By Arnold Warner
It took a while, but by Event #50 of the 2013 World Series of Poker two Northern California players had claimed bracelets.
Marco Johnson winner of event #48 at the 2013 WSOP.
First to accomplish the feat was Walnut Creek’s Marco Johnson, who claimed the title in Event #48: Limit Hold’em/Six Handed. With a buy-in of $2,500 and 343 entries, Johnson took home $206,796 of the $780,325 prize pool along with the coveted bracelet.
Then, just one day later, Brandon Wong of Clovis took first place in Event #50: 10-Game Mix/Six Handed. This event also had a $2,500 buy-in and had 372 entries for a prize pool of $846,300 of which Wong received $220,061.
Johnson, a 27-year-old poker pro, has been having quite the series so far this year. Before winning his bracelet he had cashes in five earlier events, taking 8th, 13th, 28th, 2nd, and 22nd. As of press time he is sitting in fourth place on the WSOP Player of the Year leader board.
His second place finish in Event #31: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better was the third time he had been runner-up in a WSOP event, one of which was last year in the same limit event he won this year.
After his big win he felt like he had the monkey off his back. “When you play these tournaments, you play them to win,” he said. The money is nice for second, but playing these tournaments is with one goal in mind, which is to win. When you don’t, you feel like you didn’t finish something, or you did something wrong, or you second guess yourself that if I would have done this or that differently. It’s nice when you win not to have that ‘I should have done this’ feeling.”
His poker career was inspired early on growing up in Walnut Creek, where his neighbor was the late Chip Reese’s sister.
“When I was about 12 years old I first heard about him,” Johnson said. “I made up my mind at 12 that I wanted to play poker for a living.” Over the next several years, Johnson got to know the Reese family even better, including Chip. He even visited the Las Vegas mansion of the late poker legend when he came to town on family vacations.
“Since I was very young my goal was to be a good mixed games player. I wanted to play in high-stakes games. So now, when I play inside the high-stakes room, I look up on the wall and see his picture. It’s a very cool feeling from so many years ago.”
With his victory, Johnson has established quite an impressive WSOP resume with nearly $1.4 million in earnings. He also expects to play more tournaments at this series and perhaps attend the WSOP-Europe since he’s now in serious contention for the Player of the Year.
For more than a decade Brandon Wong has been grinding out a good living playing middle- to high-stakes cash games around
Brandon Wong took first place in Event #50 at the 2013 WSOP.
California and Nevada, playing tournaments only occasionally. Despite that he has 21 WSOP cashes to his name for over $700,00, including runner-up finishes in 2007 ($3,000 limit Hold’em) and 2013 (WSOP Asia Pacific $2,200 mixed games).
Wong won his gold bracelet largely due to changing his approach to poker as the game itself evolved over the last ten years or so. He started out mostly playing limit Hold’em; however, as that game began to decline in popularity he began learning and improving in other games. He essentially changed with the times and was rewarded with a gold bracelet for branching out from his comfort zone.
The 10 games played in Event #50 were no-limit Hold’em, Razz, limit Hold’em, Badugi, Stud, no-limit 2-7 Draw, Omaha 8, pot-limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw, and Stud 8.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Wong said. “I came close a few times before, so this feels really good. It’s like a weight off my shoulders.”
