![Sasha Sabbaghian]()
Sasha Sabbaghian
After two starting flights, a full Day 2 of play, and an action-packed final table, Event #12: $1,700 No Limit Hold'em Main Event at the World Series of Poker Circuit Series at Graton Resort and Casino has crowned its winner.
Sasha Sabbaghian is $168,015 richer after taking down the event in magnificent fashion. He is the proud recipient of his first Circuit Ring after two second-place finishes in other ring events in the past. He came into the day second in chips, but would fall into a middling position early on Day 3. He battled as a short stack and a middling stack, but a crucial hero-call during three-handed play gained him the chip lead and eventually led him to the win.
The Graton Main Event drew 580 entries, creating a total prize pool of $877,185. The first two flights generated 87 players, who made the money, and moved on to Day two. Only nine hopefuls would move on to the final day to play the final table. They battled for the better part of six hours until Mitchell Tsang fell in second place, and the final pot was pushed to Sabbaghian.
![Mitchell Tsang]()
Mitchell Tsang
Final Table Results
- Sasha Sabbaghian - $168,015
- Mitchell Tsang - $112,010
- Peter Yang - $77,399
- Michael Persky - $54,475
- Robert Mather - $39,067
- Marco Johnson - $28,557
- Dan Casetta - $21,286
- Elizabeth Tedder - $16,184
- Francis Nguyen - $12,557
Final Table Action
The short stack of Francis Nguyen would be the first to fall on the final table when he couldn’t improve against the queens of Mitchell Tsang. Liz Tedder would be the second player to fall in the first level of the day when Mitchell Tsang continued to run pure with his second KO.
Following the first few knockouts it would be the Peter Yang show until three-handed play. He took the lead early in the final table and would hold the chip lead for the bulk of the final table. His dominance started with the knockout of Dan Casetta in seventh place when he was holding king-seven and drilled a king on the flop against Casetta’s ace-queen.
There was then a flurry of doubles before the chip leader to start the day, Marco Johnson, fell in sixth place. He got in pocket eights against the jacks of Bob Mather and gave him a pure double. That left Johnson short and he would be knocked out by Michael Persky the very next hand. Bob Mather would fall short of his second ring a few orbits later when Persky claimed another pelt with pocket sevens against the five-four of Mather.
![Michael Persky]()
Michael Persky
Persky only lasted a bit longer before he fell in fourth at the hands of Mitchell Tsang. He was the champion of the first-ever Graton WSOP Main Event, and although he fell short of his third overall ring, the general consensus at the table was that Persky was the ‘God of Graton.’
This brought us to three-handed play, where the tournament's most critical hand took place. After betting flop and turn, Peter Yang moved in on Sasha Sabbaghian for all the chips. Sabbaghian took his time but eventually stuck in a single chip for a call, and heard those magic words. ‘Nice call’
He got a massive double that left Yang as the short stack, and Sabbaghian would never lose the chip lead again. Yang lost a flip to Sabbaghian and fell in third after an incredible showing.
The only player left to get through was Sabbaghian’s heads-up opponent, Mitchell Tsang, who was a short-stack ninja on his way to heads-up play. He got all the chips in good with ace-queen but Sabbaghian, who was holding ace-nine, would drill a nine on the river to win the final pot. Sabbaghian then shook some hands and raised the ring in victory.
![Final Table]()
Final Table
Winner Reaction
Sabbaghian, who has previously experienced the sting of finishing in second place, was determined to avoid repeating that scenario. “Usually, when I make it this deep, I find a way to punt it off,” he said with a wry smile. “That was the goal of the day—don’t punt, and I’ll be good.” It’s clear that his focus and resolve played a crucial role in his success.
When asked what motivates him to play, Sabbaghian candidly admitted, “I like the money, but I don’t normally enjoy tournaments. However, Graton and Thunder Valley are two stops I actually look forward to. The vibes and the layout here are just better—it’s less grindy than Vegas. It’s more fun and casual.”
Discussing his strategy, Sabbaghian highlighted his meticulous approach. “I just valued every big blind I had and tried not to give anything away in close spots. I took the safer route most of the time. With multiple short stacks at the start, my main focus was to ensure I didn’t bust before them.” His strategic mindset and discipline were pivotal in navigating the tournament’s challenges.
One of the standout moments of the tournament was Sabbaghian’s three-handed hero call against Peter Yang. Reflecting on the pivotal decision, he explained, “I thought it was a pretty polar spot. It seemed like he wanted to fold on the turn and didn’t seem like he was setting up a three-street hand. So, I just felt like it was a good spot. If I bust, I bust, but if I win, I’d have all the chips.” This bold and calculated decision was a key turning point in securing his victory.
![Sasha Sabbaghian]()
Sasha Sabbaghian
Overall, Sabbaghian’s blend of strategic acumen, careful planning, and a preference for a more enjoyable playing environment culminated in a well-deserved win. Congratulations to him on a remarkable performance!
