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Ren Lin Wins $50k WPT Alpha8 for $1,045,781; Jason Koon Runner-Up

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 15:35:40 +0000

Ren Lin had already proved to be a skilled poker player before entering the $50,000 buy-in World Poker Tour (WPT) Alpha8 tournament. But now he can add the first seven-figure cash to his The Hendon Mob resume.

The Chinese pro defeated a field of 69 players at Wynn Las Vegas on Thursday for a $1,045,781 score. He beat the great Jason Koon heads-up at the end, along with a star-studded field full of some of the best players in the world.

Dan Sepiol Wins WPT World Championship ($5.3 Million) w/ Brilliant Final Table Performance

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 09:00:40 +0000

One of the largest tournaments in poker history, the $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship, came to its conclusion with Dan Sepiol finishing off Georgios Sotiropoulos to close it out for the $5,282,954 first place prize via a heads-up ICM chop.

Day 7 the final table began a bit after 4 p.m. PT Thursday afternoon from inside Wynn Las Vegas. A World Poker Tour (WPT) Champions Club spot and millions of dollars were at stake between the final six players from the 3,835 entrants who sought a piece of that juicy $40 million guaranteed prize pool.

Mikita Badziakouski Ships $1 Million Buy-In WPT Big One for One Drop ($7.1 Million)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 05:35:39 +0000

Mikita Badziakouski became $7,114,500 richer on Wednesday by winning a thrilling World Poker Tour (WPT) Big One for One Drop final table, defeating Mario Mosboeck heads-up to close it out.

Six players returned to Wynn Las Vegas for one final session Day 3 but only four would go home with money. Two others left the casino with nothing but memories of the $1 million they spent to enter the tournament.

Lucky Chewy Catches Fire to Lead Stacked WPT World Championship Final Table

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 05:00:40 +0000

The World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas started with 3,835 entrants, and on Tuesday just 16 players returned for Day 6 action. By the end of the night, the final table of six was established.

The players in the best spot to make a run at the $5,678,000 first-place prize is Andrew Lucky Chewy Lichtenberger, who bagged a big chip lead with 148,200,000 (124 bb). While he has a WPT Alpha8 title on his poker rsum, Lichtenberger is looking to claim his first WPT Main Tour title.

2023 WPT World Championship Hands of the Week: WSOP Champ Felted By Hall of Famer

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 01:35:39 +0000

The World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas is nearing the end of the $10,000 WPT World Championship, and PokerNews has been on-site for the duration.

During that time we kept an eye on the live updates being provided by our friends on the WPT Live Reporting team. They captured a number of interesting and game-changing hands, which are highlighted below in the latest edition of “Hands of the Week.”

Gamble, Weng & Coleman Win at WPT World Championship Festival; Leah Claims 2nd Trophy

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 19:35:39 +0000

The World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas may be shining a light on both the $10,000 WPT World Championship and $1,000,000 WPT Big One for One Drop, but recently there was a slew of side events that crowned some big-name winners.

We previously recapped winners such as George Tomescu winning the $1,600 Mystery Bounty for $564,202, David Larson taking down the $1,100 Seniors NLH for $141,386, and Mike Leah emerging victorious in the $2,200 8-Game for $78,841.

Calvin Anderson Wins WPT Prime Championship for $1,386,280

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 09:00:40 +0000

A millionaire was made on Tuesday at Wynn Las Vegas in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Prime Championship final table, and that individual was Calvin Anderson, who defeated Aaron Pinson heads-up for the trophy.

The $1,100 buy-in tournament had a $5 million guarantee, but the prize pool hit $10,196,640 with 10,512 entrants, nearly double last year’s turnout when Stephen Song won it for $712,650. Song’s payout in 2022 barely would have beat third place money this year.

Ben Jacobs Leads WPT World Championship Final 16; Moorman, Lichtenberger & Sepiol Alive

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:35:39 +0000

The World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas started with 3,835 entrants, but after Day 5 action on Tuesday, just 16 players remain in contention for the title and $5,678,000 first-place prize.

