Corey Thompson, a Florida-based poker pro, has just collected his career largest cash of $221,163 and his first-ever gold bracelet for winning the 2016 WSOP $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em (30-Minute Levels).
Thompson told interviewers that he has been brought up in a working-class family and that he is well-aware of what it is like to work hard for your living. The player further emphasized on the importance of his victory by saying that he knows the value of money.
Thompson emerged as the victor over a field of a total of 1,397 entries. The overall prize pool of $1,257,300 was distributed to the top 210 places, with lowest payouts worth $1,500. Given the fact that the tournament featured 30-minute levels instead of the traditional 60-minute ones, action unfolded quite quickly and it took only two days of play for an eventual winner to be determined.
Day 2 of the tournament kicked off with 28 players returning to contend for the gold bracelet and the top prize. German Enrico Rudelitz led the survivors. The player remained among the chip leaders throughout the day. As for Thompson, he, too, was on top of chip counts for the greater part of the day.
Eventually, the player from Winter Park, Florida triumphed over a nine-handed final table comprised of no former gold bracelet winners. It was not a surprise that Thompson faced none other but Rudelitz heads-up, given the latter’s performance throughout the day. Two-handed action began with the Florida resident holding a 4 to 1 chip lead over his last remaining opponent.
The two players battled for a total of 62 hands, during which chips went back and forth. On the last hand of play, Rudelitz moved all in from the button and Thompson called. The German tabled [As][7d] and his opponent showed [Qh][Jd]. The board ran out [10s][8d][2s][9d][6h], securing Thompson with a straight, the last pot in play, and the title. Rudelitz settled for the runner-up finish and the consolation prize of $136,651.
Of his heads-up opponent, Thompson said that the German was definitely the best player at the final table and that if he had not won the tournament, it would have definitely been Rudelitz to capture the gold bracelet and the top prize.
Canadian William Liang finished 3rd in the event for a payout of $97,811. Darren Terazawa from San Ramon, California took 4th place, good for $70,821. Ankit Ahuja from Charlotte, North Carolina collected $51,878 for finishing 5th. Terry Fan from Taiwan scooped $38,452 of the entire prize pool for taking 6th place.
Matthew Chang from Rockville, Maryland took 7th place, good for $28,842. Ryan Pochedly from Mantua, Ohio took home $21,897 for his eighth-place finish. Benjamin Reinhart from La Porte, Indiana rounded out the official final table for a payout of $16,827.
