2009 WSOP Update: Event 39

Event 39: No-Limit Hold'em

$1,500 Buy-in with 2,715 entries

Ray Foley wins $657,969 and his first bracelet. It was Foley's fourth WSOP cash and first of this year.

Also playing in this year's event was a very good friend of mine, Jeff Tahler. Tahler was playing in his first WSOP event and lasted about four hours, including making it through the first break. Problem is, there's no way to prepare how to play against a field this big. Here's a quote from him:

"Playing in such a large field is a daunting task as you are trying to play your best, all while being conscious of how long the odds are to get through this many people."

Anyway, good job Tahler. He'll get a chance to play some more as he'll be returning to Vegas this upcoming weekend and then I'll see him at the tables in Tahoe during NBC's American Century Championship in mid-July. This is by far the biggest celebrity golf event there is and for the first time a professional poker player has been invited... No shock that it's Daniel Negreanu.  

Notable cashes:

Nam Le - 25th ($19,234)