My First-Ever WSOP Event: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.

On Friday, June 10, 2011, I played in my first-ever World Series of Pokertournament, an event at least 15 years in the making. I’ve always wanted to play in a WSOP event, and regretted not doing so in my previous visits. I decided this was the year and decided Event #17: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. would be it. I’d have gone with a no-limit event, but I figured the limit format of the H.O.R.S.E. would ensure I’d get my money’s worth.

I wasn’t thrilled that the tournament started at Noon, considering I had worked until 3:30 AM that morning, but I was at the Rio and ready to go at the start of the tournament. Interestingly, I was in my seat (Table 53 Seat 5) in the Pavilion waiting for things to start, I got a phone call from the producer of the History Channel’s Pawn Stars TV show. I had submitted some old WSOP photos for consideration and they called me to schedule a time to film. Needless to say, I was super excited and it put me in a great mood for the tournament.

*I’ll be sure to write more on the Pawn Stars experience in a future post.

Now I’ve been working the WSOP for three years, having covered dozens of tournaments, but this was the first time I’d actually paid to be there. Instead of hovering around the tournament floor, bouncing from table to table, I paid $1,500 in cold hard cash. I was no longer a vulture scavenging for the remnants of action; I was a hawk eagerly looking for easy prey.

Things got off to a fast start. During the first round, which was hold’em, I picked up pocket queens and bet every step of the way as the board ran out 2-Q-6-2-7, giving me a full house. Surprisingly, I got paid off by two players. Not bad for the first hand I ever won at the WSOP. A few minutes later, Matt Savage took his seat to my immediate right. I’d never met Savage before, but I knew him as the Tournament Director for the World Poker Tour. Not long after, former WPT champ Tuan Lewas moved two to my left. Needless to say, the table was getting tougher.

I managed to chip up to 5,600, from a starting stack of 4,500, by the end of Level 2.Come Level 5, I was sitting with 6,150, which right around the time 1998 WSOP Main Event Champion Scotty Nguyen sat down at my table in Seat 8. I love me some Scotty, baby, and I knew it was going to be a fun day. Win or lose, at least I’d get to play with a World Champion.

Two things happened right before the dinner break. First, Savage was busted by Le. Second, I took a shot at busting Nguyen in a hand of Omaha Hi/Low. Unfortunately for me, the distinction of the man who knocked Nguyen out of the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. eluded me as he survived to triple up. Had I knocked him out, I had a nickname all picked out. I was going to insist people call me the “H.O.R.S.E. Whisperer,” at least for awhile.

After dinner, I returned to a stack of 9,800, which was above the average of 7,200. Nguyen busted a short time later, which was followed by our table being broke. I was moved to Table 41 where I encountered the second most-famous Chad at the table,Norman Chad. I was looking forward to some good conversation with ESPN’s color commentator, but he was unusually quiet. I chipped up a little at Table 41 before breaking again and being moved to Table 2. Obviously this table wasn’t going to break at all on Day 1, so I was happy to see the most notable players at the table were 2008 Main Event fourth-place finisher Ylon Schwartz and 2008 Ladies Event Champ Svetlana Gromenkova.

Around this time I did an interview for PokerNews which was really cool. Being a part of the PokerNews team is great because everyone is in you corner and pulling for you. Unfortunately, with only two levels to go in the night, the cards went cold. The big blinds and antes began eating away at my stack and before too long I was well below the chip average. With only 6,500 remaining, I made a stand in the Stud Hi/Lo round after making a 6-5-3-2-A low on sixth street. Schwartz bet the entire time and I had a bad feeling he had made a better low; however, with just 1,600 back, I called off on the river. Sure enough, Schwartz rolled over a wheel to scoop the pot. Good game me.

