 The WSOP's $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Stimulus Special event appeared to be pretty darn popular. In fact, it was completely sold out as it had 6012 entrants! It was the biggest field in the history of the WSOP aside from the Main Event!
As the title already suggests, the buy-in of this event was lower than usual. This because of the recession and to give more players a chance to play on the WSOP. But after 6011 players had been knocked out, there could be only one winner: poker pro Steve Sung lasted the longest to earn a first prize of $771,106 and of course the WSOP bracelet! It was already the fourth World Series of Poker final table for the 24-year old, and he has also made 2 World Poker Tour final tables so far!
Sung started the day second in chips, behind Dan Heimiller, but quickly dropped down after losing a massive pot against Panayote Vilandos. However, it didn't take long for him to regain the chiplead, which he kept until the very last hand of this event.
It started for him when he eliminated Jeff Oakes in 7th place and after that, the other bustouts rapidly followed. He knocked out Heimiller in 6th place, Nathan Mullen in 5th and James Matz in 3rd place to crush Panayote "Pete the Greek" Vilandos heads-up. In the final hand of the evening Sung raises and Vilandos re-raises all-in, which gets instantly called by Sung holding pocket kings against pocket eights from Vilandos. The board brings A-2-7-6-7 and we have our champion!
"I feel amazing," Sung told shortly after the win. "I feel like the monkey is off my back.It still hasn't sunk in yet," he said. "I'm still in awe. I feel like an eight came on the river. I'm just speechless, to be honest."
Final results:
1. Steve Sung $771,106
2. Panayote Vilandos $473,283
3. James Matz III $313,826
4. Larry Sidebotham $227,254
5. Natham Mullen $175,851
6. Dan Heimiller $145,009
7. Jeff Oakes $126,613
8. Phong Huynh $117,414
9. Danny Fuhs $114,168
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