Durkee surprises with WSOP event 10 win

With a starting field of 1 531 entrants, event 10 - the $2 000 No Limit Hold 'Em competition - at the World Series of Poker currently running in Vegas was always going to be a tough contest, with highly experienced players like Internet poker expert Justin "ZeeJustin" Bonomo going full-on after the $566 916 main prize.

Predictably, Bonomo was one of the top rankers as the final 9 player table took their seats after three days of hard poker and eliminations. Expectations of fast action were soon fulfilled, with two players - Ronnie Hofman and Gil George busted out within the first quarter hour by Hunter Frey and Todd Terry respectively.

Bonomo was at the centre of much of the action that followed, which saw the fast elimination by the Internet player of Walter Brown and Stan Weiss in 7 and 6 positions. Michael Banducci, headed rail-wards next and was the first to hit the six figure payouts with a position 5 paycheck of $105 884. In a battle of the blinds, Banducci's two pair wasn't good enough as 24-year-old Northwestern University grad Will Durkee's higher two pair sealed his fate.

Only 20 minutes later in the surprise of the game Bonomo clashed with Durkee, came off worse and exited the game to collect a 4th position check for $150 040. Hunter Frey now faced a massively chip dominant Durkee and was the next to be eliminated in spot 3 with a departure check of $231 373, clearing the way for the final heads up between Todd Terry and Will Durkee.

The former tried hard but the chip count, skills and luck were all against him and the WSOP rookie busted when both players got it all-in and Durkee hit a straight. Terry earned $353 875 for finishing second.

With a coveted WSOP bracelet and a winner's check for $566 916, 24-year-old Northwestern University grad Will Durkee, should be more than pleased with his performance....and the fourth (and by far biggest) WSOP cash of his career.