Every tournament is a new opportunity for players to showcase their skills, and some recent winners have proven that dedication and strategy can lead to career-defining victories. In this blog, we will look at the champions who have recently taken home major titles and life-changing payouts.
Steve Buell Clinches WSOPC Grand Victoria Main Event Victory
Location: Grand Victoria Casino, Elgin, Illinois
Buy-in: $1,700
Entries: 637
Prize Pool: $849,315
Places Paid: 96
Winner’s Prize: $175,684
This World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit stop is a prestigious series in the Midwest, known for drawing pros and grinders from all over the world. The Main Event featured multiple Day 1 flights, eventually funneling into a packed Day 2 field.
Final Table Eliminations
At the final table, the six remaining players competed for the ultimate prize.
- 6th Place – Steve Wangler ($29,674):
Wangler entered the final day as one of the shorter stacks. After a series of unfortunate hands, he was the first to exit the final table. - 5th Place – Ian Greendale ($40,637):
Greendale’s tournament run ended after he couldn’t accumulate enough chips to stay in contention. He was eliminated in fifth place. - 4th Place – Jason Flock ($56,753):
Flock played well but was eventually overtaken by Buell in a key hand. His elimination left just three players battling for the title. - 3rd Place – Derek Hanauer ($80,803):
Hanauer had a solid performance, but he couldn’t survive against the rising stacks of the remaining players. His deep run ended with his elimination in third place.
The Final Hand
The tournament came to an intense close as Steve Buell faced off against Matthew Lubawski. Buell was all-in with top pair, top kicker, while Lubawski held an overpair. It seemed like Lubawski would hold the advantage and win the tournament, but the river card was dealt, and it was an eight, giving Buell a full house and securing him the victory.
Winner: Steve Buell
The win marked a career milestone for Steve Buell, who claimed his first WSOPC Main Event title and his third overall WSOPC ring. Buell had come close in previous years, with a third-place finish in Council Bluffs and a 12th-place finish in the 2024 WSOPC Grand Victoria Main Event, but this victory was the culmination of years of consistent play.
Final Table Results:
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1 | Steve Buell | $175,864 |
| 2 | Matthew Lubawski | $117,241 |
| 3 | Derek Hanauer | $80,803 |
| 4 | Jason Flock | $56,753 |
| 5 | Ian Greendale | $40,637 |
| 6 | Steve Wangler | $29,674 |
Bee Yang Ships MSPT Minnesota Poker State Championship Main Event
Location: Running Aces Casino, Columbus, Minnesota
Buy-in: $1,110
Entries: 1,004
Prize Pool: $972,380
Places Paid: 108
Winner’s Prize: $140,288
One of the marquee stops on the Mid-States Poker Tour, this championship regularly attracts top talent from across the Midwest. Known for its deep structure and massive turnouts, the 2025 edition didn’t disappoint.
Final Table Eliminations:
- 9th Place – Paul Carney ($17,357):
The first to exit the final table after battling with a short stack and running into resistance early. - 8th Place – Garrett Dwire ($21,214):
Made a few key moves but ultimately couldn’t build momentum against the chip leaders. - 7th Place – Benjamin Marsh ($27,964):
Two-time MSPT champion and crowd favorite, Marsh made a strong run but busted short of the top five. - 6th Place – Rory Linton ($35,678):
Known for a runner-up finish in this event a few years ago, Linton again impressed with another deep run. - 5th Place – John Rachie ($46,285):
Showed solid aggression but was eliminated after a big flip didn’t go his way. - 4th Place – Michael Crawford ($60,750):
Played a tight and disciplined game but couldn’t hold on once the field tightened.
That left three players to battle for the title: Bee Yang, Jay Chaudhary, and Carl Carodenuto.
The Final Hand:
The final three opted to strike a deal to divide the remaining prize pool based on chip counts. Bee Yang, holding the lead at the time, was declared the champion and awarded the top payout of $140,288, along with the official MSPT trophy and title. Jay Chaudhary took home $120,000 as the runner-up, while Carl Carodenuto, a familiar name in the Midwest poker scene, secured $110,000 for his third-place finish.
