This Week's Big Winner: Zachary Smiley Wins World Poker Tour Maryland Live! Main Event

The eyes of poker fans everywhere were on Maryland Live! casino as four notable professional players were set to battle it out for the latest World Poker Tour title at the six-handed final table. The big-name players included two-time WPT winner Darren Elias, former online pro Mario Silvestri, WSOP bracelet winner and current WPT Player of the Year race leader Benjamin Zamani, and Cate Hall, who was at her fourth final table on the tour in the last 12 months.

Even with all of those seasoned pros, the title was ultimately contested between IT salesman Ryan Belz and recent medical school dropout Zachary Smiley, neither of whom had ever earned a cash on the WPT. In the end, Smiley emerged victorious, earning his first major live tournament title and the $356,536 first-place prize.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Smiley to the win.

Tournament: WPT Maryland Live! Main Event

Buy-In: $3,500 • No. of Entries: 554 • Prize Pool: $1,772,800 • 1st Place Prize: $356,536

The Action

Still on the first orbit of the six-handed final table, Ben Zamani raised to 130,000 from under the gun and Zachary Smiley moved all in for 1,135,000. Zamani called with pocket tens and saw that he was in a coinflip situation against Smiley’s A Q. The flop and turn were the 9 5 2 5, putting Zamani just one card away from scoring the knockout. Unfortunately for him, Smiley spiked the Q on the river to double up to 40 big blinds.

The Action

After seeing his stack dwindle back into the danger zone, Zachary Smiley was forced all in from the button for his last 1,195,000. Darren Elias made the call with Q J from the big blind and saw that he was dominated by Smiley’s K J. The board rolled out A 7 5 4 J which was safe for Smiley and he doubled up back to 23 big blinds.

The Action

Zachary Smiley moved all in from under the gun for 1,855,000 and Ben Zamani called all in behind him for 1,500,000. Ryan Belz then called from the big blind, having both players easily covered. Smiley showed A 10, but was in bad shape against Zamani’s 8 8 and Belz’s Q Q. The flop fell A K 3, however, vaulting Smiley into the lead. The turn and river were the 9 and 9, giving the pot and a near triple up to Smiley. Zamani was eliminated in fifth place, earning $85,429.

The Action

Mario Silvestri raised to 240,000 on the button and Zachary Smiley reraised to 525,000 from the big blind. Silvestri moved all in for 2,230,000 total and Smiley made the call with A Q. Silvestri could only reveal a dominated A J, which failed to connect as the board ran out 9 8 3 10 4. Silvestri pocketed $153,983 for his third-place finish.

The Action

After 41 hands of heads-up action, Zachary Smiley was able to open up a 4:1 chip lead over his opponent, Ryan Belz. Smiley had the button and opened with a raise to 300,000 and Belz three-bet to 800,000. Smiley moved all in and Belz called off the last of his 21 big blinds with A Q. Smiley held pocket fives and needed to win the race to claim the title. The board ran out 10 9 6 J 4 and Belz was eliminated in second place, earning $239,412. Smiley picked up his first WPT title and the first-place prize of $356,536.

Final Table Results

1. Zachary Smiley – $356,536
2. Ryan Belz – $239,412
3. Mario Silvestri – $153,983
4. Darren Elias – $113,905
5. Ben Zamani – $85,429
6. Cate Hall – $68,554
7. Brett Apter – $57,129
8. Brian Altman – $45,527
9. Bradley Yazici – $34,277