The World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas will play down to a winner later today. Each of the remaining six players are guaranteed at least $1,001,050 in prize money, but awaiting the winner is a massive $4,136,000 first-place prize.
The road to the final table was not an easy one. Day 5 of the tournament began with 37 players and took more than 18 hours to play down to the final table of six, which will be both live-streamed and filmed for television. During that marathon, several bad beats were doled out including a brutal one that ended the run of Daniel Negreanu in 17th place.
Here’s a look at some other bad beats or coolers that took place late in the tournament and were reported by the WPT Live Reporting Team.
Yockey Flushed in 12th Place
With a dozen players remaining in Level 31 (300,000/500,000/500,000), Benny Glaser raised to 1 million in the cutoff and Bryce Yockey three-bet to 3.4 million from the button. Adam Adler then four-bet jammed, Glaser folded, and Yockey called off for 10.4 million.
Bryce Yockey: q♥️
Yockey was a big favorite to double, but the k♠️
“It’s always a sweat,” said Yockey, who saw his dreams come to an end after the dealer burned and turned the a♠️. The meaningless 8♥️ was run out on the river and Yockey hit the rail in 12th for $338,500.
It's not the first time Yockey was the victim of a nasty late beat — poker fans no doubt remember arguably the worst bad beat of all time Yockey suffered against Josh Arieh deep in the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship.
Kogel Coolered
With 19 players remaining in Level 29 (150,000/300,000/300,000), Glaser raised under the gun and Nate Kogel three-bet from the big blind. Glaser responded with a four-bet to 6.3 million and called when Kogel five-bet jammed for approximately 17 million.
Benny Glaser: a♥️♦️a
Nate Kogel: a♠️k♦️
The k♠️10♠️4♦️ flop gave Kogel some options, but he came up empty when the 3♥️ bricked on the turn followed by the 5♣️ river.
It wasn’t a bad beat, but it was a big cooler deep in the tournament. Kogel took his leave in 19th place for $176,200.
Glaser Flips Out Paggeot
Glaser was flipping well, and that was evidenced by a hand the level before. With 24 players remaining in Level 28, action folded to Michigan’s Corey Paggeot in the small blind and he limped. That prompted Glaser to raise to 1 million in the big blind.
Paggeot woke up with a check-raise to 4 million and Glaser responded with a four-bet to 13 million. Paggeot hit the tank before moving all in and Glaser wasted little time in making the call.
Corey Paggeot: a♠️k♦️
Benny Glaser: q♦️q♥️
It was a flip and Paggeot was looking to hold to stay alive. That proved easier said than done however as the board ran out an unhelpful 7♦️2♠️2♦️j♣️j♥️. Glaser extended his chip lead while Paggeot fell in 24th place for $144,300.
Gaspard Discovers the Bad News
With 27 players remaining in Level 28 (125,000/250,000/250,000), Colton Blomberg raised from the cutoff and Adam Adler called from the button. That priced in Jean “Prince” Gaspard in the big blind and it was three-way action to a flop of ♦️a9♥️2♥️.
Gaspard was first to act and opted to jam for 1.325 million. Blomberg called, Adler folded, and Gaspard discovered the bad news.
Jean Gaspard: 8♥️5♥️
Colton Blomberg: q♥️10♥️
Gaspard let it ride of his heart flush draw only to get that sinking feeling that comes upon discovering his opponent held a bigger flush draw. Gaspard could still take the lead with either a five or eight, but that didn’t happen as the k♣️ bricked on the turn followed by the 10♠️ on the river.
Gaspard had to settle for 27th place and $119,300 in prize money.
Kings No Good for Brad Owen
With 35 players remaining in Level 27 (100,000/200,000/200,000), WPT Ambassador Brad Owen raised to 400,000 from the cutoff only to have Drew O’Connell three-bet to 1.1 million from the button.
Both blinds folded, Owen four-bet to 3.2 million, and O’Connell moved all in for 12.5 million. Owen called off for less and the hands were tabled.
Brad Owen: k♣️k♦️
Drew O’Connell: a♣️k♠️
Owen got it in good but a beat was in store as the ♦️a3♦️2♠️ flop paired O’Connell. The 8♦️ turn have Owen a bunch more outs with a diamond flush draw, but the 3♥️ river was not what he needed to continue his run.
Owen finished in 35th place for $99,600, a new career-high score for the popular poker vlogger who brought his lifetime live tournament earnings up to just shy of $300,000 according to the Hendon Mob.
Bonus: Insane Three-Way All In
During the live stream on Day 4, less than 70 players remained when a sick hand was captured on the live stream.
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