2009 - This Year in WSOP History

Poker Omnibus W50P

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2009

March 27

WSOP Main Event to Start With 30,000 Chips (up from 20,000)
All events will start with an increase in starting chips to triple the buyin. Re-entries (effectively starting over) replace rebuys (returning to the same seat at the same table).

May 12

Mike Matusow's Check-Raising the Devil Released
The Mouth's autobiography includes stories from the 2001, 2004, and 2005 WSOP Main Events, which included his two final tables.

May 28

$500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Casino Employees Event (Event #1, began 5/27)

Winner: Andrew Cohen ($83,833)

Entries: 866 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 30

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em "Stimulus Special" Attracts Non-Main Event Record 6,012 Players
$5,410,800 pool to be divided among last 620 players.

May 31

Tom McEvoy Wins Champions Invitational
Wins Binion Cup and candy-apple red 1970 Corvette in freeroll non-bracelet tournament featuring record 20 WSOP Main Event champions, one more than the 2008 Main Event.

$40,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - 40th Anniversary event (Event #2, began 5/28)

Winner: Vitaly Lunkin ($1,891,018)

Entries: 201 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #3, began 5/29)

Winner: Thang Luu ($263,190)

Entries: 918 (90 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 3

Jason Mercier Wins $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 809 for $237,462.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #4, began 5/30)

Winner: Steve Sung ($771,338)

Entries: 6012 (620 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #5, began 6/1)

Winner: Jason Mercier ($237,462)

Entries: 809 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship Seven-Card Stud (Event #6, began 6/1)

Winner: Freddie Ellis ($373,751)

Entries: 142 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 4

Phil Ivey Wins $2,500 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw for Sixth Bracelet
Defeats field of 147, including John Monnette heads up, for $96,367.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #7, began 6/2)

Winner: Travis Johnson ($666,853)

Entries: 2791 (296 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw (Event #8, began 6/2)

Winner: Phil Ivey ($96,367)

Entries: 147 (21 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 5

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #9, began 6/3)

Winner: Ken Aldridge ($428,259)

Entries: 1459 (144 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha/Hold 'Em (Event #10, began 6/3)

Winner: Rami Boukai ($244,862)

Entries: 453 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 6

Ville Wahlbeck Wins $10,000 8-Game Mix for Finland's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 194 for $492,384.

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #11, began 6/4)

Winner: Anthony Harb ($569,254)

Entries: 1646 (171 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship Mixed Events 8 Game (Event #12, began 6/4)

Winner: Ville Wahlbeck ($492,384)

Entries: 194 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 7

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #13, began 6/5)

Winner: Keven Stammen ($506,786)

Entries: 1088 (116 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #14, began 6/5)

Winner: John Parker ($223,697)

Entries: 367 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 8

Jeff Lisandro Wins $1,500 Seven-Card Stud for Second Bracelet
Defeats field of 359 for $124,975.

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #15, began 6/6)

Winner: Brian Lemke ($692,690)

Entries: 655 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud (Event #16, began 6/6)

Winner: Jeff Lisandro ($124,975)

Entries: 359 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 9

Daniel Alaei Wins $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for Second Bracelet
Defeats field of 179 for $445,898.

$1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold 'Em World Championship (Event #17, began 6/7)

Winner: Lisa Hamilton ($195,390)

Entries: 1060 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #18, began 6/7)

Winner: Daniel Alaei ($445,898)

Entries: 179 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 10

Brock Parker Wins $2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max for Second Bracelet of Year
Defeats field of 1,068 for $552,745 just three days after defeating Daniel Negreanu heads up for the $2,500 Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max and $223,697.

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #19, began 6/8)

Winner: John Parker ($552,745)

Entries: 1068 (108 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 11

All In: The Poker Movie Opens in Theaters
The documentary notes that Chris Moneymaker's 2003 appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman" was the first network television appearance for a professional poker player in 35 years.

