Poker rookie creates drama in WSOPC

Sometimes odd match-ups turn out to be the most exciting ones. In the Atlantic City World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Main Event a jewelry store owner and an absolute beginner fought for the title in a dramatic heads-up battle lasting almost three hours. Finally, Danny Yousefzadeh defeated John McMahon and won the first prize of $488,828.

Danny Yousefzadeh, a 40-year old jewelry store owner from New York, started the duel at Caesars in Atlantic City against John McMahon, who never had played in a poker tournament before in his life, as a 3 to 2 chip leader.

McMahon, however, fought back with both bold and erratic play, and at one point the poker rookie had a big lead, and looked to be on his way to causing one of the biggest upsets in poker history.

This is how McMahon's unconventional poker strategy is described in the official WSOPC report:

"Up to that point, Mr. McMahon's final table play could best be described as unpredictable. At times, he did not look at his two hole cards. He made blind bets when checked to after the flop."

"In short, Mr. McMahon did his best to confuse his more experienced opponent. The bizarre strategy almost worked."

But it wasn't to be. Danny Yousefzadeh managed to turn things around once more, and in the final hand of the tournament he flopped a set of 4's, and called when McMahon moved all-in with nothing but a gut-shot straight draw.

The board paired on the turn giving Yousefzadeh a full house, and leaving McMahon drawing dead. The New Yorker didn't just win the hand, but the WSOPC title and $488,828 in prize money.

Runner-up McMahon had to settle for $268,858, but the poker rookie is probably very pleased with that.

Final table results from Atlantic City WSOPC:

Place Name Prize
1 Danny Yousefzadeh $488,828
2 John McMahon $268,858
3 Eugene Fouksman $137,484
4 Frank Vizza $106,932
5 Matt Brady $91,656
6 Rick Austin $76,380
7 David Fox $61,104
8 Grant Lang $45,828
9 Chuck Norris $30,552
courtesy of Erik Sylven

News Added: 15 March, 2007

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