This Week's Big Winner: Matt Waxman Wins World Poker Tour Tournament Of Champions

The third running of the World Poker Tour Tournament of Champions drew a field of 80 entrants. Players who won a WPT title during season XVI received their buy-in as part of their first-place prize, but past champions had the option of buying in for a rake-free $15,000. Additionally, the WPT added $100,000 to the tournament, bringing the total prize pool to $1,365,000.

The three-day event wrapped up in late May, and for much of the final table, it looked like four-time WPT champion Darren Elias was destined to win his fifth, and second in two weeks after taking down the inaugural WPT Bobby Baldwin Classic.

The New Jersey-based poker pro came into the final table with the biggest stack after a double knockout busted both Ryan Riess and J.C. Tran to end day 2, and he continued to run hot, taking out Nick Schulman and David Benyamine. Then, during three-handed play, Matt Waxman’s pocket jacks cracked Elias’ pocket queens to cut his stack in half.

A few orbits later, Elias was eliminated by Matas Cimbolas to set up a heads-up battle with Waxman. Cimbolas, who won the WPT UK main event back in 2014, lasted 38 hands before his bluff was picked off by Waxman’s second pair to end his tournament run in second place.

Waxman, whose first WPT title came at the 2011 Grand Prix de Paris, earned $463,375 for the win. The Floridian now has more than $4 million in live tournament earnings, including a WSOP bracelet and WSOP Circuit ring.

Here are five key hands that propelled Waxman to victory.

Tournament – WPT Tournament Of Champions
Buy-In — $15,000
No. of Entries – 80
Prize Pool – $1,365,000
1st Place Prize – $463,375

The Action

With 14 players remaining and only 10 making the money, Waxman raised to 12,000 on the button and Patterson three-bet to 33,000 from the small blind. Waxman then moved all-in, and Patterson called off the rest of his stack quickly with pocket kings. Waxman needed help with pocket sevens, and got some as the board rolled out J 6 6 7 Q. Patterson, who had the shorter stack, was eliminated just shy of the money while Waxman made a huge jump up the leaderboard.

The Action

With just 12 players remaining on the money bubble, Blieden raised to 12,000 and was called by both Riess and Waxman in the blinds. The flop came down K 6 3 and the action checked back to Blieden. He bet 20,000 and Riess folded. Waxman made the call and the turn was the 3. Both players checked, and the river was the 8. Waxman bet 36,000, and Bliden opted to raise to 133,000. Waxman took his time in the tank before eventually calling with A Q for the nut flush. Blieden could only produce Q 9 for a bluff, sending the pot to Waxman.

The Action

Now at the five-handed final table, Elias raised to 35,000 from the cutoff and Waxman, who was the second largest stack, called from the button. The flop fell 9 6 4 and Elias checked to Waxman, who bet 40,000. Elias called, and the turn was the Q. Elias checked called another bet of 130,000, and the river was the 6. Elias checked for the third time, and Waxman bet 260,000. Elias called, and Waxman turned over pocket nines for a full house to take over the chip lead.

The Action

After Elias took out both Schulman and Benyamine to take back the chip lead, he raised the small blind to 70,000 and was met with a three-bet to 185,000 from Waxman in the big blind. Elias thought it over for a bit before moving all in, and Waxman quickly called with pocket jacks. Elias held pocket queens, and was a 4:1 favorite to bust Waxman and take a 6:1 chip lead into heads-up play. The flop came down 10 9 8, giving Waxman some life with an open-ended straight draw. The 7 on the turn gave him a straight, and left Elias drawing just two outs to win. The river was the 2, and Waxman doubled up to the lead.

The Action

Cimbolas limped in from the button and Waxman checked his option in the big blind. The flop fell K Q 2 and Waxman checked. Cimbolas bet 40,000 and Waxman called. The turn was the 4 and Waxman checked again. Cimbolas bet 125,000 and Waxman called. The river was the 8 and Waxman checked again. This time, Cimbolas moved all in for 425,000. Waxman thought it over for nearly a minute before calling, showing Q 7 for second piar. Cimbolas only had 10 3 for a bluff, and Waxman secured the final pot of the tournament. Cimbolas earned $265,590 for his runner-up finish, while Waxman pocketed $463,375 in addition to the trophy and his second WPT title.

Final Results

1. Matt Waxman — $463,375
2. Matas Cimbolas — $265,590
3. Darren Elias — $177,060
4. David Benyamine — $123,045
5. Nick Schulman — $89,290
6. J.C. Tran — $67,800
7. Ryan Riess — $53,985
8. Sam Panzica — $45,175
9. Nam Le — $39,840
10. Justin Young — $39,840