791 entries, generating a prize pool of $7,672,700; a top prize of $1,938,118; six-figure pay days for all final table players; a roster of notable poker names at the tables; and cashes right down to the seventy second finisher are all reasons why this year’s $10,400 buy-in World Poker Tour Five Diamond Poker Classic main event has been a memorable affair.
The start of Day 6 at the Bellagio saw just six players seated around the final table, each already assured of a pay day of at least $268,545, but with eyes on that tantalisingly close $1.9 million main prize. At that point James Romero held almost 42 percent of the chips in play and was a comfortable 5.4 million chips ahead of closest rival Ryan Tosoc.
Perhaps not surprising, then that when Jake Schindler departed in 3rd place for $736,579 the heads up was between those same two players, who had dominated final table action.
Romero is a respected and very competitive online professional with a financial and economics education background who has coached at DragTheBar and hails from Eugene in Oregon, whilst Tosoc is an experienced poker pro from Chicago who has been recording cashes for the past four years at serious live tourneys.
The two immediately got down to business, with Romero holding an initial 7.5 to 1 chip advantage, and after some exciting and aggressive action it was all over by hand 136. Romero managed to leverage his 10 to 1 lead at the end into a victory over a very capable rival in a fitting conclusion to a great competition.
Tosoc took home $1,124,051 as his runner up prize, whilst Romero claimed the $1,938,118 top pay-out, along with the trophy and membership of an elite company of previous champions; a $15,000 entry into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions; a Hublot King Power Unico Carbon and Red watch, and a pair of gold Monster 24,000 headphones.
Among the many respected players who took part in the event were Ryan Hughes, Jennifer Tilly, Anthony Spinella, David Pham, Justin Bonomo, Phil Hellmuth, Michael Mizrachi, Gus Hansen, Erik Seidel, Anthony Zinno and Ari Engel.
Here is a look at the other final table pay-outs in this event:
4th: Alex Condon – $494,889
5th: Justin Bonomo – $345,272
6th: Igor Yaroshevskyy – $268,545