,000	-1,625,000
Corey Paggeot - Jamie Kerstetter	6,825,000	1,625,000

Corey Paggeot    limped and Patrick Leonard    checked his big blind.

The flop was     and both players checked. The turn was the   and both players checked.

The river   gave Leonard a straight. He bet 350,000 and Paggeot raised to 1,350,000.

Leonard called and took down the pot, extending his team's lead further still.

Patrick Leonard - Espen Jørstad	12,700,000	1,700,000
Corey Paggeot - Jamie Kerstetter	5,600,000	-1,600,000

In a limped pot Patrick Leonard    and Corey Paggeot    saw a flop of    

Both players checked. The turn   improved Paggeot to trip tens. Leonard checked and Paggeot bet 250,000.

Leonard called and the river was the  . Leonard bet out for 475,000. Paggeot called with his trips and took down the pot.

A short while later Leonard    limped and folded to a three-bet to 950,000 from Paggeot   

Patrick Leonard - Espen Jørstad	11,800,000	-2,125,000
Corey Paggeot - Jamie Kerstetter	6,400,000	2,075,000

In a limped pot, the two players saw a flop of     which saw a bet of 200,000 from Espen Jørstad   and just call from Corey Paggeot  .

On the turn   both players checked, but on the river   Paggeot bet 900,000 and Jorstad folded.

Corey Paggeot - Jamie Kerstetter	10,325,000	1,000,000
Patrick Leonard - Espen Jørstad	7,925,000	-1,000,000

Espen Jorstad    limped and Corey Paggeot    raised to 800,000 from the big blind.

Jorstad called and the flop was    . Both players checked. The turn was the  .

Paggeot checked and Jorstad put out a bet of 800,000. Paggeot folded.

Patrick Leonard - Espen Jørstad	10,200,000	1,000,000
Corey Paggeot - Jamie Kerstetter	8,100,000	-950,000

Espen Jorstad    raised to 400,000 and Corey Paggeot    called.

The flop came     and Paggeot check-folded to a continuation bet of 250,000 from Jorstad.

This pot moved Team Leonard back on top.

Patrick Leonard - Espen Jørstad	9,500,000	800,000
Corey Paggeot - Jamie Kerstetter	8,750,000	-800,000

In a limped pot, Espen Jorstad    and Corey Paggeot    saw a flop of     and both players checked.

The turn was the   and Jorstad check-called 200,000. The river was the  .

Jorstad checked again and Paggeot put out a bet of 300,000. Jorstad thought about it before calling.

Paggeot showed his pair and took down the pot

Patrick Leonard - Espen Jørstad	9,500,000	-900,000
Corey Paggeot - Jamie Kerstetter	8,800,000	900,000