3:Barrels with a hint of World Poker Tour seasoning including an update from the Bobby Baldwin Classic at ARIA, information relating to the added-value at the Tournament of Champions, and Matt Montgomery picks up the DeepStacks title in Fresno.
Season XVI of the World Poker Tour (WPT) is heading for an exciting conclusion with the Bobby Baldwin Classic in full swing at the ARIA, the WPT Tournament of Champions and WPT Bellagio High Roller pencilled in for appearances at The Esports Arena Las Vegas, and another successful WPTDeepStacks event, this time in Fresno.
The $10,000 buy-in WPT Bobby Baldwin Classic attracted 162 entrants, creating a $1.5m prize pool. The winner has to figure out how to spend $387,580, and there are 20 players left after Darryll Fish fell in 22nd place (Terry Fleischer cashed in 21st for $19,990).
Leading the way is Jonathan Little. The man who writes more books than Lee Child has 763,000 chips, and is attempting to become the sixth person to win three WPT Main Event titles.
A glittering array of stars are going to do everything they can to stop him.
The Global Poker Index (GPI) #1, Stephen Chidwick, hopes to find the run good that deserted him during the recent Triton Poker Series in Montenegro where he bubbled both events. Chidwick sits second in chips.
There are six former champions left in the field, including Darren Elias, one of those six members of the elite Triple Title Club. And keep an eye out for Phil Hellmuth. The Raw Deal host eyes his first WPT title from his vantage point in 11th place.
Here are the chip counts:
Chip Counts
1. Jonathan Little – 763,000
2. Stephen Chidwick – 576,500
3. Sam Panzica – 411,500
4. Bryan Piccioli – 395,000
5. Joe McKeehen – 332,500
6. Kevin Eyster -259,000
7. John Krpan – 230,000
8. Ralph Perry – 226,000
9. Dietrich Fast – 225,000
10. Rex Clinkscales – 222,000
11. Phil Hellmuth – 211,000
12. Josh Kay – 196,500
13. Darren Elias – 135,500
14. Tom Wheaton – 134,500
15. Tim Reilly – 130,000
16. Jared Jaffee – 103,500
17. Martijn Gerrits – 94,000
18. Manig Loeser – 90,000
19. Kitty Kuo – 83,000
20. Ray Qartomy – 55,500
Blinds are at 2k/4k with a 500 ante.
Added Value at The WPT Tournament of Champions
The winner of the Bobby Baldwin Classic will gain free entry into the end of season finale – The WPT Tournament of Champions (TOC).
The TOC takes place May 24 at the ARIA, with the final table moving to The Esports Arena Las Vegas at MGM’s Luxor. As in previous years, the WPT and their sponsors are driving up the value of the event.
All Season XVI winners earn a free seat. WPT Champions Club members can choose to enter for $15,000. The event is rake free. Each participant picks up a booty bag worth $1,000, and the winner receives a Hublot watch and Jetsmarter membership worth $50,000.
In previous seasons, the winner has had the added complexity of figuring out what to do with a brand new car. There are no such problems this year. The WPT didn’t strike a sponsorship deal with a car manufacturer so they will instead hand $50,000 to the winner in addition to the $100,000 added to the prize pool from the tournament organisers.
Adam Pliska called the TOC a ‘one of a kind celebration’ and paid special homage to the WPT’s sponsors for turning Mike Sexton’s dream into a reality. The TOC is in its third year. Two years ago, Farid Yachou defeated 64 entrants to win the $381,600 first prize, in only his second live tournament (his first was WPT Amsterdam, which he also won). Last year, Daniel Weinman topped a field of 66 entrants to bank the $381,500 first prize. Mike Mizrachi made both final tables finishing 3rd and 2nd.
If you’re a WPT Champions Club member and are hanging around the ARIA poker room this Wednesday, then you are in for a treat. The poker room is hosting a $1,900 Mega satellite with the winner earning a seat into the extravaganza.
Tom Marchese Leads the Final Six in the $25k Bellagio High Roller
A reminder that the WPT TOC final isn’t the only action taking place at The Esports Arena Las Vegas between May 25 and 28.
The final table of the WPT Bellagio High Roller takes place May 25. The event attracted 54 entrants and Tom Marchese leads the final six with $432,000 up top.
Final Table Chip Counts
1. Tom Marchese – 2,359,000
2. David Peters – 1,575,000
3. Aaron Ogus – 875,000
4. Sam Soverel – 391,000
5. Rainer Kempe – 175,000
6. Jake Schindler – 43,000
There will be a special taping of a $100/$200 No-Limit Hold’em cash game on May 27, and finally, on May 28, the ClubWPT Challenge comes to a head with qualifiers Monte “Dino” Phelps and Thomas Wallett competing against the likes of David Williams, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Darren Elias, Mohsin Charania, Mike Sexton and Scotty Nguyen with $50,000 up for grabs.
Fans can watch all of these events, and the WPT will be pulling out all the stops to ensure they have a wonderful time, including giving away WPT merchandise and seats to WPT500 events.
Matt Montgomery Wins WPTDeepStacks Fresno
Finally, Matt Montgomery has won the WPTDeepStacks Main Event in Fresno. Montgomery defeated a field of 258 entrants to win the $70,650 first prize at the Club One Casino to book himself a seat in the season finale in Calgary.
Final Table Results
1. Matt Montgomery – $70,650*
2. Delmiro Toldeo – $47,590
3. Phil Ortiz – $30,445
4. Ronnie Saephan – $18,520
5. Kyle Kirkland – $14,300
6. Mario Lopez – $11,850
7. Kosal Ok – $9,950
8. Elizabeth Tedder – $8,315
9. Ashkun Lajevardi – $6,675
*Includes a $3,000 WPTDS Championship Package
