Pressemitteilung WSOP News 11.6.2008

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WSOP: Duncan Bell Wins First Bracelet in Event #13

Duncan "Pumper” Bell finished off the final table in a mere 73 hands to collect a World Series of Poker gold bracelet and USD 666,777 in Event #13 (USD 2,500 No Limit Hold ‘em). The 32-year-old poker pro began the final table with the chip lead followed closely by his good friend from home, World Poker Tour title holder Shawn Buchanan, and West Virginia's Steve Merrifield.

The day got off to an action filled start when Merrifield busted Nicolas Levi on the second hand of play, his A-10 winning a race against Levi's pocket sevens. Incredibly, just 14 hands later Bell had sent three more players to rail, increasing his chip lead and narrowing the field to five players. After Bell's multiple eliminations Merrifield followed suit, busting Brent Hanks, Buchanan and Nathan Doudney, setting the stage for a heads-up match between the snipers at the table.

The heads-up match started with Bell and Merrifield almost dead even in chips, but Bell took down the first four pots to break the tie. Merrifield fired right back, however, and took down two big pots, including one that could have been the defining hand of the tournament. Bell raised pre-flop and Merrifield called to see a flop of 5-8-2. Merrifield made a bet and Bell smooth called, bringing a 4 on the turn. Merrifield fired again and again Bell called. A 9 on the river induced a third barrel from Merrifield, this time for a million chips. Bell made the call and when Merrifield turned over K-9, the usually stoic Bell looked visibly frustrated, making it obvious to the crowd that he was ahead until the river paired Merrifield's hand.

The pot was worth almost 4 million chips, but just as it looked as though Merrifield had Bell on the ropes, Bell doubled up when Merrifield moved all-in on a 9-4-7-4 board. Bell called with A-9 and Merrifield winced, turning over a huge underdog in pocket fives. The river blanked and once again the two were close to even.

The final hand came just a few minutes later. Holding two black Aces, Bell called a pre- flop button raise from Merrifield. The flop came out 6-8-2, all black. Bell bet out and Merrifield came back over the top, inducing an all-in from Bell. Merrifield called instantly and confidently tabled pocket tens, an over pair to the board. But when Bell rolled over his Aces Merrifield put his hands over his face and Bell's rowdy cheering section - including fourth place finisher Buchanan - went wild.

The turn and river provided no help for Merrifield and he was eliminated in 2nd place, collecting USD 428,948 and his second cash of the 2008 WSOP.

Bell will take the bracelet and USD 666,777 back home to his wife and son in Vancouver.

"It means a lot to me. Every poker players dream is to win a bracelet,” Bell said in a post-tournament interview.

Bell also thanked his good friend Shawn Buchanan for his support and rightfully acknowledged how unlikely it was for two home town friends to enter a tournament with nearly 1,390 players and end up next to each other at the final table, first and second in chips. "He's an amazing, world class player,” Bell said of Buchanan. Apparently, so is Bell; he's got a gold WSOP bracelet to prove it.

Source: BluffMagazine.com

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WSOP: Bracelet Winner Q and A -- Eric Brooks

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Eric Brooks Wins his Frist Gold Bracelet and Donates All of His Prize Money to Charity

Eric Brooks entered the USD 10,000 seven-card stud world championship because he wanted to play the best players in the world at the World Series of Poker. He got his wish when he faced off with the likes of Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu as action played down to the final table late on day 2 of the tournament. The tough compeition continued at the final table, where he eventually rose to the top against David Oppenheim, Minh Ly, Erik Seidel, and third-place finisher, Alex Kostritsyn. Card Player caught up with Brooks after the final table at a press conference. He talked about the tournament and the players he faced, but most importantly he talked about a decision he made before the first card got into the air three days ago. Brooks decided to donate 100 percent of his tournament winnings (USD 415,856) to charity. The charity he is making this generous donation to is the Decision Education Foundation. Brooks is a board member for this non- profit organization, as is Annie Duke. Read what Brooks has to say about their important cause below.

Question: What inspired you to play this event? Do you have much experience at the World Series of Poker?

Eric Brooks: I've played more in the side games than in the tournaments. I've played in it only a few times, but that was back in 1979.

Q: Have you always played seven-card stud as your poker game of choice? What inspired you to buy-in to this USD 10,000 world championship event?

EB: Stud is the game that I've probably played the most of…there was a lot of great players and it's very challenging and a lot fun. I love to play and this is certainly a great challenge.

Q: Did any of the great players in this tournament really worry you?

EB: All of the players that have been successful before, winning tournaments, and have that experience you're certainly concerned about, but in the end the reality is that there is an awful lot of luck involved. Somebody who doesn't play as well, or make as good of decisions can get lucky. It is part of the reason that poker is such an appealing game that basically anybody can win at any time. Hopefully I made good decisions, I certainly tried, but no matter what I had good outcomes.

