Bin Weng put himself on the cusp of historical past by profitable the $3,500 WPT Seminole Arduous Rock Poker Showdown that got here to an finish on the large set at Luxor’s HyperX enviornment final evening. It was the primary of three delayed WPT final tables which are going down this week. The $3,800 major at Choctaw wraps-up as we speak, and the $5,200 Gardens Poker Championship tomorrow.
Bin Weng is the 2023 WPT Seminole Arduous Rock Poker Champion. (Picture: WPT)
“(Successful a WPT title) was considered one of my major targets, once I began to play poker (full time) again in 2019,” Weng mentioned. “It means loads to me, undoubtedly.”
He gained $1.1 million, and is taking part in for one more potential $400,740 as we speak.
Weng, 40, already made historical past by making final tables in back-to-back events for delayed tables by cracking the highest six in each the Seminole Arduous Rock Poker Showdown that was held April 28 to Could 2 and at WPT Choctaw, which began solely three days later.
Weng entered the ultimate desk with 40% of chips within the match and appeared to be unstoppable as he took out participant after participant to construct a 4-to-1 benefit for the heads-up match with on-line specialist Sri Sangannagari, however he noticed the script flipped right into a grueling battle that took longer than the primary 4 eliminations.
Juggernaut-ing
Coming in, Weng was minted desk boss just by the large stack of 154 massive blinds that sat in entrance of him, and issues stored getting higher as took out the primary 4 gamers in in regards to the first two hours of play on the WPT set.
Beginning stacks at ultimate desk
- Bin Weng — 46,050,000 (154 bb)
- Sridhar Sangannagari — 19,100,000 (64 bb)
- Mitch Garshofsky — 18,550,000 (62 bb)
- David Mzareulov — 13,350,000 (45 bb)
- Jack Thu — 13,250,000 (44 bb)
- Rafael Farah — 4,275,000 (14 bb)
The primary elimination ought to have put the form of doom within the hearts of the opposite gamers when operating into a person who will not be solely supremely expert, however who appears to have gained possession of some type of magical fortunate amulet.
What’s scarier than one Bin Weng? How about a whole row of him? (Picture: Bob Pajich)
Only some fingers after the gamers have been launched and play began, he referred to as Rafael Farah’s short-stack all-in with pockets threes. Farah had two jacks, however was despatched again to Peru when a 3 hit the flop. Farah’s sixth-place end paid $238,000, his largest rating.
Yep, that’s how good issues have been going for Weng in 2023. He began the yr along with his first $1 million money at The Borgata: The Return. A month later he gained his first World Collection of Poker Circuit ring in Las Vegas for $227,344. On Could 12, he completed second in a $25,000 occasions at The Lodge in Texas for $145,000.
In between these main pops, he cashed in one other 20 tournaments in occasions of all buy-in values, just like the $350 tourney on the Dwell! Poker Traditional in Maryland, good for $875. This man plays volume live. In 2023, he’s averaging a poker event money about each six days.
So it was no shock that he took out the gamers, one after the other. After Farah, Weng eradicated Jack Thu with a greater ace. His $312,000 win is sort of 10 instances greater than his lifetime complete.
Weng knocked out David Mzareulov subsequent by profitable a race, which gave him 70% of chips in play. Mzareulov’s $413,000 payday pushed him over the $1 million lifetime winnings mark.
Subsequent to go was Mitch Garshofsky, the affable Las Vegas resident who additionally scored his finest poker event money on this occasion. The $550,000 payday pushed him over the $2 million mark. Weng was a 60/40 favourite on this hand after Garshofsky shoved along with his short-stack with 6
5 towards Weng’s A
Q.
However Sangannagari, behind 143 massive blinds, wouldn’t relent and at one level was an 80% favourite to place his title on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup, however luck wouldn’t have it.
Sridhar Sangannagari is the runner-up of the WPT Seminole Arduous Rock Poker Showdown (Picture: WPT)
Hassle on the head
The heads-up match started with Weng holding 186 bbs to Sangannagari’s 43. However Sangannagari, wearing a PokerStars hoodie pulled up over his head, chipped away at Weng’s stack till a bluff going flawed practically modified the end result.
With blinds at 300K/600k/600k, Sangannagari referred to as out of the small blind with Ok
5. Holding J
6, Weng checked and the flop got here 7Ok4. Weng checked, and Sangannagari min wager. After a second, and perhaps sensing trepidation, Weng check-raised to 2.15 million. He was referred to as.
This misinterpret practically price Weng the day.
With an A on the flip, Weng continued his charade with a 5.35 million wager. Sniffing one thing humorous, Sangannagari referred to as with Weng drawing lifeless.
The river was a 9. Shortly after utilizing considered one of his time extensions, Weng made a virtually pot-sized wager of 16.45 million. Inside 30 seconds, Sangannagari flipped a chip within the center, snapping his eyes towards his opponent. Weng shook his head and slumped as he turned over his playing cards.
For the primary time in virtually a month, there was a brand new chip chief of the WPT Seminole Arduous Rock Poker Showdown.
Sangannagari now had 65.7% of the chips (75,250,000) to Weng’s 34.3% (39,325,000). Weng was in hassle.
Queens slayed
A short while later, a golden instance of how brutal and straight-up odd the sport of poker will be got here in a hand that Sangannagari will carry with him ceaselessly.
With 77, Weng limped in solely to be raised 2.4 million by Sangannagari and his two queens. Livestream commentator Jamie Kerstetter famous that the elevate was sufficiently small to permit Weng to keep away from an all-in battle on this spot, and that’s precisely what performed out when he referred to as.
Have you ever ever ran hotter than the solar? Yeah, me neither. It’s like Weng referred to as a waitress in the sky proper there from the desk and he ordered himself the hand.
“How do you such as you pocket sevens, sir?” mentioned the shimmering voice on the opposite finish.
“How about with a flop of 827 towards a person holding two women,” Weng replied to the Universe.
Bin Weng flops a set towards Sri Sangannagari's Pocket Queens for the complete double!
Stacks are near whilst heads-up play continues in our #WPTSHRPS Essential Occasion!
– https://t.co/XvloiKLdm9 pic.twitter.com/SLHGFxHBlo
— World Poker Tour (@WPT) May 26, 2023
It may have been over, however as an alternative, the gamers have been about even. Inside a number of fingers, Sangannagari gained a slight lead that wouldn’t final.
With J10 on the button, Weng raised and was referred to as by Ok4. The flop got here a really harmful Ok93 for Sangannagari, who check-called a wager. With a 2 on the flip, Sangannagari checked once more.
With a flush and a gunshot straight draw, Weng fired his third barrel. Sangannagari check-raised and Weng made the decision. A Q on the river gave Weng his straight. As an alternative of taking his foot off the fuel, Sangannagari went all-in and drove instantly right into a wall.
The coup de gras got here a number of fingers later, with Sangannagari holding eight massive blinds, discovering himself all-in with J3 towards Weng’s Ok9. The hand-held and Weng’s first leg of his exacta was full.
WPT Seminole Arduous Rock Poker Showdown prime six payouts
- Bin Weng — $1.1 million
- Sridhar Sangannagari — $745,000
- Mitch Garshofsky — $550,000
- David Mzareulov –$413,000
- Jack Thu — $312,000
- Rafael Farah — $238,000
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