NorCal players who have cashed in the first 51 events of the
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #1 — Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em: $500 buy-in, 898 entries, $404,100 prize pool
2nd, Allan Kwong, Oakland, $52,318
3rd, Robert Rooney, Oakland, $33,903
19th, Richard Lewis, Newark, $6,781
51st, Kevin Ouk, Stockton, $1,567
61st, Odessa Supapo, San Jose, $1,325
84th, Dong Nguyen, Stockton, $909
Event #3 – No-Limit Hold’em Re-Entry: $1,000 buy-in, 3,164 entries, $2,847,600 prize pool
32nd, Richard Harroch, San Francisco, $11,361
39th, Mehul Chaudhari, San Francisco, $9,283
49th, Victor Wan, Alameda, $7,660
75th, Hemanth Kumar, Sunnyvale, $4,556
100th, Thiagara Arumugam, Santa Clara, $2,961
118th, Anthony Niznik, Danville, $2,961
120th, Brian Vu, San Francisco, $2,961
143rd, Gilbert Anicete, San Ramon, $2,961
144th, Rudolph Vigil, Vallejo, $2,961
147th, William Mark Davis, McKinleyville, $2,619
172nd, Aaron Rondon, Pleasanton, $$2,619
278th, Leobardo Zamora, Danville, $2,107
300th, Deip Paul, San Jose, $1,907
303rd, Evan Schwartz, Oakland, $1,907
Event #4 – No-Limit Hold’em/Six Handed: $1,500 buy-in, 1,069 entries, $1,443,150 prize pool
35th, David Chase, Alameda, $6,551
68th, Gordon Vayo, San Francisco, $3,391
90th, Ron Lane, San Jose, $3,117
104th, Lev Ryzhikov, San Francisco, $2,871
106th, Sachin Bhargava, San Jose, $2,871
Event #6 – Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 6,343 entries, $8,563,050 prize pool
53rd, Jeffery Oh, Campbell, $21,664
63rd, Soheil Ighani, Albany, $17,725
98th, Ivin Arquiza, Vallejo, $8,563
103rd, Paul Evans, Mount Shasta, $7,278
109th, Bobby Pham, Elk Grove, $7,278
126th, Min Ku, Chico, $7,278
130th, Jonathan Sison, Daly City, $7,278
142nd, Zachary Dowhower, South Lake Tahoe, $7,278
145th, Paul White, Livermore, $7,278
146th, Terry Wheeler, Granite Bay, $7,278
179th, Cherie Beasley, San Francisco, $6,165
229th, Adi Berman, San Francisco, $5,309
233rd, Peter Dirksen, San Francisco, $5,309
252nd, Zhengyu Guan, San Francisco, $5,309
269th, Irving Chen, San Francisco, $5,309
309th, Wilson Chan, Union City, $4,624
337th, Marko Kivi, San Francisco, $4,624
343rd, Kenneth Janke, San Leandro, $4,624
348th, Randy Lew, Mountain View, $4,624
359th, Eric Bergen, Atwater, $4,624
366th, Jihoon Kim, San Francisco, $4,024
381st, Ben Sarnoff, San Francisco, $4,024
396th, Scott Brian, Campbell, $4,024
448th, Kevin Iwanaga, San Ramon, $3,510
473rd, Kapil Karki, Foster City, $3,510
533rd, Faraz Jaka, San Jose, $3,082
539th, David Erisman, San Jose, $3,082
558th, Jonathan Finch, San Francisco, $3,082
586th, William Mark Davis, McKinleyville, $2,740
604th, Gordon Vayo, San Francisco, $2,740
615th, William Wendling, Emeryville, $2,740
628th, Cheeon Yue, San Jose, $2,740
636th, Chris Heid, San Francisco, $2,740
Event #7 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,000 buy-in, 1,837 entries, $1,653,300 prize pool
3rd, Jess Dioquino, San Francisco, $130,825
8th, Tuu Ho, San Jose, $29,147
24th, John Cline, Sunnyvalle, $8,927
26th, Michael Bokan, Sacramento, $8,927
27th, Erkle Mankin, Sacramento, $8,927