Q: A lot of players donate to charity, but you are donating 100 percent of your winnings. What inspired you to give such a gracious contribution? Tell us a little bit about the charity you chose to give that to?

EB: The charity is called the Decision Education Foundation, and it's based in Palo Alto. I'm on the board, and Annie Duke is actually on the board now as well. I invited her about a year ago. Essentially what we do is we work with schools and with teachers, teaching the science of decision making. This is something that since the late 1960's and early 70's has been taught at a university level. We don't see any reason kids in grades K-12 shouldn't be offered the opportunity to learn as well, so we're working with schools to integrate the science of decision making, and decision analytics so that kids can grow up to be really good decision makers whether they're playing poker or deciding what it is that they want to do with their life. Or trying to decide if they're going to drop out of school, or if they're going to use drugs, so there is a lot of great application for what we're doing, and this money is going to go a long way towards helping them. I would invite everyone to learn more about it: http://www.decisioneducation.org/

Q: Tell me about the second big hand you had against Alexander Kostritsyn. What did you think he had there?

EB: He had the best hand, and I made hidden kings and queens, and I believe he had three hidden nines. We both hit on fifth street and we put a bunch of bets in. I had the worst of it for sure, and then on sixth street I made the full house. I didn't realize that he had three nines, he may have filled up I don't even know. Then I check-raised on the end thinking that if I bet out I wouldn't get raised, because after putting out that many bets it would look like I was full because it looked like he was drawing to a straight or a flush. So it would have been suspicious if I bet out, maybe it could have gotten to three bets if I led out and he chose to raise me, but I chose to check-raise instead

Q: What did you think about Alex Kostritsyn as a player?

EB: I think he is a very good player. He plays very fast, very aggressive, and if you're not making hands against him it would be extremely difficult to fade such an aggressive player. I also think he is an incredibly nice guy.

Q: What does the rest of the 2008 WSOP hold in store for you? Are you going to play in any other events?

EB: No I don't have any plans to play in any other events. I am heading to Oregon for my father's 85th birthday, and then heading back to work after that.

Source: CardPlayer.com

Über World Series of Poker (WSOP):

Die World Series of Poker, oder kurz WSOP, ist eine Reihe von Pokerturnieren, die jedes Jahr in Las Vegas ausgetragen werden.

Die World Series of Poker finden jährlich im Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas statt.

Die World Series of Poker ist die grösste und prestigeträchtigste Pokerveranstaltung der Welt. Mit einer umfassenden Liste von Turnieren in allen wichtigen Pokervarianten ist die WSOP das am längsten laufende Pokerturnier der Welt und geht auf das Jahr 1970 zurück.

Darüber hinaus hat die WSOP bahnbrechende Allianzen in den Bereichen Rundfunk, digitale Medien und Unternehmenssponsoring gebildet und die Marke mit der Einführung der WSOP Europe im Jahr 2007 und der WSOP Asia-Pacific im Jahr 2013 sowie der WSOP International Circuit Series im Jahr 2015 erfolgreich international ausgebaut.

Ursprünglich wurden die Tourniere in Las Vegas Downtown im Binion's Horseshoe Casino ausgetragen. Im Jahre 2005 kaufte Caesars den Brand WSOP. Seit diesem Datum werden die Pokermeisterschaften im Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino durchgeführt.

Gewinner der letzten Jahre des WSOP-Championship-Mainevent

2020: Damian Salas 2019: Hossein Ensan 2018: John Cynn 2017: Scott Blumstein 2016: Qui Nguyen 2015: Joe McKeehen 2014: Martin Jacobson 2013: Ryan Riess 2012: Greg Merson 2011: Pius Heinz 2010: Jonathan Duhamel 2009: Joe Cada 2008: Peter Eastgate 2007: Jerry Yang 2006: Jamie Gold 2005: Joe Hachem 2004: Greg "Fossil Man" Raymer 2003: Chris Moneymaker 2002: Robert Varkonyi 2001: Carlos Mortensen 2000: Chris "Jesus" Ferguson 1999: J.J. "Noel" Furlong 1998: Scotty Nguyen 1997: Stu Ungar 1996: Huck Seed 1995: Dan Harrington 1994: Russ Hamilton 1993: Jim Bechtel 1992: Hamid Dastmalchi 1991: Brad Daugherty 1990: Mansour Matloubi 1989: Phil Hellmuth Jr. 1988: Johnny Chan 1987: Johnny Chan 1986: Berry Johnston 1985: Bill Smith 1984: Jack Keller 1983: Tom McEvoy 1982: Jack Strauss 1981: Stu Ungar 1980: Stu Ungar 1979: Hal Fowler 1978: Bobby Baldwin 1977: Doyle Brunson 1976: Doyle Brunson 1975: Sailor Roberts 1974: Johnny Moss 1973: Puggy Pearson 1972: Amarillo Slim Preston 1971: Johnny Moss 1970: Johnny Moss

--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung WSOP News 11.6.2008 ---


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