Artem Vezhenkov turned the primary participant so as to add his identify to the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup in 2025.
The Russian native topped a 750-entry discipline within the World Poker Tour Cambodia $3,500 buy-in no-limit maintain’em predominant occasion, incomes his first WPT title and a career-best rating of $390,650.
“I am very happy,” Vezhenkov advised WPT reporters after popping out on high. “I was surprised because it was the best tournament of my whole life. The best main event, the best structure, it’s perfect.”
This victory pushed Vezhenkov’s lifetime earnings over $2 million. It was his fourth profession six-figure rating, with the prior three all coming in Triton Poker excessive curler tournaments.
The turnout generated a prize pool of $2,400,750, greater than $900,000 north of the $1.5 million assure. The high 94 finishers earned no less than a min-cash.
Notables who completed in-the-money included four-time bracelet winner Michael Gathy (thirty sixth), WPT anchor Lynn Gilmartin (thirty first), Dylan Destefano (nineteenth), 2024 WPT Prime Paris champion Hugues Girard (14th), and bracelet winner Aditya Agarwal (seventh) all operating deep.
The ultimate desk started with Ankit Ahuja out in entrance, whereas Vezhenkov and four-time bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche scorching on his heels.
Daniel Charlton received the final of his critically quick stack in with Okay-7 in opposition to the A-6 suited of Nitsche, with Vezhenkov additionally coming alongside. The flop got here down A
A
A
to provide Nitsche quads and he guess small. Vezhenkov folded and Charlton discovered that he was already drawing lifeless. The flip and river had been mere formalities, and Charlton headed to the rail with $82,000.
Nitsche’s run got here to an finish when his turned second nut flush was outrun by the rivered nut flush of Supakit Anukoolpitaknil. Nitsche was awarded $107,000 because the fifth-place finisher, rising his lifetime earnings to almost $21 million.
Anukoolpitaknil ran A-7 into the A-J suited of Vezhenkov to complete fourth ($142,000). Ahuja held the lead when three-handed play started, however was floor right down to the quick stack and ultimately knocked out in third place ($189,000). The 2023 Eureka Poker Tour Cyprus champion earned $189,000 for this podium end. He now has $2,977,740 in profession cashes to his identify.
Vezhenkov held 23,875,000 to Ronald Haverkamp’s 13,525,000 when heads-up play started. He was in a position to prolong that benefit even additional forward of the ultimate hand. Vezhenkov limped in for 250,000 complete with Q10 and Haverkamp checked with Okay6. The flop got here down Q103
and Haverkamp check-called a min-bet of 250,000. The Okay noticed one other examine from Haverkamp. Vezhenkov guess 1,300,000 and acquired one other name. The 10 on the tip drew a 3rd examine from Haverkamp. Vezhenkov guess sufficient to place his opponent in danger and Haverkamp went into the tank. He ultimately made the decision with kings and queens, solely to be proven the profitable full home of Vezhenkov. Haverkamp earned $255,000, the most important recorded rating but for the Dutch participant.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
| 1 | Artem Vezhenkov | $390,650 | 1368 |
| 2 | Ronald Haverkamp | $255,000 | 1140 |
| 3 | Ankit Ahuja | $189,000 | 912 |
| 4 | Supakit Anukoolpitaknil | $142,000 | 684 |
| 5 | Dominik Nitsche | $107,000 | 570 |
| 6 | Daniel Charlton | $82,000 | 456 |
| 7 | Aditya Agarwal | $63,000 | 342 |
| 8 | Neng Zhao | $49,000 | 228 |
| 9 | Collin Ho | $38,500 | 114 |
Photos offered by WPT.
