Eric Buchman hails from Valley Stream, New York and entered the final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event with 34.8 million in chips, second only to Darvin Moon. He had amassed more than $900,000 in career tournament earnings entering the $10,000 buy-in tournament and finished fourth for another $2.5 million.
Eric Buchman’s notable results prior to the 2009 Main Event were a win in the 2004 New England Poker Classic that netted him $275,400, a second place finish in a $1,500 Limit Hold’em event in the 2006 WSOP for $174,938, and another runner-up effort in the $5,000 buy-in Main Event at the WSOP Circuit stop at Harrah’s Atlantic City, worth another $208,666.
2009 WSOP Main Event
Buchman was involved in one of the more interesting hands on Day 7 of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Shortly after the dinner break with the blinds at 50,000-100,000 and a 10,000 ante, Eric Buchman opted against a standard opening raise and decided to move all-in with A-10 of hearts for just over three million, a massive over bet of the pot. However, his attempted steal was unsuccessful when Jonathan Tamayo decided to make a stand with his pair of jacks. At risk for his tournament life, Buchman needed a bit of good fortune to extend his run in the Main Event. The flop came down a perfect 9-7-2, all hearts, giving Buchman the nut flush and a crucial double up to over six million chips. Buchman never looked back, ending Day 7 with just over 10 million.
On Day 8, Buchman used the moral support of his family and his eight years of experience in professional poker to chip away at the remaining players, more than tripling his stack before the end of play without many large confrontations. He ultimately finished fourth in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, earning $2.5 million. Buchman was sent packing by eventual runner-up Darvin Moon after his A-5 could not withstand Moon’s K-J. Moon spiked a jack on the turn and no ace came on the river to save the day. A large portion of the poker playing public picked Buchman to be the Main Event winner prior to the tournament’s resumption.
Click here for Eric Buchman’s interview with Poker News Daily.