Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

2010 World Series of Poker

  • Jonathan Duhamel of Canada holds up his championship bracelet after beating John Racener in the finals of the World Series of Poker Main Event at the Rio on Monday, November 8, 2010. Duhamel won the bracelet and $8.9 million in prize money.

    World Series of Poker Live Blog: Duhamel takes world championship bracelet

    November 8, 2010

    Jonathan Duhamel became the first Canadian and the first French-speaking champion in the history of the World Series of Poker Monday night at the Penn & Teller Theater in the Rio. Down to 15 million chips, runner-up John Racener looked down at King of diamonds, eight of diamonds and called Duhamel's all-in for his championship life. Duhamel had Ace of spades, Jack of hearts and was slightly ahead.

  • World Series of Poker Main Event finalist John Racener, 24, of Port Richey, Fla. poses during a news conference at the Rio Sunday, November 7, 2010. Racener will play Jonathan Duhamel, 22, of Montreal, Canada,  for a championship bracelet and a $8.9 million first prize at the Rio Monday.

    Racener snuck into heads-up play with patient approach at World Series of Poker

    November 8, 2010

    At the end of the summer, a World Series of Poker questionnaire asked the nine members of the Main Event final table if they would take the $5.5 million second-place prize right away even if it meant having no shot at becoming the champion. John Racener, a 24-year old poker pro from Port Richey, Fla., was one of only three who answered no.

  • Jonathan Duhamel plays at the final table of the World Series of Poker Saturday at the Penn & Teller Theater in the Rio.

    Biggest hand in World Series of Poker history sets up final two

    November 7, 2010

    John Racener couldn’t have liked the situation he was in with three players remaining in the World Series of Poker Main Event Sunday morning at the Rio. Racener had only 25 million chips, nearly four times less than both Joseph Cheong and Jonathan Duhamel. Most assumed playing down to two players was a mere formality. It appeared only a matter of time before Duhamel and Cheong locked up their spots for Monday’s heads-up match.

  • The final table of nine players at the World Series of Poker Main Event play for the $9 million first place prize and the world championship bracelet at the Penn & Teller Theater in the Rio Saturday afternoon.

    World Series of Poker Live Blog: Duhamel and Racener will play for poker immortality

    November 6, 2010

    Jonathan Duhamel and John Racener have gotten to know each other’s poker games pretty well over the last few months. They fought together for a place at the Main Event final table in July and battled it out for 13 hours Saturday at the Rio to emerge as the final two standing out of starting field of 7,319 players.

  • The final table of the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event plays down from 10 to nine players on the last day of competition in July. The "November Nine" will play for the championship bracelet and $8.9 million Saturday afternoon at the Rio.

    Youngest final table in history should mean excitement at the World Series of Poker

    November 4, 2010

    The average age of the nine players at last year’s World Series of Poker Main Event final table was 34. This year, there’s only one player who is older than 30. With poker’s rise in popularity, live tournaments have become a young men’s game in recent years.

  • Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi contemplates his next move during the World Series of Poker Main Event Saturday night at the Rio. Mizrachi is the last well-known pro standing in the $10,000 buy-in event.

    Poker world will revolve around Michael Mizrachi as he makes Main Event final table

    July 18, 2010

    Let the Phil Ivey comparisons begin. Last year's World Series of Poker Main Event final table featured Ivey, one of the most respected and well-known poker professionals in the world, and all eyes in poker were on him for the four months leading up to the final table. This year, it's Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi's turn.

  • Chips are shown as players receive their cards during a hand on the final day of the World Series of Poker Main Event. Play started at Noon Saturday and after 15 hours, 10 players still remained.

    Live Updates: World Series of Poker Main Event final table surfaces after 18 hours

    July 17, 2010

    No one wanted to be the last player left out of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table. Unfortunately for Brandon Steven, it had to happen sometime. And after nearly 18 hours of play, Steven exited when he lost an all-in to Matthew Jarvis with Ace-King against pocket Queens.

