On Sunday, Dutchman Farid Yachou took down the first-ever World Poker Tour Tournament of Champions at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for $381,600 in prize money, a 2016 Corvette courtesy of Monster, a Hublot King Power Titanium watch, an Aurae Solid Gold MasterCard, a custom premium table from BBO Poker Tables, a seat in Tiger's Poker Night Presented by the World Poker Tour, and a round of golf at Shadow Creek with two friends and Matt Savage!
Yachou, who played his first live tournament less than a year ago and had to overcome his fear of flying in order to play this tournament in the United States, outlasted a tough field of 63 players to became the last man standing in this historic tournament.
"It's something I cannot believe," Yachou said after the win, smiling. "I am seated with only champions. I said to myself, ‘I will be glad if I finish 30th.' Then, day by day and hand by hand it came altogether, and everything came to me. The Corvette is something I have never seen a tournament give away, it's amazing. I took my Monster Headphones from WPT Amsterdam because I like to hear the sound it has. It's not like the others."
"History was made today at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, as we crowned Farid Yachou the winner of the first-ever Monster WPT Tournament of Champions." said Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour. "We thank Bill Mason and his team at Seminole for their tremendous hospitality, and all of the players in attendance who helped us begin the great tradition of crowning the best of the best in celebration of the WPT Champions Club."
Final Table Results
1st Farid Yachou, $381,600*
2nd Vlad Darie, $224,190
3rd Michael Mizrachi, $140,450
4th Jonathan Jaffe, $95,400
5th Noah Schwartz, $74,200
6th Darren Elias, $58,300
*Includes a seat into the Season XV WPT Tournament of Champions.