62nd, Marc Rosenberg, San Rafael, 4,298
77th, Kenny Shei, Menlo Park, $3,207
95th, Brian Park, Los Altos, $2,513
103rd, Scott Laird, Pinole, $2,248
115th, John Bettencourt, Stockton, $2,248
116th, Deip Paul, San Jose, $2,248
Event #8 – Eight-Game Mix: $2,500 buy-in, 388 entries, $882,700
8th, Marco Johnson, Walnut Creek, $20,699
22nd, Rostislav Tsodikov, Daly City, $6,796
Event #9 – No-Limit Hold’em Shootout: $3,000 buy-in, 477 entries, $1,302,210 prize pool
4th, Tim West, Los Altos, $91,428
7th, Max Steinberg, Oakland, $39,756
Event #10 – Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 645 entries, $870,750 prize pool
4th, Chiduziem Obi, Campbell, $56,485
33rd, Matt Lefkowitz, Carmel Valley, $4,876
42nd, Brad Anderson, Modesto, $4,048
50th, Shahriar Namjouy, Walnut Creek,$3,395
63rd, Billy Huynh, San Francisco, $2,873
Event #11 – No-Limit Hold’em/Six Handed: $2,500 buy-in, 924 entries, $2,102,100
19th, Marc Alioto, San Rafael, $14,042
83rd, J.C. Tran, Sacramento, $4,540
87th, Tyler Meeks, Redding, $4,540
Event #12 – Pot-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 535 entries, $722,250 prize pool
19th, Paul Evans, Mount Shasta, $5,185
33rd, Glenn Kaplan, Oakland, $4,189
Event #13 – Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better: $5,000 buy-in, 210 entries, $987,000 prize pool
13th, Marco Johnson, Walnut Creek, $13,877
Event #14 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 1,819 entries, $2,455,650 prize pool
32nd, Andres Garcia, Saliinas, $10,853
133rd, Todd Start, San Rafael, $3,020
149th, Wei Yeh, Concord, $3,020
187th, Jamie McCarrel, Lafayette, $2,774
193rd, Roger Fang, San Jose, $2,774
Event #15 – H.O.R.S.E.: $1,500 buy-in, 862 entries, $1,163,700 prize pool
55th, Rostislav Tsodikov, Daly City, $3,758
Event #16 – Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em: $10,000 buy-in, 162 entries, $1,522,800 prize pool
6th, Randy Lew, Mountain View, $54,024
Event #17 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 2,105 entries, $2,841,750 prize pool
30th, Craig Gold, Belmont, $12,503
33rd, Evan Schwartz, Oakland, $12,503
74th, Mario Trujillo, San Mateo, $5,271
85th, Scott Reaves, Hanford, $4,546
91st, Christopher Gonzales, Fremont, $3,978
102nd, Jeremiah Leon, Yuba City, $3,537
155th, Brent Blackaby, Berkeley, $3,182
163rd, Hafiz Khan, Stockton, $3,182
Event #18 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,000 buy-in, 2,071 entries, $1,863,900 prize pool
19th, David McEwan, Oakland, $10,046
99th, Dominic Oaxaca, Lodi, $2,609
116th, George Cook, San Francsico, $2,320
137th, Gerardo Murillo, South San Francisco, $2,087
Event #19 – Pot-Limit Hold’em: $5,000 buy-in, 195 entries, $916,500
6th, Kristina Holst, Palo Alto, $44,844
26th, Tommy Chen, San Jose, $7,881
Event #20 – Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better: $1,500 buy-in, 1,104 entries, $1,368,900 prize pool
27th, Max Steinberg, Oakland, $8,377
56th, Andrew Barber, Sacramento, 4,366
73rd, Huynh Cao, San Jose, $3,408
91st, Matt Lefkowitz, Carmel Valley, $2,819
96th, Marc Wolenik, Santa Rosa, $2,819
Event #21 – No-Limit Hold’em/Six Handed: $3,000 buy-in, 807 entries, $2,205,840 prize pool