  • Poker players are shown during the first day of the 41st annual World Series of Poker no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event Monday, July 5, 2010. The tournament started with 7,319 players and is down 27.

    Three tables remain in the World Series of Poker Main Event

    July 17, 2010

    The dream is starting to look more like a reality. When the World Series of Poker Main Event started nearly two weeks ago, it was almost delusional for any of the 7,319 entrants to think about playing for the final table and the $8.9 million first-place prize. Not anymore. The field is down to 27 players who will meet at noon today at the Rio to play down to the November Nine final table.

  • Michael Mizrachi celebrates after winning $1.5 million and a World Series of Poker bracelet  in the 2010 WSOP Poker Player's Championship.

    Familiar face near top as World Series of Poker Main Event winds down

    July 16, 2010

    The bracelet around Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi's wrist at the Rio served as both a reminder and a motivating factor. Mizrachi wants the World Series of Poker to end like it started - with him at the top.

  • Poker pro Johnny Chan is among the chip leaders in the World Series of Poker Main Event and is looking to make history with a third victory. Chan won the event in 1987 and 1988.

    Chan out to make history at World Series of Poker

    July 15, 2010

    Earlier this week at the Rio, a crazed fan approached poker pro Johnny Chan’s table and started yelling. His voice boomed through the Amazon Room during the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event as he shouted out compliments to Chan. “Johnny Chan is the greatest,” he said repeatedly.

  • Players rejoice as World Series of Poker Main Event reaches money

    July 14, 2010

    Tim McDonald, a professional fisherman from Lexington, Ky., will spend the next year with the most unfortunate title in poker. McDonald became the “bubble boy” of the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event on Tuesday at the Rio by finishing in 748th, one place out of the money.

  • Frank Kassela, a poker pro from Memphis, Tenn., poses with the first of two World Series of Poker bracelets he won this summer, July 12, 2010.

    Player of the Year frontrunner among chip leaders at World Series of Poker

    July 12, 2010

    Since the World Series of Poker instituted a Player of the Year award six years ago, the winner has never gone on to cash in the $10,000 buy-in Main Event. Frank Kassela, this year’s runaway leader for Player of the Year honors, appears to be a good bet to break that trend. Kassela, a poker pro from Memphis who recently moved to Las Vegas, had a top five chip count with 432,000 after six hours of play Monday at the Rio.

  • Poker chips and cards are shown on a table during the first day of the 41st annual World Series of Poker no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event Monday, July 5, 2010. It's expected that 6,000 to 7,000 players will pay the $10,000 buy-in to enter the tournament, officials said.

    One-third of poker field remains as Main Event enters Day 3

    July 11, 2010

    An old tournament poker superstition states that it's unlucky to have a ton of chips early in an event. Hovering over a monster stack, some would argue, matters little until a tournament enters its late stages. However, players such as Vanessa Selbst and Gabriel Walls don't subscribe to that sort of thinking.

  • Poker players compete at a featured table during the 41st annual World Series of Poker Main Event on Tuesday at the Rio.

    Players cherish chance to play at ESPN featured table at World Series of Poker

    July 10, 2010

    Poker pro Daniel Negreanu stares into the eyes of a player he has never met before trying desperately to get a read. The 2 of clubs just hit the river, completing a flush draw on the board and Negreanu is facing a big bet from Tony Utnage.

  • A poker table is shown during the first day of the 41st annual World Series of Poker no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event Monday, July 5, 2010. A total of 7,319 players entered this year's Main Event.

    World Series of Poker Main Event comes in as second largest tournament ever

    July 9, 2010

    The eventual winner of the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event will immediately become one of the top earners in poker history. First place at the Main Event will pay $8,944,138, WSOP officials announced Thursday at the Rio. After four starting days, the Main Event boasted a starting field of 7,319 players.

  • Phil Helmuth, dressed as a mixed martial arts fighter, begins play on the third day of the opening round of the World Series of Poker Main Event on Wednesday at the Rio.

