The Texas native picked up $240,000 from the $1,700 buy-in event
Alex Cruz from Midland, TX, secured his first-ever World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring after a thrilling win at the Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma. The $1,700 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em main event drew 968 players and generated a prize pool of $1.3 million. Cruz’s victory earned him $241,412 and marked the biggest achievement in his poker career.
The tournament lasted three days, with Cruz emerging victorious after a dramatic final table. He was initially the shortest stack with five players remaining and faced a tough road ahead. However, Cruz managed a critical double-up holding A♠7♠ against A♦Q♥, hitting a runner-runner flush that kept him alive. This moment of luck shifted his momentum, and he continued to make key moves, including a knockout with pocket aces, leveling him with fellow finalist Alex Rindone.
As the tournament progressed to heads-up play, Cruz had built a significant chip lead over Rindone. Despite Rindone doubling up twice, Cruz maintained control of the game, slowly chipping away at his opponent’s stack. On the final hand, Cruz pushed all in with Q♦4♥, and Rindone called with J♥10♦. The board fell A♠6♣3♣8♦4♣, giving Cruz the winning hand and the championship.
The final table featured several experienced players, including Peter Clive, who finished in third place for $111,537, and Eliaan Pilo, who took fourth. Rindone, from Davenport, Texas, added another significant result to his career, following his victory at the PokerAtlas Tour Dallas event last year.
For Cruz, this victory was a long-awaited breakthrough. “I was due,” he said, reflecting on his gut feeling that led him to the win. This tournament marked his first live tournament title, and with it, he captured the largest prize of his poker career.
