After a week in Las Vegas that saw Sin City look more like a wintry wonderland, poker pro David “Chino” Rheem emerged victorious in the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Rheem pocketed $1.5 million for his efforts, which occurred a little more than one month removed from his appearance at the final table of the 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Entering six-handed play at the Bellagio, the site of the Five Diamond tournament, Evan McNiff held the chip edge over his competition. The San Diego native finished 373rd in the 2008 WSOP Main Event and was atop the leader board of the WPT tournament throughout much of the week. The short stack entering the final table was poker veteran and former WPT event winner Hoyt Corkins, known as “The Alabama Cowboy.”. He was sent home early on by Justin Young, who held A-K, dominating Corkins’ A-Q. Both players hit the flop of K-Q-6, but Young’s better pair turned into trips when a king spiked on the turn. Corkins finished in sixth place for $216,795.
A rare double elimination sent both Amnon Filippi and Steve Sung home on the same hand. Young held pocket rockets against two other made hands. Filippi showed pocket nines, which would normally be in a coin flip against two overcards, but in this case were dominated by Young’s aces and Sung’s pocket kings. The flop of 7-4-4 was no help to either of the underdogs. Neither was a three on the turn or jack on the river. Filippi placed fifth for $288,235 when the smoke cleared, having entered the hand with fewer chips. Sun finished fourth for $396,205. Rheem then sent McNiff packing in third place for $540,440.
Both jockeyed with the chip lead throughout much of heads-up play. On the final hand of the tournament, Rheem held pocket kings on a flop of Q-8-3. Young hit the board, however, holding Q-5. Rheem pushed and Young called for all of his chips. The turn came a nine and the river came a two, notching Rheem’s first WPT title in his very first WPT cash. He told Live Updates Hostess Amanda Leatherman after play had concluded, “The way I play is a combination of other people who have won WPT events: J.C. [Tran], Nam [Le], and The Grinder [Michael Mizrachi]. I’ve learned a little from all of them and incorporated it along with my own aggression. Like Nam Le says, when you’re around good people who play well, you gravitate towards them.”
Rheem had a sizable group of followers during the tournament. As a member of the WSOP November Nine, he’s made “Chino” a household name in the poker world. On what it felt like to have such a large cheering section, he added, “It made me feel great. I would have never won a tournament or gotten to a final table if it wasn’t for them.” Rheem now has two seven-figure paydays in the last five weeks for a total of $3.2 million. His previous best tournament cash was a $327,000 payday for finishing as the runner up to Full Tilt Poker pro Allen Cunningham in a $1,000 rebuy event during the 2006 WSOP. Also at that event’s final table were Tom Franklin, Tim Phan, and Andy Bloch.
A ClubWPT tournament now takes place at the Bellagio, followed by the Southern Poker Championship, which will kick off from the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on January 13th. The tournament will determine a winner four days later. The Southern Poker Championship boasts a $10,000 buy-in, down from the $15,000 price tag for the Five Diamond. Congratulations to David “Chino” Rheem on his first WPT title.
