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2008 World Series of Poker

Series of poker tournaments

2008 World Series of Poker

Series of poker tournaments

FieldValue
competition2008 World Series of Poker
locationRio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
datesMay 30 – July 15
championDNK Peter Eastgate
prev[2007](2007-world-series-of-poker)
next[2009](2009-world-series-of-poker)

The 2008 World Series of Poker was the 39th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). Held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, the series began on May 30, 2008, and featured 55 poker championships in several variants. All events but the $10,000 World Championship No Limit Texas hold 'em Main Event, the most prestigious of the WSOP events, ended by July 15. As has been the WSOP custom since 1976, each of the event winners received a championship bracelet in addition to that event's prize money, which (after the casino's rake) ranged from $87,929 to $9,119,517.

Highlights of the 2008 series include the selection of Erick Lindgren, who won a bracelet and made three final tables, as recipient of the "Player of the Year Award". Nikolay Evdakov led all players with a record 10 money finishes, and Phil Hellmuth set a WSOP record of 41 career final tables. The Main Event, which began with 6,844 participants (a level exceeded only by the number of participants at the 2006 event), was suspended once the event was down to the 9 players needed for the final table; the Main Event was resumed on November 9, and concluded with the heads-up final between Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov the next day. This year was the first in which the Main Event was suspended in this fashion, a change introduced at ESPN's request to allow the TV network to do a same-day Main Event broadcast.

In a stunning statistical improbability, Justin Phillips knocked out Motoyuki Mabuchi in the Main Event. Phillips held a Royal Flush, while Mabuchi held quad aces. One of the broadcasters, Lon McEachern, mentioned on air that the chances of such a showdown occurring were 1:2.7 billion. Ray Romano had just sat down at the table when this hand played itself out.

Event schedule

#EventEntrantsWinnerPrizeRunner-upResults12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455
$10,000 World Championship Pot Limit Hold'em352Nenad Medic (1/1)$794,112Andy Bloch[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-1)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em3,929Grant Hinkle (1/1)$831,462James Akenhead[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-2)
$1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em713David Singer (1/1)$214,131Jacobo Fernandez[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-3)
$5,000 Mixed Hold'em332Erick Lindgren (1/1)$374,505Justin Bonomo[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-4)
$1,000 No Limit Hold'em w/rebuys766Michael Banducci (1/1)$636,736Jeff Williams[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-5)
$1,500 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better833Thang Luu (1/1)$243,356Spencer Lawrence[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-6)
$2,000 No Limit Hold'em1,592Matt Keikoan (1/1)$550,601Shannon Shorr[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-7)
$10,000 World Championship Mixed Event192Anthony Rivera (1/1)$483,688James Mackey (0/1)[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-8)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em Six Handed1,236Rep Porter (1/1)$372,929Nathan Templeton[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-9)
$2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better388Freddy Rouhani (1/1)$232,911Tom Chambers[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-10)
$5,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout360Phil Tom (1/1)$477,990Greg Mueller[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-11)
$1,500 Limit Hold'em880Jimmy Shultz (1/1)$257,105Zac Fellows[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-12)
$2,500 No Limit Hold'em1,397Duncan Bell (1/1)$666,777Steve Merrifield[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-13)
$10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud158Eric Brooks (1/1)$415,856Fu Wong[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-14)
$1,000 Ladies No Limit Hold'em World Championship1,190Svetlana Gromenkova (1/1)$244,702Anh Le[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-15)
$2,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better553Andrew Brown (1/1)$226,483Ted Forrest (0/5)[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-16)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em Shootout1,000Jason Young (1/1)$335,565Mike Schwartz[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-17)
$5,000 No Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/rebuys85Mike Matusow (1/3)$537,862Jeff Lisandro (0/1)[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-18)
$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha759Vanessa Selbst (1/1)$227,965Jamie Pickering[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-19)
$2,000 Limit Hold'em480Daniel Negreanu (1/4)$204,874Ugur Marangoz[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-20)
$5,000 No Limit Hold'em731Scott Seiver (1/1)$755,891Dave Seidman[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-21)
$3,000 H.O.R.S.E.414Jens Vortmann (1/1)$298,253Doug Ganger[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-22)
$2,000 No Limit Hold'em1,344Blair Hinkle (1/1)$507,563Mark Brockington[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-23)
$2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em/Omaha457Max Pescatori (1/2)$246,471Kyle Kloeckner[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-24)
$10,000 World Championship Heads Up No Limit Hold'em256Kenny Tran (1/1)$539,056Alec Torelli[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-25)
$1,500 Razz453Barry Greenstein (1/3)$157,619Chris Klodnicki[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-26)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em2,706Vitaly Lunkin (1/1)$628,417Brett Kimes[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-27)
$5,000 Pot Limit Omaha w/rebuys152Phil Galfond (1/1)$817,781Adam Hourani[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-28)
$3,000 No Limit Hold'em716John Phan (1/1)$434,789Johnny Neckar[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-29)
$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em218Rob Hollink (1/1)$496,931Jerrod Ankenman[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-30)
$2,500 No Limit Hold'em Six Handed1,012Dario Minieri (1/1)$528,418Seth Fischer[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-31)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em2,304Luis Velador (1/1)$574,734Chris Signore[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-32)
$5,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better261Sebastian Ruthenberg (1/1)$328,756Chris Ferguson (0/5)[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-33)
$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha w/rebuys320Layne Flack (1/6)$577,725Daniel Makowsky[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-34)
$1,500 Seven Card Stud381Michael Rocco (1/1)$135,753Al Barbieri[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-35)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em2,447Jesper Hougaard (1/1)$610,304Cody Slaubaugh[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-36)
$10,000 World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better235David Benyamine (1/1)$535,687Greg Jamison[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-37)
$2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em605Davidi Kitai (1/1)$244,583Chris Bell[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-38)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em2,720David Woo (1/1)$631,656Matt Wood[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-39)
$2,500 2-7 Limit Triple Draw Lowball238John Phan (2/2)$151,896Shun Uchida[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-40)
$1,500 Mixed Hold'em731Frank Gary (1/1)$219,508Jonathan Tamayo[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-41)
$1,000 Seniors No Limit Hold'em World Championship2,218Dan Lacourse (1/1)$368,832Dale Eberle[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-42)
$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better720Martin Klaser (1/1)$216,249Casey Kastle[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-43)
$1,000 No Limit Hold'em w/rebuys879Max Greenwood (1/1)$693,444Rene Mouritsen[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-44)
$50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E.148Scotty Nguyen (1/5)$1,989,120Michael DeMichele[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-45)
$5,000 No Limit Hold'em Six Handed805Joe Commisso (1/1)$911,855Richard Lyndaker[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-46)
$1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better544Ryan Hughes (1/2)$183,368Ron Long[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-47)
$2,000 No Limit Hold'em2,317Alexandre Gomes (1/1)$770,540Marco Johnson[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-48)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em2,718J.C. Tran (1/1)$631,170Rasmus Nielsen[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-49)
$10,000 World Championship Pot Limit Omaha381Marty Smyth (1/1)$859,549Peter Jetten[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-50)
$1,500 H.O.R.S.E.803James Schaaf (1/1)$256,412Tommy Hang[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-51)
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em2,693David Daneshgar (1/1)$625,443Scott Sitron[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-52)
$1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout823Matt Graham (1/1)$278,180Jean-Robert Bellande[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-53)
$10,000 World Championship No Limit Hold'em Main Event6,844Peter Eastgate (1/1)$9,119,517Ivan Demidov[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-54)
$500 Casino Employees No Limit Hold'em930Jonathan Kotula (1/1)$87,929Kevin O'Harra[Results](2008-world-series-of-poker-results-event-55)