While I didn’t cash, I was happy with my performance. I busted around 200^th place (out of 963), meaning I cracked the top 20% of the field. I truly look forward to my next WSOP event, and hopefully my first cash. In my next post, I’ll bring you up to date on my various fantasy poker leagues, and also fill you in on some of the more interesting things that have happened in Las Vegas and at the WSOP. In the meantime, be sure to follow me on Twitter @ChadAHolloway.

*Picture courtesy of PokerNews

**This entry appeared on the Unabomber Poker blog, for which I write, on June 21, 2011.

2010 WSOP Fantasy Poker Recap

The following article appeared in the September issue of Poker Pro Magazine and Online Poker Pro Magazine.

They can be found at:

http://www.pokerpromagazine.com/2010-wsop-fantasy-poker-recap.html

http://www.onlinepokerpromagazine.com/articles/1974-2010-wsop-fantasy-poker-recap.html

2010 Fantasy Poker Recap
Poker Articles - September 2010

If You Picked Mizrachi or Kassela, You Have Some Serious Bragging Rights

By Chad Holloway

The Main Event final table is set, which means the 2010 World Series of Poker is on hiatus until November, but what a summer it has been. Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi redeemed himself by winning his first bracelet in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship and then becoming a member of the November Nine; Men “The Master” Nguyen won his seventh bracelet, tying him with Billy Baxter, while Gavin Smith finally got his first taste of WOP gold; and Dan Kelly took down the $25,000 Six-Handed Event, earning himself a spot in the “Brunson 10” in the process. All the while, Fantasy Poker enjoyed a year like none other.
This year saw Fantasy Poker grow by leaps and bounds. There was the ever popular ESPN Fantasy League with the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Howard Lederer, Eric Baldwin and myself; Full Contact Poker (FCP) once again held its popular pick’em game, where participants chose a side of a matchup and tried to decide who would earn more throughout the WSOP; and Full Tilt Poker (FTP) hosted the most complex and comprehensive league in Fantasy Poker history.
Most Fantasy Poker leagues, including FTP’s, are based upon how much money a player earns at the WSOP. This year, one name stood above the rest in Michael Mizrachi, who was a stud in any league based upon cash winnings even without the undetermined figure he will earn for his November Nine appearance. Likewise, Dan Kelly was thrust toward the top of the list after he took down the $25,000 buy-in event. In addition, new poker superstars emerged in Vladimir Shchemelev, a previously unknown banker from Russia, and Pascal Lefrancois, a young player from Quebec.

Here is a list of the top money earners in the 2010 WSOP (not including the Main Event final table):

Top 2010 WSOP Money Earners
Michael Mizrachi $1,684,051*
Dan Kelly $1,338,609
Frank Kassela $1,255,314
Pascal Lefrancois $1,203,985
Vladimir Shchemelev $1,144,617
Jeffrey Papola $1,061,302
Daniel Alaei $1,001,704
Tomer Berda $1,000,494
Shawn Buchanan $ 874,951
Jason DeWitt $870,881
* (not including Main Event)

On the opposite end of the spectrum are those pros who were skunked at the WSOP and didn’t earn a single dollar in open events. Among those were some of the biggest names in poker, including: Howard Lederer, Freddy Deeb, Gus Hansen, Doyle Brunson, Layne Flack, Kathy Liebert, Chris Moneymaker, Phil Laak and Joe Cada. Fantasy Poker players, myself included, expected many of these names to have a big year, only to be sorely let down; as a result, their value in future drafts has certainly deteriorated.

Those whose stock has gone up include the top performers in the WSOP Player of the Year race. Last year’s race was dominated by multiple bracelet winners and eventually won by Jeffrey Lisandro, who took home an astounding three bracelets. This year, there was only one multiple bracelet winner in Frank Kassela, who took home gold in the Seven-Card Stud High-Low Championship and the Seven-Card Razz event; in addition, he placed third in the $25,000 Six-Handed event and added three more cashes along the way. Kassela is a WSOP veteran (he was at the final table when Johnny Chan won his tenth bracelet) who finally had his breakout year.
Another player who was on fire was the previously mentioned Michael Mizrachi. He started the summer with a victory in the $50,000 Players Championship and then added three more cashes, including two more final table appearances in Championship events. This doesn’t even include his performance in the Main Event, where he managed to make the final table and will compete for the World Championship – and poker’s biggest payday – in November. In fact, if Mizrachi can win the title, he will tie Kassela for P.O.Y. and share the title.
These two players were without a doubt the biggest Fantasy Poker Studs in 2010.

