Jeff Smith Wins Event #9: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($323,125)
American Jeffrey Smith from Encinitas, Calif., has captured his first World Series of Poker bracelet in Event #9: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em and the top prize of $323,125. Smith defeated runner-up Danny Nguyen after a long three-hour heads-up match that saw a chip lead change almost every couple of hands.
Smith scored his first WSOP cash in last year's Millionaire Maker event, earning $2,704 for a 605th-place finish. According to Smith's Hendon Mob page, his previous best cash was a 3rd-place finish for $25,800 in a 2008 LA Poker Classic side event. Smith's total career earnings before today were just under $46,000 so he has multiplied that by almost six times.
In the final hand, Smith raised to 160,000 and Nguyen pushed all in. Smith made a fast call and flipped over to Nguyen's . The board came down and Smith's trip nines won the pot. Nguyen made $199,829 for his runner-up finish.
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