HORSE is definitely the best name for a poker format. Comprised of five different variations – Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Stud, and Omaha Hi/Lo – it also happens to be the most comprehensive test of skills available at the World Series.
Usually an excursion for the game’s elite, Event #16 was a $1,500 version designed to give the masses a chance to play. They responded graciously, with 963 entrants comprising the biggest ever HORSE field at a WSOP event.
Among that number was unknown player Aaron Steury. The Indiana native has been grinding poker tables since he was old enough to enter a casino and showed his ability by placing 14th in the 2009 $3k WSOP HORSE event. At 24 years old, he as quietly amassed over $900,000 in career winnings.
Until this week, major titles have eluded him, but he can now claim ownership of poker’s most coveted artifact. “I’ve been playing high stakes online multi-table tournaments for about four years and never really had a score of any significance until this. It’s finally my day, I guess.”
He bested the likes of Michael Chow and Denis Ethier at the final table, both of whom already have their own golden wrist decorators. A large number of other big names fell along the way, but some survived to make meaningful cashes. Among the notable names near the final table were Victor Ramdin (9th), Todd Brunson (19th), Eli Elezra (21st), and Pat Pezzin (28th).
It’s not impossible for an unskilled player to win a bracelet by sheer luck and with no prior history, Steury will have some doubters to conquer. Still, as part of such a stacked field in such a skill intensive format, it seems unlikely that Aaron doesn’t have what it takes to compete at the highest level.
He proved as much in a hand that made headlines. During a Hold’em round, Steury was facing down some big bets with just Queen high, but refused to fold his hand. What would be pure madness in most situations turned out to be an amazing play, as his opponent flipped a busted draw to ship the pot.
Reminiscing about the moment post-match, Aaron recalls it as a pivotal moment. “I thought there was a pretty good chance I had the best hand. I was right and I was confident the rest of the tournament. I was spot on. That was the turning point.”
Final table payouts for WSOP 2011 Event #16 were as follows:
1. Aaron Steury ($289,283)
2. Michael Chow ($178,691)
3. Adam Friedman ($121,437)
4. Jonathan Tamayo ($84,516)
5. Ron Ware ($60,036)
6. Denis Ethier ($43,512)
7. David Baker ($32,150)
8. Paolo Compagno ($24,219)
9. Victor Ramdin ($18,577)