The primary of two beginning flights within the 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Rock ānā Roll Open in South Florida wrapped up with 238 gamers remaining and Frank Stepuchin main the way in which as “Frank the Tank” seems to be for a second WPT title.
Day 1a of the $3 million assured occasion at Seminole Onerous Rock Hollywood drew 696 gamers and no scarcity of native and nationwide crushers. PokerNews wrote about a few of the early opening flight motion, which you’ll be able to examine right here.
A later spotlight within the occasion was 2022 WPT Choctaw champion Likelihood Kornuth pulling off an epic four-bet, triple-barrel bluff and punishing his opponent by displaying king-high after securing the fold.
Kornuth Bluffing Strategy to Second Title
The hand, captured by the WPT stay reporting group, occurred on Stage 8 with blinds of 600/1,200/1,200 and noticed Kornuth four-betting to twenty,800 in early place towards an opponent in center place, who referred to as.
Kornuth guess 7,000 on the Aā Aā„Qā flop and sized as much as 20,000 on the tenā„ flip. The opponent referred to as each bets and Kornuth pulled the set off by transferring all in for 55,900 on the 6ā£ river. The opponent folded and Kornuth allow them to have it by displaying Okā¦9ā¦ for simply king-high.
It is daring performs like this which have earned the Chip Chief Teaching founder $9.4 million, 4 WSOP bracelets and a WPT title. In 2022, Kornuth defeated Steven “Cuz” Buckner within the WPT Choctaw Major Occasion for $486,600 after navigating a powerhouse remaining desk that included Kristen Foxen, Ray Qartomy and eventual 2024 Choctaw champion James Mackey.
Stepuchin Leads Into Day 2
Should you go searching for the Day 1a chip chief when Day 2 begins up on Dec. 1, search for a plastic rooster wing, or probably a soccer. The 2 gadgets are Stepuchin’s emblems and had been shut by when he received the 2019 $10,000 WPT Gardens Poker Championship for $548,825, which helped him get to second place on the Utah all-time cash record.
PokerNews caught up with Stepuchin finally yr’s Bell Gardens competition as he chased a second title and he gave some perception into his poker technique. “Iāve learn one newbie poker ebook ever. I donāt research something. Iāve been saying Iām going to go get teaching (with Alex) Foxen or Kristen (Foxen) or with Likelihood (Kornuth), as a result of clearly thereās tons of information I might soak up and be taught. However I form of simply play by the seat of my pants.ā
Right here in South Florida, Stepuchin, who with the Day 1a chip lead earned a free passport to the $5 million ClubWPT Gold Invitational Freeroll, bagged a 150-plus huge blind stack forward of fellow huge stacks William Lamar-Boone, Kevin Schulz, Gregory Again and present GPI chief Jesse Lonis, who earlier this yr completed third within the WPT Seminole Onerous Rock Poker Open Championship for $410,000 as he was denied by Josh Reichard.
Different gamers who bagged the primary beginning flight embrace Raminder Singh, Kristen Foxen, Ryan Riess, Shannon Shorr, Adam Hendrix, Matt Glantz and Joe McKeehen. Those that weren’t so lucky embrace Jeremy Becker, Martin Zamani, Francis Anderson and Alex Foxen.
The second of two beginning flights will kick off at 11 a.m. native time contained in the Seminole Onerous Rock ballroom. Keep tuned as PokerNews will probably be again on-site for continued protection of the RRPO championship.
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*Photographs courtesy WPT
Editor & Reside Reporter U.S.
