WPT SHRPS Final Table Is Set Up – Meet the Final Six
6 minutes
Last Updated: May 3, 2024
Just sixteen of the 1,869 hopefuls who entered the World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship came back today for Day 4 action.
Six of them were set to make the final table, which will be played out in Las Vegas this May, while the other ten would have to leave their hopes and dreams behind in Florida.
It was a relatively quick affair, as the sixteen players set down at two tables and played some five and a half hours before ten of them were eliminated and the final table was set.
Among those who busted out were the likes of Dylan Lynde, Toby Boas, and Barry Hatcher, while the likes of Landon Tice and Jesse Lonis thrived on the fourth day of action at WPT SHRPS.
By the time it was all said and done, Dylan Smith was able to retain a massive chip lead with 28,400,000, good for 142 big blinds, ahead of the likes of Josh Reichard and Landon Tice.
Here is a quick look at the final Day 4 chip counts before we take a closer look at our final six at the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship:
| Position | Player | Chip Stack |
| 1st | Dylan Smith | 28,400,000 (142 bb) |
| 2nd | Josh Reichard | 20,575,000 (103 bb) |
| 3rd | Landon Tice | 13,700,000 (69 bb) |
| 4th | Alex Queen | 13,450,000 (67 bb) |
| 5th | Jesse Lonis | 12,350,000 (62 bb) |
| 6th | Aaron Kupin | 4,925,000 (25 bb) |
Dylan Smith Bags a Dominant Chip Stack
When action continues at the televised final table on May 29th, it will be Dylan Smith who brings back the richest bag of chips to the table.
With just under $2 million in tournament winnings, Smith is by no means a novice on the tournament circuit, although he will be facing a number of more experienced players at this particular final table.
Yet, Dylan’s experience at this particular event cannot be disputed, as he nearly made the final table last year as well, coming 12th for his first WPT cash and $88k in winnings.
Smith did well at last year’s WSOP as well and racked up quite a few ITM finishes over the past 12 months, and will be looking to finally convert one of them into a win and a huge six-figure score.
He will start the final table with 28,400,000 in chips, good for a chip lead stack with almost 40 big blinds more than the second placed Reichard, giving him plenty of room to maneuver and put pressure on his less fortunate opponents.
Josh Reichard Looks for First WPT Win
Reichard is a real poker tournament veteran with more than $3.1 million in tournament earnings won across various poker tours and over a period of well over a decade.
However, unlike many other players with similar tournament winnings, Josh accumulated the vast majority of that playing low and mid stakes tournaments, with his biggest cash to date set at $339k.
He will be looking to get more than that this May in Las Vegas as he comes back to the second biggest stack at the final table with 20,575,000 in chips.
Reichard is certainly no stranger to running deep in WPT events, although this will be his first WPT final table ever.
Yet, his vast tournament experience gathered over the years will come in handy, as he faces a table stacked with amazing players who will not let too much slip through their fingers.
Landon Tice Looks for His Big Break
Landon Tice is a relatively newcomer to the world of high stakes tournament poker, but he is considered by many to be one of the top poker players out there.
With just under a million dollars in tournament winnings, Tice’s resume does not look too impressive, but that’s only because he’s been playing tournaments for just a few years.
On the other hand, Tice has been making one deep run after another in recent months, and his hunger for wins has been somewhat elevated by the recent cross booking situation between Daniel Negreanu and Matt Berkey.
The two famous poker pros decided to go to war over whose “protégé” can do better in Las Vegas tournaments this summer, and cross booked the action of Landon Tice vs Jeremy Becker.
While this score will sadly not count towards that cross book, Tice will definitely be looking to do well and book a huge win before the WSOP even starts.
Tice is easily one of the best players at this final table, although his opponents are by no means weak, and he will be working with a middling stack of 13,700,000 to start the day, which should still be plenty to run it up and go for one of the top spots.
Alex Queen Looks to Continue His Impressive 2024
Alex Queen has been playing tournament poker since 2008, and while he has made many deep runs and cashed for nearly $2 million before this year, 2024 has been a dream for him thus far.
Queen started the year by winning the $5,300 Borgata Poker Open Championship for $613,000, recording the biggest tournament score of his career.
Little did he know that just a few months later he would get a chance to beat that record by being a part of the final six with $839k reserved for first.
Alex will be starting the final table with a respectable stack of 13,450,000, and his vast tournament experience will allow him to have a real chance at running it up and attacking the top two spots.
Jesse Lonis Climbing to the Top of the Poker World
A few years ago, the name Jessee Lonis would have inspired no awe among the poker players, as so few had any idea who he was.
Having only started playing poker in 2018, Jesse climbed to the very top of the ranks in a matter of just a few years, becoming one of the most terrifying players on the circuit.
Since the start of 2024, Lonis has already accumulated over a million in tournament winnings and scored multiple wins, including his most recent one at the US Poker Open.
Jesse will have some work cut out for him, as he enters the final table as one of the three middle stacks, working with 12,350,000 in chips.
Yet, we have seen what an impressive performance he can make at a big final table, and he will be the player with most final table experience in May, despite his opponents playing the game for much longer.
In fact, Jesse Lonis is probably the best overall tournament player at this table, and with a little run good, he could easily end up turning it all around and getting his first WPT title this year.
Aaron Kupin Chasing from Behind
The least experienced player of the six will be starting the final table with the smallest stack, as Aaron Kupin bagged a stack of 4,925,000 for the final day.
Of course, this stack will still be good for 25 big blinds, which means he will not be in a desperate need of a double up when final table action kicks-off.
Instead, Kupin will be able to navigate and wait for a good spot, which may well come at a final table that’s likely to be quite aggressive and active.
If Kupin can pick up the right hand at the right time, he will have a good chance of doubling up and going for some ladders.
Yet, his relatively lack of experience in situations like this will certainly be a handicap, as he faces a number of very scary and particularly good tournament players.
Should he manage a win, he would more than double his previous live tournament winnings, which currently stand at $628,922.
