Li and Coombe Chop Record-Breaking Wynn Summer Classic $1,100 ($1M GTD)
Hong Kong's Kwun Li shipped the 2018 Wynn Summer Classic $1,100 NLH $1M Guarantee for $280,594 and the trophy after agreeing to a heads-up deal with Australia's Dominic Coombe, who was awarded a healthy $266,639.
This represents both players biggest cash by far. Li's previous biggest cash came in April 2017 when he took third place in the PokerStars Championship Macau HK$5,500 No Limit Hold'em - PokerStars Asia Open #17 for HK$195,150 ($25,109). He is now approaching $500,000 in live cashes according to The Hendon Mob to go along with the more than $100,000 he has amassed online at PokerStars according to PocketFives.
Coombe may not be a household name in the live tournament circuit with $55,595 in live cashes leading into the event. His previous biggest cash of A$30,000 ($23,704) came in January 2015 when he finishing in 28th place in the Aussie Millions Poker Championship A$10,600 Main Event. However, the Aussie has been a beast online for many years with $3.4 million in cashes and was once ranked as high as 49th place in the world in 2014.
The tournament proved to be a huge success. With 482 entrants on Day 1a, 951 on Day 1b, and 994 on Day 1c, the tournament attracted a total of 2,427 entrants to generate a massive $2,401,274 or more than double the $1,000,000 guarantee. In addition, the field size easily represented a record high for largest field in Wynn Poker tournament history.
2018 Wynn Summer Classic $1100 NLH $1M Guarantee Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kwun Li | Hong Kong | $280,594* |
| 2 | Dominic Coombe | Australia | $266,639* |
| 3 | Thomas Boivin | Belgium | $149,961 |
| 4 | Ivan Zhechev | Bulgaria | $106,810 |
| 5 | Sean Chen | United States | $78,943 |
| 6 | Ian O’Hara | United States | $60,632 |
| 7 | Jeremy Baldisseri | Luxembourg | $48,506 |
| 8 | Upeshka Desilva | United States | $39,922 |
| 9 | Vincent Newland | United States | $33,576 |
*Reflects heads-up deal.
A total of 251 players cashed in the event for at least $2,401. Among the notable players to cash but miss out on the final table were Luke Vrabel (51st - $8,422), Jason Wheeler (18th - $15,989), Thayer Rasmussen (15th - $21,146), and Brett Bader (10th - $28,551).
The final table was an international affair with players from six countries represented including four from the United States.
Americans Ian O'Hara and Upeshka Desilva were the most successful at the live felt at the final table in the past, with almost $2 million in live tournament cashes each leading up to the tournament. However, neither were able to parlay their previous success to a six-figure score with Desilva bowing out in eighth place for $39,922 and O'Hara exiting two spots later in sixth place for $60,632.
The trophy was guaranteed to go to someone outside the United States after Sean Chen was eliminated in fifth place for $78,943.
Bulgaria's Ivan Zhechev, who entered the tournament with more than $300,000 in live cashes and more than $1.3 million in online cashes, was the first to collect a six-figure prize after he was ousted in fourth place in $106,810.
Belgium's Thomas Boivin passed $1.5 million in live tournament cashes to go along with his more than $500,000 in online cashes after he hit the rails in third place for $149,961.
With big pay jumps ahead, Li and Coombe then agreed to a deal with Li being declared the official champion.
