The World Series of Poker crowned Pius Heinz the champion in 2011. One year later, the trend for positive results by aggressive players continued as the newest world champion charged to victory in Las Vegas. The 2012 World Championship saw a total of 6,598 entrants and awarded just over $8.5 million to the winner as a thrilling series of 61 events played out, including the $1m buy-in Big One for One Drop event, which awarded the biggest single prize in poker history at the time.
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Other Preliminary Events
While the ‘Big One’ and the Main Event took place at the latter end of the WSOP, lots of other events thrilled poker fans around the world. There was a historic milestone as Greg Ostrander won Event #41 to claim the 1,000th bracelet in WSOP history, taking down the $3,000 No Limit Hold’em event for $742,072, outlasting 1,393 opponents.
Five countries had first-time winners in 2012, as Bulgaria’s Nick Jivkov won the $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em event for $189,818, Japan’s Naoya Kihara won the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Max event for $512,029, the Czech Republic player Tomas Junek won the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event for $661,022. Tunisian Imed Ben Mahmoud won the WSOP Europe £2,500-entry No-Limit Hold’em 6-Max event for $191,912. Finally, Portuguese player Jonathan Aguiar took down the WSOPE £10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Mixed Max event for $336,661.
It was also a superb series for female players, as Vanessa Selbst won her second WSOP bracelet in the $2,500-entry 10-Game Mix 6-Max event, Allyn Shulman won the Seniors Championship, topping the 4,128 players, and two women made the final twelve in the Main Event. More about them later on, but the power of women at the WSOP was huge in 2012.
The Magician Pulls Out a Rabbit
The Big One for One Drop was the biggest buy-in event the World Series of Poker had ever hosted, with 48 players paying the astonishing one million dollar entry fee to participate. Of the 48 players who played, only nine would make the money, as one of the most top-heavy payout structures of all time awarded $28.4 million of the $42.6 million prize pool to the final two players.
First to cash was the Poker Hall of Famer and 1989 bracelet winner Mike Sexton. The late, great World Poker Tour commentator finished ninth for $1.1m – a return of 10% on his buy-in. Others cashed from $1.23m in the case of Richard Yong in 8th up to $1.8m for organizer Guy Laliberte in fifth. There was one exciting and key hand which took out Brian Rast in sixth place. Sam Trickett rivered quad threes to beat Rast’s flopped nut flush.
After Phil Hellmuth (4th for $2.64m) and David Einhorn ($4.35m) exited, Trickett made it heads-up for the title, facing off against Antonio Esfandiari, also known as ‘The Magician’. It was the latter who won the top prize of $18.3m, the biggest prize in the history of poker at the time. This left Trickett with just over $10 million, still the largest score of his career.
After the hype and heroics of the $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop, it was time for the Main Event. Just as in recent years, it would be won in dramatic style. This year, the coaches in each corner when heads-up was reached would be just as important as the players themselves.
Ladies Last but Just Miss Final Table
The 2012 Main Event saw a massive 6,598 players take part in the $10,000-entry event, with 669 of the poker players making the money. Once again, the performance of past champions, in terms of results, was poor, with only Huck Seed (527th) and Johnny Chan (353rd) making Day 4. The reigning champion of 2011, Pius Heinz, only survived to Day 3 in defense of his crown.
Two players who did make it deep were Elisabeth Hille and Gaelle Baumann. Despite making the final dozen players, both female stars missed out on the final table, failing to become the first female player since Barbara Enright in 1995 to make the WSOP Main Event final nine. Hille exited in 11th before Baumann followed shortly afterward in 10th, both women winning $590,442.
By the time the final nine were reached, Jesse Sylvia was in charge, with Hungarian Andras Koroknai second in chips. Greg Merson began the day in third place, as eight Americans and Koroknai survived to the November showdown. Once there, Steve Gee, Robert Salaburu, Michael Esposito, and Koroknai all busted before the poker legend Jeremy Ausmus departed in fifth place, his shove with an open-ended straight draw failed to catch on a board showing 9-8-3-3 after being called by Sylvia’s ace-nine.
Merson the Master
With four players left, Russell Thomas busted for $2.8 million as he missed out on the final day. Greg Merson was the chip leader and was in bullish form ahead of the final three, stating that he believed he was “the best player at the final table”. Jacob Balsiger was a potential youngest-ever winner but busted shortly after Merson “channeled his inner Ivey” with the real Phil Ivey on the rail cheering him on.
“He has all the tools to be a great player, and I just like the guy.” Said Ivey. It was nearly Sylvia who busted, all-in with ace-king against Merson’s pocket kings, but a board of 5-3-2-8-4 gave the at-risk player a sensational straight to give him the chip lead. Balsiger eventually lost to Sylvia when the latter won twice when at risk. Soon after, queen-ten lost to Merson’s king-queen on a board of 6-6-6-J-5 to send Balsiger home in third.
Heads-up, Merson’s had the lead with 59% of the chips before an odd final hand. Merson shoved with king-five of diamonds and was met by a call from Sylvia with queen-jack of spades. A quizzical look from the rail by Vanessa Selbst met the call.
“He called with queen-high?” she asked the rail.
A board of 9-6-3 made Merson a 3:1 favorite to become world champion. A six on the turn extended the odds, and when the river came a seven, Merson became the Main Event champion, earning the title and $8.5m as Jesse Sylvia trudged away. In the years that followed, Merson perhaps didn’t follow up on his initial promise, but his victory remains one of the most entertaining in final table history.
Along with the World Championship, Merson also won the WSOP Player of the Year title after edging out Phil Hellmuth with the Main Event victory. Hellmuth came second in the standings for the third time in seven years.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Greg Merson | United States | $8,531,853 |
| 2nd | Jesse Sylvia | United States | $5,295,149 |
| 3rd | Jake Balsiger | United States | $3,799,073 |
| 4th | Russell Thomas | United States | $2,851,537 |
| 5th | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | $2,155,313 |
| 6th | Andras Koroknai | Hungary | $1,640,902 |
| 7th | Michael Esposito | United States | $1,258,040 |
| 8th | Robert Salaburu | United States | $971,360 |
| 9th | Steve Gee | United States | $754,798 |
2011 WSOP Main Event 2013 WSOP Main Event
About the Author: Paul Seaton has written about poker for over 10 years, interviewing some of the best players ever to play the game such as Daniel Negreanu, Johnny Chan and Phil Hellmuth. Over the years, Paul has reported live from tournaments such as the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and the European Poker Tour. He has also written for other poker brands where he was Head of Media, as well as BLUFF magazine, where he was Editor.