Winner: Bee Yang
Yang’s previous best score came in 2024 at this very venue, where he finished second in a $360 event for $34,221. This latest triumph blows past that figure and cements his name in Minnesota poker history. With this performance, Yang also earns 960 Player of the Year points, putting him in strong contention as the 2025 MSPT season heats up.
Final Table Results:
| Place | Player | Earnings | POY Points |
| 1 | Bee Yang | $140,288 | 960 |
| 2 | Jay Chaudhary | $120,000 | 800 |
| 3 | Carl Carodenuto | $110,000 | 640 |
| 4 | Michael Crawford | $60,750 | 480 |
| 5 | John Rachie | $46,285 | 400 |
| 6 | Rory Linton | $35,678 | 320 |
| 7 | Benjamin Marsh | $27,964 | 240 |
| 8 | Garrett Dwire | $21,214 | 160 |
| 9 | Paul Carney | $17,357 | 80 |
Chun Lun Wong Crowned 2025 Korea Poker Cup Main Event Champion
Location: Landing Casino, Jeju Shinwa World, South Korea
Entries: 1,228
Prize Pool: KRW 1,304,160,000 (~US$914,000)
Places Paid: 153
Winner’s Prize: KRW 200,740,000 (~US$141,300)
The Korea Poker Cup has rapidly become one of Asia’s premier poker festivals, known for attracting a diverse international field.
Final Table Eliminations
- 8th Place: Yirui Zhang (China)
Eliminated early after his stack was unable to survive the final table pressure. - 7th Place: Sin Lan Chen (Taiwan)
The last woman in the tournament, she was eliminated after a difficult all-in situation. - 6th Place: Daqiao Jiang (China)
Knocked out despite making a full house, unable to overcome his opponent’s stronger hand. - 5th Place: Qin Yuan (China)
Eliminated after his hand failed to improve against a dominating opponent. - 4th Place: Yao Zhao (China)
Went out after his queen-ten was overtaken by a pair of sevens, ending his run. - 3rd Place: Chen Yu Sung (China)
Eliminated in a significant hand against Weiwi Tang, unable to make it to heads-up play.
Final Hand:
After an intense heads-up battle lasting 35 hands, Chun Lung Wong and Weiwi Tang reached the final hand with both players already having agreed to an ICM deal, ensuring Wong would receive KRW 181,355,000 (~$128,600 USD) and Tang would take KRW 160,000,000 (~$112,600 USD), while the remaining KRW 19,385,000 (~$13,600 USD), along with the trophy and title, were still up for grabs.
In the final hand, Wong pushed all-in with K♠ K♣ for his remaining 17,900,000 chips, and Tang, holding Q♠ Q♦, called for his remaining 17,600,000 chips.
The board came down 3♠ 7♥ 6♦ 9♣ 4♦, with no help for Tang, as Wong’s kings held strong to win the pot.
Weiwi Tang finished as runner-up, taking home KRW 160,000,000 (~$112,600 USD) from the ICM agreement.
Winner: Chun Lung Wong
Hailing from Hong Kong, Chun Lun Wong is no stranger to the Asian live circuit. While he’s had multiple final table appearances in past regional events, this win marks his largest career cash. Previously, Wong’s biggest victory was a $17,723 USD win at the 2024 WSOP PokerNews Daily Deepstacks tournament.
Final Table Results:
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (USD) |
| 1 | Chun Lung Wong | United States | 200,740,000* | 141,300 |
| 2 | Weiwi Tang | China | 160,000,000* | 112,600 |
| 3 | Chen Yu Sung | China | 101,000,000 | 71,100 |
| 4 | Yao Zhao | China | 71,500,000 | 50,300 |
| 5 | Qin Yuan | China | 51,500,000 | 36,200 |
| 6 | Daqiao Jiang | China | 37,700,000 | 26,500 |
| 7 | Sin Lan Chen | China | 28,300,000 | 19,900 |
| 8 | Yirui Zhang | China | 21,400,000 | 15,100 |
Keep following PokerProNews for the latest updates and results from the live poker events across the world.
Sources: WSOP, Poker.Org, LifeOfPoker & MSPT Blog
