After a six hour long final table, Mike Eise, a 30 year-old pipe fitter from St. Louis, took down Event #28 of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament. Eise’s win was worth $639,331 and his first WSOP bracelet.
Eise regularly plays in the same cash game as inaugural WSOP November Nine member Dennis Phillips. He’s also part of a poker club called the Wanna’ Be Poker Series. Eise stormed through a talented nine-handed final table that became official when Joey Brattole was eliminated in tenth place. Then, Mike Zulker pushed all-in pre-flop with K-Q of hearts and was called by online poker pro Jason “JP_OSU” Potter, who showed K-J of diamonds. A flop of K-7-7 gave both players kings-up, but kept Zulker in front with a queen kicker. The six of diamonds on the turn gave Potter a flush draw, but a jack on the river paired both of his hole cards and sent Zulker home in ninth place.
The next player ousted from the final table was Jose Luis Franco, who earned $83,180 for his eighth place finish. Franco shoved pre-flop with A-3 of clubs, but ran into Rico Ramirez’s A-J. The flop came 9-K-10 with two clubs, giving Franco outs for a flush. However, a red jack and a red seven ended his tournament run. Shortly thereafter, Avi Braz was bumped in seventh place. Braz pushed on a board of A-2-10 with A-J, but Eise woke up with A-K. No help came to Braz, who banked $93,622 in his first WSOP cash.
Claiming sixth place in the $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament was Zack Fritz, who earned $111,266. Eise called the all-ins of Jeff Chang and Fritz, who held pocket kings and A-K, respectively, while Eise showed A-Q. The board came 10-high, preserving Chang’s win in the hand with cowboys and tripling him up; Chang had Fritz covered. Barry Berger was the next to depart, pushing with pocket jacks on a board of 8-Q-6 with two spades. Ramirez called with 10-9 of spades for flush and straight draws. The turn came a jack, improving Berger to a set, but at the same time, the card gave Ramirez a queen-high straight. Needing the board to pair on the river for a full house or quads, Berger watched as a harmless four fell. He took home $139,353 for his fifth place effort.
Potter was ousted in fourth place for $185,444. One of his hole cards was foiled when his Q-10 of spades ran into Chang’s pocket tens pre-flop. The flop came Q-4-10, giving Potter one of his three outs, but also improving Chang to trips. Official WSOP coverage noted that, upon seeing the action-packed flop, “the crowd erupted with an ear-splitting and deafening display of claps and stomps.” The ace of spades on the turn gave Potter a flush draw, but the seven of clubs on the river sent him out of the Amazon Room nearly $200,000 richer for his wear.
Ramirez was eliminated in third place after calling for his tournament life with J-4 on a board of K-J-J-9. However, Eise tabled pocket nines for a full house. The river was a 10 and Ramirez earned $261,963 for his efforts. After scooping the healthy pot, Eise entered heads-up play with a 9:2 chip lead. In the event’s final hand, Chang put his tournament life on the line with A-J on a board of 3-6-3. Eise showed just 8-7 for just eight-high, but spiked a seven on the turn to move out in front. Needing one of the six remaining aces or jacks in the deck, Chang watched as the river fell a five, ensuring Eise would take home his first WSOP bracelet. Chang settled for a $392,494 consolation prize.
Here were the results from Event #28 of the 2009 WSOP, a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament:
1. Mike Eise – $639,331
2. Jeff Chang – $392,494
3. Adolfo Ramirez – $261,963
4. Jason Potter – $185,444
5. Barry Berger – $139,353
6. Zachary Fritz – $111,266
7. Avi Braz – $93,622
8. Jose Franco – $83,180
9. Michael Zulker – $77,778
