The Sickest Sweat of His Life

The bubble of a WSOP tournament can be an excruciating experience for short-stacked amateurs simply hoping to accomplish their dream of cashing on poker's grand stage. Experienced pros have devoured their chips at every opportunity, seemingly without a care in the world as they focus on the reaching the final table. Meanwhile, throngs of onlookers and supporters have crowded around, anxiously anticipating that you will be the next one to hit the rail. All in all, having to play through the bubble is something most poker players would rather avoid, either through busting or building in the tournament's early stages.

For Tom Cipriano, a small stakes grinder from Floral Park, New York, today's protracted bubble play has provided the full spectrum of emotions: anxiety, anticipation, terror, and finally, exhilaration.

Cipriano saw a flop of hit the board, and he decided to lead out for 5,000, hoping the bubble would convince the table to fold around. Unfortunately for him, Brandon Crawford held one of the largest stacks in the room, and he could easily afford the chance to knockout our final player of the night.

Crawford raised enough to put Cipriano all-in, and with a growing crowd of players, tournament officials, railbirds, and reporters now crowded around, he decided to gamble it all on his . With a massive draw, Cipriano was in good shape against Crawford's , but the latter's pair of kings still put him in the lead.

The dealer delivered a on the turn, and Cipriano was down to his last chance to avoid being eliminated in the most painful way a poker player can imagine.