2019 World Series of Poker
Event #1: $500 Casino Employees Event
Jours 1
Event Info
Résultats
Event Info
Info Niveau
2019 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$297,975
Entrants
685
Niveau
33
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Niveau 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
The 50th Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) kicks off today with $500 buy-in Event #1: Casino Employees Event. The tournament is open to those who either work in casinos or in the gaming industry, and thanks to their sportsbook in New Jersey, DraftKings personnel are permitted to play.
They’ll be well represented in their first year of eligibility as a team of six players traveled from the East Coast to compete for the summer’s first bracelet. PokerNews caught up with each DraftKings employee – one of which is already a WSOP bracelet winner – talk about the opening event of the 2019 WSOP.
Stephen Rose
Age: 30
DraftKings Position: Senior Product Analyst
One year ago, Stephen Rose joined DraftKings as a senior product analyst who focuses on their casino product inside their sportsbook app.
“I mostly spend my time analyzing the effects that product changes have on our casinoperformance, and making predictions about the impacts that future product changes will have,” he explained.
Rose grew up and went to high school in Worcester, Massachusetts and attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) where he completed a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, as well as an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
A competitive swimmer for 14 years, Rose is an avid water skier and enjoys wakeboarding.
“My main hobby right now is Underwater Hockey, which I play twice a week and will be attending the National Championships in Orlando in June,” he said. “I’m also a scuba PADI Divemaster which is a professional rating, but sadly I haven’t been diving in over a year.”
So, where does poker fit in? It all started with his card-loving family and then during his college years from 2006-10 he played low stakes online as well as some cheap dealer’s choice games with college friends. He’d soon find himself playing in the Eastern Poker Tour league, at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in Connecticut, and now will be competing in his first-ever WSOP event.
“I have never really been a tournament player,” he admitted. “I have been out for the WSOP before, but I mainly spent my time at the cash games with a few small side tournaments sprinkled in.”
While he once played poker for a living, he now finds working for DraftKings has actually had a positive impact on his game.
“Honestly my game has probably gotten a little better since I left it as a pro, now that the emotional weight of needing to win to make a living has been lifted,” he said. “I will probably play a lot more once the Encore Boston Harbor opens up in June.”
While he hopes he’ll be the last player standing among the DraftKings team, he’s not underestimating his coworkers.
“Of the six of us playing, I’d have to put my money on Asad. He probably has the least lifetime poker experience out of all of us but at this point he is by far the most passionate about learning the game. He is plowing through all of the learning material he can get his hands on and is very responsible with his bankroll. I don’t see him blowing his stack early and think he has the best
shot at winning a last-longer bet.”
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
27,000
-1,200
|
-1,200 |
Niveau 8
: 400/800, 800 ante
The cutoff raised to 2,000, and Ben Guerena three-bet to 6,000 from the small blind. The cutoff thought briefly before tossing in a call.
After the 
flop fell, Guerena pointed to the flop and looked at his opponent, grinning. He then bet 9,000, and snapped off his last 23,300 after his opponent placed a stack of 5k chips in the pot to put him at risk.
Ben Guerena: 
Opponent: 
The table let out a gasp upon seeing the draws that Guerena had to fade in order to stave off elimination. He succeeded on the 
turn and 
river, and his aces-up netted him a double.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
60,200 |
Niveau: 8
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 800
Niveau 7
: 300/600, 600 ante
Four players limped in to see a 
flop together, and action checked to Kevin "KevMath" Mathers on the button, who bet 1,500. Derek Gomez check-raised to 3,500 in the small blind, and action folded back to Mathers, who thought for a moment before tossing in a call.
Gomez bet 4,000 after the fell on the turn, and Mathers gave it a moment of thought before tossing his hand in the muck.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
80,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
21,200
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
|
||
Niveau 7
: 300/600, 600 ante
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
160,000
55,500
|
55,500 |
|
|
85,000
1,000
|
1,000 |
|
|
78,000 | |
|
70,000
500
|
500 |
|
|
||
|
|
65,000
41,000
|
41,000 |
|
54,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
|
34,000 | |
|
||
|
|
31,000
-25,000
|
-25,000 |
|
30,600
-5,500
|
-5,500 |
|
||
|
|
30,600
30,600
|
30,600 |
|
|
29,300
-44,700
|
-44,700 |
|
|
||
|
|
28,200
3,200
|
3,200 |
|
|
||
|
|
28,200
-3,300
|
-3,300 |
|
|
27,000
2,400
|
2,400 |
|
|
||
|
26,100
-3,900
|
-3,900 |
|
23,000
-3,500
|
-3,500 |
|
|
||
|
19,200
9,500
|
9,500 |
|
14,600
-9,300
|
-9,300 |
|
10,000
-9,400
|
-9,400 |
|
|
||
Niveau: 7
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 600
Niveau 6
: 300/500, 500 ante
Players are off on their second fifteen-minute break of the day.
Niveau 6
: 300/500, 500 ante
Teng Zheng
Age: 24
DraftKings Position: Business Data Analyst
Born in China, Teng Zheng came to the United States when he was just four years old. He grew up in Philadelphia – he’s a huge Sixers fan – and would go on to attend Harvard University.
“I was first exposed to poker at a college retreat trip,” said Zheng, who enjoys watching/playing basketball and going out in New York City. “I remember having top pair, getting it all in on the flop versus aces and sucking out. Shortly after that I read some online resources/books and started grinding a bit online at micro-stakes.”
He continued: “I started playing a lot of home games my senior year of college, and my first casino experience was two years ago at Mohegan Sun. I remember being super nervous, but ended up positive that night. I’m primarily a $1/$2 and $2/$5 cash game player and haven’t played a WSOP event before so I’m really excited.”
As for who among the six-strong team he thinks would win a last longer, two players jump to mind.
“I think Steve Rose will last the longest because he plays very disciplined and usually doesn’t get out of line. That being said, Asad has been running hot online lately so hopefully his luck continues!”
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,700
9,700
|
9,700 |
Niveau 6
: 300/500, 500 ante
A player under-the-gun raised to 1,500, and Yori Epskamp called in the hijack.
The under-the-gun player bet 2,500 on the 
flop, and Epskamp called.
Both players checked the 
turn, and the under-the-gun player bet 5,000 on the 
river. Epskamp raised to 16,200, and his opponent snapped him off, only to muck after Epskamp showed 
.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
66,500
22,500
|
22,500 |
|
|
||