2012 - This Year in WSOP History

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 and Circuit ring.

April 29

Amarillo Slim Preston d. 2012 [age 83] (b. 12/31/1928)
1972 WSOP Main Event winner ($80,000). Won 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 Casino Employees Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #1, 2 days [5/27 start])

Winner: Chiab Saechao ($70,859 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 732 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 30

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #2, 3 days [5/28 start])

Winner: Brent Hanks ($517,725 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,101 (216 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

May 31

Three Woman Reach Final Nine for Only the Third Time
Xuan Liu finishes 6th ($29,985), Bonnie Rossi 8th ($16,684), and Marsha Waggoner 9th ($12,822) in the 622-player $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo won by Cory Zeidman for $201,559)

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

Winner: Leif Force ($207,708 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 317 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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.

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #4, 3 days [5/29 start])

Winner: Cory Zeidman ($201,559 & 1st bracelet)

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, 3 days [5/30 start])

Winner: Nick Jivkov ($189,818 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 639 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 2

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud (Event #7, 3 days [5/31 start])

Winner: Andy Bloch ($126,363 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 367 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 3

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em Mixed Max (Event #6, 4 days [5/31 start])

Winner: Aubin Cazals ($480,564 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 409 (44 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #8, 3 days [6/1 start])

Winner: Herbert Tapscott ($264,400 & 1st bracelet)

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, 3 days [6/3 start])

Winner: John Monnette ($190,826 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 145 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 6

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em Re-Entry (Event #9, 5 days [6/2 start])

Winner: Ashkan Razavi ($781,398 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,404 (342 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #11, 3 days [6/4 start])

Winner: Vincent Van Der Fluit ($265,211 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 970 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 7

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

$10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #12, 3 days [6/5 start])

Winner: Brian Hastings ($371,498 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 152 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #13, 3 days [6/5 start])

Winner: David Arsht ($211,921 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 730 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 8

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #14, 3 days [6/6 start])

Winner: Brandon Schaefer ($311,174 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,138 (120 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #15, 3 days [6/6 start])

Winner: Adam Friedman ($269,037 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 212 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 9

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

Winner: Matt Matros ($454,835 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 1,604 (162 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 10

$10,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #17, 3 days [6/8 start])

Winner: Andy Frankenberger ($445,899 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 179 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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

$2,500 Seven-Card Razz (Event #18, 3 days [6/8 start])

Winner: Phil Hellmuth ($182,793 & 12th bracelet)

Entries: 309 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 11

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #19, 3 days [6/9 start])

Winner: Clifford Goldkind ($559,514 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,302 (243 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #20, 3 days [6/9 start])

Winner: Benjamin Scholl ($206,760 & 1st bracelet)

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, 3 days [6/10 start])

Winner: Michael Gathy ($440,829 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,799 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw Lowball (Event #22, 3 days [6/10 start])

Winner: Randy Ohel ($145,247 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 228 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 13

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #23, 3 days [6/11 start])

Winner: Simon Charette ($567,624 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 924 (108 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #24, 3 days [6/11 start])

Winner: Joe Cassidy ($294,777 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 256 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 14

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #25, 3 days [6/12 start])

Winner: Brian Meinders ($116,118 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 366 (50 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #26, 3 days [6/12 start])

Winner: Austin Scott ($361,797 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 589 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 15

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #27, 3 days [6/13 start])

Winner: Ylon Schwartz ($267,081 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 889 (96 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 16

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em 4-Max (Event #28, 3 days [6/14 start])

Winner: Timothy Adams ($392,476 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 750 (80 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 17

Allyn Jaffrey Shulman Wins Seniors Championship
Defeats field of 4,128 players for $603,713 to become the second woman to win the event after Clare Miller in 2006.

$1,000 Seniors Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #29, 3 days [6/15 start])

Winner: Allyn Jaffrey Shulman ($603,713 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 4,128 (423 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw Lowball (Event #30, 3 days [6/15 start])

Winner: Larry 'TX' Wright ($101,975 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 285 (35 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 18

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #31, 3 days [6/16 start])

Winner: Carter Phillips ($664,130 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 2,811 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #32, 3 days [6/16 start])

Winner: David 'Bakes' Baker ($451,779 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 178 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 19

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #33, 3 days [6/17 start])

Winner: Max Steinberg ($440,238 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,795 (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 6-Max (Event #34, 3 days [6/18 start])

Winner: Naoya Kihara ($512,029 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 419 (42 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Mixed Hold 'Em (Event #35, 3 days [6/18 start])

Winner: Chris Tryba ($210,107 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 393 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 21

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #36, 3 days [6/19 start])

Winner: Craig McCorkell ($368,593 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 587 (60 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 8 Game Mix (Event #37, 3 days [6/19 start])

Winner: David 'ODB' Baker ($271,312 & 1st bracelet)

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, 3 days [6/20 start])

Winner: Dung Gomer Nguyen ($607,200 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,534 (267 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 23

$10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #39, 3 days [6/21 start])

Winner: Jan-Peter Jachtmann ($661,000 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 293 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #40, 3 days [6/21 start])

Winner: Ronnie Bardah ($182,088 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 302 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 24

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #41, 3 days [6/22 start])

Winner: Greg Ostrander ($742,072 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,394 (144 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Omaha /Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #42, 3 days [6/22 start])

Winner: Oleksii Kovalchuk ($228,014 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 393 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 25

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #43, 3 days [6/23 start])

Winner: Henry Lu ($654,380 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,770 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 26

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #44, 3 days [6/24 start])

Winner: Rocco Palumbo ($464,464 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,949 (298 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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.

