Stephen Song Wins World Series of Poker Circuit Grand Victoria Main Event

Stephen Song is simply 28 years outdated, however he has already achieved a number of huge milestones on the reside event circuit. The Greenwich, Connecticut native has each a World Series of Poker bracelet and the first-ever World Poker Tour Prime Championship trophy on his proverbial mantlepiece. Now, due to an enormous win this week, Song can also be a four-time WSOP Circuit champion. His newest ring was earned within the 2023 WSOPC Grand Victoria Casino $1,700 buy-in no-limit maintain’em primary occasion. He defeated a area of 652 entries to safe the title and the highest prize of $183,508.

“It’s actually been on my bucket list for a while, actually, to win specifically a [WSOP] Circuit main event. I have played a lot of these and gotten close a few times but never won one of these before,” Song advised Poker.org reside reporters on website after popping out on prime.

This was the sixth-largest recorded rating but for Song, along with his prime payout being the $712,650 he acquired because the winner of the aforementioned WPT Prime Championship in 2022. He now has practically $5.9 million in profession earnings to his identify.

Song’s newest win on tour additionally got here with 840 Card Player Player of the Year factors. This was his first title and fourth final-table end of the yr. With 2,064 complete factors and practically $434,000 in to-date POY earnings, he now sits inside the highest 200 within the 2023 POY race standings introduced by Global Poker.

This occasion performed out from Nov. 16-20 on the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois close to Chicago. The 653-entry turnout resulted in a $987,780 prize pool, with the highest 80 finishers making the cash.

Lee Rzentkowski held the lead going into the ultimate day, with Song in second chip place among the many remaining 5 contenders. Song scored the primary knockout, along with his pocket queens holding towards the J-9 suited of Svetlozar Momtchilov (fifth – $46,748). Rzentkowski additionally gained an enormous pot with pocket queens. His overpair remained greatest dealing with the pocket fives of Timothy Mulroy (4th – $62,039).

Two-time bracelet winner Tom Koral’s run on this occasion got here to an finish when his J-10 was unable to return from behind towards the pocket kings of Rzentkowski. Koral flopped an open-ended straight draw, however Rzentkowski improved to kings full by the river to lock up the pot. Koral earned $83,365 because the third-place finisher, rising his lifetime earnings to almost $2.8 million within the course of.

Heads-up play started with Song holding 15,180,000 to Rzentkowski’s 10,900,000. Rzentkowski was capable of battle his method into the lead for a bit, however Song quickly regained management. The ultimate hand noticed all of the chips go in on a 7625Okay board with Song holding 98 for a nine-high straight, which bested the 62 two pair of Rzentkowski.

Rzentkowski earned $113,415 because the runner-up finisher. This was the second-largest rating on his event resume, behind solely the $145,006 he was awarded because the winner of the 2022 Mid-States Poker Tour Riverside cease in Iowa.

Here is a have a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the ultimate desk:

Photo supplied by WSOP.