Eric Afriat in Position to Make a Run at Darren Elias WPT Record

Darren Elias has long held the record with four World Poker Tour (WPT) titles. But one poker pro just might catch that record in the next couple of days.

Eric Afriat, who is sitting on three WPT Main Tour victories, is the chip leader midway through Day 2 in the $5,000 buy-in WPT bestbet Scramble Championship. He spoke with PokerNews on a break to discuss the possibility of making history this week at bestbet Jacksonville.

Afriat Talks Chasing History

Eric Afriat PokerAfriat doesn’t mince words. He’s coming after Elias’ record and it “absolutely” means something to him.

“Whoever tells you to the contrary, it’s all about winning the most titles, being first,” the brutally honest poker pro said when asked if being the WPT record holder is important to him.

Afriat, a Canadian who grew up in Montreal and vacationed annually in Jacksonville, has over $5.6 million in live tournament cashes, according to The Hendon Mob. He’s won three WPT titles since 2014, but his last came in 2020 at WPT Fallsview in his home country, which means he’s due to win another.

The potential soon-to-be four-time champion had a so-so Day 1b session, by his own accord, as he bagged 121,000 chips, right around the average stack. But he turned up the jets quickly on Day 2 and, at the time of publishing, was the first player to crack 1 million chips and held the chip lead following the second break of the nine-level session.

Elias last won a World Poker Tour title in 2018, a $387,580 score for taking down the Bobby Baldwin Classic at Aria in Las Vegas. He’s been stuck on four titles ever since, and has held the record for over six years. That record isn’t in jeopardy any time soon, but Afriat is in position to tie the record at bestbet this week. If not in the current tournament, he confidently said “it’s only a matter of time” that he will.

Afriat came close to winning Number 4 at Choctaw in May, but inevitably finished runner-up to James Mackey, who won the tournament for the second time. Mackey held a monster chip lead — nearly 5:1 — when heads-up play began, and Afriat never caught a hand to get back in the ballgame.

The WPT bestbet Scramble was down to 62 players at the time of publishing and will pay the top 46. It’s too early for Afriat to plan his victory speech. But he’s an experienced tournament player who is motivated to get the record, and he knows how to close out a tournament. First place is set to pay $347,850, which would put the WPT Champions Club member to almost exactly $6 million in lifetime live tournament cashes.

Afriat has become one of the all-time greatest performers in World Poker Tour history. But he doesn’t have the same passion for the World Series of Poker (WSOP), and he explained why to PokerNews.

“I’ll come to all the WPT stops,” Afriat explained. “To me, the WSOP doesn’t have the same charm as the WPT.”

Afriat, who only has 15 WSOP cashes, went on to praise the World Poker Tour’s staff, something we’ll likely hear him repeat in his victory speech on Tuesday, if he continues to stack chips at the rate he’s been going on Sunday.

*Images courtesy of Katerina Lukina/World Poker Tour.

FAQ

What forms of payment are accepted on WPT Global?

What forms of payment are accepted on WPT Global? Players can use a range of payment methods (depending on region) including Visa, bank transfer, NETELLER, Skrill, and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and more via Coinspaid and Coindirect. Other methods include (available in some regions): Interac, Muchbetter, PIX, Boleto, Ecopayz, Astropay, and Luxon.

How many decks are used in poker?

how many decks are used in poker? In most popular poker variants, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha, a standard deck of 52 playing cards is used. Each deck contains four suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) and consists of 13 ranks (Ace, 2 through 10, and the face cards: Jack, Queen, and King). However, it’s important to note that the number of decks used in poker can vary depending on the specific game or variation being played. For example, some poker tournaments or cash games may use multiple decks to speed up the gameplay or reduce the frequency of card shuffling. In such cases, it is common to use two or more decks that are shuffled together.

Can you play WPT global on phone?

Can you play WPT global on phone? Create an account to join the WPT Global poker community. Choose your poker nickname, fill in a few details and verify your email, then you’re all set. Download poker to your PC, Mac, mobile or tablet and start playing the games you love in minutes.

What are the different types of WPT?

What are the different types of WPT? Table 1 WPT Technology Frequency Capacitive CPT Laser LPT Radio frequency RFPT Acoustic APT

How do you become a WPT player?

How do you become a WPT player? Players can qualify for the WPT at the local casino where the event is held. In addition, online poker operators including partypoker offer satellites to many WPT events. Players can also qualify for free via the Club WPT app and will be able to qualify in the future at WPT Global.

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