2012 - This Year in WSOP History

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2012

January 7

La Sengphet Wins Female Record Third Open WSOP Circuit Ring
Defeats field of 377 in the Bicycle Casino $345 No-Limit Hold 'Em for $25,242 and her record fourth Circuit ring (the other was in a Ladies event).

February 24

WSOP Africa Returns With Six Circuit Ring Events
Joe-Boy Rahme wins $3,300 Main Event for $158,595.

April 29

Amarillo Slim Preston d. 2012 [age 83] (b. 12/31/1928)
1972 WSOP Main Event winner ($80,000). Four other bracelets: 1972 $5,000 Razz ($50,000; missing from the record books), 1974 $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em, 1985 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, & 1990 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha. Poker Hall of Fame 1992.
Obituary | Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

May 28

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

Winner: Chiab Saechao ($70,859)

Entries: 732 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 30

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #2, began 5/28)

Winner: Brent Hanks ($517,725)

Entries: 2101 (216 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 31

WSOP Pays Out 50,000th Prize
The 50,000th prize awarded in WSOP history occurred roughly near the end of the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo, although other events were running at the same time.

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em/Pot-Limit Omaha - Heads-Up (Event #3, began 5/29)

Winner: Leif Force ($207,708)

Entries: 317 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #4, began 5/29)

Winner: Cory Zeidman ($201,559)

Entries: 622 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 1

Nick Jivkov Wins $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em for Bulgaria's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 639 for $189,818.

$1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #5, began 5/30)

Winner: Nick Jivkov ($189,818)

Entries: 639 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 2

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud (Event #7, began 5/31)

Winner: Andy Bloch ($126,363)

Entries: 367 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 3

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Mixed Max (Event #6, began 5/31)

Winner: Aubin Cazals ($480,564)

Entries: 409 (44 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #8, began 6/1)

Winner: Herbert Tapscott ($264,400)

Entries: 967 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 5

John Monnette Wins $5,000 Seven-Card Stud for Second Bracelet
Defeats field of 145 for $190,826.

$5,000 Seven-Card Stud (Event #10, began 6/3)

Winner: John Monnette ($190,826)

Entries: 145 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 6

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Re-Entry (Event #9, began 6/2)

Winner: Ashkan Razavi ($781,398)

Entries: 3404 (342 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #11, began 6/4)

Winner: Vincent Van Der Fluit ($265,211)

Entries: 970 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 7

$10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Heads Up (Event #12, began 6/5)

Winner: Brian Hastings ($371,498)

Entries: 152 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #13, began 6/5)

Winner: David Arsht ($211,921)

Entries: 730 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 8

Brian Hastings Wins $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold 'Em for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 152 for $371,498.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #14, began 6/6)

Winner: Brandon Schaefer ($311,174)

Entries: 1138 (122 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #15, began 6/6)

Winner: Adam Friedman ($269,037)

Entries: 212 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 9

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #16, began 6/7)

Winner: Matt Matros ($454,835)

Entries: 1604 (162 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 10

Phil Hellmuth Wins $2,500 Razz for Record Twelfth Bracelet
Defeats field of 309 for $182,793 and his first non-Hold 'Em bracelet.

$10,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #17, began 6/8)

Winner: Andy Frankenberger ($445,899)

Entries: 179 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Seven-Card Razz (Event #18, began 6/8)

Winner: Phil Hellmuth ($182,793)

Entries: 309 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 11

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #19, began 6/9)

Winner: Clifford Goldkind ($559,514)

Entries: 2302 (243 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #20, began 6/9)

Winner: Benjamin Scholl ($206,760)

Entries: 166 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 12

Michael Gathy Wins $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 2,799 for $440,829.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #21, began 6/10)

Winner: Michael Gathy ($440,829)

Entries: 2799 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw Lowball (Event #22, began 6/10)

Winner: Randy Ohel ($145,247)

Entries: 228 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 13

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #23, began 6/11)

Winner: Simon Charette ($567,624)

Entries: 924 (108 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #24, began 6/11)

Winner: Joe Cassidy ($294,777)

Entries: 256 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 14

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #25, began 6/12)

Winner: Brian Meinders ($116,118)

Entries: 366 (52 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #26, began 6/12)

Winner: Austin Scott ($361,797)

Entries: 589 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 15

Allyn Jaffrey Shulman Wins Seniors Championship
Defeats field of 4,128 players for $603,713.

