Most poker players are met with skepticism when they decide to leave a college education and head into the career of a professional poker player. That was not the case for Harrison Wilder, who was encouraged by his parents to suspend his enrollment at the University of Oregon and take up poker full time. The 29-year-old professional poker player fulfilled the confidence bestowed upon him by his parent last night when he won Event No. 6 ($1,500 limit hold’em) at the World Series of Poker.
“They have always been very supportive of me. When I was in college, I was racking up student debt, they told me to drop out of college and start playing professionally. One of the biggest regrets I have was that I did not listen to them and I continued to be responsible and stay in college. They encouraged me to get better,” said Wilder of his early experience with poker. His parents were in attendance at the final table as Wilder outlasted such seasoned tournament professionals as Scott Clements and John Myung on his way to victory. Wilder took home $205,065 in prize money and his first gold bracelet for his first cash at the WSOP.
Wilder recently decided to move out to Las Vegas to continue his professional poker career after the events of Black Friday made it impossible for him to play online in his hometown of Beaverton, Oregon. "For me, playing poker for a living is a dream job. Then, Internet poker came around, and then it happened. It’s the reason I moved down here. I did not know what to do. It was a temporary move to stay here, because it happened right before the WSOP. I was thinking of moving to California. But I may stay here, now,” said Wilder.
He now plays in $40-$80 limit hold’em games in the Las Vegas area. His parents also made the move to Vegas in search of a sunnier climate than the one they had lived in for so many years in the Pacific Northwest. With tonight’s victory it appears that the Wilder family will be calling Las Vegas home for quite some time.
Here is a look at the elimination hands at the final table as featured in CardPlayer.com’s live coverage:
Scott Clements Eliminated in 9th Place ($15,281)
A short-stacked Scott Clements opened for a raise before the flop, William Davis three-bet and Clements called all in.
Davis turned over Q
Q
for the lead while Clements showed A 3.
The board came Q
J 9 K 7, giving Davis top set on the flop. Scott Clements was eliminated in 9th place ($15,281).
Mitch Schock Eliminated in 8th Place ($19,856)
After flopping a straight and being outdrawn by a higher straight, Mitch Schock was left with just under 100,000 in chips after doubling up Harrison Wilder in the hand before.
On his final hand, Mitch Schock got it all in on a flop of K 9 3 with A Q against Thomas Jamieson’s K
Q. Schock had two overs and was in bad shape against Jamieson’s made top pair and flush draw.
The turn and river were the 8 and the 9, giving Jamieson a flush on the turn and eliminating Mitch Schock in 8th place ($19856).
Craig Laben Eliminated in 7th Place ($26,134)
Craig Laben opened for a raise in the cutoff, John Myung reraised from the small blind, Laben four-bet all in and Myung called.
Laben turned over Q J and was behind Myung’s A J.
The board came A K 2 2 9, giving Myung top pair on the flop. Myung raked the pot and Craig Laben was eliminated in 7th place ($26,134).
Sean Nguyen Eliminated in 6th Place ($34,864)
Matthew Elsby opened from under the gun, Sean Nguyen called from the cutoff and John Myung called from the big blind.
The flop came Q 10 7, Myung checked, Elsby bet, Nguyen raised, Myung three-bet, Elsby and Nguyen both called.
The flop turn was the K, Myung checked, Elsby bet, Nguyen called all in and Myung folded.
Nguyen turned over 10 9 for middle pair and Elsby showed K J for top pair.
The river bricked and Sean Nguyen was eliminated in 6th place ($34,864).
Matthew Elsby Eliminated in 5th Place ($47,138)
Matthew Elsby raised from late position, Thomas Jamieson raised and Elsby called.
The flop came J 7 3, Jamieson bet, Elsby raised, Jamieson three-bet and Elsby called.
The turn was the A, Jamieson bet, Elsby raised all in and Jamieson called.
Elsby turned over A 8 for top pair and a flush draw while Jamieson showed A J for top pair with a better kicker.
The river was the Q, and Matthew Elsby was eliminated in 5th place ($47,138).
William Davis Eliminated in 4th Place ($64,625)
John Myung opened with a raise, Harrison Wilder reraised, William Davis four-bet and both players called.
The flop came J 10 2, Wilder checked, Davis bet, Myung called, Wilder check-raised and both players called.
The turn was the 2, Wilder bet, Davis called and Myung folded.
The river was the K, Wilder bet, Davis raised all in and Wilder called. Davis turned over 4 4 for an under pair while Wilder showed J 7 for middle pair. William Davis was eliminated in 4th place ($64,625).
John Myung Eliminated in 3rd Place ($89,840)
Thomas Jamieson opened for a raise from the button, John Myung reraised from the small blind, Wilder called from the big blind and Jamieson called the raise as well.
The flop came 8 7 6, Myung bet and both Wilder and Jamieson called.
The turn was the Q, Myung shoved, Wilder raised and Jamieson folded. Wilder turned over Q 9 for top pair and an open-ended straight draw while Myung showed A 3 for ace-high. The river was the J, and John Myung was eliminated in 3rd place ($89,840).
Thomas Jamieson Eliminated in 2nd Place ($126,605)
Harrison Wilder raised before the flop, Thomas Jamieson reraised, Wilder shoved and Jamieson called.
Wilder turned over A 2 for the lead while Jamieson showed K 10.
The board came Q J 3 7 2, no help for either play as Thomas Jamieson was eliminated in 2nd place ($126,654). Harrison Wilder wins the gold bracelet for Event #6 and the $205,065 grand prize.
