Michael Davis didn't have a big stack for most of the day, but that didn't matter. He played deliberate poker, picked his spots, and was the last man standing at the end of the night.
Davis earned the Seniors Championship title and WSOP bracelet after a brief heads-up battle with Scott Buller, who had been chip leader for much of the final table. In fact, he didn't take the chip lead in the match until about 10 minutes before the final hand, when he doubled up through Buller on the first hand of heads-up play.
After playing his winning hand, Davis commented that he had just sold his business last week. "I was wondering if I had to go home and find another job, but I guess that doesn't matter right now," Davis said as he was surrounded by family and friends.
Davis earned $437,358 and a WSOP bracelet for his performance.
Scott Buller opened with a raise from the button to 175,000 and then Michael Davis announced a reraise. He made it 600,000 to go. Buller then moved all in and after a moment of hesitation, Davis made the call.
Buller tabled as Davis flipped over onto the felt. The crowd was brought to their feet again in this heads-up battle for another big all-in confrontation.
The flop came down and the crowd stayed rather quiet. Joe Sebok yelled out, "That's O.K., that's O.K. We'll take a wheel for the chop."
Then, the dealer burned and turned the ! The crowd erupted with both cheers from Davis' section and sighs of disbelief from Buller's section. Still, there was one card to come.
The dealer paused, patted the felt, and burned... the and that was it! Davis was able to come from behind in the last hand to eliminate Buller in second place and take the victory! For his efforts, Buller earned nearly $270,000 in winnings. The two shook hands and congratulated one another as Davis' cheering section roared. Davis' daughter, Rachel, was first to run over and give him a big hug, yelling, "So sick, you're so sick!" repeatedly.
Michael Davis raised to 360,000 from the button and Barry Bounds moved all in from the big blind.
Davis:
Bounds:
A flop of didn't help either player. On the turn, Davis picked up a flush draw with the while Bounds picked up a straight draw. The on the river completed both hands, giving Davis the nut flush over Bounds' straight.
After the hand, Davis has 2,780,000 while Bounds left with $179,210.
Scott Buller made his standard raise to 150,000 from under the gun and action moved to Michael Morusty on the big blind.
"Are you picking on me again," Morusty asked.
"You know what? I like you and because I like you, I'll show you much I'm picking on you," Buller answered.
Morusty thought about it for a second and said, "What if I raise? OK, I raise," at which point Buller moved all in. Morusty snap called and the hands were shown.
Morusty:
Buller:
Morusty's fans let out a huge cheer before the board came . It was then Buller's camp that took over the cheering when the landed on the turn and the on the river.
Morusty takes home $126,863 for fourth place, while Buller takes a commanding chip lead of 5.8 million.
Scott Buller made it 200,000 to go from under-the-gun and Charles Simon pushed all in from the small blind. Buller made the call and liked what he saw.
Buller:
Simon:
Buller pulled further ahead on the turn when the board came and faded Simon's four outs when the river brought the . He now has a stack of 3,950,000 while Simon left in fifth place with a payday of $95,332.