WSOP Player of the Year Race

Frank Kassela 290 pts
John Juanda 225 pts
Vladimir Shchemelev 210 pts
Dan Heimiller 205 pts
Michael Mizrachi 190 pts*
James Dempsey 185 pts
Jeffrey Papola 180 pts
Men Nguyen 180 pts
Richard Ashby 180 pts
*(not including Main Event)
Many Fantasy Poker leagues award points based on the number of cashes a player amasses. This number is not always indicative of cash earned or tournaments won; instead, it is usually an indicator of consistency. Last year, Daniel Negreanu and David “Bakes” Baker had eight cashes apiece. This year, two more players managed to match that number in Canada’s Shawn Buchanan and Allen Kessler, with Buchanan netting more than twice as much in earnings.
Although neither managed to nab a bracelet, they both showed they have what it takes to perform.

Here is a list of the “leading cashers” at this year’s WSOP:

Top 2010 WSOP Cashes
Shawn Buchanan 8 ($874,951)
Allen Kessler 8 ($373,733)
David Baker 7 ($709,896)
Dan Heimiller 7 ($271,687)
Will Failla 7 ($228,752)
Christian Harder 7 ($143,367)
Tad Jurgens 7 ($86,100)
Pat Pezzin 7 ($81,227)
11 players tied with six cashes

Fantasy Poker League Results

Full Contact Poker, which is Negreanu’s forum site, has hosted a variety of Fantasy Poker competitions over the years. FCP decided to do what they did last year and offer the popular free Fantasy Pool. This pool featured over 50 matches where players chose who they thought would win more money over the course of the WSOP (not including closed events and the Main Event).

A few examples of the matchups were Daniel Negreanu vs. Phil Ivey; Todd Brunson vs. Doyle Brunson; Phil Hellmuth vs. Erick Lindgren; and David “Devilfish” Ulliott vs. Eli Elezra.
One point was awarded for each correctly predicted match. Unfortunately, I didn’t do too well, earning 25 points and tying for 784th place.
Below is a list of the top performers, who each earned prizes. For a complete list of results, check out http://fullcontactpoker.com/wsop/.

2010 FCP Top Fantasy Performers
Name:……….Points:….Tiebreaker:
xiang90……………...39……………$350,000
bigchill23……………36……………$235,000
FARGOpokerND …35……………$135,775
mplolz………………..35…………..$220,000
nilez……………….....35…………..$36,367
danara……………….35……………$250,000
takedown88………....35……………$300,000
IngeMat……………...35…………..$400,000
garnes44……………35……………$425,000
roelos………………..35……………$435,000
silicon……………….35……………$458,000
maxcon007………..34…………..$175,000
wixkaz……………….34……………$76,000
Cloud2k4…………..34…………….$225,010
Y2gray……………….34…………….$40,000

