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2009 WSOP
Event #53 - $1,500 Buy-in Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Final Results. 2009 World Series of Poker Results

2009 World Series of Poker Results
Event #53 - Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo
8 or Better
World Series of Poker (WSOP) Results
2009 World Series of Poker - Event #53 Results
2009 World Series of Poker        
Final Results        
Event #  53
Buy In:  $1,500
Game:  Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better
Date:  6/29/2009
Number of Entries:  466
Net Prize Pool:  $636,090
First Place Prize:  $159,048
Players to Cash:  48
David Halpern
Final Results:
Place
Name
Hometown
Prize
To view the complete schedule and results for the 2009 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, click on the link below:

2009 World Series of Poker Schedule and Results
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Halpern, David
Kohler, William
Stern, Max
Brown, Chad
Savage, Matt
Gilbert, Zak
Swinford, Brian
Prescott, Allie
Sklar, Richie
Burgio, Vince
Rosenfeldt, Jack
Paz, Jose
Toboc, Christian
Krescanto, Mike
Davis, Jared
Raymond, Derek
Ohde, Martin
Vance, Tim Lee
Jelinek, Steve
Dovzhenko, Alexander
Barbieri, Albert
Emerson, Alan
Bloch, Andrew
Rosenthal, Yotam
Leeds, Brandon
Smith, Matthew
Rygol, Bernd
Ickow, Todd
Hughes, Ryan
Heim, Ruy
Miller, Ronald
Chad, Norman
Yoo, James
Marsters, Timothy
Kearney, Simon
Verrastro, Candace
Danheiser, David
Purzycki, Robert
Beltran, Thuy
Markakis, George
Kimmel, Shawn
Reiss, John
Wenzel, John
Erdman, Travis
Greenstein, Barry
Wortham, David
Negreanu, Daniel
Bonomo, Justin
New Orleans, LA
Cincinnati, OH
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV
San Jose, CA
Reno, NV
Armstrong, IL
Memphis, TN
Las Vegas, NV
West Hills, CA
Hobro, Denmark
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Leomberg, Germany
Scottsdale, AZ
New Hope, PA
Portland, ME
Vienna, Austria
Millstadt, IL
Birmingham, UK
Russia
Philadelphia, PA
Pheonix, AZ
Las Vegas, NV
Tel Aviv, Israel
Phoenix, AZ
Lithia, FL
Munich, Germany
Valparaiso, IN
Pheonix, AZ
Newhall, CA
Albany, NY
Los Angeles, CA
El Cerrito, CA
Brisbane, CA
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pt Pleasant Bch, NJ
Las Vegas, NV
Cypress, CA
Saint Petersburg, FL
Philadelphia, PA
Dearborn Heights, MI
Omaha, NE
Lantana, FL
Burlingame, CA
Rchos Pls Verdes, CA
Hemet, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Sherman Oaks, CA
$159,048
$98,339
$64,346
$44,494
$32,396
$24,775
$19,858
$16,646
$12,123
$12,123
$9,146
$9,146
$7,245
$7,245
$5,852
$5,852
$4,478
$4,478
$4,478
$4,478
$4,478
$4,478
$4,478
$4,478
$3,288
$3,288
$3,288
$3,288
$3,288
$3,288
$3,288
$3,288
$2,976
$2,976
$2,976
$2,976
$2,976
$2,976
$2,976
$2,976
$2,690
$2,690
$2,690
$2,690
$2,690
$2,690
$2,690
$2,690
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Tournament Highlights:

Event Headlines –

1.  David J. Halpern Wins His First WSOP Gold Bracelet

2.  The Verdict is In:  New Orleans Attorney David J. Halpern Receives Gold Bracelet and
Judgment Worth $159,048


The Champion --

The 2009 World Series of Poker $1,500 buy-in Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split champion
is David J. Halpern, from New Orleans, LA.

Halpern is a 54-year-old attorney.  He specializes in commercial law and business litigation.  

Halpern was born and raised in New Orleans.  He is part owner of several restaurants,
including Bayona and GW Fins, both in the French Quarter.  He also has investment in a
number of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouses.

