The $15K World Poker Tour Bellagio event always attracts a star-studded field of pros fresh off competing in the World Series of Poker. The six-handed final table this year was no exception:
Seat 1: Ralph Perry – 1,635,000
Seat 2: Luke “IWearGoggles” Staudenmaier – 3,495,000
Seat 3: John “The Razor” Phan – 3,495,000
Seat 4: David Benyamine – 4,860,000
Seat 5: Gabe Thaler – 1,550,000
Seat 6: Mike “SirWatts” Watson – 5,060,000
Watson won over $1.6 million for his first place finish. Sigh, I still recall playing with him at one of my first big final tables, a $10 rebuy on Poker Stars. I’ve had the privilege of meeting him twice, most recently during the WSOP main event when we were both in good shape on Day 2B.
I love this photo of Watson with all the people from 2+2 who were there to see him win it. There’s really an extraordinary collection of talent in this photo, including two other winners of earlier events in the Bellagio series: Tony “Bond18” Dunst, who won a $3K event, and Jimmy “Gobboboy” Fricke, who won a $5K event just weeks after turning 21. What a huge couple of weeks it’s been for 2+2. I only wish I could have done my part by final tabling the main event.
Congratulations, Mike!