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #27, began 6/13)

Winner: Ylon Schwartz ($267,081)

Entries: 889 (96 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 16

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Four Handed (Event #28, began 6/14)

Winner: Timothy Adams ($392,476)

Entries: 750 (80 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 17

$1,000 Seniors Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #29, began 6/15)

Winner: Allyn Jaffrey Shulman ($603,713)

Entries: 4128 (423 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw Lowball (Event #30, began 6/15)

Winner: Larry "TX" Wright ($101,975)

Entries: 285 (35 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 18

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #31, began 6/16)

Winner: Carter Phillips ($664,130)

Entries: 2811 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #32, began 6/16)

Winner: David "Bakes" Baker ($451,779)

Entries: 178 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 19

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #33, began 6/17)

Winner: Max Steinberg ($440,238)

Entries: 2795 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 20

Naoya Kihara Wins $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Max for Japan's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 419 for $512,029.

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha - Six Handed (Event #34, began 6/18)

Winner: Naoya Kihara ($512,029)

Entries: 419 (42 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Mixed Hold 'Em (Event #35, began 6/18)

Winner: Chris Tryba ($210,107)

Entries: 393 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 21

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #36, began 6/19)

Winner: Craig McCorkell ($368,593)

Entries: 587 (60 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 8 Game (Event #37, began 6/19)

Winner: David "ODB" Baker ($271,312)

Entries: 477 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 22

WSOP Awards 1,000th Bracelet
Dung Gomer Nguyen defeats field of 2,534 in $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em for $607,200 and the historic bracelet.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #38, began 6/20)

Winner: Dung Gomer Nguyen ($607,200)

Entries: 2534 (267 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 23

$10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #39, began 6/21)

Winner: Jan-Peter Jachtmann ($661,000)

Entries: 293 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #40, began 6/21)

Winner: Ronnie Bardah ($182,088)

Entries: 302 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 24

Ladies Championship Is 1,000th Event in WSOP History
Yen Dang wins the milestone event, defeating a field of 936 for $170,587.

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #41, began 6/22)

Winner: Greg Ostrander ($742,072)

Entries: 1394 (144 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Omaha /Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #42, began 6/22)

Winner: Oleksii Kovalchuk ($228,014)

Entries: 393 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 25

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #43, began 6/23)

Winner: Henry Lu ($654,380)

Entries: 2770 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 26

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #44, began 6/24)

Winner: Rocco Palumbo ($464,464)

Entries: 2949 (298 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$50,000 The Poker Players Championship (Event #45, began 6/24)

Winner: Michael Mizrachi ($1,451,527)

Entries: 108 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 27

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #46, began 6/25)

Winner: Joey Weissman ($694,609)

Entries: 1607 (171 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 28

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #47, began 6/26)

Winner: Steven Loube ($267,345)

Entries: 978 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #48, began 6/26)

Winner: Kenny Hsiung ($165,205)

Entries: 247 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Ante Only (Event #49, began 6/27)

Winner: Greg Hobson ($256,691)

Entries: 939 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 29

Michael Mizrachi Wins $50,000 Poker Players Championship for Third Bracelet
Defeats field of 108 for $1,451,527 and second PPC title in three years.

June 30

Brandon Uhl Becomes Last Male Player to Cash in Ladies Championship
Roundly criticized as he finishes 69th for $2,359.

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #50, began 6/28)

Winner: Peter Vilandos ($952,694)

Entries: 1001 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 1

Vanessa Selbst Wins 10-Game 6-Max for Second Bracelet
Defeats field of 421 for $244,259 and ties Cyndy Violette's 2005 record of finishing in the Top 9 three times in a single WSOP.

$1,000 Ladies Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #51, began 6/29)

Winner: Yen Dang ($170,587)

Entries: 936 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 10 Game - Six Handed (Event #52, began 6/29)

Winner: Vanessa Selbst ($244,259)

Entries: 421 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 2

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #53, began 6/30)

Winner: Jim Willerson ($737,248)

Entries: 3166 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 3

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #54, began 7/1)

Winner: Will Jaffe ($500,075)

Entries: 3221 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,000,000 The Big One for One Drop (Event #55, began 7/1)

Winner: Antonio Esfandiari ($18,346,673)

Entries: 48 (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 4

Antonio Esfandiari Wins Big One for One Drop
Defeats field of 48 for record $18,346,673. Sam Tricket second for $10,112,001.

