2012 WSOP Event 49

Sunday July 1, 2012 :  INTERNET POKER PRO AT HOME IN EVENT 49 (Update)
 
The new ‘ante-only' format suits internet aces
 
Event 49 – $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em Ante Only introduced a new format more familiar to internet aces this year, and the turnout of 939 players, many of them well-known and respected online, will have convinced the organisers that, although unusual in tournament action, this is a keeper.
 
US internet pro Greg “DuckU” Hobson took the honours, adding $256,691 to his career earnings of around $4.5 million, and claimed the bragging rights associated with his first World Series of Poker bracelet.
 
Play at the final table ebbed and flowed, at times rather slowly as players grappled with the new format, but eventually a final table and then a heads up was reached.
 
The final confrontation saw Hobson pitted against the equally experienced Mike "UNCC" Sowers, with the chip counts pretty much even. However, Hobson eventually managed to gain the ascendency, growing his lead to around 3 to 1 by the dinner break, and then demolishing his opponent when they returned to the table.
 
Sowers' consolation prize was a second placing pay day of $158,887.
 
Other final table pay-outs were:
 
John Hayes – $99,409
Harrison Gimbel – $72,155
Eugene Du Plessis – $53,267
Mike "Timex" McDonald – $39,931
Seth Davies – $30,373
Sameer Aljanedi – $23,413
Justin “stealthmunk” Schwartz – $18,292