March 26-30
Percent of chips Luis Yepez held at the start of heads-up play.
-
1ST
Luiz Yepez
$181,740
-
2ND
Patrick Truong
$121,120
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3RD
Kyle Grosshanten
$84,010
-
4TH
Kent Stephens
$59,310
-
5TH
Javier Fernandez
$42,640
-
6TH
James Anderson
$31,220
-
7TH
Matthew Leecy
$23,290
-
8TH
Stan Jablonski
$17,710
-
9TH
Daniel Lei
$13,730
Luis Yepez claimed his third World Series of Poker Circuit ring with a dominant showing in the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Las Vegas.
This stop is always one of the toughest on the schedule, played in the same building that hosts the summer WSOP and packed with some of the most active mid-stakes grinders in the country. With three starting flights and a $500,000 guarantee already crushed by the end of Flight B, the tournament eventually doubled that mark, setting the stage for an action-packed Day 2 and beyond.
Easy game
Yepez, a 10-year pro originally from Venezuela, now calls Los Angeles home. He put together one of the cleanest runs of the series after steadily building through Day 2. Then Yepez carried the chip lead into Day 3 and never really let it go, controlling the action and applying pressure all the way through the final table.
“The success is coming from God,” Yepez said after the win. “I trust in God. I trust in the process. Keep improving and accept the variance.”
Waiting for him at the end was Patrick Truong, who had his own strong story. Truong, a long-time Vegas pro, bagged the chip lead in Flight B and stayed consistent throughout the tournament, navigating his way to heads-up play before ultimately finishing runner-up for $121,120.
The final table itself had a little bit of everything. Local grinders, traveling pros, and recreational players all mixed together, creating a dynamic lineup that made for a long and competitive finish. Yepez, though, stayed composed throughout.
Study, study, study
Yepez credited much of that to the work he’s been putting in away from the table.
“I’ve been studying and studying… and studying with really good guys,” he said. “If you want to study, that’s a good path to go. But even if you play recreational, this is a really fun game.”
That balance showed in his play. He picked his spots, avoided unnecessary risks, and when the big moments came, he delivered. By the time heads-up play started, he had about a 10:1 chip lead and closed it out without letting momentum swing back the other way.
The win marks Yepez’s second Circuit Main Event title, adding to his victory last year in Southern Indiana. Despite the six-figure score, the celebration plans were simple.
“I just want to drive back fast to see my kids and hang with my wife,” he said.
With the World Series of Poker just a couple of months away, the timing couldn’t be better.
“It’s a good motivation,” he added. “Winning right before the summer. I’m going to feel really good at the table.”
