Alex Lipkin emerged victorious within the World Collection of Poker Circuit foremost occasion Graton On line casino and Resort on Feb. 24. Along with incomes his first WSOPC gold ring, he additionally secured the biggest payday of his poker profession: $162,520.
“One time doesn’t show something, however I’m going to be extra assured in a match understanding I’ve accomplished this earlier than. As a result of earlier than this I solely had two deep runs within the WSOP, and I didn’t play many tournaments. I’m not going to contemplate myself an excellent participant now since I received one match. I’m nonetheless an beginner, however I don’t get simply intimidated on the poker desk, even by skilled guys,” mentioned Lipkin after the win. “Hopefully I do know what I’m doing, however I’m nonetheless simply an beginner.”
Lipkin was cruising close to the highest of the chip counts for almost all of the match, so one of many questions touched on his journey via the match beginning on Day 1. “I’ve had that earlier than in some tournaments. I used to be operating very well the primary couple of ranges, the primary couple of hours; and often that’s not the best time to run effectively. That’s why I used to be telling myself, ’don’t get loopy and silly and assume you’re invincible.’ So I held again, and I sort of tried to play stack preservation so I don’t lose this big-stack benefit,” mentioned Lipkin.
The interview ended with a dialogue about his final battle towards Michael Lin, and Lipkin provided these ideas on the ultimate match that lasted for greater than two hours. “Once we acquired to short-handed, I don’t have lots of expertise short-handed … however the playing cards sort of performed themselves, and I discovered good playing cards once I wanted to. I picked up pocket kings when two gamers have been all in. Heads up was sort of a battle, I discovered a flush on the flip however he was a very good participant and saved chipping up. He had an enormous lead and we determined to take a break, and through that break I made a decision that I wasn’t aggressive sufficient, and I began enjoying aggressive with the worst arms. I acquired even, after which I acquired fortunate, he had eights towards queens. What are you going to do?”
The $1,700 buy-in no-limit maintain’em poker match featured two beginning flights which collectively drew 558 entries. That constructed a last prize pool value $845,370, simply surpassing the assure of $500,000. The highest 85 gamers all secured a min-cash value $3,429, and that’s what number of returned for Day 2. Acquainted faces that made a deep run within the match included Lily Kiletto (tenth), Lawrence Chow (twelfth), Jasthi Kumar (twenty first), and Matt Wantman (twenty fifth).
The ultimate desk started with Lipkin sitting second in chips in the beginning of play. Saad Aljoher was then taken out by Lipkin in ninth place, and he saved the momentum rolling by taking out Alan Capurro in eighth. A lineup of bustouts together with Yoh Lee (seventh), Antonio Ma (sixth), and Brendan Buckner (fifth), and Brett Murray (fourth) occurred in fast succession after that whereas Lipkin stayed out of the way in which however saved accumulating chips.
Third place went to two-time bracelet winner Marco Johnson, and Lin scored the knockout to take a greater than 2:1 chip benefit into the ultimate. Lipkin scored a double to seize that very same benefit for himself, after which the stacks evened up between the ultimate two gamers.
That’s nearly the place the chip stacks stood when the ultimate hand transpired with Lipkin opening to 500,000 earlier than Lin went all in. Lipkin known as to cowl with pocket queens, they usually have been forward of the pocket eights held by Lin. The board bricked out to ship Lin to the rail in second place, and he stacked up $108,149 due to the deep run to take his complete earnings above $217,000.
Here’s a take a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the last desk:
Place
Participant
Earnings
POY Factors
1
Alex Lipkin
$162,520
840
2
Michael Lin
$108,149
700
3
Marco Johnson
$74,400
560
4
Brett Murray
$52,156
420
5
Brendan Buckner
$37,227
350
6
Antonio Ma
$27,116
280
7
Yoh Lee
$20,157
210
8
Allan Capurro
$15,303
140
9
Saad Aljoher
$12,076
70
The following WSOP Circuit match sequence is already operating at Horseshoe Baltimore in Maryland with the Major Occasion happening from Feb. 27 to Mar. 3.
Picture credit: Graton Resort & On line casino, WSOP.