Full Tilt Poker
The most popular Fantasy Poker league this year was the one hosted by FTP. In that league, participants chose 15 players for each tournament, five each for an “A,” “B,” and “C” team. The scoring was based on how much money the selection earned in the event. If they were on the “A” team, they would be awarded three times the amount they actually earned; likewise, they would earn twice as much if on the “B” team and the exact amount if on the “C” team.
The impressive feature of this league was that it allowed participants to change their roster for each event right up until the start of the tournament. This option really brought it to the same level as other fantasy sports and favored those who put the most effort in. This included finding out who would be playing what events, usually by scouring blogs and Twitter accounts.
The Main Event counts in that league, but the final standings have already been determined. This was done by awarding any players in the November Nine prize money according to their chip stack. For example, Mizrachi’s stack is in seventh place, so for the FTP league he will be awarded seventh place money. Luckily, I had Mizrachi on my “B” team along with some other players who did quite well. This allowed me to jump up a few hundred spots in the final event and finish the league in 343rd place (out of about 25,000 players).
Another fun feature of this league is that it allows for participants to compete against various Full Tilt Pros. Below are some lists highlighting the current FTP Fantasy Poker Leaders and the performances of some VIPs:

FTP Fantasy Poker Winners
1.) SexyFF220…….. $15,279,299
2.) ERDEImarius….. $14,514,226
3.) magaloche94…... $14,352,261
4.) boostn…………. $14,261,916
5.) Jebawa…………..$14,245,005
6.) danmonkeyTHM… $14,175,224
7.) etrong……………. $13,854,020
8.) stacbern…………. $13,562,076
9.) JTski23………….. $13,553,347
10.) wd1head…. $13,538,457

FTP VIP Fantasy Poker Standings
45. Perry Friedman……..$12,150,912
343. DISCO_CHAD……..$8,891,904*
401. Eric Froehlich………$8,677,666
3017. Rob Hollink ……… $5,153,598
3694. Berry Johnston …… $4,864,305
3851. Joe Beevers……….. $4,799,095
4480. Jordan Morgan…… $4,592,134
7221. Steve Zolotow…….. $3,908,036
8208. Andy Bloch.………. $3,715,556
10880. Phil Gordon……….. $3,309,648
*the author of this article
This year’s Fantasy Poker season has been intense, and I haven’t even looked at my favorite league yet, which is the popular, highly publicized, invite-only ESPN Fantasy Poker league hosted by Andrew Feldman. It includes some of the top professionals in the poker world and I was given the opportunity to participate for Poker Pro magazine.
How did I do? Well, let me just say that I had Mizrachi and Jason Somerville on my team, both of whom earned me a load of points. In a future article, I will write an in-depth report on the 2010 ESPN Fantasy League with player insights and reveal how I managed to do against the best in the business.


Chad Holloway is a semi-professional poker player from Baraboo, Wisconsin, who specializes in Fantasy Poker. He covered the 2010 World Series of Poker and currently writes poker material for Predictem.com and is a featured blogger at UnaBomberPoker.com.

This is one of over a hundred articles I have written for Predictem.com. It can be found at http://www.predictem.com/poker/rio-wsop.php

The Rio During the WSOP

The Rio during the WSOP
by Chad Holloway of Predictem.com

When it comes to premiere poker, the World Series of Poker takes the cake. The numerous events in the different variations of poker bring people by the thousands from around the world. These tournaments become poker lore through numerous broadcasts on television and extensive online coverage. However, there is one part of the WSOP that does not harness the attention of the mainstream media, and that is the cash games.

The cash games that are spread at the Rio throughout the WSOP are nothing less than spectacular. WSOP officials set aside approximately 50 tables (they'll add more if needed) for cash games that are spread 24 hours a day. Almost every variation of poker can be found at almost any limits.

Some of the regular games spread during the WSOP include No Limit Hold'em, Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha Eight or Better, Razz, Seven Card Stud, Mixed Games, Chinese Poker, H.O.R.S.E., along with many more.

The stakes are as varied as the games, the cheapest being the $2- $5 No Limit Hold'em tables and the highest . . . well there isn't a limit since the Rio will spread any game at any limit if enough players are interested. Games such as $200-$400 Mixed Games, $100 a point Chinese Poker, and $100-$200 Stud are a daily occurrence.

On top of the excellent game and stake selection, the Rio offers the chance for players to play against some of the most recognizable names in the poker world. Players such as Greg Raymer, Chris Moneymaker, Jerry Yang, Teddy "Iceman" Monroe, and Robert Williamson III could be seen playing various cash games at the 2009 WSOP.

