Noted U.S. online pro Jim “Mr_BigQueso” Collopy defeated Australia’s Edison Nguyen to win his first WSOP bracelet in WSOP APAC Event 2 $1,650 PLO for $69,662.
It wasn’t Collopy’s biggest score but the young poker player was clearly thrilled to finally secure a bracelet.
“It’s awesome,” said Collopy. “It’s always nice to get the FTOPS jersey, or the WSOP bracelet in this case.”
This wasn’t Collopy’s first time in the WSOP spotlight as he famously finished second to Gus Hansen in the £10k high roller heads-up event at the WSOPE.
Collopy quickly put to rest the idea that this event was any sort of redemption for his runner-up finish in 2010.
“They’re just tournaments,” said a smiling Collopy.
It was perhaps fitting the Collopy won his first bracelet in Melbourne as he’s spent a great deal of time living in Australia since Black Friday occurred in 2011.
“It’s perfect here,” he said
“Australia has been great for me. I’ve come back from huge downswings here and it’s skipping the snow and not ever having to put on socks or shoes is what it’s really all about.”
Shak, Rettenmaier Bust Early in PLO Final
Some of the air in the room was let out when international poker circuit regulars Dan Shak and Marvin Rettenmaier were both eliminated in the early going.
Rettenmaier was the first player to bust when his pocket queens failed him against Shak.
Shak made it to five-handed but was crippled in a crucial hand against Nguyen where the Australian flopped trip fives.
The commodities trader never fully recovered from the hand and lost all his chips to Nguyen several hands later.
In an odd coincidence Collopy was wearing the exact same type of hat that Bryan Piciolli wore when he won the first event of WSOP APAC – a red Washington Bullets baseball cap.
Here’s a complete look at the final-table payouts:
1. Jim Collopy - $69,662 2. Edison Nguyen - $43,050 3. Tino Lechich - $30,988 4. Scott Reid - $22,712 5. Dan Shak - $16,940 6. Paul Sharbanee - $12,856 7. Mike Leah - $9,923 8. Martin Kozlov - $7,784 9. Marvin Rettenmaier - $6,207Visit www.pokerlistings.com