$1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #20, began 6/9)

Winner: John Paul Kelly ($194,434)

Entries: 633 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #21, began 6/9)

Winner: Zachary Fellows ($311,899)

Entries: 452 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 12

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #22, began 6/10)

Winner: Jeff Carris ($313,673)

Entries: 999 (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw (Event #23, began 6/10)

Winner: Nick Schulman ($279,751)

Entries: 96 (14 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 13

Phil Ivey Wins $2,500 Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo for Seventh Bracelet, Second of Year
Defeats field of 376 for $220,538 and his decade-leading 7th bracelet of the 2000s.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #24, began 6/11)

Winner: Peter Vilandos ($607,256)

Entries: 2506 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #25, began 6/11)

Winner: Phil Ivey ($220,538)

Entries: 376 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 14

Roland de Wolfe Completes Triple Crown of Poker
Defeats field of 198 in $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo for $246,616 to join his 2005 World Poker Tour and 2006 European Poker Tour titles and become the second Triple Crown winner a year after Gavin Griffin.

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #26, began 6/12)

Winner: Tomas Alenius ($197,509)

Entries: 643 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #27, began 6/12)

Winner: Roland de Wolfe ($246,616)

Entries: 198 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 15

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #28, began 6/13)

Winner: Mike Eise ($639,331)

Entries: 2638 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 16

$10,000 World Championship Heads Up (Event #29, began 6/13)

Winner: Leo Wolpert ($625,682)

Entries: 256 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #30, began 6/14)

Winner: Justin Cuong Van Tran ($235,685)

Entries: 436 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #31, began 6/14)

Winner: James Van Alstyne ($247,033)

Entries: 770 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 17

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #32, began 6/15)

Winner: Angel Guillen ($530,548)

Entries: 1534 (170 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold 'Em (Event #33, began 6/15)

Winner: Greg Mueller ($460,841)

Entries: 185 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 18

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #34, began 6/16)

Winner: Eric Baldwin ($521,991)

Entries: 2095 (216 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 19

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #35, began 6/17)

Winner: Richard "PA" Austin ($409,484)

Entries: 363 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 20

Jeff Lisandro Wins $10,000 Seven-Card Stud for Third Bracelet, Second of Year
Defeats field of 164 for $431,656.

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #36, began 6/18)

Winner: Jordan Smith ($586,212)

Entries: 1695 (172 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #37, began 6/18)

Winner: Jeff Lisandro ($431,656)

Entries: 164 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 21

$2,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #38, began 6/19)

Winner: Marcus Naalden ($190,770)

Entries: 446 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 22

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #39, began 6/20)

Winner: Ray Foley ($657,969)

Entries: 2715 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #40, began 6/20)

Winner: Matthew "CT" Graham ($679,402)

Entries: 295 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 23

Peter Traply Wins $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em Shootout for Hungary's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 280 for $348,755.

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #41, began 6/21)

Winner: Peter Traply ($348,755)

Entries: 280 (30 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 8-Game Mixed Event (Event #42, began 6/21)

Winner: Jerrod Ankenman ($241,654)

Entries: 412 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 24

Jeff Lisandro Wins $2,500 Razz for Fourth Bracelet, Third of Year
Defeats field of 315 for $188,390 to become the fifth player with three bracelets in the same year (matching Pearson in 1973, Hellmuth and Forrest in 1993, and Ivey in 2002).

$1,000 Seniors Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #43, began 6/22)

Winner: Michael "IA" Davis ($437,358)

Entries: 2707 (271 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Seven-Card Razz (Event #44, began 6/22)

Winner: Jeff Lisandro ($188,390)

Entries: 315 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 25

$10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #45, began 6/23)

Winner: John Kabbaj ($633,335)

Entries: 275 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #46, began 6/23)

Winner: Derek Raymond ($229,192)

Entries: 424 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 26

$2,500 Mixed-Limit/No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #47, began 6/24)

Winner: Bahador Ahmadi ($278,804)

Entries: 527 (52 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 27

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #48, began 6/25)

Winner: Brandon Cantu ($228,867)

Entries: 762 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 28

Greg Mueller Wins $1,500 Limit Hold 'Em Shootout for Second Bracelet of Year
Defeats field of 571 for $194,909 eleven days after winning $10,000 Limit Hold 'Em for $460,841.

