It was more than enough to beat Blumenfield’s queen-high hand. McKeehen had 128.825 million, Blumenfield had 40.125 million, and Josh Beckley rounded out the trio with 23.7 million. Going into the final and throughout the entire event, the victor held an overwhelming lead in poker chips, and moments after winning was characteristically nonchalant. Play lasted almost 5 hours and 45 minutes in real time on Sunday, but consumed 4 hours, 10 minutes of tournament clock play and led to the elimination of three players. Each of the nine finalists at the final table was secured with a payout of no less than $1,001,020.
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The runner-ups don’t go away empty-handed. “It was definitely easier than facing adversity and battling”.
Well-heeled Max Steinberg who has made tailored suits his trademark at poker tables populated with hoodies and sneakers won’t need to find another suit for day three of the World Series of Poker finale.
The World Series dates to 1970, when it began as an invitation-only event. McKeehen had nearly 33 percent of the chips in play when the final table resumed Sunday after a 117-day layoff and ended play Monday with two-thirds of the chips.
The two played on – sitting between stacks of cash and a prized, pricey, World Series of Poker bracelet encrusted with diamonds and rubies – until McKeehen claimed the final victory, landing a lucky second 10. Blumenfield and Beckley commandeered his chip collection. Never once did any player at any time during the past three days so much as put pressure on him.
The poker pro turned daily fantasy sports player had taken a break from the green felt before the World Series of Poker’s Main Event to focus on the explosive online fantasy sports games. He then outed one more player, with competitors taking down two additional players to leave only three remaining.
By the end of the first day of play at the final table, the man from Philadelphia was an even bigger favorite.
The 24-year-old from North Wales, Penn., came in with the largest chip lead under the current format and never faltered. The player seemed genuinely happy about being crowned this year’s World Champion, an accomplishment he described as the greatest “anyone can have in this game”. At 61 years old, Blumenfield added a few personality to what was an otherwise fairly subdued final table. The recently-laid-off software executive from the Bay Area, nearly didn’t enter this event after having second thoughts about paying the $10,000 entry fee just weeks after his layoff. Things couldn’t get better for the chip leader right? McKeehen forced a short-stacked Josh Beckley into a decision for all of his chips.
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Zvi Stern, 36, from Herzliya, Israel, is the second Israeli to qualify for the November Nine.
