Alex Yen Wins 2022 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open for $975,240

Alex Yen won the 2022 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open, pocketing a lifetime best cash of $975,240. The $3500 buy-in Main Event attracted 1982 entries to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

By the time day six arrived, the original field had been slashed to just 6 players, the likes of Ali Imsirovic, Chris Moorman, Erik Seidel and Loni Harwood all making the paid spots but unable to make the final table. Alex Yen came into the final holding the chip lead, with just over $200k locked up already – half his previous lifetime from live tournament play.

The battle for the WPT LHPO crown saw an hour pass before the first casualty, with Algeria’s Omar Lakhdari losing a race with K♠Q♠ against the pocket nines of Daniel Lazrus. Fifth spot and $272,830 went to Michigan pro, Josh Kay, whose one-time healthy stack took several hits, eventually falling to a double hit from Anton Wigg. Down to just four, and Maryland’s Nicholas Verderamo had laddered two spots from his smallest stack at the start of play. When the end came at the hands of Yen’s pocket queens, it meant he had picked up the biggest payday of his career, $361,130.