The 2022 World Poker Tour (WPT) flagship event, the Five Diamond World Poker Classic, took place on Sunday. It attracted 569 entrants who formed a $5,519,300 prize pool and exceeded its $5 million guarantee.
Chad Eveslage beat Steve "Cuz" Buckner in the $10,400 buy-in event in a heads-up battle and won $1,042,300. The action began at noon, and it lasted for almost 12 hours before Eveslage ended his back-and-forth match with Buckner after less than four hours. Yet, the tournament had accelerated 30-minute blind levels.
Eveslage beat tough opponents at the final table, including Michael Gathy and Brian Kim. Gathy had returned after Day 4's four big blinds but finished third, while Kim finished fourth despite having the largest stack on Day 2 and Day 3. Eveslage praised the two opponents and added that it was satisfying to win another WPT title.
The poker pro admitted that he felt fortunate and healthy during the tournament. But he hasn't played with Gathy in the past, and no other player has impressed him of late.
Eveslage knows little about Kim but got amazed by the skilled players who reached the final table. He won his first WPT title after leading a 1,199-entry field in the 2021 $5,000 WPT Venetian and took home $910,370.
The Final Table's Results
- Chad Eveslage from the U.S. – $1,042,300
- Steve Buckner from the U.S. – $690,000
- Michael Gathy from Belgium – $505,000
- Brian Kim from the U.S. – $377,000
- Albert Calderon from the U.S. – $283,000
- David Kim from the U.S. – $216,000
- Zach Donovan from the U.S. – $166,000
Action on the Final Day
Zach Donovan had 960,000 chips when he reached the final table and had the second smallest stack. Yet, his run ended in seventh place on the tenth hand. He put 790,000 chips all-in from a hijack with 30,000/60,000 blinds in level 25 with 60,000 big blind ante.
Kim made a big blind call and put Donovan's run at risk. The latter held {a-Spades}{q-Clubs} but couldn't match Kim's {q-Hearts}{q-Clubs}. A {7-Spades}{5-Hearts}{2-Clubs}{8-Hearts}{7-Clubs} runout sent Donovan packing with $166,000.
Each remaining player got another stack of eight 30-second time extension chips after Donovan's elimination. The next elimination occurred in level 27 at blinds of 50,000/100,000 after David Kim left the table in sixth place despite starting the day with the shortest stack.
Kim made a 200,000 under-the-gun raise, but Gathy called him in the big blind. The latter checked an {a-Spades}{8-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} flop while the former wagered 150,000. Still, Gathy check-raised Kim to 375,000.
Kim called on the {q-Clubs} turn as Gathy went all-in over a million effective. The former called off and held {a-Diamonds}{j-Hearts} for the top pair using a jack kicker while the latter turned over {a-Clubs}{8-Clubs} for a flopped two pair. Unfortunately, the river {3-Diamonds} didn't help Kim, and he left the table with $216,000.
Eveslage busted Albert Calderon in fifth place a few minutes after Kim left the tournament. Calderon check-raised him to 500,000 when Eveslage put 225,000 chips to continue in the position. The latter called and saw {4-Hearts} on the turn.
Buckner used {q-Hearts}{j-Diamonds} to move 1,825,000 chips all-in preflop from a button, and Gathy called him using {a-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}. The latter got a significant lead from the flop as the {a-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}{6-Hearts} board paired his ace and put Buckner at risk of going home if he missed a runner-runner.
Kim finished fourth after Eveslage got two pair on the flop from the {a-Spades}{q-Hearts}{10-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{7-Spades} board. Eveslage held {a-Spades}{q-Diamonds} against Gathy's {a-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}.
The board came {10-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{9-Spades}, and it didn't help Gathy, thus ending his run in the third position. Blinds were 500,000/1,000,000/1,000,000 in Level 37 when Eveslage used {a-Clubs}{9-Hearts} to move all-in for more than 12 million, even so, Buckner used {q-Diamonds}{q-Spades} to call him.
The board turned {8-Clubs}{5-Spades}{3-Spades}{4-Hearts}, and it increased Buckner's chances of winning the tournament. Yet, Eveslage got a big pot and a pair of aces from the {a-Hearts} on the river.
Buckner used {9-Clubs}{7-Spades} to put his remaining 3,100,000 stack in the next hand but lost to Eveslage's {7-Hearts}{5-Diamonds} when he flopped a pair of fives on a {10-Spades}{10-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{j-Spades} board.
