The 2024–25 CPC Season Recap
The 2024–2025 school year marked a turning point for the Cornell Poker Club. What began with a single table and a vision became one of the most active, tight-knit communities on campus. This wasn’t just about poker, it was about building a space to unwind, compete, and connect.
At a place like Cornell, the academic pressure never really stops. We wanted to give students something to look forward to each week. Whether you were walking into your first poker night or chasing a seat at the final table, you had a place here. We brought back poker to Cornell in a big way, and along the way, we hosted record breaking tournaments, brought in top-tier sponsors and watched legends form at every table. As we reflect on this remarkable year, we’re proud to showcase the highlights and hands of a truly special year.
Let’s take a look back at what we accomplished — together.
Fall Semester
At the start of the semester we had Clubfest where we introduced our new logo, debuted a fresh brand identity, and met hundreds of students curious about the game.
On September 7th, we hosted our first G-Body of the year, and it was packed. We had over ten tables going, a mix of total beginners and returning crushers, all coming together for the first of many action filled nights. Right away, it was clear the Cornell Poker Club was going to be something special.
Less than two weeks later, we hosted our first official tournament of the year, the Fall ‘24 Kickoff attracting 43 players. It was a night full of swings, sick bluffs, and emotional eliminations. The final table was stacked with strong players and wild hands, including the final one where Nathan Zhang was forced all-in from the big blind. Kevin Pei tabled 8❤️6♠️ while Nathan Zhang tabled 4♣️2♦️, the runout came K♦️K❤️9❤️5❤️Q♦️.
Yes, 8-high held.
Congratulations to our podium finishers:
1st place: Kevin Pei 🏆
2nd place: Nathan Zhang 🥈
3rd place: Eric Ma 🥉
Top: Eric Ma
Bottom (Left to Right): Nathan Zhang and Kevin Pei
G-Body’s quickly became the heart of the club. Every week the room was filled with the sounds of chip shuffles, laughter, and the occasional all-in shout. We mixed in beginner tables with regular games, creating space for everyone from first-timers learning hand rankings to seasoned players thinking in ranges.
To close out the fall semester, we teamed up with Jane Street to host a freeroll tournament. With 96 entries, it was one of our most high-energy events, drawing players from all corners of campus chasing the same thing: the win.
The atmosphere was electric, and when the dust settled, it came down to Benjamin Li and Josh De Leeuw heads-up. The chips went in, Ben tabled A♠️9♦️, and Josh revealed A❤️5♠️. The board ran out 4♣️7❤️8♣️8♠️T❤️, giving Ben the win with the better kicker and the title of champion.
Congratulations to our podium finishers:
1st place: Benjamin Li 🏆
2nd place: Josh “The Lion” De Leeuw 🥈
3rd place: James Cenawood 🥉
Left to Right: Josh De Leeuw, Benjamin Li, James Cenawood
In addition to our live events, we were fortunate to collaborate with SOPO, an online poker platform, to host a series of sponsored tournaments throughout the year. These online freerolls gave members a chance to compete from anywhere whether they were studying abroad, off campus, or just grinding in the library.
Shoutout to our SOPO tournament champions: Elijah Sheaffer (Nov 16), Zihao Qi (Feb 8), and Orlando Mazzoleni (Apr 9), who each navigated tough fields to earn well deserved wins.
Spring Semester
In March, the WSOP Circuit came to Turning Stone, and with our newly expanded club, we organized a trip to chase the action and maybe even a gold ring. While the trip wasn’t exactly a net positive for the club’s bankroll, it was easily one of the most memorable experiences of the year.
Our own Alexander Baek had an incredible showing at the series, making the final table of the $400 event for a $3,600+ cash, and finishing 21st in the $400 Mini Main Event, outlasting a massive field of 3067 entrants to earn over $5,700.
Cornell Poker Club at Turning Stone
On Cornell Giving Day, the poker community came through in a big way. Thanks to the support of alumni, members, and friends of the club, we raised a whopping $1,140. The money helped fund new chips, food, and expanded events. As promised, the highest donor Anson Choy got to pie Ian Yang in the face, the EV on that donation was through the roof.
The Annual Cornell WSOP was rebranded this year to the Susquehanna High Roller and was the biggest event of the year, drawing our most competitive crowd, deepest stacks, and sharpest play. Open to all, but structured to challenge even the most seasoned players, the event tested patience, precision, and pulse control across hours of high level poker. From multi-street bluffs to ICM pressure, every pot mattered. In the end it was the Chinese man in a Triton tracksuit Roddy Huang who took down the trophy.
The full story is too good to summarize—so we gave it its own writeup. Read the full SIG High Roller recap here
Our happy champion, Roddy Huang
This spring, we also had the honor of hosting Robert Varkonyi, the 2002 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion, for an in-person talk and Q&A session. Varkonyi reflected on his iconic $2 million win, walking us through several key hands from the final table with detailed commentary on his thought process in each spot. He also shared stories from the old-school poker boom, including some very funny ones about the beloved Phil Hellmuth and offered thoughtful insights into decision-making under pressure both at the table and in life. He spoke candidly about variance, discipline, and how poker has evolved over the last two decades. For many in that room, it was a rare chance to hear from someone with that level of experience and perspective.
Final G-Body
We packed the room one more time. A fitting send-off for our graduating seniors, many of whom had been with the club since its early days. Some played their last hand at Cornell that night, others just came to soak it in one last time. Either way, it was the perfect way to close out the year.
At the end of the night, Ian gave a heartfelt speech that captured just how far the club had come. That moment, filled with gratitude and laughs, was later featured on the Cornell Poker Club Instagram.
To every senior who helped shape this community: you left your mark, and that legacy will be carried forward.
2025 Graduates of Cornell Poker Club!
Hands of the Year
There were countless memorable hands across CPC this year, but a few truly stood out for their sheer insanity, boldness, and unbelievable outcomes. First, here are a couple of honorable mentions, before we get to the club-voted Hand of the Year.
Ian’s KQ vs. Jonathan’s Aces
Quite possibly the craziest hand in CPC history.
It was a six-handed NLH home game at Ian’s place. The action was already wild when this hand unfolded:
Jonathan straddles to 2bb
Ian (UTG+1) opens to 8bb
Michael (CO) and David (SB) call
Jonathan 3-bet to 80bb
Ian 4-bet to 220bb
Folds back to Jonathan, who tanks... then announces he needs to randomize his decision
After some deliberation, he 5-bet shoves for 547bb effective.
Ian, after a long tank and convinced by Jonathan’s table talk that he couldn’t have aces or kings, makes the call and puts up the one finger, wanting to run it once for all of it.
Jonathan tables A♠️A♣️ and the table groans.
Board:
Flop: J♣️7♠️9♦️
Turn: J♣️7♠️9♦️[8♠️]
River: J♣️7♠️9♦️8♠️[T♠️] completing the straight on the board
For a moment, everyone thought it was a chopped pot until Ian stood up and tabled K♠️Q♦️for the nuts straight, cracking aces in spectacular fashion in over a 1k bb pot. The room exploded. The moment was captured and immortalized on the Cornell Poker Club Instagram — a CPC classic forever.
Ajay’s 10-High Bluff
There is just no explanation needed for why this hand has its spot here.
Ajay is in the big blind with T❤️7♦️with 650bb against Derek on the button who has 60bb.
Derek opens to 3.5bb. Ajay calls.
Pot: 7.5bb
Flop: 9♣️3♦️6♦️
Ajay checks.
Derek c-bets 5.6bb. Ajay check-raises to 15bb. Call.
Pot: 37.5bb
Turn: 9♣️3♦️6♦️[J♣️]
Ajay then pots it for 37bb.
Derek called with just under 39bb behind, leaving him with less than 2 big blinds after making the call.
Pot: 113bb
River: 9♣️3♦️6♦️J♣️[4❤️]
Ajay misses his gutshot and has 10-high with no showdown value while Derek has less than 2 big blinds.
So he did the unthinkable: he bet 1 big blind.
Giving Derek over 112 to 1 odds on the call, he tanked and folded, showing T♣️8♣️ for a missed straight-flush draw on the turn and a better 10-high.
Somehow, the 1bb bluff got through and Ajay’s ten-high with the worse kicker took the pot, sealing one of the most cold-blooded bluffs of the year.
Threeway Madness
Voted by the club as the Hand of the Year, this six-handed chaos saw three players clash in a giant pot that spiraled out of control before the turn was even dealt.
Nick (305bb) opens to 3bb from the HJ.
Derek (83bb) flats the button.
Sam (233bb) defends the big blind.
Pot: 9.5bb
Flop: J♠️T♣️Q♠️
Sam checks. Nick checks.
Derek bets 3.5bb.
Sam check raises to 20bb.
Nick reraises to 50bb.
Derek instantly rips it for 80bb.
Sam rips it for 230bb.
Nick makes the call.
Now the pot which started with 9.5bb on the flop has exploded to over 540bbs, and the cards haven’t even hit the turn. They agree to run it twice.
But before the runout…
Can you guess what players have?
Sam tables 8♠️9❤️ — flopping the bottom end of the straight.
Nick shows K♠️9♠️ — flopping a better straight with a flush redraw
Derek slowly turns over A♦️K❤️, full Casino Royale mode, the stone nuts on the flop.
3 different straights. They run it.
First Turn: J♠️T♣️Q♠️[8❤️]
First River: J♠️T♣️Q♠️8❤️[J♣️]
Second Turn: J♠️T♣️Q♠️[A♠️]
Second River: J♠️T♣️Q♠️A♠️[J♦️]
In the end, Derek and Nick chop the main pot (249bbs), while Nick scoops the entire side pot against Sam (299bbs). Sam gets felted. Derek almost doubles. And Nick walks away with the biggest haul in an over 540bb monster pot, all set up by one of the sickest flops in CPC history.
Concluding Remarks
This year wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication, time, and passion of the Cornell Poker Club E-Board. From running weekly meetings to organizing major tournaments, every event was made possible by this team:
Left to Right (Top): Max Saito (Director of Recruitment), Michael Lee (Director of Events), Alexander Baek (Director of Outreach), Will Del Sobral (Vice Director of Education), David Ma (Director of Marketing), Youngjin Yang (Treasurer)
Left to Right (Bottom): Jonathan Chen (Director of Education), Ian Yang (President), Ashwin Tayur (Vice President)
Annual CPC E-Board Dinner at Taverni Banfi
A special thank you as well to former E-Board members Kimmy Liu ‘24 and Josie Ng ’27, along with our club’s founder Ryan Leung. Without their groundwork and leadership, none of this growth would have been possible.
We’re also incredibly grateful to our sponsors, their support helped us elevate our events and grow our reach.
This year reminded us why we love the game, not just for the bluffs, the bad beats, or the big pots, but for the community it brings together.
At a place as intense as Cornell, poker gave us a way to hit pause. For a few hours each week, we got to compete, connect, and just enjoy the moment. Whether it was your first hand or your hundredth, we’re glad you were part of it.
Sometimes, all it takes is a group of people, a shared passion, and a little bit of run good — to create something truly special.
- Ian Yang ‘25 (Cornell Poker Club President)
