2012 WSOP Main Event Final Table Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The first player knocked out when play resumed was one of only two players to have won a bracelet prior to the Main Event. He was also the oldest player at the table. Who finished ninth?

Answer: Steve Gee

Steve Gee was a 57 year-old professional player from California. He started the final table with 16,860,000 chips and fifth place overall. He was knocked out on Hand #30 of the final table when Russell Thomas called his all-in shove on the river. Gee held pocket eights and Thomas held pocket queens. The board improved neither player.

In 2010, Gee outlasted 3,041 other players and won Event #13, a $1,000 buy-in No Limit Hold'em Tournament. That win earned him $472,479 and a WSOP bracelet. By making the October Nine Gee won $754,798.

2. Which player, who was portrayed by the ESPN Main Event coverage as somewhat brash and acted very quickly to the point he sometimes beat his opponent into the pot, was knocked out in eighth place?

Answer: Rob Salaburu

Rob Salaburu came into the final table seventh in chips with 15,155,000. He was crippled when his pocket queens ran into the pocket kings of Jake Balsiger on Hand #53. On Hand #65, Salaburu was in the small blind and called Jesse Sylvia's all-in shove with pocket sevens. Sylvia turned over Qc5c. Salaburu looked to be in good shape to double up but the river queen gave Sylvia the winning hand and knocked Salaburu out.

He won $971,252 for his eighth place finish.

3. The player knocked out in seventh place was this New York amateur who is a commodity broker and the second oldest player at age 44. Name him.

Answer: Michael Esposito

Although considered an amateur, Michael Esposito has tournament cashes stretching back to 2002 and made a final table at a WSOPC circuit event back in 2005 at Harrah's Atlantic City. Esposito came into the final table sixth in chips with 16,260,000. On Hand #70 Esposito moved all-in with AsJh and was called by Greg Merson who held AcKs.

The board ran out without improving Esposito's hand and he was knocked out in seventh place, taking home $1,258,040 for his efforts.

4. Andras Koroknai was the only foreign born player at the final table. Where does this ravenous player hail from?

Answer: Hungary

Ravenous is a synonym for hungry hence the clue. Andras Koroknai entered the final table second in chips with 29,375,000. This was not Koroknai's first major success as a poker player; back in 2010 he won the WPT LA Poker Classic for $1,788,040. That year he also cashed in the WSOP Main Event, finishing 339th.

Koroknai started off the final table very quietly, playing few hands. Then he became more active and chipped back up before Hand #109. Merson raised on the button to 1 million only to have Sylvia three bet from the small blind to 2.6 million. Koroknai decided to four bet to 5.3 million from the big blind. Merson five bet to 9.2 million forcing a fold from Sylvia. Koroknai decided to six bet all-in and Merson snap called. Koroknai turned over KhQd only to find out he was dominated by Merson's AsKs. Koroknai did not improve and was knocked out in sixth place, winning $1,640,902. Koroknai's blow up catapulted Merson into a huge chip lead with over 86 million chips.

5. This poker pro cashed eight times over the summer in various WSOP events before making the final table of the Main Event. Who is this family man who started the final table as the short stack but was able to move up and finish fifth?

Answer: Jeremy Ausmus

Poker has been Jeremy Ausmus' only source of income since 2004. Ausmus was both an online and live player before Black Friday but has been forced to switch to live because of that event. His biggest cash prior to the Main Event was in 2011 when he finished third for $190,000 in the Bicycle Casino's The Big Event.

Ausmus had eight small cashes in preliminary events prior to the Main Event. He began the final table as the short stack with just 9,805,000. Despite this fact, Ausmus was one of the most active players at the table. He played the short stack with great finesse, going from 9th place when the final table started to finishing fifth for $2,155,313. He was knocked out on Hand #129 when he moved all-in on the turn with an open-ended straight draw against Sylvia's top pair top kicker. Asumus' draw did not materialize and he was sent home.

6. This player was fourth in chips heading into the final table and went out fourth. Who is this part time player who works as an actuary in for the insurance industry in Hartford Connecticut?

Answer: Russell Thomas

Russell Thomas began the final table fourth in chips with 24,800,000. Interestingly, Thomas and Sylvia had spent a summer together in Vegas as roommates in 2010 while playing at the WSOP that year. In 2010, Thomas made the final table of Event 16 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Six Handed and finished fifth. Thomas hired Jason Summerville to help him prepare for the final table.

Thomas started the final table in fourth and finished in fourth. On Hand #135, Thomas raised from the small blind only to have Jake Balsiger shove all-in from the big. Thomas tanked before finally calling. Thomas held Ah9d and Balsiger held AsKc. Thomas got no help from the board and was sent packing.

7. Which 21 year-old college student entered the final table in eighth chip position and had a chance to become the youngest champion ever before being knocked out in third?

Answer: Jake Balsiger

Jake Balsiger started the final table in eighth chip position with 13,115,000. Balsiger is a student at ASU and although he had arguably the least experience of anyone at the final table, he acquitted himself quite well. When play resumed three handed on Tuesday night, Balsiger lasted another 11 hours before finally being knocked out. On Hand #382, Balsiger's QhTd could not outrun Merson's KcQs and he was eliminated in third place, winning $3,799,073.

8. Which professional cash game player, currently residing in Las Vegas but originally from Martha's Vineyard, was chip leader going into the final table and ended up finishing second?

Answer: Jesse Sylvia

Jesse Sylvia is a cash game pro based in Vegas who hired Vanessa Selbst to help him prepare for the final table. Sylvia entered the final table as the chip leader with 43,875,000. He entered heads up play against Merson trailing and was never able to get his footing.

He was eliminated after only 17 hands when he called Merson's all-in on Hand #399 holding QsJs. Merson turned over Kd5d for a slight edge. The board did not improve Sylvia, knocking him out in second place for $5,295,149.

9. Which player, who had won Event 57 just prior to the Main Event, came back from being down to under three big blinds on Day Five to eventually win the whole tournament?

Answer: Greg Merson

Greg Merson is mainly a cash game player but you would never know it from his tournament results. Prior to the Main Event, Merson had won the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Six Handed event for $1,136,197. The field featured 474 of the best shorthanded players in the world.

Merson went from that straight into the Main Event. After surviving his Day 5 scare, Merson went on to make the October Nine. He came into the final table third in chips with 28,725,000. Many considered him to be the most skilled player coming into the final table. He survived several setbacks when play was three handed and eventually prevailed over his tough final two opponents, Balsiger and Sylvia.

10. Not only did the winner become World Champion with his win, he also became the WSOP Player of the Year. Which former WSOP Main Event champion and current WSOPE Main Event Champion did he beat out for the honor?

Answer: Phil Hellmuth

Merson knew he had a shot at Player of the Year when play was suspended in July but in Europe both Antonio Esfandiari and then Phil Hellmuth took over the lead in the POY race. Merson had to win the Main Event to win the POY. He did that and for the third time Phil Hellmuth had to settle for second place in the WSOP POY race.

Source: Author tazman6619

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

This year's final nine came back in October instead of November because of the US presidential election. How much do you remember about ESPN's live coverage?

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