Campanello came out on top of a stacked field in the $2,500 Razz event and beat one of the best mixed game players in the world – David “The Gunslinger” Bach – heads-up to win his first WSOP title and $178,052.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” he said.
“It’s such an accomplishment in a game where there is so much variance. It’s crazy to be up there with all the other great players who have won bracelets.”
Despite being just 21, it was a dream fulfilled for Campanello, who saw poker amateur Chris Moneymaker win the WSOP Main Event when he was in seventh grade.
Campanello and his friends immediately looked up the rules to No-Limit Hold’em and started playing $5 home games.
“We read Super/System because we told our teacher it was the biography of Doyle Brunson,” he laughed. “She let us use it for a project.”
Campanello Beats Mix-Game Master David Bach Heads-Up
Campanello found he had an affinity for the game and started playing the WSOP Circuit on a regular basis when he came of age. He thinks playing the smaller-stakes events around the United States helped improve his game in a big way.
“You get used to playing every day on the circuit,” he said.
“I think that’s why you see so many circuit kids doing so well. We put in a ton of volume. We’re used to the grind.”
The poker lifestyle has worked out well for Campanello who loves to travel. Earlier this year he traveled to Dublin for the Irish Open.
“What 20 year olds is taking a week to go to Ireland?” he said. “I love the freedom of poker. I got up at 1 p.m. today and no one yelled at me. That’s another thing I love about it.”
Campanello is now heading back to Texas to take some time off from poker but he’ll be back in Vegas for the $10,000 2013 WSOP Main Event.
“I’m really excited to get to play the big one,” he said.
“All the old-timers are telling stories about ‘the big one’ and it really is that now. It’s $9 million up top. The chance to be able to play in the biggest poker tournament with the most prestige, a bracelet up top and a $9 million for first place is just nuts.”
Here are the complete final table payouts for Event 33 $2,500 Razz:
1st: Bryan Campanello - $178,052 2nd: David Bach - $110,098 3rd: Jim Wheatley - $72,346 4th: Sebastian Pauli - $52,844 5th: Ivan Schertzer - $39,128 6th: Brent Keller - $29,369 7th: Rick Fuller - $22,351 8th: Ismael Bojang - $17,235Visit www.pokerlistings.com