The “Ultimate Amateur” Alex Lipkin is the winner of the $1,700 World Series of Poker Main Event held at Graton Casino in Northern California, and the $162,560 and the ring is almost as sweet as that self-imposed moniker.
The player with the tongue-in-cheek nickname topped a field of 558 who showed up to try for a ring in the headliner. He won $160,520. Lipkin will use the victory as a confidence builder.
“One time doesn’t prove anything. I’m going to feel more confident going into tournaments knowing that I’ve done this before, because before this. I only had two deep runs in WSOP events, and didn’t play many tournaments,” he told the WSOP. “But no, I’m not going to consider myself a great player now because I won one tournament. I’m still an amateur, but I don’t get easily intimidated at the poker table, even by experienced guys.”
And you shouldn’t, because you’re now an amateur who just popped a $160K score. All hail Alex Lipkin.
Back-to-back final tables
Michael Lin was the runner-up and won a lovely $108,149 for it.
It was only a month ago that he and Antonio Ma were at the WSOPC Main Event final table at Thunder Valley Casino. Lin stalled in sixth in January for $61,645, while Ma nearly won his first WSOPC ring for finishing second. He won $125,260.
This time Ma went out in sixth. It’s a heck of an achievement for two players who find themselves battling each other in Northern California card rooms.
WSOP Circuit Graton Main Event final table results:
- Alex Lipkin – $162,520
- Michael Lin – $108,149
- Marco Johnson – $74,400
- Brett Murray – $52,156
- Brandon Buckner – $37,227
- Antonio Ma – $27,116
- Yoh Han Lee – $20,157
- Allan Capurro – $15,303
- Saad Aljoher – $12,076
