Although living in Baltimore, Maryland but hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jeffrey Gross has amazed many people with the fact that he is roommates with Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps.
Attending the University of South Carolina, like many college kids, Gross has taken the game of cards to his liking and has already logged six WSOP cashes - including one earlier in the series.
Having secured over $140,000 in WSOP lifetime earnings, Gross will need a fourth-place or better if he is to improve on his fifth-placing in the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em in 2010 where he pocketed $109,621 for that deep run. And having nearly $275,000 in lifetime earning since 2006, Gross will go close to tripling that if he can continue his form of defeating his two shootout tables to take home the gold.
Hailing out of New York, New York, Scott Baumstein is a 27-year old former options trader who obtained his Master's of Finance degree from NYU.
Making his first WSOP final table appearance after besting Nicholas Mitchell heads-up, Baumstein has three previous WSOP cashes including two consecutive Main Event cashes; but this here will be his biggest WSOP score to date.
Baumstein however has tasted success previously with a win at the PCA $5,000 Heads-Up Championship earlier this year for $120,000, but as is the desire for everybody that ventures to Las Vegas, a shiny gold bracelet will be his preferred trophy cabinet highlight if he is to be victorious here.
From the cutoff, Mark Radoja made it 43,000 to go. Scott Baumstein would have none of that, however, making it 118,000 from the button. Action folded around back to Radoja who released his cards into the muck. Baumstein scooped a nice pot to start off the tournament.
Tom Marchese entered the pot from the button with a raise to 45,000 only to have Nikita Lebedev bump it to 140,000 from the big blind.
Marchese considered his options for a few moments before eventually releasing his hand as the Russian picked up the blinds, antes and Marchese's chips.
From early position, Nicolas Fierrogottner led out for 47,000 preflop. He was called by Nikita Lebedev from the seat right next to him and action folded around to Mark Radoja on the button.
Radoja decided to three-bet the action to 152,000 and both Fierro and Lebedev folded their hands. We've yet to see a flop after someone threw in re-raise preflop so far at this table.
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flop and once Junglen fired out a 53,000-chip continuation-bet, Smith kicked his cards to the muck.
. Fierrogottner continued out from 120,000 and Junglen sent his cards into the muck.