Monday was a giant day for Scott Stewart. The longtime poker professional recorded his ninth profession World Series of Poker Circuit victory by securing his first predominant occasion title. He defeated a area of 435 entries within the $1,700 buy-in no-limit maintain’em event at Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe to earn the {hardware} and the highest prize of $125,279. The 2024 World Poker Tour World Championship winner now boasts profession earnings of greater than $6.2 million after this newest win.
While the jewellery and the cash are certainly significant, this victory additionally resonated with Stewart for one more purpose. He had last tabled this identical occasion earlier than, again in 2022. Stewart completed sixth that 12 months, whereas his shut buddy Jarod Minghini went on to attain an emotional win that he devoted to his late brother Bobby, who had tragically handed simply weeks earlier.
Four years faraway from that have, Stewart was capable of return to the Lake Tahoe poker hotspot and win the title as Minghini rooted him from the rail.
Stewart mentioned how vital his buddies have been to his success on the circuit, telling Poker.Org reporters available, “I think I’ve said it before, but I have the best friends in the world. The people around me are the reason I succeed. There’s just something about being more comfortable and having fun and playing like that with less stress. It brings out the best in me, and I really can’t beat that situation.”
Minghini additionally shared some ideas in the course of the post-win celebration, saying, “[Stewart] was there that night when we found out. Ever since then, he’s been one of my best friends in the world. We’ve been brothers ever since. Bobby loved this guy.”
Engel Seizes Lead Briefly, Ultimately Finishes Fourth
This was the twenty second total title and 274th recorded money for Stewart. He got here into the ultimate day because the chip chief with six gamers remaining. The prime 44 had cashed, with $659,025 in whole prize cash awarded alongside the best way. Among the notables who made the cash have been Minghini (forty third), Ian Steinman (thirty ninth), TK Miles (thirty third), and Michael Lech (twelfth).
Ari Engel nabbed the primary knockout of the ultimate day, with the 21-time WSOPC ring winner’s J♣J♦ popping out on prime in a preflop race in opposition to James Czarnecki’s A♠Okay♥. Neither participant related with the ten-high runout, and Czarnecki settled for $22,301 because the sixth-place finisher.
Engel briefly overtook the lead after profitable a giant pot in opposition to Stewart with threes filled with tens. Soon after that, although, he misplaced a flip with pocket tens in opposition to Okay-Q to fall out of the highest spot.
Vishnu Chada bowed out in fifth place ($30,278) after his prime pair with A♠8♣ ran right into a flopped Broadway straight for Harshvardhan Baghel, who held J♠10♣. He was quickly joined on the rail by Engel, who had slid to the underside of the chip counts because the day wore on. Engel misplaced his last hand with Okay♠3♠ dealing with A♣7♣ for Tyler Parker. The chips went in on a A♠10♣7♠ flop and the A♦ flip locked it up for Parker. Engel earned $41,941 for his fourth-place displaying.
Stewart Completes Heads-Up Comeback To Secure The Win
Parker labored his solution to the highest of the pile in the course of the early three-handed motion. He additional padded his stack when his 7♥7♣ outran Baghel’s Okay♥Q♠. Parker flopped a set and turned a full home to go away Baghel drawing lifeless with one card to return. Baghel earned $59,251 for this podium end, which was by far his largest rating but on the circuit.
With that, Parker took higher than a 3:1 chip lead into heads-up play with Stewart. Some of that floor had already been made up earlier than the important thing hand of the ultimate battle arrived. The showdown in query noticed Parker guess 700,000 into an already sizable pot with the flop displaying 6♦6♥5♣. Stewart made the decision and the 6♦ flip put journeys on the board. Parker fired 1,800,000 and Stewart got here alongside to see the 9♥ river. Parker moved all-in, placing Stewart to the check for his remaining 2,785,000.
Stewart went into the tank and took a wholesome pull from a close-by bottle of whisky, which had been set there by Minghini.
“Let’s see if the whiskey speaks to me one more time,” he stated earlier than one other swig. Then he put within the name with A♠9♣ for sixes filled with nines. Parker confirmed Q♥7♦ for a bluff and slid under 40 huge blinds, whereas Stewart chipped as much as 108 huge blinds.
Parker fell additional behind earlier than discovering a double. Then, he acquired all-in on a 10♥9♠3♥ flop with 10♣7♥ for prime pair. Stewart had him in unhealthy form with 10♠3♠ for 2 pair, although. The 3♣ flip improved Stewart to a full home. The 4♣ river formally rendered Parker the runner-up. He earned $85,336 for his efforts, a brand new personal-best payday on the event scene.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Scott Stewart | $125,279 | 720 |
| 2 | Tyler Parker | $85,336 | 600 |
| 3 | Harshvardhan Baghel | $59,251 | 480 |
| 4 | Ari Engel | $41,941 | 360 |
| 5 | Vishnu Chada | $30,278 | 300 |
| 6 | James Czarnecki | $22,301 | 240 |
| 7 | Brad Slama | $16,765 | 180 |
| 8 | Jason Mitchell | $12,870 | 120 |
| 9 | Kyle Grosshanten | $10,093 | 60 |
Photo credit score: WSOP / Poker.Org