Afraid you can't afford their stakes? You may be excited to know that Raymer was playing $2-$5 No Limit, while Moneymaker and Yang were found at the $5-$10 No Limit tables, making it affordable for the average Joe to sit and play with a World Champion.

There are some other specifics regarding cash games at the Rio during the WSOP that make a visit worthwhile. Although the rake is a bit higher than other casinos at $5 a hand, it is well worth it considering the speed of the dealers (there are no automatic shufflers in the cash games) and the other amenities offered. These amenities include offering a massage service at $2 per minute and free drink service (this includes free alcohol, Red Bull, water, etc).

Second, the experience of playing at the WSOP, whether in a tournament or in a cash game, is second to none. Being able to play with or near some of the biggest names in poker will make any amateur feel like a pro.

Finally, the competition in the WSOP cash games is easier than you might think. Many tournament players venture into the cash arena in between tournaments and tend to lose a bit while others at the tables are merely tourists looking to have a good time. These table dynamics are enough to make any serious poker player's mouth water.

Trying to capture the magic and wonder that surrounds the WSOP is not an easy task; in fact, the only real way to really understand its mystique is to experience it for yourself. Whether you are a cash game specialist or a tournament player, the next time you are in Vegas between the months of May and July, the Rio is the place to go for the highest quality poker action.

The following article appeared on www.bluffmagazine.com at http://news.bluffmagazine.com/wsop-event-4-sets-attendance-record-on-day-1b-3815/ and was written during my time at the 2009 World Series of Poker.

WSOP: Event #4 Sets Attendance Record on Day 1b

• Chad Holloway | June 1, 2009 at 2:43 am

Entering Day 1b, all attention was focused on how fast the field would thin after the prior day’s massacre. Day 1a of Event #4 ($1,000 No Limit Hold’em) at the 2009 World Series of Poker saw a massive field of 2,992 decimated at an astounding pace, 4.36 players per minute.

3,020 players put up the $1,000 buy-in on Day 1b, bringing the total of players in Event #4 to 6,012, the largest field for any event outside of the Main Event. This shattered the previous record set in Event #2 ($1,500 No Limit Hold’em) of the 2008 Series.

Along with the usual masses of amateurs, a large number of pros turned out for their shot at the $5,410,800 prize pool, with first place receiving $771,106. The pros in attendance included Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Andy Black, Tiffany Michelle, T.J. Cloutier and Erick Lindgren.

Action seemed to start a bit slower than Saturday, but that didn’t stop some notable names from busting. Lindgren was ousted when his Q-6 failed to improve against his opponent’s K-Q. Likewise Jonathan Little, Eric Lynch, Michael Mizrachi, David Chiu, Ivey, Michelle, Flack and Black were sent to the rail early. As play continued, interesting and amusing developments began to occur.

One of the more entertaining moments came a few hours into play when Negreanu and some of his table mates were betting on pace of the tournament clock. The clock had two columns listing each spot to be paid and the amount they would receive; however, the left column was cycling through the spots at a slower pace than the right, but with a head start. Negreanu bet that the right column would reach the end of the payouts. Soon a crowd of spectators and floormen gathered as Negreanu chanted, “Go, horsey, go!” Unfortunately for him, the left column reached the mark fifteen spots ahead of the right, thus ending the excitement and Negreanu’s fun.

During the middle stages, action picked up and the number of players dropping began to approach Day 1a levels. Some recognizable names could be seen wandering the halls of the Rio after their eliminations. John Juanda had gotten it all-in with A J but was outdrawn by A 5 when a five hit the flop. Likewise, Gavin Smith’s pocket tens lost a race against A-Q to send him to the rail. Negreanu was eliminated shortly thereafter along with John Phan, Peter Feldman, and David Pham.