Tomas Junek Wins $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Czech Republic's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 2,798 for $661,022.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #56, began 7/2)

Winner: Tomas Junek ($661,022)

Entries: 2798 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 5

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

Winner: Gregory Merson ($1,136,197)

Entries: 474 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #58, began 7/3)

Winner: Vyacheslav Zhukov ($330,277)

Entries: 526 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 7

Ellen "Gram" Deeb Breaks Own Record as Oldest Woman to Play in the Main Event at Age 92
Shaun Deeb's grandmother is given the honor of announcing, "Shuffle up and deal!" but fails to reach day 2.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #59, began 7/4)

Winner: Dominik Nitsche ($654,797)

Entries: 4620 (466 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw Lowball (Event #60, began 7/5)

Winner: Nick Schulman ($294,321)

Entries: 101 (14 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 8

$10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em National Championship (Event #1, began 7/6)

Winner: Ryan Eriquezzo ($416,051)

Entries: 157 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 11

Ryan Eriquezzo Wins WSOP National Championship
Defeats field of 157 for $416,051.

July 12

Gaelle Baumann Leads After Day 2 of WSOP Main Event
Her 505,800 chips make her the third woman to lead after any day of a Main Event.

July 14

Johnny Chan Last Champ Standing in Main Event
Exits in 353rd place for $32,871.

July 15

Kevin Pollak Last Celebrity Standing in WSOP Main Event
Actor reaches Day 5 and finishes 134th for $52,718.

July 16

Gaelle Baumann Finishes Tenth as Last Woman Standing in the WSOP Main Event
Sets women's record by outlasting 99.85% of players and earns record $590,442, the same prize taken home by 11th place finisher Elisabeth Hille as the two make the deepest Main Event run ever by a pair of women.

July 21

2012 WSOP November Nine Set
Jesse Sylvia leads with 44 million chips, ahead of Andras Koroknai, Greg Merson, and Russell Thomas.

September 1

Jonathan Duhamel's Final Table Released
Well-considered thoughts on the poker pro's run to the 2010 WSOP Main Event title.

September 23

Imed Mahmoud Wins WSOP Europe £2,500 for Tunisia's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 227 for $191,912.

€2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #1, began 9/21)

Winner: Imed Mahmoud ($191,912)

Entries: 227 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 25

Antonio Esfandiari Wins WSOP Europe €1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Second Bracelet of Year
Defeats field of 626 for $164,655.

€1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #2, began 9/22)

Winner: Antonio Esfandiari ($164,656)

Entries: 626 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 26

€5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #3, began 9/24)

Winner: Roger Hairabedian ($186,030)

Entries: 97 (12 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 27

€3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #4, began 9/25)

Winner: Giovanni Rosadoni ($140,398)

Entries: 141 (20 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 28

Konstantin Puchkov Sets Record With 11th Cash of Year
Finishes 5th in WSOP Europe €10,000 Mixed Max No-Limit Hold 'Em for $54,918.

Jonathan Aguiar Wins WSOP Europe £10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em Mixed Max for Portugal's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 96 for $336,661.

€10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Mixed Max (Event #5, began 9/26)

Winner: Jonathan Aguiar ($336,661)

Entries: 96 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 29

€1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha - Six Handed (Event #6, began 9/27)

Winner: Francisco Santos ($108,645)

Entries: 206 (21 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

October 4

€10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Main Event (Event #7, began 9/29)

Winner: Phil Hellmuth ($1,333,841)

Entries: 420 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

October 5

Phil Hellmuth Wins WSOP Europe Main Event for Record Thirteenth Bracelet
Defeats field of 420 for $1,333,841 and second bracelet of year, to become the first player to win both the WSOP Main Event and the WSOP Europe Main Event.

October 30

Sailor Roberts and Eric Drache Inducted Into Poker Hall of Fame
Roberts was a Texas road gambler and double bracelet winner, while Drache was the WSOP's first tournament director who invented the satellite tournament in 1983.

October 31

Greg Merson Wins 2012 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 6,598, including Jesse Sylvia heads up, for $8,527,982 and move past Phil Hellmuth for WSOP Player of the Year honors. Merson also won the $10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max for $1,136,197 just two days before the Main Event started, making him the first player to win two seven-figure prizes in one year.

Greg Merson Is WSOP Player of the Year
Wins two bracelets, including the award-clinching Main Event, and a POY-record $9,785,354 to edge Phil Hellmuth.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #61, began 7/7)

Winner: Gregory Merson ($8,531,853)

Entries: 6598 (669 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

{ Data is current through January 1, 2023. }