This Week’s Big Winner: Chicken-Wielding Poker Player Frank Stepuchin Wins World Poker Tour Gardens Poker Championship

Winner, winner, chicken wing dinner!

Armed with a literal forked chicken wing in one hand, and a steady supply of beers in the other, Frank “The Tank” Stepuchin ran over a stacked final table at the Gardens Poker Championship for his first World Poker Tour title and the $548,825 first-place prize.

“People oftentimes think I’m a guy passed middle age who’s hammering beers, and doesn’t look like he’s ever paying attention so they assume the wrong thing,” Stepuchin told the WPT after his win.

The event, which began back in January at the Gardens Casino in Los Angeles, was the first of three delayed final tables to be set on the WPT, and the second to wrap up at the HyperX Esports Arena at Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The $10,000 buy-in tournament drew 253 entrants to create a total prize pool of $2,428,800.

Here are the five hands that propelled Stepuchin to the title.

Tournament: WPT Gardens Poker Championship
Buy-In: $10,000
No. of Entries: 253
Prize Pool: $2,428,800
First Place Prize: $548,825

The Action

Shorr raised to 60,000 from the cutoff and was called by Lewis on the button and Stepuchin in the small blind. The flop fell J 5 2 and everyone checked to Lewis, who bet 75,000. Stepuchin check-raised to 190,000, and Shorr folded. Lewis made the call, and the turn was the K. Stepuchin bet 360,000, and Lewis called once again. The river was the 3 and Stepuchin moved all in. Lewis ultimately called all in with K J for top two pair with a busted flush draw, but Stepuchin’s set of fives were enough to claim the pot. Lewis pocketed $85,270 for seventh place.

The Action

The action folded around to Abdellatif who moved all-in for his last 590,000 from the cutoff. Despite the nearly 15-big blind shove, Stepuchin opted to call from the big blind holding 8 6. He was drawing live against Abdellatif’s A K, and managed to make a full house as the board ran out 6 3 3 6 A. Abdellatif was the first player eliminated from the televised final table, earning $110,225 for his run.

The Action

A short-stacked Qartomy moved all-in for 335,000 and Stepuchin looked him up from the small blind with pocket jacks. Qartomy was in trouble with just pocket sevens, and he failed to get any help as the dealer produced a board of 9 8 2 10 3. Qartomy added another $144,596 to his poker resume for his fourth-place finish.

The Action

Stepuchin raised to 1,530,000 from the small blind, more than enough to put Sung all in for his tournament life. Sung called off his last 775,000 in chips after looking down at pocket sevens, and Stepuchin revealed K Q for a coinflip situation. The board ran out J J 10 A A, giving Stepuchin a straight and the pot. Sung earned $259,880 for his third-place finish, while Stepuchin took a nearly 6:1 chip lead into heads-up play.

The Action

Shorr raised to 160,000 from the button and Stepuchin called from the big blind. The flop fell 8 7 5 and Stepuchin checked. Shorr bet 210,000, and Stepuchin made the call. The turn was the A and Stepuchin checked again. This time Shorr bet 650,000. Stepuchin used one of his time extension chips and then announced that he was all in. Shorr quickly called off his stack, tabling 8 5 for flopped two pair. Stepuchin, however, held A 4 for top pair and a gutshot straight draw. According to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator, Shorr was a 73 percent favorite to double up and even up the match. Unfortunately for him, the river was the 4, giving Stepuchin a better two pair and the final pot of the tournament. Shorr picked up $355,885 for his runner-up showing, while Stepuchin pocketed $548,825 and the title.

Final Table Results

1. Frank Stepuchin — $548,825
2. Shannon Shorr — $355,885
3. Steve Sung — $259,880
4. Brent Roberts — $192,465
5. Ray Qartomy — $144,595
6. Jonathan Abdellatif — $110,225
7. Toby Lewis — $85,270
8. Garrett Greer — $66,955
9. Peter Cross — $53,385