Farbod Nazari Wins WPT Cyprus Championship for $368,900

Farbod Nazari claims the biggest score of his career at WPT Cyprus Championship

Farbod Nazari has joined the list of players whose names are now etched on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup. The Iranian player outlasted a field of 520 entries in the $3,500 no-limit hold’em event at the 2026 World Poker Tour Cyprus Championship, held at Chamada Prestige Hotel, to win the title and $368,900.

For Nazari, this was more than a trophy run. It was a career-defining breakthrough that instantly changes how the poker world views him, especially after a result that dwarfed everything he had previously posted on the live circuit.

Why this WPT win matters beyond the payout

Before Cyprus, Nazari’s live résumé was respectable but not headline-grabbing. Now his lifetime earnings have climbed past $415,000, and that is a meaningful jump for a player trying to build long-term credibility in major tournament poker.

Winning on the World Poker Tour carries a different kind of weight than a one-off deep run. WPT events are known for strong fields, structured play, and real prestige, which is why titles here often become career markers. For players comparing where they sharpen their game, it helps to understand the gap between the live arena and what you’ll find in poker rooms or poker clubs, where volume, structure, and table dynamics can differ dramatically.

WPT Cyprus Championship field, payouts, and notable names

The event featured a $2 million guaranteed prize pool and paid the top 65 finishers. That payout structure created plenty of tension on the money bubble and throughout the run to the final table, where every chip mattered.

• Ray Qartomy finished 55th
• Hossein Ensan finished 42nd
• Thomas Bichon finished 17th
• Ran Azor finished 14th
• Niko Koop finished 13th

Nazari entered the last day in the middle of the six-handed chip counts, which meant he had work to do rather than a clear path to the title. In live MTTs, that kind of position often rewards patience, stack preservation, and the ability to pick the right all-in spots instead of forcing action.

Final-table turning points and the road to heads-up play

The final day moved quickly. Sami Ayyoub went out in 6th place for $73,000 after running K♠Q♠ into Weiran Pu’s 5♦5♣. Pu flopped a set and improved to a full house on the turn, ending the hand decisively.

Sergiu Cornea followed in 5th place for $97,000, with pocket sevens losing to Chadi Rizk’s pocket queens. Pu then eliminated Mihai Trofim in 4th place for $130,000; Trofim had been reduced to just over one big blind, which left him with almost no room for maneuver.

The final three battled for about 90 minutes before the next elimination. Pu shoved with 9♥4♠ on a J♠J♦9♠3♥ board against Nazari’s J♣10♣. Pu was already drawing dead, and the 7♥ on the river locked up third place and $175,000 for him.

Nazari entered heads-up play with roughly a 5:3 chip lead over Rizk. He extended that advantage and nearly finished the match on hand No. 114 of the day when his pocket tens were ahead of A-5, but Rizk spiked an ace on the river to double and stay alive.

The very next deal decided everything. On a 4♦3♣2♠ flop, Nazari held 6♥5♥ for the nut straight and made a tiny bet before quickly calling Rizk’s shove for around 16 big blinds total. Rizk held K♥5♠ and could only hope to chop. The 3♠ turn and K♠ river left Nazari best, securing the pot and the championship.

Expert analysis: what players can learn from Nazari’s run

Nazari’s victory is a textbook example of how live tournament poker is often won: not by one miracle hand, but by consistently making better decisions across many small and medium pots.

First, stack management mattered. Nazari was not the runaway chip leader when the final day began, yet he stayed composed, avoided unnecessary variance, and waited for high-value spots. That is a key lesson for tournament players: survival is not passive when the field is strong; it is strategic.

Second, the heads-up swings show how brutal and volatile endgame poker can be. One river card almost reversed the match, and the title was ultimately decided by a rapid re-raise/call sequence on a board where Nazari’s straight was near the top of the deck. Players who study endgame pressure should pay attention to concepts like SPR, range advantage, and how quickly chip lead dynamics can flip in short-handed play. If you’re building your fundamentals, structured study through poker school can be just as important as grinding live events, while promotions & bonuses can help bankroll-minded players find better value online.

Final takeaways from WPT Cyprus Championship

Nazari leaves Cyprus with the title, $368,900, and 1,260 Card Player Player of the Year points, which pushed him into the top 500 of the season standings. That points total matters because it gives the win relevance beyond a single payday.

Runner-up Chadi Rizk earned $238,000 for his first recorded major score, a result that could be the start of a much more visible tournament profile.

For the broader WPT ecosystem, Cyprus once again proved it can attract a strong mix of international talent and produce a final table with real drama. For Nazari, it may be the start of a new chapter rather than a standalone peak. And for players watching from the rail, it’s another reminder that disciplined live poker can still turn one deep run into a career-changing moment.

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