Home court advantage is everything in poker. Just ask Robert Pisano, the 23rd place finisher in the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in Las Vegas. Pisano, who calls Sin City home, made a deep run in the 2010 installment of the prestigious poker tournament and will recorded his largest cash to date in a live event.
Pisano’s success in the live arena has been mostly limited to Los Angeles and his hometown of Las Vegas. In the latter, he cashed in a pair of Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza events in April 2009 for $11,000 total. Let’s also not forget about his 11th place finish in the Dream Team Poker Caesars Palace event, where he banked $1,700. Those who cashed in the unique team poker tournament included 2006 WSOP Main Event champ Jamie Gold, 1983 WSOP Main Event champ Tom McEvoy, and Lisa Parsons.
Pisano nearly sent Jonathan Duhamel to the rails with pocket sixes against A-K on Day 7 of the 2010 WSOP Main Event. Pisano was sitting pretty when the first four cards rolled out 7-3-J-5, but an untimely king on the river gave Duhamel the pot and cost Pisano what would have been a 3.5 million chip boost. Despite the setback, Pisano had amassed a top 10 stack by the Day 7 dinner break at the Rio.
Pisano gained game for crippling Johnny Chan with pocket aces against pocket kings on Day 6, nearly ending what would have been a storybook run for the 10-time bracelet winner and back-to-back Main Event champ. Chan ultimately was bounced from the 2010 WSOP Main Event shortly thereafter in 156th place and cashed for $57,000.
Entering Day 7, Las Vegas and its surrounding areas were well represented in the Main Event. Nearly 10% of the field, including Pisano, hailed from the steamy desert locale.