$50,000 Poker Players Championship (Event #45, 3 days [6/24 start])

Winner: Michael Mizrachi ($1,451,527 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 108 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 27

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #46, 3 days [6/25 start])

Winner: Joey Weissman ($694,609 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,607 (171 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 28

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #47, 3 days [6/26 start])

Winner: Steven Loube ($267,345 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 978 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #48, 3 days [6/26 start])

Winner: Kenny Hsiung ($165,205 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 247 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em Ante Only (Event #49, 2 days [6/27 start])

Winner: Greg Hobson ($256,691 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 939 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 29

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

June 30

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #50, 3 days [6/28 start])

Winner: Peter Vilandos ($952,694 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 1,001 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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

July 1

$1,000 Ladies Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #51, 3 days [6/29 start])

Winner: Yen Dang ($170,587 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 936 (117 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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

$2,500 10 Game Mix 6-Max (Event #52, 3 days [6/29 start])

Winner: Vanessa Selbst ($244,259 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 421 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 2

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #53, 3 days [6/30 start])

Winner: Jim Willerson ($737,248 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,166 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 3

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #54, 3 days [7/1 start])

Winner: Will Jaffe ($500,075 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 3,221 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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

$1,000,000 Big One for One Drop (Event #55, 3 days [7/1 start])

Winner: Antonio Esfandiari ($18,346,673 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 48 (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 4

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, 3 days [7/2 start])

Winner: Tomas Junek ($661,022 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 2,798 (297 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 5

$10,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #57, 3 days [7/3 start])

Winner: Gregory Merson ($1,136,197 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 474 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #58, 3 days [7/3 start])

Winner: Vyacheslav Zhukov ($330,277 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 526 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 6

Konstantin Puchkov Sets Record With 11th Cash of Year
Finishes 381st in $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for $2,079.

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, 4 days [7/4 start])

Winner: Dominik Nitsche ($654,797 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 4,620 (466 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw Lowball (Event #60, 3 days [7/5 start])

Winner: Nick Schulman ($294,321 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 101 (14 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 8

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

July 11

$10,000 National Championship - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #1, 3 days [7/6 start])

Winner: Ryan Eriquezzo ($416,051 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 157 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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.

August 31

Kathy Raymond and J.J. Liu Join Women in Poker Hall of Fame
Raymond, the Director of Poker Operations at the Hollywood Park Casino, and Liu, the unofficial Last Woman Standing in the 1999 WSOP Main Event, are honored at the Golden Nugget.

September 1

Jonathan Duhamel's "Final Table" Released
The book contains the poker pro's well-considered thoughts on his 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.

WSOPE €2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em 6-Max (Event #1, 3 days [9/21 start])

Winner: Imed Mahmoud ($191,912 & 1st bracelet)

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 two months after winning the inaugural Big One for One Drop.

WSOPE €1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #2, 4 days [9/22 start])

Winner: Antonio Esfandiari ($164,656 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 626 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 26

WSOPE €5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #3, 3 days [9/24 start])

Winner: Roger Hairabedian ($186,030 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 97 (12 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 27

WSOPE €3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #4, 3 days [9/25 start])

Winner: Giovanni Rosadoni ($140,398 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 141 (20 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 28

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.

WSOPE €10,000 Mixed Max No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #5, 3 days [9/26 start])

Winner: Jonathan Aguiar ($336,661 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 96 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Konstantin Puchkov Extends Record With 12th Cash of Year
Finishes 5th in WSOP Europe €10,000 Mixed Max No-Limit Hold 'Em for $54,918.

September 29

WSOPE €1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Max (Event #6, 3 days [9/27 start])

Winner: Francisco Santos ($108,645 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 206 (21 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

October 4

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.

WSOPE €10,000 Main Event - NLHE (Event #7, 6 days [9/29 start])

Winner: Phil Hellmuth ($1,333,841 & 13th bracelet)

Entries: 420 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

October 30

Sailor Roberts and Eric Drache Join 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 1982.

October 31

Greg Merson Wins 2012 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 6,598, including Jesse Sylvia heads up, for $8,527,982. 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 WSOP prizes in one year.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #61, 9 days [7/7 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Gregory Merson ($8,531,853 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 6,598 (669 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

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.