2010 - This Year in WSOP History

January 8

Amir Vahedi d. 2010 [age 48] (b. 2/25/1961)
2003 WSOP Main Event 6th place ($250,000). Won 2003 $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em ($270,000) to become the first Iranian with a bracelet.
Obituary | Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

January 26

Caesars Cup Debuts
Eight-on-eight U.S.-vs.-Europe team poker event debuts as non-bracelet WSOP Europe contest.

May 3

World Series of Poker Africa to Debut in October
Emerald Resort and Casino in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa to host two non-bracelet events.

May 14

Daphne Turner Becomes First Woman to Win Two Circuit Rings
Wins $300+50 Mixed Game event for $6,727 two years after her first ring.

May 22

Jim Spain d. 2010 [age 82] (b. 6/6/1927)
1987 WSOP Main Event 4th place ($68,750). Seniors Poker Hall of Fame.
Obituary | WSOP.com | Hendon

May 27

Hoai Duc Pham Wins $500 Casino Employees Event for Vietnam's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 721 for $71,424.

May 28

$500 Casino Employees Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #1, 2 days [5/27 start])

Winner: Hoai Duc Pham ($71,424 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 721 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 31

Berry Johnston Cashes for Record 29th Straight Year
Finishes 73rd in $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo for $2,749 to continue streak that began when he won the 1982 Main Event.

June 1

Michael Mizrachi Wins $50,000 Poker Players Championship for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 116 for $1,559,046. His brother Robert also reaches the final table, finishing 5th for $341,429, making them the second brothers to make the same final table after Ross and Barney Boatman in 2002.

$50,000 Players Championship Event 8 Game (Event #2, 5 days [5/28 start])

Winner: Michael Mizrachi ($1,559,046 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 116 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #3, 3 days [5/29 start])

Winner: Aadam Daya ($625,872 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 4,345 (441 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 2

$1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 (Event #4, 3 days [5/30 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Michael Chow ($237,463 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 818 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #5, 3 days [5/31 start])

Winner: Praz Bansi ($515,501 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 2,092 (216 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 3

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #6, 3 days [6/1 start])

Winner: Joshua Tieman ($441,692 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 358 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw (Event #7, 3 days [6/1 start])

Winner: Peter Gelencser ($180,730 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 291 (30 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 4

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #8, 3 days [6/2 start])

Winner: Pascal Lefrancois ($568,974 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,341 (244 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 5

$1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #9, 3 days [6/3 start])

Winner: James Dempsey ($197,470 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 650 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Men Nguyen Wins $10,000 Seven-Card Stud for Seventh Bracelet
Defeats field of 150 for $394,807.

$10,000 Seven-Card Stud Championship (Event #10, 3 days [6/3 start])

Winner: Men Nguyen ($394,807 & 7th bracelet)

Entries: 150 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 6

Simon Watt Wins $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em for New Zealand's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 2,563, including Tom Dwan heads up, for $614,248.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #11, 3 days [6/4 start])

Winner: Simon Watt ($614,248 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,563 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #12, 3 days [6/4 start])

Winner: Matt Matros ($189,870 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 625 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 7

$1,500 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw (Event #14, 3 days [6/5 start])

Winner: Yan Chen ($92,817 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 250 (28 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 8

Jen Harman Cashes in Women's Record 12th Straight WSOP
Finishes third in the $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 Championships for $173,159 to extend a streak she began in 1999.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #13, 4 days [6/5 start])

Winner: Steve Gee ($472,479 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,042 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 Championships (Event #15, 3 days [6/6 start])

Winner: Frank Kassela ($447,446 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 170 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 9

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #16, 3 days [6/7 start])

Winner: Carter Phillips ($482,774 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,663 (162 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 10

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #17, 3 days [6/8 start])

Winner: Jason DeWitt ($818,959 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 792 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 11

$2,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #18, 3 days [6/9 start])

Winner: Eric Buchman ($203,607 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 476 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven (Event #19, 3 days [6/9 start])

Winner: David 'Bakes' Baker ($294,321 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 101 (14 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 12

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #20, 3 days [6/10 start])

Winner: John Barch ($256,919 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 885 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud (Event #21, 3 days [6/10 start])

Winner: Richard Ashby ($140,467 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 408 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 13

Vanessa Hellebuyck Wins $1,000 Ladies Championship for France's First Female Bracelet
Defeats field of 1,054 for $192,132.

