The third edition of World Poker Tour’s $15,000 buy-in Tournament of Champions ended in victory for US poker pro Matt Waxman Saturday when he collected the winner’s reward of $463,375, a Hublot watch and a JetSmarter membership for private flights valued at $50,000 after defeating Lithuania’s Matas Cimbolas in the heads up.
The competition, which took place at the Esports Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor, attracted 80 entries and with a $100,000 boost from WPT the prize pool topped $1,365,000. Aces like JC Tran, Ryan Riess, Nick Schulman and David Benyamine were all active in the entry field, which included four former WPT champions.
When final table action began on the third day of competitive poker it looked as if Darren Elias would claim his fifth WPT title; the US pro held a commanding chip lead and was playing with strength and aggression, but at the three-handed stage he ran into a powerful Waxman hand that took half his chips and made him vulnerable.
Just a few hands later that vulnerability was exploited by Lithuanian pro Matas Cimbolas to send Elias to the exit in third place for $177,060.
The heads up between Waxman and Cimbolas lasted for 38 hands and ended in defeat for the Lithuanian but a consolatory runner up prize of $265,590.
For Waxman it was a reassurance that he has not lost his skills despite being pretty much out of the professional game travelling and app developing over the past two or three years; his live tournament career earnings now stand at over $4 million.
Other final table cashes included:
David Benyamine $123,045
Nick Schulman $89,290