If you ever attended any major rock concert, the Super Bowl, or a championship boxing match then you know the thrill and the rush of energy you get from the roaring audiences. When you walk into the Rio Las Vegas you get the same kind of feeling, except that in this arena you, too, could become a champion. Doesn’t matter if you’re 21-years old or 71-years old, you could walk off with the ultimate prize; a shiny gold bracelet and lots and lots of cash. Just like Herbert Tapscott, who is 71-years young and won Event #8 and took home $264,400.
But for now, here are the latest winners:
Cliff Goldkind held on to win Event #19: $1,500 No Limit Hold ’em. He took the win away from colorful Kennii Nguyen with a pair of sixes. He stuffs $559,514 in his pockets and puts on his first WSOP gold bracelet. Mr. Nguyen can’t really cry too much; he walks off with almost $350,000.
Benjamin Scholl took Event #20: $5,000 Limit Hold’em. Going into heads-up, Scholl held a fairly big chip lead and it didn’t take him very long to wipe out Andrew Prock. Scholl walked away with his first WSOP gold bracelet and a tidy $206,760.
Michael Gathy overpowered a huge field of 2,779 entrants in Event #21 $1,000 No Limit Hold’em. On the final table, Gathy’s pocket tens held against Jaimie Armstrong’s pocket nines and he captured his first WSOP gold bracelet and the first place prize of $440,829.
And as in all major events, concerts, Super Bowls, or boxing matches there can be huge surprises. That’s just what happened at the 2012 WSOP Event #22 $2,500 buy-in Deuce-to-Seven Triple-Draw Lowball (Limit) when Randy Ohel , a young pro from Las Vegas, outlasted everyone. After being almost out of poker chips several times, he made some crazed comebacks to ultimately win his first WSOP bracelet and $145, 247.