Will Bin Weng Make Poker History at WPT Final Tables This Week?
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Bin Weng has an opportunity to become a poker legend this week when he attempts to take down consecutive World Poker Tour (WPT) final tables.
At 4:30 p.m. PT on Thursday, the live-stream for the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown kicked off with the six players who advanced to Las Vegas following the conclusion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood (Florida) portion earlier this month.
When play began, Weng had more than a 2-1 chip advantage over everyone else at the table. While that alone might not be significant news — there's often a big chip leader in major tournaments — the Chinese-born poker pro who now resides in Philadelphia is playing for even more this weekend than just the potential $1,128,250 first place prize in the current event.
Two World Poker Tour Final Tables in a Row
Regardless of where Weng finishes up at the SHRPS final table on Thursday, he'll have to refocus on Friday. That's because he also reached the finale of the WPT Choctaw event two weeks ago in Durant, Oklahoma, which also wraps at Luxor's Esports Arena in Las Vegas.
Weng is also the chip leader in the Choctaw tournament, although his advantage is slimmer. Should he win both, he'd be the first to ever win consecutive World Poker Tour events, and it would go down as one of, if not the best accomplishment in poker history, not just the WPT.
What's even crazier is Weng's heater spans far beyond what he's done this month in WPT events. The former restaurant industry worker took down the $5,300 buy-in The Return at Borgata in January for $1,000,000, beating out 1,142 entries. One month later, he shipped his first World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring in Las Vegas for $227,344, outlasting a field of 833 players.
And just for good measure, in the two weeks since Choctaw, he cashed in three high roller events at The Lodge Card Club in Austin, Texas. The heater was a surprise to Weng, who told PokerNews after reaching the Choctaw final table that he struggled last year.
"I was not doing so great in the second half of 2022," Weng said. "I skipped a couple of events, I spent a month at home. I skipped a WSOP ring series, studying at home. So I changed my strategy a little bit. I hope that works, but I know I'm just running good, running pure this year in a lot of big spots."
Weng said that he played too passive prior to 2023 and is now playing more aggressive. According to Hendon Mob, he already has nearly $1.8 million in live tournament cashes this year and could add more than $1 million more this week in Las Vegas. On top of that, he could go down as pulling off one of the greatest accomplishments in World Poker Tour — no, poker history.
WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Final Table Chip Stacks
| Seat | Player | Count | BBs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitch Garshofsky | 18,550,000 | 62 bb |
| 2 | David Mzareulov | 13,350,000 | 45 bb |
| 3 | Rafael Farah Jarufe | 4,275,000 | 14 bb |
| 4 | Sridhar Sangannagari | 19,100,000 | 64 bb |
| 5 | Bin Weng | 46,050,000 | 154 bb |
| 6 | Naing Thu | 13,250,000 | 44 bb |
*Images courtesy of WPT.
