Hand #159: Tony Tran Wins WPT Rolling Thunder ($279,270); Jake Schwartz Finishes as Runner-Up ($177,680)

Photo:  WPT Rolling Thunder champion Tony Tran is hoisted into the air by his friend Frank Stepuchin after his victory.

HAND #159  –  Tony Tran raises to 250,000, Jake Schwartz moves all in for about 1.35 million, and Tran calls with .

Schwartz turns over , and he is dominated as he faces elimination.

There is a jack in the window, but the flop comes — a pair for Schwartz, but a queen-high straight for Tran. Schwartz needs to catch something runner-runner to stay alive.

The turn card is the , the river card was the , and Tran wins the pot — and his second WPT title — with a queen-high straight.

Jake Schwartz finishes as the runner-up, earning $177,680.

Tony Tran wins WPT Rolling Thunder, earning $279,270, which includes his $15,000 seat into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions presented by Baccarat Crystal. Tran also receives a WPT Champions Trophy, and his name will be added for a second time to the one-and-only WPT Champions Cup.

Congratulations to two-time WPT champion Tony Tran!

1st:  Tony Tran  –  $279,270*
2nd:  Jake Schwartz  –  $177,680
3rd:  Robert Heidorn  –  $122,105
4th:  Kevin Rabichow  –  $85,800
5th:  Erkut Yilmaz  –  $61,685
6th:  Shankar Pillai  –  $45,390

Photo:  Runner-Up Jake Schwartz (left) congratulates WPT Rolling Thunder champion Tony Tran after the final hand.

Photography by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive.com

First-place amount includes the winner’s $15,000 seat into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions presented by Baccarat Crystal.