Because of Mike Matusow's gregarious personality and propensity for prop bets, sometimes it's easy to forget just how talented a poker player he really is.
But early Thursday morning, Mike "The Mouth" provided a compelling reminder as to why he will go down as one of the greatest players this generation has ever seen when he outlasted a power-packed final table to win the 2008 World Series of Poker's Event #18, a $5,000 No Limit 2-7 Lowball">Draw Lowball w/ rebuys).
Mike "The Mouth" Matusow came from behind at the final table of Event #18 to take home his third-career WSOP bracelet. (photo by IMPDI for the 2008 WSOP)
Not only did the 40-year-old Matusow cash in for $537,862, but he also earned his third WSOP bracelet and his first since winning the $5,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split 8 or Better event in 2002.
The final table was stacked with headliners as Matusow was forced to go through the likes of Jeff Lisandro, Barry Greenstein, Erick Lindgren, Tony G, Tom Schneider and David Benyamine. Lisandro took second place and cashed for $347,004 after Matusow won the first 11 hands of the heads up play to take the chip lead, according to PokerPages.com.
Greenstein finished third and won $225,552 while Lindgren placed fourth and collected $156,151 after coming into the final table as the chip leader with 1,104,000, well ahead of second-place Greenstein (541,000) and third-place Matusow (520,000). Schneider finished fifth and cashed for $104,101. The event drew only 85 entrants but a mind-boggling 272 rebuys were made, increasing the total prize pool to $1,735,020.
An item by an unknown author was posted on Matusow's blog on the Full Tilt Poker Web site saying: Looks like My brother's new positive attitude and the fact he has weened off the "prescription meds" has brought him full circle to the type of player and form he used to be/have in the late 90's; a truly great poker player!!!"
As for the action that was scheduled to get underway on Thursday, Vanessa Selbst was in prime position to become the first female bracelet winner of the 2008 WSOP (excluding the Ladies World Championship) as she held a commanding chip lead in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event.
Selbst, a Yale University graduate, had a stack of 1,047,000 chips as play headed into the final table. Her closest chaser was Jamie Pickering with 329,000.
Selbst has never won a WSOP bracelet, but has five cashes to her name. In fact, nobody at the final table has a WSOP bracelet to his or her name. There were 759 runners in the tournament and the prize pool is $1,036,035.
Event #20 also had its final table decided when play ended Thursday morning and Daniel Negreanu is well within range of claiming his fourth career bracelet. He sits in third place of the $2,000 Limit Hold'em event with 308,000 chips. David Baker is gunning for his first bracelet against eight WSOP cashes and is the chip leader with 409,000. Ugur Marangoz stands in second place with 402,000.