$1,000 Ladies Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #22, 3 days [6/11 start])

Winner: Vanessa Hellebuyck ($192,132 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,054 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #23, 3 days [6/11 start])

Winner: Dutch Boyd ($234,065 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 384 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 14

$10,000 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 Championship (Event #25, 3 days [6/12 start])

Winner: Sam Farha ($488,241 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 212 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 15

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #24, 4 days [6/12 start])

Winner: Jeffrey Tebben ($503,389 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,289 (342 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 16

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #26, 3 days [6/14 start])

Winner: William Haydon ($630,031 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,245 (126 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 (Event #27, 3 days [6/14 start])

Winner: David Warga ($208,682 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 644 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 17

$2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #28, 3 days [6/15 start])

Winner: Miguel Proulx ($315,311 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 596 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 Limit Hold 'Em Championships (Event #29, 3 days [6/15 start])

Winner: Matt Keikoan ($425,969 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 171 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 18

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #30, 3 days [6/16 start])

Winner: Mike Paul Ellis ($581,851 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,394 (243 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #31, 3 days [6/16 start])

Winner: Konstantin Puchkov ($256,820 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 828 (80 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 19

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #32, 3 days [6/17 start])

Winner: Jeffrey Papola ($667,433 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 568 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em/Omaha (Event #33, 3 days [6/17 start])

Winner: Luis Velador ($260,552 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 482 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 20

$1,000 Seniors Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #34, 3 days [6/18 start])

Winner: Harold Angle ($487,994 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,142 (323 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 Heads Up Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #35, 3 days [6/18 start])

Winner: Ayaz Mahmood ($625,674 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 256 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 22

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #36, 4 days [6/19 start])

Winner: Scott Montgomery ($481,760 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,102 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Phil Ivey Wins $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. for Eighth Bracelet
Defeats field of 478, including Bill Chen heads up, for $329,840.

$3,000 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #37, 4 days [6/19 start])

Winner: Phil Ivey ($329,840 & 8th bracelet)

Entries: 478 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em Championship (Event #38, 3 days [6/20 start])

Winner: Valdemar Kwaysser ($617,214 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 268 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 23

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #39, 3 days [6/21 start])

Winner: Steven Kelly ($381,927 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,397 (140 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Frank Kassela Wins $2,500 Razz for Second Bracelet of Year
Defeats field of 365 for $214,085 two weeks after winning $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo for $447,446.

$2,500 Seven-Card Razz (Event #40, 3 days [6/21 start])

Winner: Frank Kassela ($214,085 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 365 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 24

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8 (Event #41, 3 days [6/22 start])

Winner: Steve Jelinek ($245,871 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 847 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 25

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #42, 3 days [6/23 start])

Winner: Dean Hamrick ($604,222 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,521 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship (Event #43, 3 days [6/23 start])

Winner: Ian Gordon ($611,666 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 241 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 26

$2,500 Limit/No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #44, 3 days [6/24 start])

Winner: Gavin Smith ($268,238 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 507 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 27

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #45, 3 days [6/25 start])

Winner: Jesse Rockowitz ($721,373 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,097 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 28

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8 (Event #46, 3 days [6/25 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Christopher Bell ($327,040 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 284 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 World Championship Mixed Events 8 Game (Event #48, 3 days [6/26 start])

Winner: Sigurd Andreas Eskeland ($260,497 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 453 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 29

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #47, 4 days [6/26 start])

Winner: Shawn Busse ($485,791 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,128 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 30

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #49, 3 days [6/28 start])

Winner: Michael Linn ($609,493 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,543 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #50, 3 days [6/28 start])

Winner: Chance Kornuth ($508,090 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 460 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 1

$3,000 Triple Chance No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #51, 3 days [6/29 start])

Winner: Ryan Welch ($559,371 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 965 (91 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 2

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #53, 3 days [6/30 start])

Winner: Brendan Taylor ($184,950 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 548 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 3

Phil Gordon Wins $5,000 Ante Up for Africa Charity Tournament
Donates $129,086 first prize from the non-bracelet event. Actress Shannon Elizabeth finishes second and donates a "sizable" portion of her $79,776 prize.

