Frank Stepuchin Leads WPT Gardens Final Table; On Hiatus Until March 12
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The first World Poker Tour (WPT) event of 2019 – the $10,000 buy-in WPT Gardens Poker Championship – began with 253 players, but the field is now down to the final table of six. However, they will have to wait until Tuesday, March 12 to see who walks away with the $548,825 top prize.
That’s because the final six players, who are guaranteed $110,225 in prize money, will be on hiatus until March 12, which is when they’ll head to Las Vegas to play down to a winner at the HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor Hotel & Casino.
Frank Stepuchin (pictured above) is way out in front with a more than 2:1 chip lead over his next closest competition. However, his path to victory won’t be easy as he’ll have to contend with the likes of Shannon Shorr, Steve Sung, Brent Roberts, and the short-stacked Ray Qartomy and Jonathan Abdellatif.
WPT Gardens Poker Championship Final Table
| Seat | Player | Chip Counts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shannon Shorr | 1,710,000 |
| 2 | Frank Stepuchin | 4,065,000 |
| 3 | Brent Roberts | 1,385,000 |
| 4 | Jonathan Abdellatif | 555,000 |
| 5 | Ray Qartomy | 820,000 |
| 6 | Steve Sung | 1,580,000 |
Among those to cash the tournament but fall short of making Day 4 were Saya Ono (21st - $21,780), Mohsin Charania (25th - $19,120), Ankush Mandavia (27th - $19,120), Kitty Kuo (28th - $19,120), and Tuan Phan (32nd - $19,120).
Day 4 Action
According to live updates from the event, Day 4 saw 19 players return to action, which meant a baker’s dozen would hit the rail before the final table was set.
Dayron Huertas-Carballo, a Gardens Casno qualifier, was the first to fall after getting his short stack all in with ace-queen and failing to hold against Jonathan Abdellatif’s five-four suited after the latter flopped trip fives.
From there, the eliminations stacked up including Jerry Humphrey (18th - $25,225), Ubaid Habib (17th - $25,225), Cedric Darrett (16th - $29,705), Allen Pock (15th - $29,705), Mauricio Salazar (14th - $35,550), Team RIU’s Ricky Guan (13th - $35,550), Qing Liu (12th - $43,220), and the last WPT champ in the field Marvin Rettenmaier (11th - $43,220).
Rettenmaier fell in Level 21 (10,000/15,000/15,000) when he raised the button to 110,000, leaving himself just 15,000 behind. Abdellatif then moved all in holding the A♦8♦ and Rettenmaier called off with the 10♣8♥. The board ran out K♦K♥7♦J♥8♣ and Rettenmaier was sent packing.
From there Vince Salvatore (10th - $53,385), Peter Cross (9th - $53,385), and Garrett Greer (8th - $66,955) all fell to bring about the final table bubble.
In Level 24 (15,000/30,000/30,000), Shorr raised to 60,000 from the cutoff and Aussie Millions champ Toby Lewis and Stepuchin, who were on the button and in the small blind respectively, both called to see a J♣5♥2♥ flop.
Two checks saw Lewis bet 75,000 and Stepuchin check-raised to 190,000. Shorr got out of the way and Lewis called to see the K♦ turn. Stepuchin bet 360,000, Lewis called, and the 3♦ completed the board on the river.
Stepuchin moved all in and Lewis called off his last 360,000 with the K♥J♥ for two pair. Unfortunately for him, he had been set up as Stepuchin rolled over the 5♣5♦. Lewis bubbled the final table but took home $85,270 for his seventh-place finish.
The World Poker Tour now heads to Casino Sochi for the WPT Russia on January 21 followed by the $3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open on January 27. The latter will be the second televised final table of Season 17.
Photos courtesy of WPT.
