In the moment, there was no possible way for Chris Moorman to know just how close he was to being knocked out of the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. But, thanks to a wild runout in a massive hand Moorman, the last WPT champ left in the field and “one of the most decorated online players in the history of the game” not only didn’t hit the rail, he soared to the top of the chip counts in the middle of Day 5.
Moorman opened the action holding 
and raised to 600,00 from the cutoff. In the big blind with a big stack, Daniel Sepiol defended his big blind with the 
. Moments later, the flop came
. An action flop that gave Moorman top set, but also brought an open-ended straight draw plus flush draw for Sepiol. More than a little something for both.
Sepiol checked it over to Moorman who, with roughly 10 million in his stack, bet 450,000. Sepiol took about 20 seconds before he check-raised to 1.3 million. Moorman didn’t take long and made the call.
Then the 
ripped off on the turn.
“Wow…that is sickening,” said Jaime Kerstetter in the commentary booth.
Sepiol improved to a very hidden straight, with the possibility of still improving to a flush. Moorman’s former top set was now drawing to 10 outs, likely to stay alive.
Sepiol switched gears and checked it over to Moorman. “It’s so sick,” co-commentator Henry Kilbane reiterated as Moorman weighed his options. Moorman put his foot on the gas and bet out 2 million, leaving him with just over 6 million behind.
“Is this how you defeat Chris Moorman?” Kilbane wondered aloud as Sepiol took his time.
After another 20 seconds, Sepiol made the call. Then the dealer put the 
on the river. Moorman retook the lead in the hand improving to a full house. After Sepiol checked it once again, Moorman carved out a hefty bet of 5.3 million, leaving himself 1.3 million, roughly four big blinds, behind. There was nothing left to do for Sepiol but make the call and he stuck in a single chip to do so. Moorman tabled his hand and a look of disbelief came across Sepiol’s face.
Perhaps stunned, Sepiol held his hand face open to the sky but mucked his cards face down likely leaving Moorman none the wiser to just how wild of a hand it was that took place.
“I think that is one of the sickest hands we’ve seen so far today,” Henry Kilbane said from the commentary booth. “That feels like quite the understatement.”
**
After the hand aired WPT.com spoke with Chris Moorman about the hand:
“Yeah, it was a crazy hand,” said Moorman. “Obviously, there was only the slight possibility he could have five deuce on the turn, but obviously, I’m loving life. I mean, he doesn’t really have five-deuce offsuit. So it’s only three combos of 5-2 suited. If it doesn’t pair the board on the river I’m probably out of the tournament.
“I bet most of my stack, and then he puts me all in and I’m gonna like throw up and use all my time banks and probably call it off, because he could have a worse set, basically. So a very lucky river, and when those things go your way, you’ve just got to try and take advantage of it.”
This article has been edited to include quotes from Chris Moorman.