2012 World Series of Poker Event 24


Friday June 15,2012 :  TOP TRIO BATTLE FOR BRACELET IN WORLD SERIES OF POKER EVENT 24
 
One for the history books as Ivey and Nguyen are denied bracelets by on-fire Joe Cassidy
 
The World Series of Poker Event 24 – a $5,000 buy-in Limit Omaha Hi/Low Split 8/OB competition this week was one of the most closely watched in this series due to the stellar players it attracted to the 256 entry field, and a final table loaded with powerful and multi-braceletted players like Scotty Nguyen, Mike Matusow and Phil Ivey.
 
Take a look at that final table:
 
Joe Cassidy
Scotty Nguyen
Phil Ivey
Meng La
Gregory Jamison
Elie Doft
Bart Hanson
Mike Matusow
Ryan Lenaghan
 
Besting them all, and denying Ivey his ninth and Nguyen his sixth WSOP bracelets, was the respected high stakes cash game pro Joe Cassidy, who claimed his first WSOP bracelet and the winner's prize of $294,777 after the toughest three handed tussle imaginable.
 
Ousting Ivey in the third spot in the early hours of Thursday morning, Cassidy returned later that day to face Nguyen in the heads up. Cassidy held a 3 to 1 lead at that point, and despite demonstrating his experience and talent in some exciting attempted come-backs, Nguyen was unable to shake off his equally determined rival, and was sent home with the runner up prize of $182,213.
 
Cassidy, who hails from Cheyenne, Wyoming and began to play poker seriously at university in Washington DC, was generous in his praise for his opponents, but proud that, as he put it, "….to know that you were able to beat them, on one day at least, that definitely means something.”  He added that winning a WSOP bracelet remained a singular achievement and a validation for most poker players.