Francois Billard wins partypoker MILLIONS North America Main Event
Francois Billard has had a lot of success at the Playground Poker Club in Montreal over the course of his career, but Sunday night the Canadian poker pro put an exclamation point on all of them by winning the partypoker MILLIONS North America Main Event for a career-best $715,414 score.
It took just 14 hands for Kevin Rabichow, who started the day as the chip leader, to pick off one of the shorter stacks. With blinds of 800,000/1,600,000, Rabichow opened from UTG for 3,200,000 and Danick Landriault defended his big blind. After a flop of 
, Landriault check-called Rabichow’s bet of 2,400,000. The 
turn saw Landriault check again before Rabichow moved all in. Landriault called and showed 
which put him behind Rabichow’s 
. The 
river was no help for Landriault and he was out in sixth.
It took almost six hours before the next player was sent out. Action folded to Billard on the button and he moved all in. Alexandros Kolonias folded his small blind but Paul Fontan called all in from the big blind. Billard turned over 
and Fontan showed 
. The 
flop gave Billard the lead and neither the 
[ turn or 
river were able to save Fontan from a fifth place result.
Two hours later, Rabichow found another victim. From UTG, Rabichow raised to 7,000,000 and Kolonias called from the big blind. The flop 
flop got both players to check. Kolonias checked again after the 
flop, but Rabichow bet 5,500,000 and Kolonias called. The river was the 
and Kolonias checked again. Rabichow shoved all in and Kolinias called and showed 
but lost to Rabichow’s for a fourth place finish.
The final three players played for a while before coming to an agreement on an ICM chop.
- Francois Billard – $557,278
- Joni Jouhkimainen – $434,063
- Kevin Rabichow – $430,848
The players agree to leave $158,003 on the table for the eventual champion.
Despite the deal, the final three players played for three hours before the next elimination. After Rabichow folded his button, Jouhkimainen moved all in from the small blind and Billard called from the big blind. Jouhkimainen tabled while Billard showed 
. The board ran out 
to send Jouhkimainen’s day in third position.
Heads-up play started with Billard holding a 2.7-1 lead over Rabichow and it took just over an hour for Billard to finish him off. On the final hand, Rabichow raised to 12,000,0000 and Billard clicked back for 42,000,000. Rabichow called to see a flop of 
. Billard bet 26,000,000 and Rabichow called. The 
turn was good enough to get Billard to move all in and Rabichow called. Billard showed for a turned two pair while Rabichow tabled 
for second pair and an open-ender. The river was the 
and Billard eliminated Rabichow to win the partypoker MILLIONS Main Event.
Final Table Payouts
- Francois Billard – $715,414
- Kevin Rabichow – $430,848
- Joni Jouhkimainen – $434,063
- Alexandros Kolonias – $275,331
- Paul Fontan – $223,241
- Danick Landriault – $186,035
- Ben Heath – $148,828
- Ruben Perceval – $111,621