$25,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #52, 4 days [6/30 start])

Winner: Daniel Kelly ($1,315,518 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 191 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship (Event #55, 3 days [7/1 start])

Winner: Daniel Alaei ($780,599 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 346 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Daniel Alaei Wins $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for Third Bracelet
Defeats field of 346 for $780,599.

July 4

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #54, 4 days [7/1 start])

Winner: Marcel Vonk ($570,960 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,844 (396 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #56, 3 days [7/2 start])

Winner: Tomer Berda ($825,976 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,942 (198 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 5

Huck Seed Wins Tournament of Champions
Defeats field of 27, including Howard Lederer heads up, for $500,000 in the non-bracelet event.

July 8

Jack Ury Becomes Oldest Player to Enter Main Event
The Indianan finishes Day 1D with 40,500 chips. [Alas, after barely surviving Day 2B with 8,200 chips, he would exit short of the money on Day 3.]

Phil Hellmuth Enters Main Event Dressed as MMA Fighter
Hellmuth walks in to Jay-Z's "On to the Next One" while wearing a flowing black and gold robe, gloves, and sunglasses, accompanied by 11 women, each carrying a "belt" over her head to represent his WSOP bracelets.

July 12

Mizrachis Sibling Record As All Four Brothers Cash in Main Event
Michael Mizrachi reaches the final table and finishes 5th for $2,332,992, while Robert exits 116th for $57,102, Daniel 345th for $36,463, and Eric 718th for $19,263.

July 13

Bruce Buffer Last Celebrity Standing in WSOP Main Event
Ring announcer finishes 478th for $27,519.

July 15

Johnny Chan Last Champ Standing in Main Event
Exits in 156th place for $57,102.

Breeze Zuckerman Last Woman Standing in WSOP Main Event
Finishes 121st for $57,102.

July 21

WSOP Main Event November Nine Set
Jonathan Duhamel leads with 66 million chips, well ahead of John Dolan's 46 million.

September 3

Jennifer Harman, Kathy Liebert, and Billie Brown Join Women in Poker Hall of Fame
Harman, the first woman to win two open bracelets, Liebert, the WSOP's female cashes leader, and Brown, Marketing Director of Ocean's Eleven Casino, are honored at the Golden Nugget.

September 16

WSOPE £2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #1, 3 days [9/14 start])

Winner: Phil Laak ($263,494 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 244 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 18

Jeff Lisandro Wins WSOP Europe £5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for Fifth Bracelet
Defeats field of 120 for $245,287.

WSOPE £5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #2, 3 days [9/16 start])

Winner: Jeff Lisandro ($245,287 & 5th bracelet)

Entries: 120 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 21

WSOPE £1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #3, 5 days [9/17 start])

Winner: Scott Shelley ($206,499 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 582 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 23

Phil Hellmuth Arrives at WSOP Europe Main Event With a Dozen Lady Gaga Lookalikes
Arrives at Casino at the Empire in a red double-decker bus also carrying a marching band.

WSOPE £10,000 High Roller Heads-Up - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #4, 3 days [9/21 start])

Winner: Gus Hansen ($444,925 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 103 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 28

James Bord Wins WSOP Europe Main Event
Defeats field of 346 for $1,281,048 and his first bracelet.

WSOPE £10,000 Main Event - NLHE (Event #5, 6 days [9/23 start])

Winner: James Bord ($1,281,048 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 346 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

November 7

Frank Kassela Is WSOP Player of the Year
Wins two bracelets among six cashes to cruise past Michael Mizrachi.

November 8

Erik Seidel and Dan Harrington Join Poker Hall of Fame
Seidel is an 8-time bracelet winner and 1988 Main Event runner-up, while Harrington is the 1995 Main Event champ and four-time Main Event final tablist including back-to-back in 2003 and 2004. [Seidel would also win bracelets in 2021 and 2023.]

November 9

Jonathan Duhamel Wins 2010 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 7,319, including John Racener heads up, for $8,944,310.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #57, 10 days [7/5 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Jonathan Duhamel ($8,944,310 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 7,319 (747 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon