Event 55 – The Big One for One Drop

Event 55 was probably the most anticipated event of this year’s WSOP. The buy-in of $1,000,000 itself was enough to turn some heads. There were 48 players that ponied up the money to try their luck and skill at the first ever platinum bracelet in WSOP history. The first place prize of over $18 million is the largest prize in poker history not to mention in sports history. However, the real winner was the charity One Drop, which works to provide clean water to underdeveloped countries. Out of each $1 million buy-in, $199,999 went to the charity. Still there was a poker tournament to be played and winner to be determined.  When the final table was reached most of the chips belonged to two players, Antonio Esfandiari and Sam Trickett. One by one they would fall, business executives and poker players alike. Phil Hellmuth came very close to his 13^th bracelet but fell just short when his A-10 would lose out to Trickett’s A-Q. Hellmuth was railed in 4^th place pocketing over $2.6 million in prize money, which was the largest cash of his career. Hedge Fund manager David Einhorn was eliminated in 3^rd place. He pledged to donate all of his winnings to City Year, which is educational focused non-profit organization. Esfandiari took a 2.5 to 1 chip advantage over Trickett going into heads up. It took less than 20 hands to decide a winner. Esfandiari dodged a flush draw and became the richest poker player in WSOP history.

Event 50 – $5,000 No-Limit Hold ‘em

This was a long grueling event that had to be extended into a 4th day of play for the final 3 players. The tournament began with over 1,000 players, promising a first place prize of over $950,000. It was one of the largest payouts of the year so far and in the end it was a two bracelet winner that would take down the title. All the momentum was in Dan Smith’s favor as he was rolling strong throughout the day and still had the chip lead going into the extended day 4. However, he would be the first to leave on day 4, leaving Panayote “Peter” Vilandos and Kyle Julius to battle it out for the bracelet. Vilandos proved to be the better player that day as he won the tournament when his A-J dodged the straight draw of Julius. Julius came very close to winning his first title, but it was not to be. For Vilandos this is his 3rd bracelet, previously winning bracelets in 1995 and then in 2009.

Event 51 – $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold ‘em Championship

Over 930 ladies came out to become the 2012 Ladies Champion of Hold ‘em. After 3 days of play it was Yen Dang that would become the champion. She built a big stack on day two, which is moving day in these short week events, and it proved to help her for sure. Making the right moves at the right times is key in hold ‘em and Dang did just that. She was near the top all tournament long and took control when she reached the final table. She eliminated the final 3 players en route to the title. Dang learned the game as a law student and now can call herself a WSOP champion. Kind of gives you a “Rounders” feel. She won it all when her flopped pair of Queens held against the straight draw of Debbie Pechac. With the win Dang takes home the bracelet and the $170,587 in prize money. A “Dang-gum” day for her indeed.

Event 52 – $2,500 10-Game Mix/ 6-Handed

Event 45 – $50,000 Poker Players Championship

After a long 5 day war the dust settled and Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi was victorious for the second time in 3 years at this event. It is the 3rd bracelet for Mizrachi and with the win moves him into 4th place on the all time money list at the WSOP. The Poker Players Championship is a test to every player’s all around poker skills. There were 108 players this year all wanting to get that elusive bracelet and Chip Reese memorial trophy. The tournament features a rotating game of several poker variants including: limit hold ‘em, Omaha hi/low, razz, 7-card stud, 7-card stud hi/low, no-limit hold ‘em, pot-limit Omaha and 2-7 triple draw lowball.

Mizrachi started the final table off with a flurry of knockouts when he eliminated two players in a row during the NL hold ‘em round. He wasn’t done from there as he got the next player too. Stephen Chidwick lost during the Pot-limit Omaha round. By the time it got to heads up, Mizrachi held nearly a 2.5 to 1 chip lead on Chris Klodnicki. Mizrachi stayed aggressive the entire match and eliminated Klodnicki in the Omaha hi/low round when his Q-J-8-9 made a straight, securing the win. Mizrachi took home $1.4 million in prize money.

Event 46 – $2,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em

There were 1,607 players at the beginning of this one and after 3 days, only 1 was able to keep all their dreams and aspirations in check. That was Joey Weissman. When many play in the WSOP it can be overwhelming and easy to lose concentration. Weissman was able to keep all of that in order and claim his first WSOP gold bracelet. On the final day of play 26 players were reduced to the final table in little over 2 levels. The final table consisted mostly of Weissman playing just about every hand and double ups from every player. Weissman basically got the better of everyone and was dominant until heads up play began when he relinquished the chip lead at one point to Jeremy Quehen. However, Weissman would regain the lead and the grab the title when his A-Q of hearts made the nut flush on the river. He always managed to get his opponents all-in while holding the best hand. Something very hard to do in poker. Weissman also took home $694,609 in prize money.