The man best positioned to make a run at it is Ben Jacobs, who finished as chip leader with 46,400,000 (77 bb). Not too far behind are Maxime Chilaud (38,200,000 64 bb) and Artur Martirosian (36,200,000 60 bb), while Carl Shaw (29,000,000 47 bb) and Daniel Sepiol (27,900,000 47 bb) round out the top five.

Dan Smith Bags Chip Lead w/ 6 Left in WPT Big One for One Drop

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:00:40 +0000

There’s going to be a seven-figure money bubble on Wednesday at the final table of the Big One for One Drop, a $1 million buy-in World Poker Tour (WPT) event that is one day away from making one wealthy person much wealthier.

Although Phil Ivey didn’t make it to Day 2 after busting late on Day 1, the 14 players who returned to Wynn Las Vegas for the second of three days of play were among the best in the world. Dan Smith, who busted Ivey, came in with the chip lead. He’d lose a chunk of his stack, but still remained at or near the top throughout most of the session.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris Takes Brutal Cooler in WPT Celebrity Poker Tournament

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 01:35:39 +0000

The final hand wasn’t very funny to comedic actor Neil Patrick Harris in Monday’s WPT x Daniel Arsham Celebrity Invitational.

Harris ran into a cooler in the six-player celebrity sit-n-go against actress Arden Cho with five players remaining. The winner, entrepreneur Adam Weitsman, won a blue Porsche sculpture designed by Daniel Arsham, who played in the poker game and was the first to bust. Arsham is a world-renowned contemporary artist out of New York, and he designed the World Poker Tour (WPT) Champions Club trophies for the current season.

Phil Ivey Busts on Day 1 of $1M WPT Big One for One Drop

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 09:35:39 +0000

It was a slow start and a rough Day 1 in the $1,000,000 buy-in World Poker Tour (WPT) Big One for One Drop for poker legend Phil Ivey, who busted just before the session concluded.

The Poker Hall of Famer and WPT ambassador was among the 17 players who registered for the seven-figure tournament, and one of three who couldn’t find a bag.

Poker Legend Can’t Find a Fold

Ivey started off slowly, losing a decent amount of his 1,000,000-chip stack relatively early in the tournament. He’d battle throughout the day before Level 8, the final level of the night, where he tangled with Dan Smith in a monster pot.

Reality TV Star Princess Love Among 45 Left in WPT World Championship

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 06:35:42 +0000

The $40 million guaranteed World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship, which started with 3,835 players, has dwindled down to just 45, one of whom is reality TV star Princess Love Norwood.

On Day 4 (Monday), 132 players returned to Wynn Las Vegas still hoping to win the $5,678,000 first place prize. But that dream died for about one-third of them, including Igor Kurganov (48th place for $111,300), Upeshka De Silva (76h place for $60,800), WPT ambassador Brad Owen (88th place for $53,500) and 2009 world champion Joe Cada (108th place for $41,900).

WPT x Daniel Arsham Celebrity Invitational Features Actor Neil Patrick Harris

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 15:35:40 +0000

Doogie Howser is coming to the World Poker Tour (WPT) on Monday.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris will headline a WPT Celebrity Invitational at the Wynn Las Vegas, and it will be live-streamed on YouTube starting at 4 p.m. PT.

The 50-year-old celebrity initially became famous in the early 1990s when he played the role of Doogie Howser on the hit TV sitcom Doogie Howser, MD. In that role, he played a teenage prodigy who became a medical doctor before he was even old enough to vote.

Defending Champ Eliot Hudon Out; Naj Ajez Leads WPT World Championship

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 07:00:40 +0000

During the Day 3 session, we asked the question, will there be a repeat winner in the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship. That answer is no after Eliot Hudon, the defending champion, was eliminated late in the day in 186th place for $27,000.

