In yet another exciting final table in Season XVI of the World Poker Tour, Guo Liang Chen outlasted a final table that included Cliff Josephy and 2017 Winter Poker Open WPT final tablist Jia Liu. Final table play lasted for 10 hours and when the dust settled, it was Chen who earned the title after a hard fought battle.

In Hand #50 of the final table, Thomas Paul was the first player eliminated of the six. Paul was short after doubling up Chen in a previous hand, and was eliminated by Chen a few hands later. Chen opened to 260,000 and Paul defended out of the big blind. Paul checked the flop and Chen went all in. Paul called for a few blinds more with for a pair against the of Chen. The turn was clean but the sent Paul out the door.

In the first hand of 75,000/150,000, Josephy was eliminated by Greg Weber. Josephy started the final table as the shortest stack in play. Weber shoved with in the small blind and Josephy called of with in the big blind for 2,175,000. The flop put Weber in the lead and although Josephy picked up flush outs on the turn, he was dead on the river.

It was 36 more hands before Matt Parry, who came into the final table as chip leader, was sent out by Weber. Parry opened the button to 450,000 and Weber three-bet from the big blind to 1,200,000. Parry jammed for 5,225,000 total and Weber called with and the of Parry was in huge trouble. A king hit the flop and Parry was dead on the turn.

Three-handed play lasted for over 60 hands as Weber, Chen, and Liu traded the chip lead before Liu finally succumbed.

With the blinds up to 150,000/300,000, Liu shoved the button with for 4,175,000 and Chen called with . The board proved no good and Chen was heads up for the title against Weber.

Chen started heads up with a deficit but battled back after calling for his tournament life on the river.

Weber opened the button to 1,000,000 and Chen defended. Chen checked the flop and then called the bet of 1,000,000 from Weber. Chen bet 1,500,000 on the turn and Weber called to the river. Chen checked and Weber put him all in for 5,750,000. It took a moment, but Chen called with to pick off the bluff of Weber .

Only a dozen hands later, Chen sealed the title. Weber shoved for 5,050,000 holding and Chen looked him up with . The board gave Chen the title and the $789,058 first place prize and a seat in April’s WPT Tournament of Champions.

Final Table Payouts

1. Guo Liang Chen – $789,058
2. Greg Weber – $471,059
3. Jia Liu – $288,071
4. Matt Parry – $240,965
5. Cliff Josephy – $199,294
6. Thomas Paul-$161,247