In 2013, Darryll Fish finished third in the World Poker Tour Lucky Hearts Open at Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In 2017, he finished runner-up at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, also at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. On Wednesday, Fish put those close calls behind him by winning the LHPO for his first WPT title and $511,604.

Fish entered the final table with a middle-of-the-pack stack but worked his way through the final table to book his first live win since the 2016 Aussie Millions Tournament of Champions.

Alan Krockey came to the final table with the second shortest stack but found himself leaving first after running into a hand that basically played itself. Ness Reilly raised to 160,000 from UTG before Krockey, down to just 12 big blinds, moved all in for 915,000. Reilly called and turned oer while Krockey needed some help with . The flop took away one of Krockey’s ace outs and neither the turn or river was enough to save him and the 68 year old was eliminated in sixth.

Just 13 hands later another all-in preflop race claimed a victim. Aleksandr Shevelev raised to 170,000 from UTG, Reilly made it 500,000 from the button before Brett Bader re-raised to 1,350,000. Action folded to Shevelev and moved all in for 7,005,000. Reilly folded before Bader called all in and tabled . Shevelev showed . The board ran out to give the young Russian a pair of kings and send Bader out with a fifth place finish.

After doubling up Andy Frankenberger, and dropping almost 4,000,000 to Shevelev, Reilly was down to just nine big blinds. Action folded to her on the button and she moved all in. Darryll Fish called from the small blind and showed while Reilly was ahead with . The changed everything though and Reilly was unable to find a jack on the turn or river and was eliminated in fourth.

Despite starting the day as the shortest stack, Frankenberger navigated his way to the top three. Unfortunately for the former WPT champion, that’s as far as he could get. Frankenberger moved all in for 2,305,000 from the button, Fish called from the small blind and Shevelev fold his big blind. Frankenberger turned over while Fish had . The flop kept Frankenberger in front but the turn put Fish in front and the river couldn’t save Frankenberger.

Heads-up play began with Shevelev holding almost 60% of the chips in play. It took just 87 hands to go from six players to two, but it took 121 to go from two to a champion. Fish and Shevelev traded the lead back multiple times before Fish finally put away Shevelev for good.

After doubling Fish up, Shevelev was left with just eight big blinds when he moved all in and Fish called. Shevelev was ahead with to Fish’s . The board ran out to give Fish a king-high straight and his first WPT title.

The Lucky Hearts Poker Open attracted 911 entrants, paying $3,500 to generate a $2,915,200 prize pool.

Final Table Payouts

1. Darryll Fish – $511,604
2. Aleksandr Shevelev – $331,116
3. Andy Frankenberger – $244,342
4. Ness Reilly – $182,249
5. Brett Bader – $137,440
6. Alan Krockey – $104,784