By Paul Seaton
The poker action has been smoking hot all summer, with many more winners taking home huge prizes on the World Poker Tour.
There was a highly entertaining trip to Las Vegas for the WPT500 where English player Ben Farrell beat the 1,932-strong field to win his first-ever tournament and take home the Zynga Poker WPT500 trophy and $155,000. That was only the beginning, as the last few weeks have been a whirlwind for Team WPT. Let’s catch up on the what happened at the tables and off the felt.
BRILLIANT SCHEMION DENIES DUNST IN BACCARAT CRYSTAL WPT TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
German High Roller Ole Schemion capped a fantastic turn-out at the Baccarat Crystal WPT Tournament of Champions as he beat WPT’s own Tony Dunst heads-up to claim the title in Las Vegas’s HyperX Esports Arena.
Schemion, who added the top prize of $440,395 to his career earnings of over $15 million, was delighted to prevail in what was a very tough tournament packed with champions such as the indomitable Dunst.
“It was a tough final table,” the German said after his heads-up victory, which only lasted 17 hands and saw him condemn WPT presenter Tony Dunst to the runner-up prize of $250,265. “It was a nice game – I enjoyed it.”
Awesome run in @WPT Tournament of Champs comes to a close in 2nd for $250k. Big congrats to Ole, he’s a great player and person ?
— TonyDunstTV (@tonydunsttv) June 4, 2019
A DECADE OF WPT HELPING EDUCATION REFORM
Nothing is more important than the next generation, and the poker players of tomorrow were given a helping hand by the recent ERN (Education Reform Now) Charity Dinner and Poker Tournament event on July 24.
With a galaxy of stars at the event, players such as Hollywood actor Kevin Pollak were at the tables to donate to charity and have a blast in the process as the Gotham Hall was filled with superstars of the poker world and beyond.
With WPT’s Vince van Patten, Tony Dunst and Lynn Gilmartin all in attendance alongside WPT CEO Adam Pliska, charity was the winner as money and awareness were raised in equal measure for ERN. After a decade of donations from the World Poker Tour, it was a night of celebration for everyone involved.
TESKA TAKES WPT GARDENS TITLE
Roger Teska became the latest WPT Main Event winner when he dominated the final table of the WPT Gardens Festival. The Indiana-based player became our first Season XVIII champion after taking down the event, which had a field of 373 players, triumphing heads-up over Hungarian player Laszlo Molnar, who won $235,615 for his runner-up finish.
Teska, who bagged $368,475, a BMW worth $40,000 (which he plans to donate to his mother) as well as a seat into the season-ending Tournament of Champions, also took the lead in the Season XVIII Hublot Player of the Year race due to it being the first event of the season.
“Having one win under your belt adds a little motivation to try and win a second.” He told us after his victory, and if Teska’s opening win is to be anything to go by, then the man who enjoys a vodka cocktail at the table may provide plenty of fizz if he makes a push to dominate the Player of the Year leaderboard. Bottoms up!
WPT Gardens Festival Main Event final table results:
1st: Roger Teska – $368,475*
2nd: Laszlo Molnar – $235,615
3rd: Lior Orel – $172,770
4th: Lars Kamphues – $128,320
5th: Andrew Wisdom – $96,545
6th: Cord Garcia – $73,600
* Includes $15,000 entry into the Season XVIII Tournament of Champions.
DEEPSTACKS DRAMA COMES TO NEW YORK
Coming up this month, the WPTDeepStacks series comes to Upstate New York at Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady, just outside of the state capital of Albany. The region readies itself to welcome WPT players between August 29 – September 9. With the WPTDeepStacks Main Event taking place between Thursday, August 29 – Monday, September 2 and a $200,000 guarantee on tap, there is registration and unlimited re-entry available until the start of Level 10 on each Day 1. You can read all about the WPTDeepStacks schedule right here.
Next time on Under the Lights, we’ll find out what the World Poker Tour team have been doing since Vegas and where you can find everyone next.
The action is always hottest Under the Lights!