Halpern is the father of four children – ages 15, 9, 7, and 4.

Halpern says he plays poker mostly as a hobby.

Halpern is a regular player inside the Harrah’s New Orleans poker room.

Incredibly, Halpern entered this tournament by accident.  Two days earlier, he came to the
Rio to play in cash games.  However, the game he wanted to play (Pot-Limit Omaha) had a
waiting list.  Halpern reluctantly decided at the last minute to enter the $1,500 Seven-Card
Stud High-Low Split tournament, just as registration was about to close.  He survived the
first day and went on to win the tournament and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

Halpern collected $159,048 for first place.  He was also awarded his first WSOP gold
bracelet.

According to official records, Halpern now has 1 win, 2 final table appearances, and 5 in-the-
money finishes at the WSOP.  His career WSOP earnings now total $185,747.

Halpern’s first WSOP cash took place in 1994.  This was his first final table in ten years.  He
finished eighth in this same event in 1998.


Winner Quotes (David J. Halpern) --

On his feelings immediately after winning his first WSOP gold bracelet:  “Oh, it feels great.  
It’s exciting.  We had fun the whole time.  There were a lot of nice people.  It was a great
experience.”

On whether Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split is better suited to older and more experienced
players:  “I looked around and it’s mostly old timers.  All the younger guys are playing No-
Limit Hold’em.  So, maybe some of the older folks are playing this.  Since I have grey hair
and I’m over 50, maybe this is my game.”  

On entering the tournament at the last minute:  “I had planned to play in a side game.  But
the game was full.  So, I said, ‘what am I going to do?’  I entered this tournament and that
was two days ago.”  

On his experience playing Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split:  “This is a game that a lot of
people played in college and when I was a bit younger, growing up.  Not too many play it
that much anymore.  It’s low impact and it’s not too stressful.”

On his strategy and thoughts as he went deeper into the tournament:  “I take it one level
at a time.  If I can increase my chips each time, I ask myself if I have enough chips to play
well as the limits keep going up.  I try and see the tables shrink.  That’s what you hope to
see.  It goes 40 or 50 tables down to one, and then down to none.”  

On being proud to be from New Orleans:  “New Orleans is a colorful town.  We have plenty
of rascals.  But there are some really fine people, too.”

On working as a highly-successful attorney:  “It’s really not a job if you enjoy going to work
every day -- and I do.  I get up in the morning and I figure out each puzzle for my clients
and do the best I can.  I really enjoy what I do.  But I sure love playing poker, too.”

On what the victory and the money means to him:  “The money is great.  But being able to
get through the field and win it is special.  It was so exciting to play for the championship.”

On his plans right after the WSOP:  “Now that this is almost over, I am going to be able to
have a good vacation with my kids.”


The Final Table --

The final table included only one former WSOP gold bracelet winner – Dr. Max Stern (3 wins).

The final table was played eight-handed.

The runner up was William Kohler, from Cincinnati, OH.  He is self-employed and is 47-years-
old.  This marked his best WSOP finish ever.  

The third-place finisher was Dr, Max Stern, a semi-retired medical doctor from San Jose,
Costa Rica.  Stern is a three-time gold bracelet winner, with titles in two events played in
1997 (No-Limit Hold’em and Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split) and one event played in 1995
(Omaha High-Low Split).

he fourth-place finisher was Chad Brown, from Las Vegas, NV.  Brown, a former actor who
now plays poker professionally, has 26 career WSOP cashes.  He remains at the top of an
unofficial very short list as one of the best players yet to have won a WSOP gold bracelet.  
This was Brown’s second WSOP final table appearance this year.  

The fifth-place finisher was Matt Savage, from San Jose, CA.  Savage is perhaps best known
as a respected tournament director and cofounder of the Tournament Director’s
Association.  He served as the WSOP tournament director from 2002 through 2004.  Savage
now runs tournaments at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles.

The sixth-place finisher was Zak Gilbert, from Reno, NV.

The seventh-place finisher was Brian Swinford, from Armstrong, IL.  He is a 38-year-old
professional poker player.  This was his third time to cash at the WSOP.  

