Mike ‘Timex’ keluaran sgp just retired from poker, at age 20. McDonald made his name by winning the EPT Main Event for $1.3 million, and by earning himself a seven figure bankroll in online poker. But months later, he’s right back out of retirement, making major tracks. He wrote on his blog, “I don’t hate poker by any means, and I do plan on sticking with it to some degree.”
Returning to the tables this summer, McDonald made his first final table at the 2011 WSOP, and soon set goals to win an Epic Poker League (EPL) event. McDonald entered the first event, but was knocked out by the tough crowd long before the money. The second event proved to be a different story: McDonald beat a field of 97 of Epic Poker’s qualified players, cashing in at a handsome $782,410. After the win, the pro commented, “I couldn’t have a better birthday gift than this.” McDonald said, “It was a tough day, against tough players at the table. The Epic Poker League is extremely competitive and it’s rare I’m at a table where I feel that many of the players are better than myself.”
Coming hand-in-hand with the prize money was a free seat to the $1 Million Freeroll Championship, which will be played in February by the top 27 Epic Poker League players. So far, only four players have cashed in both EPL events: Erik Seidel, Adam Levy, Matt Glantz, and Isaac Baron. These four will likely also play the Freeroll Championship. Adam Levy achieved a position of note, being the final table bubble boy for both EPL events. Levy joked, “I’m looking at back-to-back bubbles as more of feat than a beat. Surely no one will surpass it for years to come.”
Seidel, who has put together the most impressive heater in the history of poker in the last year, made the final table. He hung on until fourth place, when his pocket fives ran into Fabrice Soulier’s pocket nines. Seidel walked home with $184,100, which marks his ninth $100+ cash for the year. In 2011, Seidel has earned $6.4 million.
Final table results:
- Mike McDonald ($782,410)
- David Steicke ($506,260)
- Fabrice Soulier ($299,160)
- Erik Seidel ($184,100)
- Nam Le ($126,570)
- Isaac Baron ($92,050)
- Sean Getzwiller ($69,040)
- Dutch Boyd ($57,530)
- Adam Levy ($46,020)