2008 records

Nikolay Evdakov set a WSOP record for most cashes at a single World Series with 10. The previous record of 8 was held by 5 players: Chris Ferguson, Phil Hellmuth, Humberto Brenes, Michael Binger, and Chad Brown. Evdakov's achievement also represents the most cashes by a player at one WSOP without reaching a single final table. Hellmuth, who made two final tables, established a new WSOP career record of 41 final tables, two more than T. J. Cloutier. Scotty Nguyen became the first player to hold both a Main Event and a $50,000 H.O.R.S.E World Championship bracelet.

Several nationals were the first from their country to win bracelets. Brazilian Alexandre Gomes won Event 48 to become the first South American player to win a WSOP bracelet since Ecuadorian-born Carlos Mortensen won the 2001 Main Event. Rob Hollink won Event 30, becoming the first Dutch WSOP bracelet winner, and Davidi Kitai won Event 38, becoming the first Belgian player to win a bracelet.

The 2008 Main Event final table took 15 hours and 28 minutes to play, beating the previous record of 14 hours and 2 minutes in 2005.

Main Event

The 2008 World Series of Poker Championship Bracelet

The $10,000 World Championship No Limit Texas Hold 'em Main Event began on July 3 with the first of four starting days. After reaching the final table of nine players on July 14, the final table was delayed until November 9. This change in schedule was made to allow ESPN to broadcast the final table on November 11, shortly after it was played. All final table players were paid ninth place prize money ($900,670) in July, with the remaining prize pool distributed in November. Instead of the Amazon Room, aka "the Poker Room," where all of the events were held, the final table would be held in the Penn and Teller Theatre. On November 9, players played down from nine to two and the winner was decided the next night. The final table consisted of 274 hands in total.

After a large decrease in Main Event participants in 2007 (6358) compared to 2006 (8773), the number increased slightly in 2008 (6844) but was still far from the 2006 number. As in 2007, the payout structure is flatter than in 2006 and before, with the lowest payouts at $21,230 (more than double the buy-in), as compared to $10,616 in 2006.

