Kevin Li Goes from Short Stack to Bracelet Winner in WSOP Tournament of Champions

9 months after successful his first World Collection of Poker (WSOP) Circuit ring at a cease in Calgary, Canada’s Kevin Li is now additionally a WSOP bracelet winner after taking down the Match of Champions for $200,000.

The WSOP Match of Champions, which occurred at Commerce On line casino in Southern California, was a freeroll occasion eligible for all bracelet and Circuit ring winners from the 2024 WSOP season.

Everybody on the closing desk was, by definition, achieved on the WSOP aspect of issues. However two gamers on the closing desk additionally occurred to be World Poker Tour (WPT) champions. Dan Sepiol gained the 2023 WPT World Championship for $5.2 million, whereas reigning champion Scott Stewart took down final yr’s occasion for $2.5 million.

WSOP Match of Champions Last Desk Outcomes

Sepiol Fares Better of WPT World Champions

The ultimate desk motion, which was live-streamed by Bally Stay Poker, kicked off with Harveys Lake Tahoe Circuit ring winner Don Ciaglo in entrance of massive stacks Dan Sepiol and Yang Xu, whereas Kevin Lemmer and eventual champion Kevin Li had been each towards the underside of the pack.

Scott Stewart was the primary to go and the reigning WPT champ did so in brutal trend. Stewart flipped with pocket queens in opposition to ace-king and was teased with a turned set earlier than his opponent rivered Broadway.

Subsequent out was Lemmer, who ran queen-eight into pocket jacks and could not enhance regardless of flopping a straight draw. The ultimate desk dwindled farther from there with the eliminations of Yang Xu and nine-time Circuit ring winner Maxwell Younger.

Sepiol, who certified by successful the 2024 WSOP $1,500 Shootout, bowed out in fourth place as his ace-ten was pipped by Li’s ace-jack, whereas start-of-day chip chief Ciaglo was subsequent out as he ran a weak ace into rockets.

Li entered heads-up play with a small chip lead over Rice and the 2 battled for greater than an hour earlier than Li’s king-queen pipped Rice’s king-four and Li pale a chop as he secured the victory.

The $200,000 rating is a career-best for Li, who had lower than $50,000 in Hendon Mob earnings forward of the occasion and who gained his maiden Circuit ring in a Blended No-Restrict Maintain’em/Pot-Restrict Omaha occasion at WSOPC Calgary in August 2024.

The Match of Champions is a part of the bigger WSOP Circuit Commerce cease that culminates with the presently underway $1,700 Primary Occasion.

Take a look at the total closing desk stream on YouTube.

*Images courtesy Bally Stay Poker by way of YouTube

Connor Richards is an Editor & Stay Reporter for PokerNews and host of the Life Exterior Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for 2 World Poker Awards for his writing.