This Wednesday (1st) in the U.S. state of California, the World Poker Tour crowned another champion. Alexander Farahi won the WPT Rolling Thunder Championship at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, pocketing six figures and etching his name on the circuit’s imposing trophy, the Mike Sexton Champions Cup.
Read more Alex Foxen wins 75K PLO and claims the final millionaire prize of Triton Jeju
The WPT Rolling Thunder Championship recorded 310 entries, charging US$ 3.500 per buy-in. By overcoming all opponents, Alexander Farahi secured US$ 193.725, an amount that includes an entry into the WPT World Championship, which takes place at the end of the year. There was a heads-up deal with Matt Salsberg, who took home US$ 151.275.
Check out the final standings of the WPT Rolling Thunder Championship:
| Position | Name | Prize |
| 1st | Alexander Farahi | US$ 193.725 |
| 2nd | Matt Salsberg | US$ 151.275 |
| 3rd | Arish Nat | US$ 100.000 |
| 4th | Marco Johnson | US$ 74.000 |
| 5th | Darrell Cain | US$ 56.000 |
| 6th | Alec Gould | US$ 43.000 |
Because the final table played out quickly, the finalists reached heads-up with many blinds in play. And even though they reached a deal, the duel remained tough. A crucial moment for Farahi to pull ahead was a sequence of seven pots won consecutively, increasing his lead to four times the chips of his opponent.
Read more Eduardo Pires is back in the spotlight with a new 1K title on GGPoker
From there, it was just a matter of managing until the levels went up, and finally, being able to seal the victory. In the final hand, Salsberg tried to double up with 8 bbs in a pre-flop shove, but found himself dominated at showdown, with A2s versus A6s. The board 6527T only confirmed Farahi’s favoritism in the hand.
Unlike Salsberg, this was the first live tournament victory of Alexander Farahi’s career, according to Hendon Mob. His heads-up opponent has more experience, with a more decorated resume. Salsberg, in fact, was looking to repeat his name on the WPT trophy, as he already has a circuit title in his career.
Read more 2026 poker calendar: check out the main dates of the season