The "last woman standing" in the 2008 Main Event was Tiffany Michelle, who finished in 17th place. Celebrities best known from television, music, and professional sports, among other areas, also participated, with two placing in the money. The list includes:

  • Out in Day 1: Jason Alexander, Nick Cannon, José Canseco, Jeff Fenech, Larry Flynt, Forrest Griffin, Orel Hershiser, Chuck Liddell, Brad May, Mekhi Phifer, Sam Simon, Jennifer Tilly, David Wells.
  • Out in Day 2: Paul Azinger, Bruce Buffer, Shannon Elizabeth, Sully Erna, Ray Romano.
  • Out in Day 3: Andy Griggs, Shane Warne.
  • Out in Day 4: Steve Davis (389th place, $28,950).
  • Out in Day 5: Kara Scott (104th place, $41,816).

November Nine

NameNumber of chips
(percentage of total)WSOP
BraceletsWSOP
Cashes*WSOP
Earnings*
USA Dennis Phillips26,295,000 (19.2%)000
RUS Ivan Demidov24,400,000 (17.8%)01$39,854
CAN Scott Montgomery19,690,000 (14.4%)03$73,700
DEN Peter Eastgate18,375,000 (13.4%)000
USA Ylon Schwartz12,525,000 (9.2%)011$124,580
CAN Darus Suharto12,520,000 (9.1%)01$26,389
USA David Rheem10,230,000 (7.5%)05$474,843
USA Craig Marquis10,210,000 (7.5%)03$35,759
USA Kelly Kim2,620,000 (1.9%)03$38,750

Final table

PlaceNamePrize
1stPeter Eastgate$9,152,416
2ndIvan Demidov$5,790,024
3rdDennis Phillips$4,503,352
4thYlon Schwartz$3,763,515
5thScott Montgomery$3,088,012
6thDarus Suharto$2,412,510
7thDavid Rheem$1,769,174
8thKelly Kim$1,286,672
9thCraig Marquis$900,670

At the age of 22, Peter Eastgate became the youngest Main Event winner, surpassing Phil Hellmuth who was 24 when he won in 1989 and became the first European to capture the title since Carlos Mortensen won in 2001. His winning hand was a 5 high straight known as a "wheel", made from his hole cards **** and 3 of the community cards which were ****, while his opponent Ivan Demidov lost with **** for two pair.

Other notable high finishes

NB: This list is restricted to top 100 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry.

PlaceNamePrize
15thOwen Crowe$436,201
17thTiffany Michelle$334,534
20thBrandon Cantu$257,334
26thPhi Nguyen$257,334
30thMike Matusow$193,000
45thPhil Hellmuth$154,400
71stJames McManus$96,500
73rdDavid Benefield$77,200
80thMark Vos$77,200

Performance of past champions

NameChampionship
Year(s)Day of
Elimination
Doyle Brunson[1976](1976-world-series-of-poker), [1977](1977-world-series-of-poker)1D
Bobby Baldwin[1978](1978-world-series-of-poker)1A
Tom McEvoy[1983](1983-world-series-of-poker)1B
Berry Johnston[1986](1986-world-series-of-poker)1A
Johnny Chan[1987](1987-world-series-of-poker), [1988](1988-world-series-of-poker)4 (329th)
Phil Hellmuth[1989](1989-world-series-of-poker)6 (45th)
Brad Daugherty[1991](1991-world-series-of-poker)2B
Jim Bechtel[1993](1993-world-series-of-poker)1C
Dan Harrington[1995](1995-world-series-of-poker)1A
Huck Seed[1996](1996-world-series-of-poker)1C
Scotty Nguyen[1998](1998-world-series-of-poker)2A
Noel Furlong[1999](1999-world-series-of-poker)1D
Chris Ferguson[2000](2000-world-series-of-poker)1D
Carlos Mortensen[2001](2001-world-series-of-poker)2B
Robert Varkonyi[2002](2002-world-series-of-poker)2A
Chris Moneymaker[2003](2003-world-series-of-poker)3
Greg Raymer[2004](2004-world-series-of-poker)1B
Joe Hachem[2005](2005-world-series-of-poker)2B
Jamie Gold[2006](2006-world-series-of-poker)1B
Jerry Yang[2007](2007-world-series-of-poker)2B

References

References

  1. "2008 World Series of Poker Set for May 30 through July 15 in Las Vegas". WorldSeriesofPoker.com.
  2. (August 2017}}{{cite web). "ESPN to Televise Seventeen Consecutive Tuesday-Night Shows...". pokerpages.com.
  3. Schwartz, Nick. (December 6, 2017). "Poker pro's stunning all-in loss is every player's worst nightmare". USA Today.
  4. "2008 World Series of Poker Events Schedule". PokerNews.com.
  5. "Alexandre Gomes Player Profile". WorldSeriesOfPoker.com.
  6. Milhoces, Gary. (November 11, 2008). "Eastgate calm as he wins World Series of Poker".
  7. Lee, Bernard. (July 11, 2018). "The WSOP legacy of the November Nine".
  8. Lee, Bernard. (July 3, 2018). "The forgotten champion: Why Peter Eastgate left poker and the WSOP behind".
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