Michiel Sijpkens, a Logistics student from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, won his seat to the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event via a $33 rebuy on PokerStars just six weeks after his 21st birthday. A victory for Sijpkens in the 2010 Main Event would have made him the tournament’s youngest champion, resetting the record for the third straight year by displacing 2009 Champion Joe Cada, who surpassed 2008 Champion Peter Eastgate. The latter, of course, eclipsed poker legend and UB.com pro Phil Hellmuth’s 19 year old record. He was born April 3rd, 1989.
Sijpkens entered Day 7 of the Main Event with just over two million in chips, putting him below average, but he earned a quick double up through poker professional Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi. On a board reading 6c-5h-5s-8h, Sijpkens moved all-in for his remaining 1.375 million with Qc-Qs, earning a call from Mizrachi’s 7d-7s. The river was the Jc and Sijpkens was on his way with a four million chip pot.
Throughout Day 7, Sijpkens sparred with a number of players, but none more than Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden of Norway. Sijpkens and Lodden were tangled in a number of pots, but the tournament’s youngest remaining player managed to hold his own against the wily veteran and finished the day as one of the 27 players that still has a shot at the Main Event bracelet. He ultimately exited on the tournament’s play down day and pocketed $317,000 for his 19th place showing.
Sijpkens learned how to play poker by playing in home games with his friends and has registered one major live tournament cash prior to the Main Event. He finished in 10th place out of 278 runners in a €750 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Tournament at the 2009 Master Classics of Poker in Amsterdam, earning €2,919.