33rd, Hafiz Khan, Stockton, $10,574
38th, Tim West, Los Altos, $9,032
81st, Alexey Yemtsev, Hayward, $5,023
85th, Faraz Jaka, San Jose, $5,023
Event #22 – Pot Limit Omaha: $1,500 buy-in, 1,022 entries, $1,378,350 prize pool
28th, Marco Johnson, Walnut Creek, $7,050
33rd, Joseph Page, Concord, $7,050
39th, Tanya Kirk, San Jose, $5,960
103rd, Gordon Vayo, San Francisco, $2,621
Event #23 – Seven Card Stud: $2,500 buy-in, 246 entries, $559,650 prize pool
16th, Lavonne Joyce, Vacaville, $5,680
Event #24 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 1,731 entries, $2,336,850 prize pool
124th, Derrick Yamada, Sacramento, $3,178
129th, Jeremiah Leon, Yuba City, $2,874
152nd, Robert Sipchen, San Francisco, $2,874
Event #26 – Seniors No-Limit Hold’em Championship: $1,000 buy-in, 4,407 entries, $3,966,300 prize pool
42nd, Randall Rapp, Fresno, $12,771
55th, Pablo Estrada, Santa Rosa, $8,448
98th, Lawrence Schirmer, San Jose, $4,045
120th, Axel Werner, San Jose, $3,411
137th, Raymond Delagnes, Santa Rosa, $3,411
143rd, Lora Stewart, Elk Grove, $3,411
166th, Blaine Powell, San Leandro, $2,895
168th, Dale Sinor, Aptos, $2,895
207th, Richard Abe, San Jose, $2,895
261st, Shawn Lober, Danville, $2,498
277th, Michael Tomaselli, Discovery Bay, $2,498
304th, Stephen Kreig, Santa Rosa, $2,181
345th, David Bannister, Santa Rosa, $2,181
353rd, Mark Zika, Dublin, $2,181
412th, Darrell Cain, Fair Oaks, $1,903
418th, Ronald Mossbarger, Chico, $1,903
Event #27 – Mixed Max – No-Limit Hold’em: $3,000 buy-in, 593 entries, $1,618,890 prize pool
2nd, Max Steinberg, Oakland, $231,501
65th, Tommy Chen, San Jose, $4,694
Event #28 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 2,115 entries, $2,855,250 prize pool
52nd, Xian Tang, Foster City, $8,622
76th, Felipe Quijano, Fremont, $5,296
118th, Joshua Shaw, Sacramento, $3,554
146th, David Forster, Alameda, $3,197
165th, Sarah Tolagson, Monterey, $3,197
Event #30 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,000 buy-in, 2,108 entries, $1,897,200 prize pool
30th, Gabriel Lucero, Pleasanton, $8,347
39th, Randy Lew, Mountain View, $6,905
61st, Ronald Dechance, San Jose, $4,818
108th, Sam Lee, Stockton, $2,362
138th, Juan Esparza, Concord, $2,124
172nd, Jennifer Avila, Modesto, $1,935
Event #31 – Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better: $1,500 buy-in, 936 entries, $1,263,600 prize pool
2nd, Marco Johnson, Walnut Creek, $158,379
20th, Tom West, Los Altos, $7,733
61st, Omar Mehmood, Foster City, $4,030
91st, Danny Smith, Folsom, $2,603
96th, Prince of Docness, Santa Cruz, $2,603
102nd, Tommy Chen, San Jose, $2,400
Event #32 – No-Limit Hold’em/Six Handed: $5,000 buy-in, 516 entries, $2,425,200 prize pool
15th, Max Steinberg, Oakland, $23,791
Event #33 – Seven Card Razz: $2,500 buy-in, 301 entries, $684,775 prize pool
14th, Tommy Chen, San Jose, $8,552
Event #34 – Turbo No-Limit Hold’em: $1,000 buy-in, 1,629 entries, $1,466,100 prize pool
15th, Sarah Tolagson, Monterey, $12,373
34th, Gordon Vayo, San Francisco, $6,729
59th, Jason Lotridge, Dixon, $4,105
70th, Tim West, Los Altos, $3,577