Event 47 – $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Low Split 8-or better

Event 41 – $3,000 No-Limit Hold ‘em

Yet another hold ‘em event is complete at the 2012 WSOP and the winner is former New York police officer, Greg Ostrander. 1,394 players entered the event with hopes of becoming a champion. However, by the end of day 3 there was only two that would battle it out on the next day for the title. The other player in question for the title was Jackie Glazier who was trying to become the second woman this year to win an open event. She played tough all tournament long, picking her spots and picking them well all the way to the final table. She played tight until it got down to 3 players and totally flipped her game to become super aggressive, taking a 3 to 1 chip lead into heads up. Ostrander, who is now a professional poker player since retiring from his police work in upstate New York, had other ideas. He considers himself a short-stack specialist and when the day was over he had all the chips and the bracelet full with the $742,020 in prize money. Congrats to a man who has gone through a lot since switching professions. With the win he takes his first bracelet home and some much needed security for his family. This was also the 1,000th bracelet awarded at the WSOP.

Event 42 – $2,500 Omaha/7-Card Stud Hi/Low 8-Or Better

After a grueling 3 days of poker this one is in the books. The winner is now two time bracelet winner, Oleksii Kovalchuk. Hi/low tournaments are always hard and drawn out because of so many split pots. Patience and keeping your emotions in check are the two keys in this type of format. Jeff Lisandro was looking for his 6th bracelet, but fell short of making the final table by just a few spots. Norman Chad was in the mix when the final table commenced, but was unable to make a run. In fact Chad became so short-stacked he decided to see if his luck would change with the help of a fortune cookie. It didn’t and he was gone in 6th place. Kovalchuk played well, only being down a few times, but never really threatening his tournament life. As the final table wore on Kovalchuk built a good chip lead and when heads up play began he had a 2 to 1 chip lead. He took home the title in the Omaha/8 round when his two pair of Kings and 9′s would dodge a straight draw from George Danzer. Kovalchuk won $689,730 for his efforts.

Event 43 – $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em

Event 37 – $2,500 8-Game Mix

One of the most difficult tournaments to win, the 8-game mix tests players in a variety of games. The games included are 2-7 Triple Draw, Limit Hold ‘em, Omaha hi/low, Razz, 7-Stud, 7-Stud hi/low, No-Limit Hold ‘em and Pot-Limit Omaha. In the end it was David Baker who would outlast the 477 player field and win his first bracelet, a long awaited one indeed. He would face some tough competition in the final few days of the tournament. Some of those included Jennifer Harmon, Barry Greenstein, Freddy Deeb, Rep Porter and the 2009 champ of the event, Jerrod Ankenman. However, Baker was able to navigate the field and dodge all of those former bracelet winners to take the title. He won the tournament during the Razz round after Greg Mueller went all-in. Baker secured the hand and the victory on 6th street when he made an A-2-3-5-6. Mueller was drawing dead. Baker would walk away with the bracelet and the $271,312 that came along with it.

Event 38 – $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em

Yet another No-Limit Hold ‘em event is complete on the schedule. How many of these things are they?!? Is this the World Series of Hold ‘em? Sheesh! Anyways, congrats must go out to Dung Nguyen for overcoming the huge field of 2,534 to win his first bracelet. No one was even close to Nguyen when the final table commenced. Players would fall rather quickly throughout the final table as Nguyen slowly began to pull further and further away. When heads up play began he had a 3 to 1 chip lead over his opponent, Theo Tran. The final hand saw Tran get it all-in with A-K against the Q-10 of Nguyen. However, a 10 would spike on the turn, giving Nguyen the tournament. He also took home a whopping $607,200 in prize money. Not bad for three days of work.

Event 39 – $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha World Championship

Event 33 – $1,000 No-Limit Hold ‘em

It took three days for this one to conclude. The tournament featured 2,795 players and after the final day was completed, Max Steinberg would walk away with the title. Steinberg won the tournament by making great calls when he needed them, persevering through the ups and downs of the tournament and out playing his opponents on the final table. He won the tournament when his pocket 10′s outlasted the pair of 4′s of Samuel Gerber. Steinberg takes home $440,000 and his first WSOP bracelet.

