Every year the World Series of Poker provides some great stories with my favorite so far being Thang Luu’s repeat victory in the Event #2 Omaha Hi/Lo event. Luu was able to make history by becoming the first person ever to win the exact same WSOP event two years in a row. The only way to make this story better is if he could come back next year and pull off the seemingly impossible three-peat.
Thang Luu’s story aside though, I recently saw another story which really caught my interest in the thrilling Event #13 victory by Ohio online poker legend Keven “Stamdogg” Stammen. Stammen, who lives in the sticks of Western Ohio, has been crushing online poker for years now in the unassuming towns of Coldwater and Celina.
Throughout this area called Mercer County, where binge drinking, high school sports, beer league softball, and weekly church visits dominate people’s lives, Stamdogg is definitely a star. However, his online poker accomplishments have yet to really translate into major success at the WSOP…..at least until now.
Stammen was able to cruise into the final day of play sitting 4th in chips out of 20 players, and was looking at a solid cash no matter what happened. But with noted live players such as Roland de Wolfe and Phil Ivey still left in the field, Stam had a tough road ahead of him to win the tournament.
Incredibly though, it was Stammen and WSOP rookie Angel Guillen going head-to-head for the half million dollar prize and gold bracelet in the end. Heads-up play didn’t go so incredibly for Guillen though as Stammen was able to destroy him and pocket $506,786 for the victory.
Either way Guillen came out a victor too since his first WSOP cash was a big one at $312,800 which also makes for a great story. But the better story will by far be Keven Stammen going back to Western Ohio in his traditional straight-billed hat and white, long-sleeved dress shirt as a hero.