Daniel Sepiol triumphed at one of the toughest final tables of 2023 to win the WPT World Championships for a top prize of $5.28 million. With play running late into the Las Vegas night, Sepiol beat Greek player Georgios Sotiropoulos to the win, and with it claimed a monumental title and by far the biggest victory of his poker career to date. Earlier, at a six-handed final table littered with some of the biggest names in the game, overnight chip leader Andrew ‘Chewy’ Lichtenberger was eliminated in third place.

Drama From the First Cards

With six players sitting down in an attempt to win one of the biggest poker titles of the year, Andrew ‘Chewy’ Lichtenberger began as the overwhelming chip leader. Chewy was not the only man going for gold, however, and initially at least, the two most active players were the runner-up Sotiropoulos and the eventual winner Sepiol.

Both players’ subsequent abilities to hold onto their stacks would propel the pair to an eventual clash for the title, but as ever, one man’s gain is another’s loss. Others fell short and Russian player Artur Martirosian was the first player to leave the final table as he departed in the 52^nd hand of the final table. All-in with , Martirosian was behind his caller Sepiol with and across a board of he was eliminated, the Russian winning a score of $1,207,000.

Five remained, and with Sepiol only a three-bet behind Chewy, the two were duking it out for control of the table. Ben Heath had far fewer chips that those two leaders and down to just under nine big blinds, called off his stack with . He had two live cards against Sotiropoulos’ but as an ace came on the flop, Heath’s hopes dwindles to running cards or a king for a Broadway straight.

Those didn’t come on the turn or the river, and Heath’s tournament came to an end, as the British player left in fifth place for $1,583,100.

Moorman Left Off the Podium, Chewy Chewed Up

With four players remaining, one British exit was followed by another. Chris Moorman knew it was time to make a move or he’d end up being swallowed by growing waves of blinds going around the table quicker now only four were left in the hunt. His big blind call for his tournament life with was unfortunately timed, but Sotiropoulos had effectively shoved from the small blind with .

The flop of provided no direct help for Moorman, who was chasing only six outs – the jack that would pair his hand or a king which would give him the Broadway straight. Sotiropoulos had one of those kings, however, and a turn was followed by on the river. He shook his opponents’ hands and cashed for $2,095,300 in fourth place, just outside the podium places.

Heading towards the final three, the chips were unfathomably evenly split. Chewy had 136.7 million, a little behind Sepiol’s stack of 139.5 million. Behind the top two, Sotiropoulos had a stack of 106.9 million. With 83 hands played, the average stack was 60 big blinds and it was still anyone’s title.

Taking the Title

With three left, play was intense and that atmosphere didn’t let up until two players missed out and one lifted the trophy. A huge flip took place as Sepiol shoved with and Chewy called off his slightly smaller stack with . With a pot of 300 million chips at stake, it was Sepiol who got lucky, as the man often known as ‘Lucky Chewy’ lost the flip, failing to hit on the board.

As Chewy left to collect $2,798,700 for his run to third place from 3,835 entries, the final two convened. Sepiol took charge and for some time, Sotiropoulos was on his knees but a timely double-up through the American with ace-high was enough to propel Sotiropoulos some way towards recovery, his 56.7 million stack being worth 23 big blinds. Another double followed with a nine-high straight and suddenly the Greek player – and his rail – could celebrate. Down 3:1 in chips, he had come back from being a massive underdog to a slight one. Everything was up for grabs.

At this point, a deal was done between the players to smooth out the original leap between second and first place. In the 130^th hand of final table action, Sepiol shoved with and Sotiropoulos called off his stack with the dominant . Could another double be on the cards? The flop of certainly suggested so. The turn of changed everything, however, and Sotiropoulos suddenly needed a miracle. Only a queen would save his tournament life but instead, a landed on the river to proclaim Daniel Sepiol the latest World Poker Tour champion as the WPT World Championship trophy went his way.

Photographs courtesy of Drew Amato for the World Poker Tour.