Lee Markholt made a stand with Q T and was called by two players holding K K and A [10h], needless to say he was dominated and sent packing when the board came 5 6 4 K A. As the big names in poker continued to fall, the amateurs seemed to be thriving. At the dinner break, 1,017 players remained which meant up to that point the tournament was losing 5.5 players per minute.

One pro who has managed to find success throughout the day was J.C. Tran, who quietly amassed a large stack. In one hand, Tran called an opponent’s all-in bet with A Q only to run into Q Q; luckily, the board ran out K 8 6 K T giving him the nut flush and a 55,000 chip stack.

“I’ve been hitting hands and had a good table draw,” said Tran regarding his success, “They’ve been letting me get away with stuff.”

As the night wore on, the eliminations continued and by the end of the night 2,636 player’s dreams had come to an end. This meant that 4.39 players were eliminated per minute, slightly more than the Day 1a average. Day 1b was nothing short of historic. The event shattered the record for largest field outside of the Main Event and coincided with two final tables as well as the Tournament of Champions Invitational.

Along with Day 1a’s remaining 376 players, the surviving 384 Day 1b players will return at 2PM on Monday to battle it out some more.

The following article appeared on www.bluffmagazine.com at http://news.bluffmagazine.com/wsop-first-day-of-stimulus-special-loses-436-players-per-minute-3720/ and was written during my time at the 2009 World Series of Poker.

WSOP: First Day of Stimulus Special Loses 4.36 Players per Minute

• Chad Holloway | May 31, 2009 at 2:38 am

Amateur Kevin Volk, from Wisconsin, tries to navigate his way through the massive Day 1a field of the $1,000 buy-in Stimulus Special event.

Harrah’s predicted there would be a large turn out for Event #4 ($1,000 No Limit Hold’em) of the 2009 World Series of Poker and they were right.

Day 1a of the tournament dubbed the “Stimulus Special” began with 2,992 hopefuls, amateur and pro alike, who were looking to claim their share of an almost $6 million prize pool. The field was so large that the Rio’s Amazon Room couldn’t hold all the action; both the Brasilia and Miranda Rooms were used to house the overflow.

Some of the bigger poker names attracted to the event included Chris Ferguson, Shaun Deeb, Kevin Saul, Billy Baxter, Eric Froelich, Barry Greenstein, Teddy “Iceman” Monroe, Dewey Tomko and Vanessa Rousso. Along with all the big guns, another recognizable name showed-up to play, R & B sensation Nelly.

Although some big name pros turned out for the event, the cheap buy-in made for a minefield of amateurs who came from far and wide for their affordable shot at poker immortality. One such player was Kevin “Smoker” Volk from Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Volk was attracted by the modest buy-in and made the trip with some friends.

“I’ve always wanted to do it and this is the event we picked. I would have went $1,500 at the most, but its something I definitely want to do every year [now].” Although he is clearly excited to be playing the WSOP, Volk is also realistic when it comes to his chances of winning. “Everybody says, ‘You’re gonna win,’ but you don’t even think that. I did set a goal, I did want to make the second day. After today if I make it to Monday, I’ll be happy. ”

Ruffling chips and shouts of “Seat Open” permeated throughout the room during the first few levels as players were constantly exiting the tournament. Amateur players were sent to the rail by the dozens with nothing more than a story to tell. Many of the big name pros also made their exits early. Greenstein had to autograph a copy of Ace on the River, his custom when busting out of a tournament, when his K-8 failed to improve against his opponent’s pocket threes. Likewise, Rousso was sent packing when her pocket tens failed to hold up against A-2.

By the time Level 6 rolled around, putting the blinds at 100-200 with a 25 ante, things started to thin down. The Miranda room contained a mere fraction of the tables it did at the start of the day. It seemed as though the remaining players continued to play aggressively. It was at this time that the music star Nelly found himself all-in with K-K against his opponent’s K-Q and was in great position to double-up; however, the board ran out 8 T J 9 3 and the celebrity made his exit with bodyguard in tow. By the dinner break, the Day 1A field had been narrowed to 1,100 players or so with two-thirds of those registered eliminated in the first six hours of play. Players continued to bust throughout the next four levels of play at a much higher rate than anticipated; in fact, the numbers speak for themselves.