The eighth-place finisher was Allie Prescott, from Memphis, TN.  He is a real estate investor
and regular on the tournament rail.    


In-the-Money Finishers --

Former WSOP gold bracelet finishers who cashed in this event included – Dr. Max Stern,
Vince Burgio, Derek Raymond, Ryan Hughes, Barry Greenstein, and Daniel Negreanu.

ESPN poker commentator Normal Chad cashed for the first time ever in a WSOP event.  
Chad, who provides color on all WSOP broadcasts, finished in 32nd place.

Barry Greenstein’s 45th-place showing in this event gives him 45 in-the-money finishes for
his career.  This currently ranks him in a tie for 15th-place on the all-time WSOP cashes list.

Daniel Negreanu’s 47th-place showing in this event gives him 41 in-the-money finishes for
his career.  This currently ranks 18th on the all-time WSOP cashes list.

The defending champion from 2008 was Ryan Hughes, from Phoenix, AZ.  He entered this
year’s tournament and cashed in 29th place.


Odds and Ends –

Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split was the first "split" game ever to be played at the WSOP,
when it was first introduced 32 years ago.  In 1976, Doc Green became the first Seven-Card
Stud High-Low Split World Champion.  Interestingly, he won $12,750 for first place that
year, which is about what the bottom of the payout scale earned in this year's event.

Since 1976, the list of event winners reads like a "Who's Who" of poker.  Past winners
include – Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese, Mickey Appleman, Phil Ivey, John
Juanda, Max Stern, Men "the Master" Nguyen, Mike Sexton, Artie Cobb, Vince Burgio, Cyndy
Violette, Rich Korbin, and Eli Elezra.

In 1986, this game was inexplicably omitted from the WSOP schedule.  After some protest
by Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split enthusiasts, it was reinstituted and has been included
on the poker menu every year.  Since 1995, every WSOP has included at least two such
events.  This year's WSOP schedule includes two Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split
tournaments – this $10,000 buy-in World Championship and a $1,500 buy-in event to be
played June 28-30.

No player has ever won more than one gold bracelet in this game.  Dr. Max Stern, who won
this event in 1997, came close on this day, but ended up going out in third place.  

Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split is a game in which the highest and lowest hands split the
pot equally.  However, the lowest hand must first qualify to be eligible for half the pot.  The
qualifying low hand must be an "eight-low" or better.  For this reason, the game is
sometimes called Seven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better.

The official WSOP gold bracelet ceremony takes place on the day following the winner’s
victory.  The ceremony takes place on at center stage of the main tournament room and
begins during the break of the noon tournament.  The ceremony usually starts around 2:20
pm.  The national anthem of the winner’s nation is played.  The entire presentation is open
to public and media.  Video and photography is permitted by both media and the public.


The Event --

The $1,500 buy-in Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split championship attracted 466 entries.  
The total prize pool amounted to $636,090.  The top 48 finishers collected prize money.

The tournament was played over three consecutive days.

The chip leader at the start of the final table was David J. Halpern.  He lost his lead late in
the tournament to (eventual runner up) William Kohler.  At one point, after holding the
advantage most of the day, Halpern was down by more than 2 to 1 in chips to Kohler.  But
Halpern clawed and scratched his way back into the lead and eventually defeated his final
adversary.

The final table lasted about seven hours – slightly below average in duration.

The tournament officially began on Sunday, June 28th, at 5 pm.  The tournament officially
ended on Tuesday, June 30th, at 11:45 pm.  


WSOP Statistics –

Through the conclusion of Event #53 the 2009 WSOP has attracted 50,384 total entries.  
$103,993,735 in total prize money has been awarded to winners.

