Mike Gorodinsky and John Beauprez were the lucky two who wrapped WSOP gold around their wrists.
Gorodinsky defeated an elite field in Event #5, $2,500 Omaha 8/Seven-Card Stud while Beauprez knocked off tough German pro Manig Loeser heads-up to grab Event #4, $1,500 No-Limit Holdem Six-Max.
Meanwhile Andy Hwang zeroed in on the Millionaire Maker and 2007 WSOPE champion Annette Obrestad moved her way to the top of the counts in another massive $1k No-Limit event.
Beauprez Tops Loeser, Cada for $324k
Former WSOP champ Joe Cada was the big name at the final table but it was grinder John Beauprez who walked away with the hardware this time in Event #4, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max.
The 28 year old from Colorado had an impressive rail of poker friends to cheer him to the win including 2011 WSOP Player of the Year Ben Lamb.
Tough pros Keven "Stammdogg" Stammen and Mike Mustafa along wth German Manig Loeser also stood in Beauprez's way but he managed to hold on for his first career bracelet.
The official final table and payouts:
1. John Beauprez $324,764 2. Manig Loeser $200,698 3. Eric Blair $127,300 4. Joe Cada $83,558 5. Mike Mustafa $56,499 6. Keven Stammen $39,325Gorodinsky Defeats Ashton, Ahmed for Mixed Bracelet
The first mixed event of the 2013 WSOP drew the expected crowd of high-end pros to the felt but in the end it was lesser known Mike Gorodinsky who took the gold in Event #5, $2,500 Omaha 8/Seven-Card Stud.
A veteran grinder in his own right with a few notable mixed-game titles to his credit Gorodinsky outlasted an impressive final 15 that included Daniel Negreanu and Mike "The Mouth" Matusow.
In the final eight with him were past winner of the same event Owais Ahmed, WSOP notable and SCOOP crusher George Danzer and Matt Ashton.
Gorodinsky earned $216,958 for the win and for the icing on top took the lead in the $25k Fantasy League as he picked himself for his own team.
Official final results and payouts:
1. Mike Gorodinsky $216,958 2. Kristopher Tong $134,017 3. Matthew Ashton $86,437 4. Owais Ahmed $62,631 5. George Fotiadis $46,048 6. George Danzer $34,348 7. Mack Lee $25,993 8. Julie Schneider $19,952 9. Dustin Leary $15,536Hwang On His Way in Millionaire Maker, Obrestad Stacked in $1k
Filling out the rest of the Rio on a jam-packed day of action were plenty of hopefuls in a couple of low buy-in "dream-making" events.
In the marquee "Millionaire Maker" event well over 1,000 runners returned with the dream intact and by day's end just 134 players still had a chance to scoop the first $1m win at the 2013 WSOP.
WPT Borgata Open champ Andy Hwang is in the pole position heading into Day 3 with 912,000.
Check the recap of all the action in our Live Updates and tune back in tomorrow at 1 pm for more Follow the Chips coverage.
Two more bracelet events got underway on top of all that action with Annette Obrestad in the top 3 of the latest $1k No-Limit Hold'em event and Eric Crain tops in Event #8, $2,500 Eight-Game Mix.
Check back in this spot tomorrow for updates.
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