There were 10 hours of play and a total of 2,616 players eliminated for an average of 4.36 people sent home per minute throughout play Saturday.

Toward the end of the night a few fan favorites were sent to the rail. Marco Traniello, husband of Jennifer Harman, was all-in with A Q against his opponent’s J J and failed to improve when the board ran out T T 6 3 J. David Williams was eliminated 40 minutes from the day’s end when his Ax-10x couldn’t win a race against the 9 9. Shortly thereafter, Jeff Williams was sent packing when his pocket fours lost to a river flush.

Day 1a of the Stimulus Special was long and arduous where more than 2,600 players who started met their demise. Volk, the amateur from Wisconsin who had high hopes of making it to Day 2, failed to do so. On the other hand, some players were fortunate to survive the day including Tom Franklin, Dan Heimiller and Billy Baxter. While the end came for many, the tournament hasn’t even started for some. The other half of the field will return tomorrow for Day 1b and will play through ten levels of their own.

The following appeared on www.bluffmagazine.com at http://news.bluffmagazine.com/andrew-cohen-wins-first-bracelet-of-2009-wsop-3555/ and was written during my time as a poker writer at the 2009 World Series of Poker.

Andrew Cohen Wins First Bracelet of 2009 WSOP

• Chad Holloway | May 29, 2009 at 2:55 am

The party at N9NE Steakhouse is bound to last a little longer this weekend as bartender Andrew Cohen took down Event #1 ($500 Casino Employees No Limit Hold'em) at the 2009 WSOP.

Event #1 ($500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em) resumed play Thursday with the remaining 81 players of a 867-player field. When the day was done the first bracelet of the 2009 World Series of Poker had been awarded with N9NE Steakhouse bartender Andrew Cohen taking home the jewelry and the $83,778 first place prize.

The day’s action started loose and fast as 20 players, many who had entered the day with stacks approximately 10x the big blind, were eliminated within the first 38 minutes of the tournament. As players busted, tables broke and new seating assignments were given. When five tables remained, table #3 became the center of attention with some of the largest chips stacks in the room. Ivas Abrahim, a cashier at the Palomar Club in San Diego, was also at the table as one of the short stacks. Luckily for him, he managed to get his stack all-in with pocket aces against his opponent’s K-Q.The Aces held up and Abrahim managed to hang on. Things didn’t go so well for Ramy Zakaria, Abrahim’s friend and co-worker, who was among the chip leaders throughout day one. Zakaria found himself in a pot with Casey Kuhn and another player. Both Kuhn and Zakaria called the all-in bet of the third player as the flop came 7 Q 4. Kuhn, who had the most chips of the three, pushed all-in and Zakaria quickly made the call. Kuhn showed 7 7 for middle set, Zakaria 4 4 for bottom set, and the third player was way behind with Ax Kx. The 7on the river gave Kuhn quads and left both his opponents drawing dead; however, to add insult to injury the river brought the 4, sendingZakaria home with losing quads!

Play continued for the next couple hours as more and more players were eliminated. Abrahim joined his friend on the rail in 26th place; similarly, the last woman remaining, Stephanie Donahue, met her end finishing in 19th place. After the dinner break, a string of eliminations occurred that ultimately lead up to the final table:

• Tuni Rafaele (18th- $3,153)
• Alan Adler (17th- $3,153)
• Jesse Duangrudeesawat (16th- $3,153)
• Felix Karli (15th- $4,088)
• Aaron Medrano (14th- $4,088)
• Jeffrey Von Alst (13th- $4,088)
• Osmel Fernandez (12th- $5,503)
• Cesar Chavez (11th- $5,503)
• Jon Williams (10th- $5,503)