Hudon won it last year for $4.1 million, beating out 2,960 entrants in the first edition of the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.

He moved all in with KJ and a short stack against the AQ held by Ardit Kurshumi. No improvement for either hand came on the board, and that was the end of the title defense.

Will the WPT World Championship Have a Repeat Winner?

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 01:00:40 +0000

Going back-to-back in one of the largest poker tournaments ever no chance, right? Don’t be so sure about it. Eliot Hudon, who won the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship last year for $4.1 million, still has a shot at a repeat on Day 3.

The task to win any tournament twice in a row isn’t easy, let alone a $10k with thousands of players, many of whom are considered some of the best in the world. In 2022, Hudon defeated 2,960 entrants en route to his first significant live poker tournament cash. This time around, the field is even larger 3,835 entries making his run thus far impressive no matter how he finishes.

WATCH: Joe Hachem Folds Kings Near WPT World Championship Bubble

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:00:40 +0000

The bubble phase is always tense in any poker tournament, especially when there’s at least a five-figure sum waiting around the corner in one of the richest live poker tournaments of all time.

Whether you’re an amateur on a fabled Cinderella run or a seasoned vet like, say, a WSOP Main Event champion, decisions can be difficult, definitely when you’re on the shorter stack.

With players on the cusp of the hand-for-hand phase in the 2023 WPT World Championship, Joe Hachem was dealt pocket kings in second position and facing a raise from under the gun.

Aces Cracked to Bust the Bubble on Day 2 of WPT World Championship

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 06:00:40 +0000

One of the largest poker tournaments in history is in the money. On Level 15, the 481st player busted from the $10,400 buy-in World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship, giving everyone else still standing a sigh of relief.

Day 2 on Saturday began at noon PT with 1,400 players hoping to get a slice of that juicy $40 million prize pool. Unfortunately, for many of them, the dream was shattered before the bubble burst.

Garrett Adelstein Books Another Six-Figure Win in WPT Cash Game

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 19:35:40 +0000

Another day, another huge win at the poker table for Garrett Adelstein.

The Los Angeles high-stakes poker legend competed on Friday in a World Poker Tour (WPT) Cash Game live-streamed on YouTube, his second appearance this week in his return to poker for the first time in nearly 15 months.

Adelstein admitted after his Dec. 13 appearance on Bally Live Poker at Tropicana, where he won over $130,000, that he played solid but made some mistakes. In the WPT Cash Game, however, he appeared to be more on his game throughout the lengthy session.

Numerous Big Names Moving on After Day 1d in the WPT World Championship

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 09:35:39 +0000

While there was some overlay in the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship, Day 1d brought out a massive field, and the tournament is officially one of the largest in poker history.

Registration closed in the $10,400 buy-in event on Friday evening with 1,523 players registered for the final session, bringing the total to 3,835, a 30% increase from the 2022 edition. There were numerous high-profile players who bagged on Day 1d, including many big stacks such David Peters and Huck Seed.

WPT's Long-Term Plan Playing Out says Pliska After World Championship Overlay

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 06:00:43 +0000

“We knew the risks. But I know that we’ve achieved what we were going for.”

Those are the words of Adam Pliska, President and CEO of the World Poker Tour after registration closed in the 2023 WPT World Championship, just 247 entries short of the figured required to meet the $40 million guarantee.

“What people saw was a substantially larger event that ran even smoother. I don’t want to suggest other events weren’t a factor, but what it did not affect is the quality of the event that we produced, and that was our main focus.

Class of 2023 Reflect on Joining the WPT Champions Club

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:35:54 +0000

The names of WPT Champions Club members are immortalized not only on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup trophy, but in the brains of poker players and fans all over the world.

WPT legends like Gus Hansen and Phil Ivey. Four-time champ Darren Elias. Defending WPT World Championship winner Eliot Hudon. All of whom have added a WPT title to their poker resume.

So far in 2023, the WPT has crowned seven new champions, and a special ceremony was hosted to mark the occasion at the Wynn.

