Chinese professional Gang Wang produced the run of his life in London, turning a short stack into an unstoppable charge to win the 888poker Live London Main Event and a career-best £86,600.
From Short Stack to Dominance
At the final table at Grosvenor Victoria Casino, Paul Vas Nunes started as chip leader with 2,495,000, while Wang was second shortest with 515,000. Early on, he was all-in with A♠J♦ against Jamie Dwan’s A♣K♠, but a jack on the flop kept him alive and sparked his incredible run.
Wang doubled again through Vas Nunes with two pair against top pair, then picked up A♠A♦ to eliminate Akshat Bansalin fifth. On the following hands, he found A-K, aces again, and finally Q-Q to bust Vas Nunes in fourth and take commanding control.
After lifting the trophy, Wang expressed through a translator that this victory would give him the freedom to play poker more often with his wife’s blessing. He also described his run as if he had been touched by divine luck, calling it unbelievably fortunate.
Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gang Wang | China | £86,600 |
| 2 | Calogero Morreale | United Kingdom | £57,200 |
| 3 | Michael Rosaman | United Kingdom | £38,000 |
| 4 | Paul Vas Nunes | United Kingdom | £25,500 |
| 5 | Akshat Bansal | United Kingdom | £17,650 |
| 6 | Ravi Sheth | United Kingdom | £12,850 |
| 7 | Mario Trattou | United Kingdom | £9,950 |
| 8 | Jamie Dwan | United Kingdom | £8,250 |
| 9 | Geoffrey Mooney | Australia | £7,100 |
Key Hands and Eliminations
- 9th – Geoffrey Mooney: Moved all in with ace-king, but Bansal’s ace-ten hit a full house.
- 8th – Jamie Dwan: Left short after doubling Wang, then lost with king-queen versus Vas Nunes’ pocket nines.
- 7th – Mario Trattou: Shoved eights but fell to Bansal’s ace-nine.
- 6th – Ravi Sheth: Couldn’t hold with pocket sevens against Michael Rosaman’s ace-jack.
- 5th – Akshat Bansal: Eliminated by Wang’s pocket aces.
- 4th – Paul Vas Nunes: Started as chip leader but ran sevens into Wang’s queens and was eliminated in fourth.
- 3rd – Michael Rosaman: Bust with king-four against Morreale’s queen-nine.
Heads-Up Battle: Wang vs. Morreale
Wang entered heads-up with an 8,325,000 to 2,335,000 advantage. Morreale fought back, briefly climbing over 4 million chips, but Wang restored his lead with pocket kings and later extended it after making trip fives on the river.
The final hand came when both players flopped two pair in a limped pot. Morreale shoved his last 1,930,000 with eights and sixes, but Wang’s jack kicker prevailed, improving to jacks and eights on the turn to seal the victory.
A Decade-Long Poker Journey
Wang has been playing poker for around 10 years, with live tournament cashes dating back to 2014. According to The Hendon Mob, he had $172,000 in previous live earnings, including a career-best 10th-place finish at EPT Prague 2016. His poker résumé features results from China, Korea, Las Vegas, Africa, and across Europe.
Now, with his breakthrough win in London, Wang celebrated in style. During the live broadcast, commentator Phil “The Tower” Heald dubbed his performance “Gang Wang Style,” even sharing a lighthearted dance with the champion as he lifted the trophy with a wide smile.
