WSOP Stimulus Special Winner
online poker has been affected by the recession just like everything else, so this year, the WSOP offered a new tournament – the $1,000 buy-in “Stimulus Special.” The was the first $1,000 buy-in for a WSOP No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em jeux de casino event, and drew a record crowd of contestants – 6, 012 players, the most ever for a non-Main Event tournament.
Professional online poker player, Steve Sung, emerged victorious as the last player standing and won the top prize of $771,338 along with a WSOP Champion bracelet, his first. Born in Korea, Sung has already earned $2 million as a poker pro, and had made it to two other WSOP final tables. There was only twenty minutes of heads-up play between Sung and second-place finisher, Pete Valdos. Sung held a big chip lead over Valdos, and his pocket Kings trounced Valdos’ pocket 8s to end the tournament. The Stimulus Special was originally planned as a four-day event, but with such a huge number of players, it was extended to an extra fifth day when the final ten players voted to postpone the final table until Wednesday rather than Tuesday. Players began with a chip stack of 3,000 with the blinds starting at 25./50 and increasing at hourly intervals.