$40 Million Guarantee Within Reach as WPT World Championship Approaches Day 1d

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 10:00:40 +0000

A total of 973 players entered Day 1c of the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship on Thursday, bringing the total entries to 2,312. For the $40 million guarantee to hit, the tournament needs 1,819 players to register for Day 1d (Friday), and there’s a high probability that will happen.

Although the first three sessions attracted far fewer players than is needed on Friday, the final session is expected to far and away be the biggest. Many players have been waiting to register for Day 1d, and numerous players flew from the Bahamas on Thursday to Las Vegas from the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise event.

Kristen Foxen Turns a Full House But is Drawing Dead in WPT Ladies Cash Game

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 07:35:47 +0000

The action was intense in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Ladies Cash Game on Thursday, but the hand of the night involved Kristen Foxen who was put in a brutal situation with a full house.

Foxen was joined by some other skilled opponents inside the Encore Ballroom, including Xuan Liu, Lily Kiletto, and Kasey Lyn Mills for some $25/$50 no-limit hold’em on the WPT YouTube channel.

Can She Find a Fold?

Entering the hand, about four hours into the session, Foxen was the game’s biggest winner, up more than $11,000. Iris Liu (“Pocky”) made it $300 with A6 from early position and received a call from Foxen’s 22, Kiletto’s 44 in the cutoff, and Liu’s K7 in the straddle.

Lynn Gilmartin Spins Up a Stack on Day 1b of WPT World Championship

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 09:35:39 +0000

It’s starting to look like the $40 million guaranteed prize pool will be smashed in the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas following a huge Day 1b session on Wednesday.

After 609 players entered Day 1a on Tuesday, another 730 showed up with $10,400 to register for the second opening flight, one of them being World Poker Tour host Lynn Gilmartin, who turned her 100,000 initial stack into 556,000. That puts the Australian poker personality among the top stacks out of the 265 who bagged on Day 1b.

Alan Keating Bags Big Stack on Day 1a of WPT World Championship

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 09:00:40 +0000

Hustler Casino Live fan favorite Alan Keating, who rarely plays tournaments, finished Day 1a of the $40 million guaranteed World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship on Tuesday with a healthy chip stack.

The loose-aggressive player who routinely VPIP’s in the 80% or higher range was among a large group of big name players who competed in the opening session of the historic $10,400 buy-in tournament. Many of those high-profile players found a bag and will come back on Saturday for Day 2.

Did Wynn Figure Out the Perfect Bubble Stalling Solution During WPT Prime Championship?

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 19:00:40 +0000

In an attempt to combat stalling near the bubble, Wynn and the World Poker Tour (WPT) made a significant change to the $1,100 buy-in WPT Prime Championship on Day 1.

Many tournament players take issue with incessant tanking from short-stacked players attempting to stall their way into the money. This is especially problematic during major events with massive guarantees. And the WPT Prime Championship had over $10 million in the pot when registration closed during Sunday’s Day 1d session.

WPT Prime Championship Prize Pool Cracks $10 Million

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:35:40 +0000

The World Poker Tour (WPT) Prime Championship, which began Dec. 7 at Wynn Las Vegas, had a lofty $5 million guaranteed prize pool, quite sizeable for just an $1,100 buy-in. But that guarantee turned out to be just a starting point.

When registration closed on Sunday’s Day 1d session, the field had reached 10,512 entrants, making it the largest field in live poker history outside the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Mike Leah, George Tomescu Among Latest Big Winners in WPT World Championship Festival

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 20:35:39 +0000

The $40 million guaranteed World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship event hasn’t even begun, but there’s already been a number of big winners during the series at Wynn Las Vegas.

On Monday, the largest guaranteed prize pool in poker history kicks off, and everyone in the poker world is talking about it. But before looking ahead to that historic event, we look back to honor those who’ve performed at a high level, winning Wynn replica trophies over the past few days.