WSOP Events 26-30 Recap

Event: 26 Buy in: $5,000 Game: HORSE

Ralph Schwartz wins $275,683 as he proves that he can beat the best. Phil Ivey continues to come just short as he finished in 4th. Bill Gazes, who has made over $500,000 in his WSOP career finished 2nd, still in search of his first bracelet. Robert Mizrachi finished in 5th to take home just short of $50,000.

Event: 27 Buy in: $1,500 Game: NL Hold'em

Although $1,500 is a small entry fee by WSOP standards, David Stucke still received $603,069 for his 1st place finish. The field had 2,628 entries with 198 players making the money. The tournament was so big that The Rio actually had to open up tables outside of the main poker room.

Event: 28 Buy in: $3,000 Game: NL Hold'em

Phil Hellmuth was back at it again as he managed to go deep in yet another hold'em tournament. Starting the 10-handed final table as the short stack, Hellmuth crawled his way up to a 6th place finish. Shankar Pillai won $527,829 as he managed to hold off Beth Shak who took home $328,683 for her 2nd place finish.

Event: 29 Buy in: $1,500 Game: Razz

The 2004 razz final table was filled with top pros including T.J. Cloutier (who won), Dutch Boyd, and Howard Lederer. Ironically, all the final tablers seemed to talk about was how much they hate playing razz. The game is known for the incredible frustration that it causes its players. Razz is a variation of 7-card-stud in which the lowest hand wins. Players can have 4 low cards and then pair them up on subsequent streets (one does not want pairs in razz) leading to lost pots and lost minds. This year's event saw Katja Thater (5th in this year's ladies only tournament) take home first place prize money of $132,653. Thater had to work her way through a final table that featured Paul "Eskimo" Clark (4th), Mark Vos (6th) and Men "The Master" Nguyen (7th).

Event: 30 Buy in: $2,500 Game: NL Hold'em 6-handed tables

The 6-handed hold'em event is a true test of skill as the structure requires players to play a wider range of hands than they might at a full table. Players with deeper stacks will often play an aggressive style that enables them to put pressure on the big and small blinds. Hoyt Corkins, who had not won a bracelet since 1992, took home first place and $515,065. The Alabama cowboy put on a clinic on how to utilize a big stack as he was the chip leader at the end of all three days of the tournament.

-Benjamin Ryan