Stephen Song – Photo Credit: Matthew Berglund
Stephen Song added another title to his collection with a victory in the $25,000 high roller event at the North American Poker Tour Las Vegas tournament series on Nov. 6.
He also took his career earnings all the way up to $8.7 million thanks to the $439,400 in prize money he won at Resorts World. Song now holds 14 tournament titles, and this win comes on the heels of his big victory at the European Poker Tour Barcelona main event in September for $1.4 million.
“It feels really good to win a tournament. Tough field too, had to battle some of the best players in the country or even the world,” Song told reporters after the victory.
The high roller clocked in a field of 60 entries to put the prize pool at $1,440,600, and all eight players that made the final table were in the money. There were 28 players that returned for Day 2, and just four advanced to the final day of the tournament after Elias Gutierrez (5th), Thomas Eychenne (6th), Brock Wilson (7th), and Paul Jager (8th) cashed at the final table.
Song held a massive chip lead when cards got into the air between the final four players, which only increased after taking out three-time WSOP bracelet winner Jim Collopy in fourth place. Song kept his momentum rolling when he took out Edward Sebesta in third place to set up a final match against a formidable opponent in Sean Winter.
The chip stacks at the start of heads-up play had Song holding a better than 2:1 chip advantage but Winter fought back as the two talented players traded blows during a back-and-forth battle.
The biggest hand between them transpired when Winter limped on the button preflop, and Song checked the big blind before the first three cards were dealt 10
J
6
. Song then check-raised after Winter bet, and Winter called before the turn fell 9. Both players checked to the K on the river, and Song check-called a bet from Winter after going into the tank for a bit.
The call worked out for Song when his K-8 topped the J-5 of Winter, putting him firmly in control down the home stretch.
“Sean’s super tough and that heads-up was grueling. It really all came down to that king-eight ballsy call I made. It’s a tournament so anything can happen, just grateful that it worked out perfectly.”
Winter added $288,100 to his career earnings that are up to an astounding $32.7 million.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY |
| 1 | Stephen Song | $439,400 | 504 |
| 2 | Sean Winter | $288,100 | 420 |
| 3 | Edward Sebesta | $208,900 | 336 |
| 4 | Jim Collopy | $158,500 | 252 |
| 5 | Elias Gutierrez | $122,500 | 210 |
| 6 | Thomas Eychenne | $93,600 | 168 |
| 7 | Brock Wilson | $72,000 | 126 |
| 8 | Paul Jager | $57,600 | 84 |
The North American Poker Tour Las Vegas stop has tournaments running from Nov. 1-10 on the Las Vegas Strip. Stay tuned to Card Player for recaps of the biggest events throughout the tournament series.