Vegas poker pro takes event 3 at WSOP

06/02/2009

Another World Series of Poker event has been decided as a victory for Vegas professional poker player Thang Luu (34) after a 10 hour battle. Event 3, the $1 500 buy-in Omaha High-Low competition attracted a record 918 entries, and $263 135 of the prize pool is Luu's first placing reward, along with a prestigious WSOP bracelet.

Luu also joins the few WSOP champions to have successfully defended his title as the $1 500-buy-in Omaha High-Low champion after winning the same event last year. And he managed to finish second in this same 2007 event. This means Luu has now finished second, first, and first – in the same event over three consecutive years - a memorable feat not equalled by many.

The final 19 contestants began their battle at 2:00 pm, with the event finally being decided ten hours later at midnight following an exciting heads up between Luu and Californian player Ed Smith. The two had survived a record starting field of 918 players, a nine percent increase in attendance over the same tournament held last year.

For his second place achievement, Smith collected a check for $162 110.

Luu arrived in the United States as an immigrant from Vietnam aged 17, and prior to becoming a professional player he worked as a table games dealer. He is known as a cash game player and is a regular at $80-160 limit games at casinos in Las Vegas. His forte is $200-400 mixed games, and although he doesn't play tournament poker frequently, he does go after big Omaha High-Low Split tournaments. He is also an accomplished Badugi player.

Luu's latest win makes him a double WSOP bracelet holder, adding to his five cashes at WSOP events and brings his career winnings to $727 755.