    Phil Hellmuth makes grand entrance at World Series of Poker Main Event

    July 8, 2010

    No word yet on whether UFC President Dana White will offer Phil "The Poker Brat" Hellmuth a fighting contract. There's still some uncertainty regarding Hellmuth's skill level in the octagon. Hellmuth proved he could look the part Wednesday at the Rio, though.

  • Daniel Harrington talks with another player at his table during the 41st annual World Series of Poker Main Event on Tuesday at the Rio.

    Another batch of poker players begin their Main Event journey

    July 7, 2010

    A young man at the World Series of Poker walks up to poker veteran Dan Harrington and pats him on the shoulder as a show of appreciation. For the 64-year old Harrington, who won the 1995 World Series of Poker Main Event, this is a common occurrence. Many of the players at the World Series of Poker have Harrington’s seminal series of books on tournament poker strategy, entitled Harrington on Hold’em, to thank for their careers.

  • Poker professional Chris Moneymaker competes during the first day of the 41st annual World Series of Poker no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event Monday, July 5, 2010. Moneymaker won the main event in 2003. It's expected that 6,000 to 7,000 players will pay the $10,000 buy-in to enter the tournament, officials said.

    Poker players start to chase dream at World Series of Poker

    July 5, 2010

    Within the first hour of play at the World Series of Poker Main Event Monday, some players already were bemoaning their bad luck while others were celebrating their good fortune. Matihis Wilhelm, an amateur player from Germany, was one of those on the positive end.

  • The World Series of Poker at the Rio.

    Cards in the air today at the World Series of Poker Main Event

    July 5, 2010

    A dejected poker player slowly walks through the hallways of the Rio with a frown, mumbling to himself about his latest bad beat.

  • Huck Seed becomes champion of champions at World Series of Poker

    July 5, 2010

    When conversations come up about the greatest poker players of the modern era, Huck Seed’s name is usually absent. Perhaps that’s about to change. Seed added to his already sterling poker résumé early Monday morning at the Rio when he won the 2010 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions after nearly 16 hours of play.

  • Jerome Bettis contemplates his next move during the annual Ante Up for Africa poker tournament at The Rio on July 2, 2010.

    Bettis, Holyfield among athletes in World Series of Poker charity event

    July 4, 2010

    Jerome Bettis earned the nicknamed “The Bus” during his NFL career for his tendency to run over his opponents. The way Bettis tells it, he did the same thing to his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates — only on the poker table.

  • Players fill tables during the first day of the main event on Friday at the hold 'em tournament at the World Series of Poker at the Rio.

    Lots of seats’ still available for next week’s World Series of Poker Main Event

    June 30, 2010

    The World Series of Poker Main Event suffered an ominous start last year when hundreds of poker players were turned away from registering on the final starting day. According to World Series of Poker officials, a number of precautions are in place to make sure no similar problems arise when this year’s $10,000 buy-in Main Event gets under way Monday.

  • Men in a women’s World Series of Poker tourney: Can, should they be kept out?

    Men in a women’s poker tourney: Can, should they be kept out?

    June 29, 2010

    Poker tables have long been bastions of male chauvinism where the cigar smoke swirls and the testosterone-fueled banter veers into the X-rated. The gaming industry has always known that most women who play the game don’t like the way men treat them at poker tables, but the casinos would like to see as many women as possible anteing up.

  • Mike Matusow captures Tournament of Champions chip lead

    June 29, 2010

    Mike “The Mouth” Matusow hasn’t enjoyed this summer’s World Series of Poker as much as usual. Matusow, a Las Vegas professional, was at the Rio nearly every day for the first three weeks of the series, but failed to cash in any of the first 37 events. He finally broke through in last week’s $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em World Championship when he finished 26th for $21,665.

  • Erik Seidel of Henderson plays during the final table of the World Championship H.O.R.S.E. tournament at the World Series of Poker at the Rio Tuesday, June 30, 2009.