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #50, began 6/26)

Winner: Greg Mueller ($194,909)

Entries: 571 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 29

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #51, began 6/27)

Winner: Carsten Joh ($664,426)

Entries: 2781 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 30

$50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (Event #49, began 6/26)

Winner: David Bach ($1,276,806)

Entries: 95 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Triple Chance (Event #52, began 6/28)

Winner: Jorg Peisert ($506,800)

Entries: 854 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #53, began 6/28)

Winner: David Halpern ($159,048)

Entries: 466 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 1

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #54, began 6/29)

Winner: Tony Veckey ($673,276)

Entries: 2818 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw (Event #55, began 6/29)

Winner: Abe Mosseri ($165,513)

Entries: 258 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 2

WSOP Passes One Billion Dollars in Total Prizes Awarded
$1,003,218 first prize in $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max tops the milestone as Matthew Hawrilenko wins his first bracelet.

Alex Bolotin Wins $5,000 Ante Up for Africa Charity Event
Defeats field of 138 and donates half of his $176,449 prize.

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #56, began 6/30)

Winner: Matthew Hawrilenko ($1,003,218)

Entries: 928 (92 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 5

Phil Hellmuth Enters Main Event Dressed as Julius Caesar
Hellmuth wears fur stoals, a chest plate, and a wreath crown accompanied by an entourage consisting of ten muses and 50 models in toga-inspired dresses.

July 10

Lou Diamond Phillips Last Celebrity Standing in WSOP Main Event
Actor finishes 186th for $36,626 as the second to last player eliminated on Day 5.

July 11

Peter Eastgate Last Champ Standing in Main Event
Exits in 78th place for $68,979.

July 14

Leo Margets Last Woman Standing in WSOP Main Event
Finishes 27th for $352,832 as the first player to bust on Day 8.

July 16

WSOP Main Event November Nine Set
Darvin Moon leads with 58.93 million chips, well ahead of Erich Buchman and Steven Begleiter.

July 28

Jeff Lisandro Is WSOP Player of the Year
Wins three bracelets and reaches one other final table two years after finishing second in the WSOP POY race. Ville Wahlbeck was the runner-up.

September 21

J.P. Kelly Wins WSOP Europe £1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Second Bracelet of Year
Defeats field of 608 for $225,535 three months after winning $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em in Las Vegas for $194,434.

£1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #1, began 9/18)

Winner: John Paul Kelly ($225,535)

Entries: 608 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 23

£2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha/Hold 'Em (Event #2, began 9/21)

Winner: Erik Cajelais ($172,572)

Entries: 158 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 25

Bob Stupak d. 2009 [age 67] (b. 4/6/1942)
Casino owner won 1989 $5,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw ($139,500). 4 final tables.
Obituary | Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

£5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #3, began 9/23)

Winner: Jani Vilmunen ($336,396)

Entries: 154 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

October 1

Barry Shulman Wins 2009 WSOP Europe Main Event
Defeats field of 334, including Daniel Negreanu heads up, for $1,321,534 and his second bracelet.

£10,000 World Championship No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #4, began 9/26)

Winner: Barry Shulman ($1,321,534)

Entries: 334 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

October 27

James McManus's Cowboys Full Released
Excellent history of poker with later chapters on the World Series of Poker through 2006.

November 6

Hans Lund d. 2009 [age 59] (b. 9/23/1950)
1990 WSOP Main Event 2nd place ($334,000), 1992 WSOP Main Event 3rd place ($176,750).
Obituary | Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

November 8

Mike Sexton Inducted Into Poker Hall of Fame
Sexton is a WSOP bracelet winner but is better known as the face of the World Poker Tour.

November 10

Joe Cada Wins 2009 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 6,494, including Darvin Moon heads up, for $8,546,435 to become the youngest Main Event champion eight days shy of his 22nd birthday.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #57, began 7/3)

Winner: Joe Cada ($8,546,435)

Entries: 6494 (648 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

December 6

Bob Thompson d. 2009 [age 80] (b. 3/9/1929)
WSOP Tournament Director from 1999 to 2002. Seniors Poker Hall of Fame 2000.
Obituary | Wikipedia

{ Data is current through January 1, 2023. }