The latest in a long line of professional poker players winning bracelets at the 2012 WSOP, Steinberg is the 28th pro or semi-pro to win through 33 events.
Steinberg, originally from Washington, D.C. but now residing in Oakland, California, defeated an unusually difficult final table in the most recent $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event.
“When I got second two years ago I felt like I’d never get another chance at it but it came around again,” Steinberg told PokerListings.com after receiving his bracelet.
“I was really happy with the way I played and I think I was the best player at the table and I won, so everything’s good,” he said.
Steinberg defeated Samuel Gerber from Brugg, Switzerland heads-up to lay claim to the $440,238. They were the last two players standing from an original field of 2,795.
Gerber now has two runner-up finishes at the World Series of Poker and he would have become just the second player from Switzerland to win a gold bracelet had he defeated Steinberg.
Finishing third was former PokerListings.com blogger Matt Stout. This was Stout’s second final table, having finished 8th in a $1,500 No-Limit event in 2011.
And Ryan Laplante, who finished 7th, had also made a WSOP final table previous to this event.
So far this summer the World Series has been dominated by professional players. Through the completion of 33 events just five bracelets have been won by amateur players.
“The final table was surprisingly tough and all the best players were on my left which was unfortunate for me but whenever you win a tournament like this, whether it’s mostly pros or mostly amateurs, you obviously have to have luck on your side to win,” said Steinberg.
“But I do look at it as a big accomplishment. It takes a good player to win and I believe I’m a good player,” he added.
Steinberg now has just over $1 million in live tournament earnings.
From Friend’s Basement to Gold Bracelet
Max Steinberg is one half of a pair of identical twins. He and his brother Danny came up together in poker, as well as life.
They both began playing poker in a friend’s basement and they both made the jump to online, depositing $50 and sharing an account on the internet.
It was the first and only time they’d have to deposit.
Steinberg cut his teeth online playing Sit and Gos and it wasn’t long before he was ready to go pro.
In his second year at American University in D.C. Steinberg made the decision to drop out of school to play poker for a living. His brother followed suit.
That was in 2007 and within a year Max had his first major live score, a runner-up finish at an LAPT event in Costa Rica worth $144,773.
Max’s brother Danny no longer plays poker professionally. He left the game to work in finance.
Max decided to stick with it, a decision he’s especially happy about after last night.
“I’m happy doing what I’m doing. I won a World Series event so clearly I’m doing something right,” said Steinberg.
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