Event 34 – $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6/handed

In one of the hottest streaks at this year’s WSOP, Naoya Kihara took home gold in event 34. There might have been 419 players looking for a win when this all started, but Kihara was too much for everyone. He was catching all the right cards at the right times to find himself the final one standing by day 3. He went on to eliminate 4 of the 5 at the final table to secure the victory. On the final hand Kihara held K-J-6-Q and Chris De Maci held 5-4-3-2. The board gave Kihara two pair and the victory. With the win Kihara takes home his first bracelet (which is also Japan’s first bracelet in WSOP history) and over $512,000 in prize money.

Event 35 – $2,500 Mixed Hold ‘em Limit/No-Limit

Event 30 – $1,500 2-7 Single Draw Lowball

Larry Wright would outlast 285 players to take home the title and the gold bracelet. The tournament went at lightning speed and in three short days was all over. Wright’s win wasn’t easy as he had to overcome a star loaded final table which included the likes of Michael ‘the Grinder” Mizrachi, Rep Porter, Brandon Cantu, Erick Lindgren and Andrew Lichtenberger. Wright Admitted after the tournament that he had only learned how to play the game 4 days prior and it was a major adjustment. However, he played like a veteran and would outplay everyone to win. Wright would win when he drew to 9 low, completing his low draw and taking out Cantu with his Queen low. With the win Wright takes home $101,975 and his first gold bracelet.

Event 31 – $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em

In the largest $1,500 event thus far (2,811 players), Carter Phillips would come out as the victor. It would not come easy as he would battle the 2009 World Champion, Joe Cada for several hours. Cada was trying to become the first main event winner in the last 10 years to win a second bracelet. The two would exchange the chip lead several times before Phillips would finally get the advantage and take out Cada. The final hand pitted Phillips’ Q-J versus Cada’s 9-7 in a pre-flop situation. Cada couldn’t improve and he was denied his second career bracelet. Phillips would take home over $664,000 in prize money.

Event 32 – $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship

David Baker was the last man standing in a terrific final table in event 32. You have to bring your best game and skills when playing in a H.O.R.S.E. event. Most players are good in just one of these variations, but you need to be well versed in all of them to come out on top. Baker would have to beat the greatest WSOP player in history, Phil Hellmuth and arguably the best in the game today, Phil Ivey to win. He would finally take out John Monnette in the Stud round, secure his second career bracelet and the $451,779 that came with it. As a side note with the 2nd place finish, Monnette takes over the player of the year standings as he also has a win and 3rd place finish this year.

More to come at the 2012 WSOP!

Mike “Daggum” Krisle – Beat Writer – AGP

Event 27 – $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.

A field of 889 players came out to try their luck at multi-game of H.O.R.S.E. You have to be a well rounded poker player to win this one. It is a five game mix consisting of limit hold ‘em, limit Omaha hi/low, Razz, 7-card stud and 7-card stud hi/low. In the end only one could win and that man was Ylon Schwartz. He would outlast the final 17 players on day 3, capturing his first bracelet and $267,081. The final hand involved David Chiu getting his chips all-in during the Stud hi/low and needing an Ace, king or a 9 to complete a straight draw and scoop the pot. Schwartz had no low hand. It was not to be as the river was a 3 for Chiu, sending him to the rail and giving Schwartz the win.

Event 28 – $2,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em 4-handed

A new event to the WSOP, this one promised to showcase the short handed hold ‘em specialists. This game only permitted 4 players on each table, producing a lot of action as the blinds would come around quick. 750 players tried their shorthanded skills. On day three 8 players remained and when final table was set Timothy Adams would outlast them to win his first WSOP bracelet and over $362,000 in prize money. He took out the final player with A-Q as the river delivered an Ace.

Event 29 – $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold ‘em Championship

It took a grueling 4 days, but finally Allyn Jaffrey Shulman won the event. She outlasted a record field of 4,128 players to win the coveted gold bracelet and over $600,000 in prize money. She battled the entire final day and was down 5 to 1 during heads up play. However, with a little luck and determination she was able to overcome her opponent, Dennis Phillips when her A-10 paired the 10 and gave her the championship. With the win it was the first time since Vanessa Selbst in 2008 a female won an open event.

Still more to come from this year’s WSOP

Mike “Daggum” Krisle – Beat Writer – AGP