WSOP 2011
The 42nd annual World Series of Poker event was held in 2011. The World Series of Poker is the most prestigious poker tournament in the world with the winner of the Main Event considered to be the World Champion of poker. It is the zenith of the poker world. The 2011 edition of the tournament was held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada between the 31st of May and the 19th of July 2011. The 2011 version of the World Series of poker had over 60 000 entries, paid out over $127 000 000 in prize money, had representation from all 50 States of America and another 98 other countries were represented by some of the finest poker players the world has ever seen.
In the 2011 edition, there were 59 bracelet events, with the winner of each of the 59 events receiving a World Series of Poker bracelet – one of the most sought after accessories in the gambling world. The 2011 World Series of Poker begun with WSOP National Circuit Championship and culminating in the main event: the $10,000 No Limit Holdem Championship. The November Nine concept – which is the last 9 people sitting at the main event’s table, returned for a fourth consecutive year, with poker’s top dogs returning on November 6, playing down to three that evening and then adjourning until the 8th of November.
The final nine players in the 2011 event were: Martin Staszko, Eoghan O’Dea, Matt Gianetti, Phil Collins, Ben Lamb, Badih Bounahra, Pius Heinz, Anton Makiievskyi and Sam Holden. There was some history made at this table even before a single bet was made, as Oghan O’Dea’s father, Donnacha O’Dea, was present and played at the Main Event final table in 1983 and 1991, making the O’Deas the first father-son combination to make their way to the final table of the World Series of Poker.
Eventually it was the German, Pius Heinz who took first prize and a mammoth $8,715,638 pay cheque home with him. Heinz thoroughly deserved his victory after he pulled off a masterful performance during the two-day final table session, by staging an epic comeback. The betting at the final table was frantic with over 300 hands played at the table as well as over 100 hands heads up – the most at a main event table in the history of the World Series of Poker.
There is no doubt that the 2011 World Series of Poker will go down in the books as one of the most enthralling editions of the world famous event ever. From numerous records to being broken to the frantic betting and world class play at the final table. The World Series of Poker is the pinnacle of the poker world, and you can definitely see why.
