Two more World Series of Poker players were sporting shiny new winner’s bracelets…and fatter bank accounts…. Thursday as events 34 and 35 passed into the history books.
In event 34 – the $5,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha Six Handed competition, Naoya Kihara survived a field of 419 entrants to engage in an exciting if brief heads up with Chris DeMaci and emerge with his – and Japan’s – first bracelet and $512,029 in winner’s cash. Kihara’s 5 to 1 chip advantage was too large for his plucky opponent to overcome.
The two players had earlier bested a final table that included Daniel Hindin, Hans Winzeler, Davidi Kitai and Tommy Le, culminating in De Maci’s defeat at Level: 28 with the blinds at 30,000-60,000.
DeMaci took home a second placing check for $316,308.
Massachusetts player Christopher Tryba took down event 35 – a $2,500 Mixed Hold’em Limit/No-Limit contest which attracted 393 hopefuls, among them top international stars.
Tryba ended with a memorable flourish – a straight flush against Eric Cajalais that brought him his first WSOP bracelet and the main prize of $210,107.
No doubt adding to his satisfaction was the fact that the final table included Phil Ivey – his fifth final table this series – along with Cajelais, the runner up with a pay day of $129,766.
Other final table cashes included:
Salman Behbehani $93,842
Joep van den Bijgaart $68,576
Michael Gathy $50,640
Samuel Golbuff $37,793
Brent Wheeler $28,494
Phil Ivey $21,699
Michael Foti $16,692