    Erik Seidel emerges as early chip leader at poker’s all-star game

    June 28, 2010

    This was no ordinary three-table poker tournament. The World Series of Poker’s Tournament of Champions, billed as poker’s All Star Game, started Sunday afternoon at the Rio with 27 of the world’s elite players as voted on by the fans. By the end of the day, five players busted and the field shrank to 22 entrants.

  • Non-Hold ‘em tournaments growing in popularity at World Series of Poker

    June 24, 2010

    Since poker exploded in the last 10 years, Hold 'em has undoubtedly become the game's most popular variant across the world. Hold 'em dominates up to 90 percent of the action in local card rooms. It's the only form of poker ESPN will broadcast for its 2010 World Series of Poker coverage. But it may no longer be poker's fastest growing game.

  • Phil Ivey plays during the World Series of Poker H.O.R.S.E. event at the Rio Monday, June 21, 2010. The WSOP runs through July 17, 2010.

    Phil Ivey captures eighth World Series of Poker title

    June 22, 2010

    Phil Ivey is back on top of the poker world. Seven months after finishing seventh in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event, Ivey won his eighth World Series of Poker championship early Tuesday morning at the Rio.

  • Phil Ivey waves to supporters after finishing in the final nine at the World Series of Poker at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

    World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions field set

    June 16, 2010

    Phil Ivey is often referred to as the best poker player in the world. He’s also the most popular. The Wednesday afternoon release of the field of the 2010 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions proved as much.

  • Player of the Year race heating up at World Series of Poker

    June 18, 2010

    Jeffrey Lisandro opted for buy-ins to the next three World Series of Poker Main Events last year. Two years ago, Erick Lindgren decided on a specialized Harley Davidson motorcycle. Lindgren and Lisandro are the last two winners of the World Series of Poker’s Player of the Year award, which comes with a customized prize valued at $25,000 to $30,000.

  • Sammy Farha poses with his winning hand and World Series of Poker bracelet after playing 16 hours to win the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split 8 or Better Championship Tuesday morning at the Rio.

    World Series of Poker’s most famous runner-up wins title of his own

    June 16, 2010

    Sammy Farha is at the center of the biggest “what if” question in poker history. What if Farha called Chris Moneymaker’s “bluff of the century” during heads-up play at the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event? What if that gave Farha enough chips to win the championship and send Moneymaker, an accountant and amateur poker player, back to Memphis, Tenn., without the $2.5 million first-place prize?

  • Vanessa Rousso competes in the PokerStars.net North American Poker Tour at The Venetian.

    More women than ever making a splash in poker

    June 11, 2010

    A stroll through the World Series of Poker playing area Tuesday night at the Rio revealed a statement about the current climate of the game. Massive pictures of Annette Obrestad, a 21-year old poker superstar from Norway, on the cover of a Bluff Magazine lined the hallways. A final table in the Amazon Room featured Jennifer Harman, a 46-year old Las Vegas poker veteran, battling two other players for the $10,000 buy-in seven card stud hi-low world championship.

  • Tom "durrrr" Dwan tosses chips into a pot during a filming of High Stakes Poker at the Golden Nugget.

    Tom Dwan: The talk of the 2010 World Series of Poker

    June 9, 2010

    A crowd forms near whatever table he’s playing at and fans swarm him for autographs and pictures every time he steps into a Rio hallway. At the World Series of Poker, an event with thousands of participants, Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan undoubtedly is the center of attention. It’s quite the change from a year ago, when Dwan rarely ventured down to the Rio and only played in three of the series’ 57 tournaments.

  • Boris Becker, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, places a bet in a European poker tournament. Becker, who now travels the world playing in poker tournaments, is competing in some of the events in this summer's World Series of Poker.

    Boris Becker trying his hand at the World Series of Poker

    June 4, 2010

    Boris Becker remembers a number of times poker helped his illustrious tennis career. Becker, an International Tennis Hall of Famer who won six Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal, used to play five-card draw with his crew preceding some of his biggest competitions. “Sometimes before tennis matches, you wander around and need to focus,” Becker said. “So, I often played a card game to hone my concentration.”

  • Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi poses with his newly acquired World Series of Poker gold bracelet and $1.5 million in prize money after winning the 2010 Poker Player's Championship Wednesday morning at the Rio.

    Michael Mizrachi prevails in the Player’s Championship

    June 2, 2010

    Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi truly did his nickname justice Tuesday night at the Rio. Despite being on the brink of elimination twice at the final table of the $50,000 buy-in Poker Player’s Championship at the World Series of Poker, Mizrachi grinded back to win the event and the $1,559,046 first place prize.

  • Scene at the Rio shows a winning poker hand is a lot of luck

    June 2, 2010

    It’s a scene that has unfolded time and time again during television broadcasts of the World Series of Poker. A player who is running short on chips in a tournament desperately wagers everything he has, only to be called by another player who easily has him covered. He has one of those towers of chips everyone watching at home dreams of having - neatly stacked, full of colors and impossible for the amateur eye to count.

  • Robert Mizrachi, left, watches on as his brother Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, right, plays a hand in the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship Monday at the Rio. The brothers will play together for a shot at $1.56 million and a gold bracelet tonight at the final table.

    Mizrachi brothers power their way to Player’s Championship final table

    June 1, 2010

    Every year before the start of the World Series of Poker, poker fans and publications make lists and talk about the best players who have never won a bracelet. Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi is a constant in those discussions. Mizrachi - whose accomplishments include winning Card Player Magazine’s Player of the Year award in 2006 and compiling career earnings of more than $7 million - has cashed in 19 World Series events but never won a title.

  • Hoai Pham, right, shows off his new World Series of Poker bracelet after official jeweler Steve Soffa straps it around his wrist during a ceremony Sunday afternoon at the Rio.

    Daily ceremonies honor World Series of Poker champions

    May 31, 2010

    Hoai Pham stood on the edge of the stage in the Pavilion Room at the Rio Sunday afternoon and stared out at the thousands of faces watching him receive the first official gold bracelet of the 2010 World Series of Poker. Steve Soffa, the official jeweler of this summer’s World Series, used the perfect words as he presented the most desired prize in poker to Pham.

  • Phil Ivey is introduced before the Final Table of the 2009 World Series of Poker on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, at The Rio in Las Vegas. Ivey is the prized possession in a fantasy poker league at the 2010 World Series of Poker.

    For pros, fantasy poker is part of the fun at the World Series of Poker

    May 30, 2010

    Forget fantasy baseball or football. A different fantasy sport is sweeping through the Rio this summer. It’s none other than fantasy poker to coincide with the 2010 World Series of Poker. “It keeps things interesting,” said poker pro Andy Bloch. “You see people at the final table and you have a rooting interest. You can cheer them on and win some money.”

  • Massive field expected for first $1,000 event at World Series of Poker

    May 29, 2010

    While more than 100 players participated in the World Series of Poker’s most expensive event Friday at the Rio, a much larger contingent gathered at the registration window to enter the series’ cheapest tournament. Thousands have registered for Event No. 3, $1,000 no-limit hold’em, which starts at noon today at the Rio. “I think it’s a great deal with the recession and everything,” said James Lamatrice, a casual player from Las Vegas who will play in the tournament.

  • David Bach, the winner of the fourth annual World HORSE Championship event at the World Series of Poker, poses with the Chip Reese Trophy.

    World Series of Poker kicks off with prestigious tournament

    May 28, 2010

    Someone recently asked Doyle Brunson which poker player, living or deceased, he respected the most. Brunson, the 76-year old Godfather of Poker, responded nearly before the question was even finished. “Chip Reese,” Brunson blurted out.

  • Cards and chips are spread out on a table during the first day of the main event hold 'em tournament at the World Series of Poker at the Rio.

    Breaking down the World Series of Poker by the numbers

    May 20, 2010

    The Amazon and Pavilion ballrooms at the Rio are mostly silent this week. Aside from the handful of employees who venture into the ballrooms to set up, they are also empty. Consider it the calm before the storm. Starting next Friday, the Rio will transform into the world capital of poker for the 41st annual World Series of Poker.