2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  2,290
Prize Pool:  $7,328,000
April 28-May 25, 2023

The 2023 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship drew 2,290 entries, created an exciting atmosphere, and played the finale in Las Vegas. Bin Weng went to the final table with the chip lead, ending with his first WPT title and $1,128,250.

“(Winning a WPT title) was one of my main goals, when I started to play poker (full time) back in 2019,” Weng said. “It means a lot to me, definitely.”

The tournament featured a $3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool with two starting flights. Our players turned out and created the second-biggest $3,500 WPT Championship field in main tour history, second only to the same tournament in 2021. They created a prize pool worth $7,328,000 and the last 287 spots were paid.

The Championship played down in our Grand Ballroom until only six players remained. Those six flew to Las Vegas, where they competed on the big stage in front of the WPT cameras.

Weng led most of the way at the final table, only dropping into second once heads up with Sri Sangannagari, but he regained the lead along with the title. The $1,128,250 payday is the biggest cash of his career and second million-dollar score this year.

“This is the biggest dream to put my name on the Mike Sexton Cup. For me, it’s already a win. I’m very happy.” Weng told WPT reporters. “I just called my wife and she was very proud of me…she was speechless. I don’t know how to describe all my feelings right now.”

Congrats to Bin on the win and thank you to everyone who made the tournament a success!

Final table results:

1st: Bin Weng – $1,128,250 (includes seat in WPT World Championship)
2nd: Sri Sangannagari – $745,000
3rd: Mitch Garshofsky – $550,000
4th: David Mzareulov – $413,000
5th: Jack Thu – $312,000
6th: Rafael Farah – $238,000

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 37:  500,000/1,000,000 with a 1,000,000 ante

After swapping the lead, Sri Sangannagari was down to 6,200,000 and moved all in from his button. Bin Weng called with a chance to lock up the title.

Weng:
Sangannagari:

Sangannagari was drawing live for a saving double but the board ran out and Weng won the hand, and the title, with two pair aces and nines.

Sangannagari earned $745,000 from his runner-up finished and Weng is the next WPT Poker Showdown Champion for $1,128,280.

1st: Bin Weng – $1,128,250 (includes seat in WPT World Championship)
2nd: Sri Sangannagari – $745,000

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 34:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 2,290

Heads-up play is underway with Bin Weng holding a big lead over Sri Sangannagari.

Seat 4.  Sri Sangannagari  –  21,400,000  (43 bb)
Seat 5.  Bin Weng  –  93,175,000  (186 bb)

1st:  $1,128,250
2nd:  $745,000

WPT Live Stream

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 34:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 2,290

Mitch Garshofsky open-shoved from the button for 6,375,000 and Bin Weng called from the big blind.

Weng:
Garshofsky:

Garshofsky was behind but was drawing to two live, suited cards. That changed when Weng paired his ace on the flop. Garshofsky paired his five on the turn but his Championship came to an end after the river.

Bin Weng  –  93,175,000  (186 bb)
Mitch Garshofsky  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($550,000)

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 34:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 2,290

David Mzareulov open-shipped for 5,275,000 from under the gun, Bin Weng raised to 17,250,000 and Mitch Garshofsky folded his big.

Weng;
David Mzareulov:

Mzareulov needed help to stay at the final table but Weng slammed the door on the flop. His boat was good and Mzareulov was eliminated after the turn and river.

Bin Weng  –  79,750,000  (160 bb)
David Mzareulov  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($413,000)

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 34:  250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 2,290

Bin Weng opened to 2,025,000 from the small blind and Jack Thu thought it through in the big blind. He used one of his time chips, moved all in for 13,450,000 and Weng called.

Weng:
Thu:

Thu had bad kicker issues with his smaller ace and it got a lot worse when Weng paired his queen on the flop. Trip queens on the turn and Thu, our only South Florida representative, was eliminated in fifth place.

Bin Weng  –  71,950,000
Jack Thu  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($312,000)

WPT Live Stream

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 32:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 2,290

Bin Weng opened to 625,000 from under the gun, Rafael Farah moved all in for 3,675,000 from the small blind, and Weng called.

Farah:
Weng:

Farah was in great shape for a big double but Weng made a set of threes on the flop. The board finished turn and river to send Farah off the final table.

Bin Weng  –  47,050,000
Rafael Farah – Eliminated in 6th Place ($238,000)

WPT Live Stream

$3,500 WPT Poker Showdown Championship
$3,000,000 Guaranteed | Payouts
Level 32:  150,000/300,000 with a 300,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 2,290

The 2023 WPT Poker Showdown Championship final table is about to get underway in Las Vegas. You can watch all the action on the live stream with hole cards on a 30-minute delay.

Watch below or hit the WPT link.

Seat 1: Mitch Garshofsky – 18,550,000 (62 bb)
Seat 2: David Mzareulov – 13,350,000 (45 bb)
Seat 3: Rafael Farah Jarufe – 4,275,000 (14 bb)
Seat 4: Sridhar Sangannagari – 19,100,000 (64 bb)
Seat 5: Bin Weng – 46,050,000 (154 bb)
Seat 6: Naing Thu – 13,250,000 (44 bb)

1st: $1,128,250 (includes seat in WPT World Championship)
2nd: $745,000
3rd: $550,000
4th: $413,000
5th: $312,000
6th: $238,000

The 2023 WPT Poker Showdown Championship hit the pause button a few weeks ago once the $3,000,000 guarantee tournament was down to six players. That group is now in Las Vegas and ready to play it out for the title in front of the WPT cameras on the big stage.

The group has nearly $8,000,000 in career earnings and Bin Weng holds a big chip lead when cards go back in the air. Here’s a look at the lineup and some information about each.

The final table will be live-streamed on all WPT platforms and taped for later broadcast. We will also be posting results here as they play down.

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Seat 1: Mitch Garshofsky
Chips: 18,550,000

From Las Vegas with nearly $2,000,000 in career earnings, Garshofsky has two WSOP Circuit rings and won a $1,600 Wynn Classic event last summer. This is already his second-biggest score and a fourth-place finish will make it his biggest.

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Seat 2: David Mzareulov
Chips: 13,350,000

From Houston with $1.2 million in career earnings, Mzareulov owns a WSOP Circuit ring and he earned the GPI Mid-Major Player of the Year award in 2021. He locked up his biggest cash with this result no matter where he finishes.

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Seat 3: Rafael Farah
Chips: 4,275,000

From Lima, Peru with $322K in career earnings, the result from this final table will be his largest by far. He has gone deep and cashed in three of our last four WPT Championships and he cashed for $15,000 in last year’s Poker Showdown Championship.

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Seat 4: Sridhar Sangannagari
Chips: 19,100,000

From the Northeast via India with more than $400,000 in earnings, Sri also locked up the biggest cash of his career no matter where he finishes at the final table. His previous top score came last summer when he finished 11th in the WSOP Housewarming event.

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Seat 5: Bin Weng
Chips: 46,050,000

From Philadelphia with $4.7 million in earnings, Weng is the most accomplished player at the final table and holds a huge chip lead. He earned a $1,000,000 payday earlier this year for winning the Borgata Return $5,300 Main Event. After this WPT final table, he gets to play another because he made the Choctaw last six.

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Seat 6: Naing Thu
Chips: 13,250,000

From Davie and the only player at the final table representing South Florida, Thu has $275,000 in earnings with all but three of his career cashes coming in our events. His previous biggest cash was 23rd place in our 2019 WPT Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship.