2015 World Series of Poker

Wednesday at the 2015 World Series of Poker featured the final table of Event #28: Monster Stack $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em, and Nova Scotia native Eric Place was nine players away from a WSOP gold bracelet and almost $1.3 million.

Place entered the day sixth in chips and didn’t take long to rise to the top. Place got a big double-up against Asi Moshe in hand #60. Place called an open of 1,600,000 on the big blind and flopped two pair with . Both players checked and the fell on the turn. Place led out for 1.8 million and Moshe shoved. Place made the call and doubled through after the came on the river besting Moshe’s .

Six hands later, Place took command of the tournament with another huge double-up. After Christian Rodriguez raised to 2,000,000 in the small blind, Place shoved all in and Rodriguez snap-called. Place was in good shape with against Rodriguez’s . Place stayed in the lead through the flop but the on the turn left Place needing saved the river. The dealer tapped the felt and slid out the giving Place a straight and a massive chip lead.

Place cruised the rest of the way until he and Florida poker dealer Perry Shiao were heads up. The two battled for 40 hands before Shiao was able to eliminate the Canuck. Place opened to 4,000,000 and Shiao called. Shiao led out for 4,500,000 after they saw the and Place raised all in. Shiao called with and Place was ahead with . The turn left Place drawing dead as the gave Shiao a flush. The meaningless fell on the river and Place was eliminated in second for $796,834.

Shiao earned $1,286,942 for the win in only his second career live recorded cash, besting his previous career earnings of under $9,000.