We're too short on time to tell you much about these players, but here are some quick highlights, as announced during the player introductions.
Stephen Su is a 31-year-old pro, a five-year veteran of the WSOP. He used to be an accountant; now he's sitting at his second career WSOP final table.
Robert Williamson III is a face you likely know from television -- both on the felt and in front of the camera. He's a young 40 years old, and he already has 27 WSOP cashes and one gold bracelet. It came in 2002 in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event. He learned poker from his father who must have been a Razz player, because this is Robert's second career final table in this game.
Matt "SamENole" Smith is a 29-year-old online grinder from Florida. He's a proud graduate of the State University there, and he's notched seven cashes in his WSOP career.
Chris Bjorin is the wise elder of the final table at 64 years old. He's already a double bracelet winner looking for number three, and the Swede is one of the top-performing Europeans of all time. This is his 60th career WSOP cash and his second final table this year.
Rep Porter is 40 years old from Washington state. He, too, has a bracelet, picking his up in 2008. He's a pot-limit Omaha player, but he's clearly well versed in this game as well. His bio says he enjoys golf, basketball, puzzles, and... armadillo racing.
Tommy Chen is originally from Taiwan, but now living in San Jose, California. He attended UC Berkeley in undergrad, and he was formerly a world-renowned fencer.
Andreas Krause is 43 years old, and he comes from Stuttgart, Germany. He's got about $350,000 in career cashes since he began attending the WSOP in 2000.
Scott Epstein is the local boy from here in Las Vegas, and he's a self-employed poker player. He's cashed 14 times at the WSOP, and this is his third career final table.
Scott Epstein called the bring in and Stephen Su completed. Epstein made the call and called Su’s bet on fourth. On the next two streets, Epstein led out and Su called. On seventh, Epstein check-called Su’s bet. Su showed for a seven low while Epstein flashed a for an eighty-six before he mucked. Epstein was down to only 20,000 after the hand.
The next hand, Espstein was all in on third against Chris Bjorin. The hands ran out as follows:
Bjorin: / /
Epstein: / /
Bjorin could only make a jack-low while Epstein made an eighty-seven to double.
Scott Epstein completed with a , and Chris Bjorin raised with a , Epstein called, geting short on chips. Bjorin kept the lead on fourth and fifth, and he bet it both times. Epstein called, and the bet on fifth street put him all in for less. The boards read like so:
Epstein: /
Bjorin: /
Both players pulled a five on sixth street, but it was a much better card for Bjorin. He had a ninety-five, and he pulled a blank on the river. Epstein needed to improve to beat that nine-five, but he paired the instead, sending him on his way.
Epstein falls as the first casualty of this final table, walking out with nearly $20,000 for his efforts this week.
Tommy Chen completed and Robert Williamson III called. Both players checked fourth and Williamson checked again on fifth. Chen bet this time and Williamson made the call. Chen led out on sixth and Williamson called. On seventh, Chen bet but was met with a raise from Williamson. Chen made it three bets and Williamson just called. Chen showed for a number two (6-4-3-2-A) however Williamson turned over which made the same hand as the players chopped up the big pot.
We picked up the action on fourth street as Robert Williamson folds to leave Tommy Chen and Chris Bjorin heads up.
Chen: (X)(X) / / (X)
Bjorin: (X)(X) / / (X)
Bjorin was the bettor on fourth street, and Chen's raise gave him control. Bjorin called the raise, and he called bets on fifth, sixth, and seventh streets, too.
At showdown, Chen surrendered with a sigh and a, "You win." He spun his onto the felt for a queen-low. Bjorin showed up , and the eighty-seven earns him the pot. After that shakedown, Chen is down to about 680,000 while Bjorin pushes up to about 360,000.
Tommy Chen completed and Robert Williamson called. On the next two streets, Chen bet and Williamson made the call. On sixth, Chen check-called Williamson’s bet. On seventh though, Chen led out one last time. Williamson made the call and Chen showed for a seventy-six which was good as Williamson mucked.
Matt Smith called the bring in and then made the call after Chris Bjorin raised. On all remaining streets, Smith led out and Bjorin called until seventh when he folded. Both players remained among two of the shortest stacks at the table after the pot though.
![[user196616]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
/ (X)
for an eighty-six before he mucked. Epstein was down to only 20,000 after the hand.
