Online Poker

June 9, 2008

Event #11 at the 2008 World Series of Poker was the $5,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em Shootout.

Phillip Tom, a financial advisor from Las Vegas defeated the 360 entrants to take the $1,692,000 first prize.

The shootout formats means that the winner has to successfully negotiate three single table tournaments in a row in order to win the bracelet.

Play started with thirty-six ten-handed tables. The winner from each table progressed to the second round of six tables. The final table consisted of the six winners from round two.

The short handed format emphasizes short handed poker skills, as every table is in a sense - a final table. Players will play a lot of hands they might not normally play in a large tournament and post-flop play is crucial.

After his win, Tom hasd this to say; "I really think this sort of format (the Shootout) fit my playing style. I have to eliminate players as I go along, and the seats are not re-filled. So, you can concentrate on the task at hand, which is focus on your opponents who are actually at the table."

"It’s a great feeling. This is what it’s all about – to win at the World Series."

Through the first 11 events of the 2008 WSOP only one player currently has four cashes. He is Nikolay Evdakov, from Moscow, Russia. One player, Matthew Graham, from New Orleans, LA has cashed three times. There are 74 players with two cashes each.

Here are the final table players and their prizemoney;.

Ed's Note: On June 15,  Full Tilt Poker is giving away 150 seats to the WSOP Main event. SIgn up and play today to win your seat in the world's biggest and richest poker tournament.