136th, Daniel Corona, San Jose, $2,111
Event #35 – Pot-Limit Omaha: $3,000 buy-in, 640 entries, $1,747,200 prize pool
50th, Tom West, Los Altos, $6,814
Event #36 – No-Limit Hold’em Shootout: $1,500 buy-in, 1,194 entries, $1,611,900 prize pool
33rd, Erkut Yilmaz, Sacramento, $5,556
114th, Rellie Sigua, San Bruno, $5,556
Event #38 – No-Limit Hold’em/Four Handed: $2,500 buy-in, 566 entries, $1,287,650 prize pool
53rd, Faraz Jaka, San Jose, $4,712
Event #39 – Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better: $1,500 buy-in, 558 entries, $753,300 prize pool
2nd, Joseph Hertzog, Visalia, $114,109
22nd, Matt Savage, South San Francisco, $5,273
Event #40 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 2,161 entries, $2,917,350 prize pool
31st, Brandon Yu, Oakland, $12,223
50th, Danny Smith, Folsom, $8,372
90th, Ronald Larsen, Redding, $4,492
114th, J.C. Tran, Sacramento, $3,500
144th, Maziyar Zarrabianfard, San Jose, $3,150
150th, Christine La Monaca, San Francisco, $3,150
202nd, Marc Mestrovich, Manteca, $2,888
215th, Huihan Wu, San Francisco, $2,625
240th, Raphael Rodriguez, $2,625
Event #42 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,000 buy-in, 2,100 entries, $1,890,000 prize pool
93rd, Isaac Baron, Los Gatos, $2,646
168th, Michael Labarbera, San Jose, $2,116
187th, Sheldon Fine, Vallejo, $1,927
Event #44 – No-Limit Hold’em: $3,000 buy-in, 1,072 entries, $2,926,560 prize pool
12th, Evan Schwartz, Oakland, $33,421
22nd, Marco Johnson, Walnut Creek, $17,910
62nd, Andres Garcia, Salinas, $9,335
80th, Faraz Jaka, San Jose, $7,287
113th, Randy Lew, Mountain View, $5,560
Event #45 – Ante Only No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 678 entries, $915,300 prize pool
34th, J.C. Tran, Sacramento, $5,125
41st, Ray Villaman, Truckee, $4,256
60th, Rahul Byrraju, Fremont, $3,020
Event #47 – One Drop High Rollers No-Limit Hold’em: $111,111 buy-in, 166 entries, $17,891,148 prize pool
5th, Richard Fullerton, San Francisco, $1,066,491
Event #48 – Limit Hold’em/Six Handed: $2,500 buy-in, 343 entries, $780,325 prize pool
1st, Marco Johnson, Walnut Creek, $206,796
5th, Michael Schiffman, Walnut Creek, $38,095
19th, Richard Lewis, Newark, $6,781
Event #49 – No-Limit Hold’em: $1,500 buy-in, 2,247 entries, $3,033,450 prize pool
7th, Paul Dasilva, Escalon, $69,192
22nd, Gordon Vayo, San Francisco, $15,622
25th, Yun Lo, Livermore, $15,622
43rd, James Strong, Arcata, $10,465
50th, Craig Carrillo, Santa Rosa, $8,706
69th, Larry Cassity, Sacramento, $6,248
103rd, John Dull, Fresno, $3,640
110th, Daniel Peracchi, $3,640
127th, Faraz Jaka, San Jose, $3,640
Event #50 – 10-Game Mix/Six Handed: $2,500 buy-in, 372 entries, $846,300 prize pool
1st, Brandon Wong, Clovis, $220,061
Event #51 – Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship: $10,000 buy-in*, 954 entries, $858,600 prize pool
4th, Shana Matthews, Mill Valley, $48,871
19th, Ping Wang, San Mateo, $5,254
21st, Laura Bare, Santa Cruz, $5,254
45th, Julia Rea, Felton, $3,709
48th, Halli Pinson, Los Gatos, $3,168
95th, Lisa Vanageatigul, San Jose, $1,768
105th, Serena Liu, Sunnyvale, $1,631
