WSOP Event #10

World Series of Poker Event #10, Half-Omaha High-Low Split / Half-Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split, 4-6 June 2008

Entrants: 388
Buy in: $2,500
Prize pool: $892,400

Final results:

1. Farzad Rouhani, $232,911

2. Tom Chambers, $142,784

3. John Cernuto, $86,117

4. Yueqi Zhu, $63,807

5. Greg Pappas, $48,190

6. John Racener, $37,481

7. Daniel Mowczan, $28,557

8. Michael Mizrachi, $24,095

9. Brandon Cantu, $19,633

The winner of the $2,500 buy-in Half Omaha High-Low Split / Half Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split was Farzad “Freddy” Rouhani, from Germantown, MD. He is a 44-year-old professional poker player. Rouhani was born in Iran. He arrived in the U.S. in 1985 to attend college. In fact, he planned to attend medical school.

“I came to the U.S. 23 years ago to become a doctor,” Rouhani said in a post-tournament interview. “But instead, I became a pro poker player. Go figure.”

The event attracted 388 players, creating a prize pool totaling $892,400.

This tournament debuted at last year’s WSOP and attracted 327 players, this year the event attracted 388 players, creating a prize pool totaling $892,400. Hence, the turnout was 16 percent higher this year.

Rouhani earned a well-deserved victory, collecting $232,911 for first place. He also earned his first WSOP gold bracelet. Rouhani came very close to winning a few years ago when he took second place in a No-Limit Hold’em event. To date, Rouhani now has eight WSOP cashes, two final table appearances, and more than $800,000 in career winnings at the WSOP.

The runner up was Tom Chambers, from Chicago, IL. The former teacher and basketball coach now has four career cashes at the WSOP.
Widely-respected poker pro “Miami John” Cernuto finished third. The former air-traffic controller has won three WSOP gold bracelets. But his bid for his first victory since 2002 fell short.

Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi has enjoyed astounding success in poker tournaments in recent years. His career winnings total more than $6 million. But for all his accolades elsewhere, Mizrachi has not fared particularly well at the WSOP. This was his first-ever final table appearance. Unfortunately, he went out in eighth place.

Several former WSOP gold bracelet winners cashed in this tournament. The included Hoyt Corkins (14th), Jeffrey Lisandro (19th), Tony Ma (20th), Allen Cunningham (22nd), Gary Benson (23rd), Barbara Enright (26th), Berry Johnston (30th), and Scott Clements (39th).

Last year’s champion was Tom Schneider, who went on to win the 2007 WSOP “Player of the Year” race. Schneider was unable to defend his crown in this event as he was still alive in another tournament at the time, the Mixed Games championship, which played its Day Two when this tournament began.