Niall ‘firaldo’ Farrell is one step closer to being a part of poker’s Triple Crown after taking down the partypoker World Poker Tour Caribbean title for $330,000. 323 entrants took part in the $5,000 buy-in event and after starting the final table among the short stacks, Farrell wound up taking the lion’s share of the over $1,450,000 prize pool.

Farrell won the European Poker Tour Malta Main Event in October 2015 for the first leg of the Triple Crown and this victory adds to his already sizable $2,936,820 in live tournament earnings. The final table marked Farrell’s first in a WPT main event and he certainly made the most of the opportunity.

This TV final table was an international affair with six different countries represented. Additionally, all the final tablists were making their first WPT final table appearance.

Stephen Woodhead started the final table as the short stack and it took 24 hands before he met his end. It was Farrell who did the deed knocking out Woodhead as the two battled for Woodhead’s last 15 big blinds in a preflop confrontation. Farrell opened for 105,000 from the hijack and Woodhead moved all in for 750,000 from the big blind. Farrell called having Woodhead dominated with against the short stack’s . The runout was no assistance to Woodhead as he took home $66,000 for his finish.

The next to go was Yiannis Liperis, who has also hamstrung with a short stack coming into the final table. With just over six blinds left, Liperis jammed for 375,000 on the button and got a call from Anthony Augustino out of the big blind. Like Woodhead, Liperis had an inferior ace as he showed against Augustino’s . The flop left Liperis needing running cards to double up, as well as a three. The turn gave him a gutshot straight draw but the would seal his fate as the fifth place finisher.

Farrell picked up his second elimination of the final table as he took downColin Moffatt 17 hands after Liperis departed. With the blinds still at 30,000/60,000, Farrell raised to 105,000 on the button and Moffatt moved all in for 1,180,000 from the big blind. Farrell called and was in a flip with against the of Moffatt. The [10s] flop surged Moffatt ahead as he flopped two pair. Farrell regained the lead on the turn, though, with the giving him a set. Needing to fill up on the river, Moffatt did not as the and he exited in fourth place.

It would only take Farrell 10 more hands to earn the championship as he dispatched his next two opponents in short order. Farrell caught a double at an opportune time which fully charged his late run to the title.

In one of the biggest pots of the tournament, Farrell chased down Troy Quenneville in the hand that effectively sealed the title for Farrell. With the blinds still at the same level, Quenneville opened to 135,000 from the button and was three-bet by Farrell to 375,000. Quenneville pumped it up to 890,000 and Farrell jammed for 3,380,000 total with Quenneville calling with . Farrell needed to come from far behind with his to stay alive. The surged Farrell into the lead and he held on the turn and river. The pot put Farrell into the chip lead with 6,850,000 (114 big blinds) and left Quenneville with 840,000 (14 big blinds).

Despite being the short stack, Quenneville doubled through Augustino a few hands later to put him as the low man on the totem pole as Augustino was eliminated in third place. In Hand 73 of the final table, Farrell moved all in from the small blind and Augustino called for his last 1,160,000 with from the big blind. Farrell was behind, but live, with and promptly flopped a straight draw on the [10s] board. The changed little but the on the river filled Farrell’s straight to send Augustino out with the bronze medal earning $140,000.

Heads up play didn’t last long as Farrell knocked out Quenneville in the first hand of their match. Farrell moved all in from the small blind to put Quenneville at risk for his last 1,540,000 and Quenneville called. Farrell had the slight lead with but Quenneville had a lot to work with holding . The flop gave both players a pair but Quenneville still needed help to double. The on the turn gave Quenneville a straight draw but the on the river would eliminate him just short of first place.

The $330,000 first place prize marks the fourth largest of Farrell’s career as he adds to his already sterling poker resume. Farrell also earns his place in the WPT Tournament of Champions for his victory.

Final Table Payouts

1. Niall Farrell – $330,000
2. Troy Quenneville – $220,000
3. Anthony Augustino – $140,000
4. Colin Moffatt – $105,392
5. Yiannis Liperis – $80,000
6. Stephen Woodhead – $66,000