The final table, which was surrounded by spectators eager to watch the action for the first bracelet of the series, got underway with the following seat assignments and chip counts:

1. Paul Peterson (Las Vegas, Nevada; 26) - 126,000
2. Bobby Rooney (Oakland, California; 39) - 360,000
3. Ferdinand Boleski (Las Vegas, Nevada; 42) - 175,000
4. Jun Dulay (Las Vegas, Neveada; 43) - 297,000
5. Andrew Cohen (Las Vegas, Nevada; 39) - 408,000
6. Sammy Porter (Bullhead City, Arizona; 55) - 303,000
7. John McAvoy (Chandler, Arizona; 40) - 227,000
8. Casey Kuhn (Bettendorf, Iowa; 24) 392,000
9. Grant Yasui (Waipahu, Hawaii; 25) - 205,000

The first elimination of the final table came when Porter, who had lost most of his chips, moved all-in for his remaining 46,000 with [Ah[ 8. McAvoy called with A Q only to have Rooney push all-in over the top for 68,000 more with pocket Jacks. McAvoy made the call and the board ran out 3 2 9 J 4, giving Rooney the pot and making Poter the 9th place finisher for $7,782. A big hand developed when Boleski pushed all-in with the A J and was called by Matvoy's Q Q. The board ran out [10c] 7 5 5 3 and Boleski, the table games dealer from Las Vegas, was eliminated in 8th place for $8,866. Matvoy’s fans, who seem to be lined along the rail, cheered as their man became the new chip leader. Unfortunately, the celebration was short lived as McAvoy doubled-up a few opponents and lost the chip lead. This lead to a hand where he was all-in with A 7 and behind Dulay’s Q Q. The board provided no help for McAvoy and just as quickly as he became chip leader, he was sent packing in 7th place for $10,545.

Rooney, a casino floorman, left himself short stacked when he doubled-up Peterson; as such, he decided to push all-in when action was folded to him in the small blind. Dulay made the call from the big blind with K 8 and was ahead of Rooney’s 6 5. The board came A Q 7 J [10d] and Rooney became the 6th place finisher, earning $13,125. Action stalled for a couple hours before Dulay called a Cohen all-in with 8 8. Cohen was in the lead with J J and took down the sizeable pot when the board came [10h] 5 9 K K. Dulay took home $17,127 for his 5th place finish. A few hands later, Cohen raised to 45,000 from the cutoff and was reraised by Yasui to 145,000. Cohen made the call as the flop came Q 6 6, causing Yasui to move all-in only to have Cohen snap call with 5 5. Yasui turned over A 9 as both the turn and river blanked. Yasui finished the tournament in 4th place for $23,483. The next elimination came when when Cohen raised the pot to 48,000 and was called by Kuhn. Cohen bet out 75,000 on the 3 K 5 flop only to have Kuhn push all-in. Cohen made the call and revealed the 5 2 for middle pair but was behind Kuhn’s K 4. The turn changed everything when the 5 fell, giving Cohen three-of-a-kind. The 4 blanked on the river and Kuhn became the 3rd place finisher, which was accompanied by a $33,923 payday.

Heads-up play began with Cohen holding an approximately 5-1 chip lead over Peterson. Things didn’t last long when Peterson found himself all-in with A Q against Cohen’s 6 6. The board ran out [10d] J 4 [10h] 7 allowing the sixes to hold up and giving Cohen, a bartender at the N9ne in Las Vegas, the victory. Peterson finished in 2nd place for $51,787. Cohen’s friends, including poker pro Alex Outhred, burst into cheers on the rail. The 39 year-old Cohen, who has a wife and daughter, became the first bracelt winner of the 2009 WSOP by outlasting 866 players and taking down the Casino Employees $500 No-Limit Hold’em event and took home the $83,778 first-place prize.