Two WPT Final Tables Set for HyperX Action in Vegas

Written by Jennifer Newell

Last updated on May 21st, 2019

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The last time we checked in with the World Poker Tour in March, there several major tournaments that wrapped up around North America, as well as three that held final tables at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas.

The WPT Rolling Thunder in California finished with Erkut Yilmaz winning his second World Poker Tour title, and Demo Kiriopoulos captured the his first WPT title at the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic in Ontario, Canada. Three final tables also played out at the arena in Vegas, with Vinicius Lima winning the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open, Frank Stepuchin taking down the WPT Gardens Poker Championship, and longtime poker pro David Baker taking home more than $1 million in prize money for finishing first in the WPT L.A. Poker Classic.

Since then, two major tournaments have taken place as a part of WPT’s Season XVII, but they have yet to declare winners. They will play out at the HyperX Esports Arena next week.

⬇️ Drop down at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas, NV. ⬇️

The world's only esports arena and entertainment venue located inside a pyramid! #hyperxesalv pic.twitter.com/EfRT0FJsMw

— HyperX Arena Las Vegas (@HyperXArena) March 29, 2019

WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown

On April 12, poker players of all stripes gathered at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. That was the first of two starting days, and it brought in 712 entries to the $3,500 buy-in tournament with a $3 million guarantee. The second day brought in nearly as many entries, and it resulted in these numbers:

Entries:  1,360

Prize pool:  $4,352,000

Paid players: 170

Minimum payout:  $6,185

Winner prize:  $715,175

With that, the field became the fourth largest of all WPT tournaments in history.

Day 2 brought back 524 players and whittled that number down to 90 and beginning payouts in the meantime. Keith Ferrera was the night’s chip leader.

Most of the players exited on Day 3. Former WPT champions like Darren Elias, Frank Stepuchin, Harrison Gimbel, Seth Davies, Justin Young, Niall Ferrell, and Erik Seidel left the action, and Ferrera himself busted in 19^th place to end the day. Chad Evaslage held the most chips of the final 18.

Day 4 saw Richard Seymour depart in 15^th place, Victor Figueroa out in 13^th, Danny Qutami in 12^th, followed by Dien Le, Jerry Robinson, Ryan D’Angelo, and Dan Chalifour. Finally, it was Jason Marshman out in seventh place with $114,285, and the final table was set as follows:

James Carroll:  18,525,000 chips

Maria Ho:  16,650,000 chips

Ami Alibay:  8,175,000 chips

Eric Afriat:  4,425,000 chips

Chad Eveslage:  3,350,000 chips

Jerry Wong:  3,225,000 chips

The final table will play at the HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday, May 30, with action set to begin at 4pm PT.

WPT Choctaw

This event kicked off last week at Choctaw Casino, and the first of two starting days was on May 17. There were 234 entries on that day, and that number rose to 559 on the second starting day. When registration closed, these were the numbers for the WPT Main Event:

Entries:  577

Prize pool:  $1,958,915

Paid players: 73

Minimum payout:  $6,065

Winner prize:  $379,990

A few more players got in at the start of Day 2, but that day found many players ousted from the tournament, including former WPT winners like Sam Panzica, Darren Elias, Jared Jaffee, Andy Hwang, Will Failla, Dylan Linde, and James Calderaro. Play stopped with 31 still in the running and Arthur Morris in the chip lead.

Day 3 started with the elimination of Linda Stockstill in 31^st place, and others who followed included Ping Liu, Arthur Morris, and David Pham. As the final table neared, Ed Hansen exited in 10^th place, Dan Kloepper in ninth, and Joe Elpayaa in eighth. Denny Tran then busted in seventh place for $59,290.

That set the final table of six as follows:

Will Berry:  7,575,000 chips

Craig Varnell:  6,230,000 chips

Nick Pupillo:  3,235,000 chips

Trung Pham:  2,600,000 chips

Austin Lewis:  2,560,000 chips

Stacey Jones:  980,000 chips

Action will resume for the WPT Choctaw Main Event on Friday, May 31, with a 4pm start time at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas.

The #WPTChoctaw final table is set. Meet the final tablists led by Will Berry before the final table plays on May 31 at @HyperXESALV with $379,990 to first place. #TheCupAwaits https://t.co/iXbAiu6opu pic.twitter.com/v4KxQ868VH

— World Poker Tour (@WPT) May 21, 2019