Three more bracelets handed out at the WSOP: the high stakes pro Richard Ashby won another event for British players, while two former Main Event finalists, John "Tex" Barch and Eric Buchman finally got their first bracelets.


Many people thought that Eric Buchman and Antoine Saout were the two best players at the WSOP Main Event final table last November. Neither of them managed to win, but Event #18: $2k Limit Hold'em finally brought some consolation for Buchman as he scored his first win and $203,607 beating Brent Courson heads up for the title. The $1.5k LHE winner Matt Matros made another final table at Limit Hold'em but had to settle for 9th place.

WSOP Event #18, $2k Limit Hold'em (476 players):

1. Eric Buchman $203.607
2. Brent Courson $125.737
3. Steven Hustoft $90.928
4. Flavio Ferrari $66.446
5. Hansu Chu $49.068
6. William Jensen $36.619
7. Matt Grapenthien $27.609
8. Gary Bogdanski $21.025
9. Matthew Matros $16.174

* * *

Event #20: $1.5k PLO belonged to John "Tex" Barch, while Nenad Medic and Blair Rodman busted at the final table.

"Tex" Barch came 3rd for $2.5 million at the WSOP Main Event back in 2005 when Joe Hachem took down the World Championship. This time he won his first bracelet, taking his total tournament cashes to $2.95 million. Barch wasted no time in the end, taking out his last three opponents in back-to-back hands!

WSOP Event #20, $1.5k PLO (885 players)

1. John Barch $256.919
2. Thibaut Klinghammer  $158.698
3. Trai Dang $102.306
4. Nenad Medic $74.946
5. Ashkan Razavi $55.711
6. Chris Hyong Chang $41.971
7. Blair Rodman $32.007
8. Tyler Patterson $24.695
9. Denton Pfister $19.259

* * *

Exremely tough final table at Event #21: $1.5k Stud, including Jon "Pearljammer" Turner, Sorel Mizzi and Dan Heimiller, but in the end there were just the British high stakes pro Richard Ashby and Christine Pietsch who had the chance to become the first female winner in this series (previously Jennifer Harman and JJ Liu had made final tables).

However, Ashby (pictured) proved unstoppable and he became the 3rd British winner after Praz Bansi and James Dempsey in this series.

WSOP Event #21, $1,5k Seven Card Stud (408 players):

1. Richard Ashby $140.467
2. Christine Pietsch $86.756
3. Darren Shebell $55.955
4. Dan Heimiller $40.544
5. Owais Ahmed $29.809
6. Sorel Mizzi $22.235
7. Pat Pezzin $16.826
8. Jon Turner $12.916

In 14th place ($6,536): the alternative rock legend Steve Albini, best known as the Big Black guitarist and record producer who has worked with Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey, Robert Plant, Manic Street Preachers, The Stooges and many others. Albini has been playing poker since he was a kid and made his first WSOP cash here.

Source: WSOP.