Multiple Gold Bracelet Winners at the 2009 WSOP:

Jeffrey Lisandro -- 1st, 1st, 1st
Brock Parker -- 1st, 1st
Phil Ivey -- 1st, 1st
Greg Mueller – 1st, 1st

Gold Bracelet Plus 2nd-Place Finishers at the 2009 WSOP:

Ville Wahlbeck -- 1st, 2nd (+ 3rd)
James Van Alstyne -- 1st, 2nd (+ 6th)
Pete "The Greek" Vilandos -- 1st, 2nd
Angel Guillen -- 1st, 2nd
Vitaly Lunkin -- 1st, 2nd
Brandon Cantu – 1st, 2nd
Marc Naalden – 1st, 2nd

Multiple Top-Three Finishers at the 2009 WSOP:

Ville Wahlbeck -- 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Steve Sung -- 1st, 3rd
Scott Clements -- 2nd, 3rd
Eric Baldwin – 1st, 3rd

WINNERS – BY NATION:  Through Event #53 – the nationalities of WSOP gold bracelet
winners reads as follows:

United States – 34
United Kingdom – 3
Canada – 3
Australia – 2
Germany – 2
Russian Federation – 1
Finland – 1
Sweden – 1
Mexico – 1
Italy – 1
Holland – 1
Hungary – 1
Iran – 1

Note:  Last year 19 of the 59 gold bracelet events were won by non-Americans (32
percent).  In, 2007, the number was 15 of 55 (29 percent).  In 2006, the number was 5 of
45 (11 percent).

WINNERS – BY CITY:  Through Event #52 – the following cities have produced multiple
WSOP gold bracelet winners (Note:  Metropolitan area suburbs are included in major city
counts):

Las Vegas, Nevada – 10
Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) – 4
Salerno, Italy – 3
Los Angeles, California – 3
Washington, DC (Maryland and Virginia Suburbs) – 3
London, England – 2
New York, NY – 2

Event #52 winner David J. Halpern is to be classified as an amateur player.  Accordingly, the
“Pro-Am” gold bracelet scoreboard currently reads (not counting Casino Employees Event):

Professionals --         37 wins
(Thang Luu, Steven Sung, Jason Mercier, Phil Ivey-1, Rami Boukai, Anthony Harb, Ville
Wahlbeck, Keven Stammen, Brock Parker-1, Jeffrey Lisandro- 1, Daniel Alaei, Brock Parker-2,
John-Paul Kelly, Jeff Carris, Nick Schulman, Phil Ivey-2, Pete Vilandos, Tomas Alenius, Roland
de Wolfe, J.C. Tran, James Van Alstyne, Angel, Guillen, Greg Mueller-1, Eric Baldwin, Jordan
Smith, Jeffrey Lisandro-2, Richard Austin, Marc Naalden, Matt Graham, Peter Traply, Jerrod
Ankenman, Jeffrey Lisandro-3, John Kabbaj, Jeff Ahmadi, Brandon Cantu, Greg Mueller-2,
Carston Joh)

Amateurs --         8 wins
(Freddie Ellis, Ken Aldridge, Travis Johnson, Zac Fellows, Michael Eise, Michael T. Davis, Jorg
Peisert, David J. Halpern)

Semi-Pros --         7 wins
(Vitaly Lunkin, Brian Lemke, Lisa Hamilton, Leo Wolpert, Ray Foley, Derek Raymond, Jeff
Ahmadi)

Fourteen of the 53 winners this year (26 percent) were previous gold bracelet winners.  
There have been three double winners in 2009 -- Brock Parker, Phil Ivey, and Greg “FBT”
Mueller.  There has been one triple winner in 2009 -- Jeffrey Lisandro.

Through the conclusion of Event 50, the WSOP “Player of the Year” standings reads as
follows (with point totals):

355 – Jeffrey Lisandro
275 – Ville Wahlbeck
242 – Phil Ivey
227 – Brock Parker
220 – James Van Alstyne
195 – Roland de Wolfe
185 – Vitaly Lunkin
180 – Angel Guillen
175 – Pete “the Greek” Vilandos
170 – Daniel Negreanu

__________________________________

World Series of Poker President and Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack

Vice President of Sponsorship and Licensing -- Ty Stewart

Vive President of Broadcasting and New Media – Craig Abrahams

Director of Communications – Seth Palansky

Regional Vice President of Specialty Gaming -- Howard Greenbaum

WSOP Events Manager -- Angele Marshall

WSOP Marketing Manager – Elizabeth Anne Hill

WSOP Tournament Director – Jack Effel
2009 World Series of Poker WSOP Event #53 Winner