PokerWorks

Shocking news at the World Series of Poker. There was another $1,500 No Limit Hold Em event final table. Yes, amazing news, I know since we don't have nearly enough of these tournaments affectionately referred to as donkaments by long time members of the media. But hey, these donkaments have the largest fields which in turn leads to some of the biggest prize pools, so these are well paid donkeys we're talking about here. 2,641 donkeys, err I mean poker players started this event three days ago and the final table did not get underway until nearly 7 p.m. at night due to the day starting with nearly 3 full tables. The following were the final nine and their seating assignments:

Seat 1: Zack Fritz
Seat 2: Avi Braz
Seat 3: Rico Ramirez
Seat 4: Jason Potter
Seat 5: Jose Luis Franco
Seat 6: Mike Zulter
Seat 7: Mike Eise
Seat 8: Jeff Chang
Seat 9: Barry Berger

Mike Zulker started out in good shape but lost over 1.2 million in a pot to Mike Eise to find himself suddenly short stacked. Facing a raise from Jason Potter, Zulker moved all in for his last 425K and Potter made the call with K-J of diamonds which was behind Zulker's K-Q. The flop came K-7-7 rainbow to keep Zulker squarely in the lead and a 6 on the turn meant Zulker only had to avoid a jack to lose the pot or an ace to chop it. The river, of course, was the obligatory jack and Mike Zulker was the 9th place finisher winning $77,778.

Soon after, Rico Ramirez opened the pot for 275K and Mike Eise moved all in from the big blind for oh... 4 million or so. See what I mean about donkeys? Granted, Ramirez only had 2 million behind him but that was still a re-raise of 40 big blinds with the blinds at 25K/50K. Ramirez called quickly with pocket queens and was up against the A-K of Eise. The board came J-9-5-4-8 and Ramirez doubled up to 4.6 million while Eise fell to 1.65 million.

Ramirez then opened the action for a much smaller 125K. Jose Luis Franco pushed all in for his last 600K with A-3 of clubs but was disappointed to find a caller in Ramirez who was holding A-J. The board would come 9-K-10-J-7 to give Ramirez the pot and add to his ever increasing stack. Jose Luis Franco finished in 8th place winning $83,180.

Mike Eise raised to 150K under the gun and was called by Avi Braz in the small blind and Ramirez in the big blind. The flop came A-10-2 and Braz made it 175K to go. Ramirez folded and Eise raised to 675K. Braz moved all in and Eise made the call. Braz had A-J for a pair of aces with a jack kicker but that was behind the A-K of Eise. No jack to save the day and Mike Eise was the 7th place finisher winning a very respectable $93,622.

A monster three way pot took place when Jeff Chang raised to 180K, Zack Fritz shoved for 815K, Mike Eise called the 815K, Chang re-shoved all in and Eise called that as well. Chang was ahead with pocket kings and Fritz and Eise were sharing outs as Fritz had A-K and Eise had A-Q. The kings held and Chang tripled up. Zack Fritz finished in 6th place winning $111,266.

Eise doubled up Barry Berger with 2's against jacks to give Berger over 1 million in chips and dropping Eise to about ½ a million. With the new found chips and the blinds at 40K/80K, Berger went to work opening the action to 215K. Ramirez called from the button and the flop brought Q-8-6 with two spades. Berger got his chips in the middle and Ramirez was happy to join him with his 10-9 of spades. Berger was ahead with pocket jacks but would get the very unwanted set on the turn to give Ramirez the straight. The board didn't pair and Ramirez continued his impressive final table run. Barry Berger finished in 5th place winning $139,353.

Eise doubled up with pocket 6's against Jeff Chang's A-3 to get back to nearly a million in chips. Eise would then double up again at the hands of Chang with Q-9 of diamonds against A-6 of diamonds when a 9 hit the river. Jason Potter had seen his stack dwindle down to about a million and when the action was folded to him in the small blind with the blinds at 40K/80K, he open shoved with Q-10 of spades hoping to pick up the blinds and antes. Unfortunately for Potter, Jeff Chang would wake up with a hand in the big blind in pocket tens and the pair would hold up. Jason Potter finished in 4th place winning $185,444.

Eise continued his double up run, this time shoving on Rico Ramirez's 5 big blind opener with the blinds at 50K/100K with A-9. Eise's shove was an additional 2 million and Ramirez made the call with A-8. The 9 kicker would play and Eise would take over the chip lead with over 5 million in chips while Ramirez fell to 4.5 million.

Ramirez would then slow play himself into the rail when he called Eise's 300K raise from the big blind with J-4 of diamonds and check the K-J-J flop. Eise checked as well and the turn was a 9. Ramirez led out for a close to pot sized bet of 725K and Eise moved all in. Ramirez made a quick call with his trip jacks but Eise had caught up and then some with his pocket 9's and turned full house. Ramirez would need the case jack or one of three kings to win the hand but the river was neither of those and Eise now had a commanding chip lead. Rico Ramirez finished in 3rd place winning $261,963.

Heads up play started with Eise holding over a 4:1 chip lead on Jeff Chang. The final hand would see Chang making a great call when Eise shoved all in for a huge over bet on a 6-3-3 flop and Chang calling with only A-J which was way ahead of Eise's 8-7 off suit. Of course it wouldn't be a donkament without a 7 on the turn and just like that the tournament was over. Jeff Chang finished in 2nd place winning $392,494.

Mike Eise had a roller coaster final table that saw him start out hot early, lose a ton of big pots in the middle, and then go on a mad rush of double ups and a lucky hit on the final hand to surge to victory. Mike Eise took 1st place, winning $639,331 and his first WSOP bracelet. Congratulations Mike!