Michael Rocco Wins WSOP Event 35

In an age where internet wiz kids are taking down six figure paydays left and right, little thought is given to players like Michael Rocco who reached the top the hard way by paying a lot of dues along the way. He’s been playing stud since 1987 and was a former dealer at the Dunes. His first tournament victory had come all the way back in 1991 when he took down the 7 card stud event at the 7th Annual Diamond Jim Brady, and his only other Stud tournament victory had come in 2003 at Bellagio during the Five Diamond - WPT Season 2.

It was a day Mike Rocco had worked for his entire life, and last night when he had finally sealed the deal by taking out the last of competitors, we saw just how much a WSOP bracelet meant to this old timer. He waved his hands in the air unable to control his emotions, then headed over to the crowd and celebrated with his supporters and moments later with the bracelet already on his wrist he let out a few tears of joy as he spoke on the phone with another supporter.

The event he won was 2008 WSOP Event #35 - $1,500 buy in Seven Card Stud where he out lasted a 381 player field taking home $135,753 along with his first World Series of Poker bracelet. When the final table had started he had a slight chip lead over Al Barbieri, and those two players survived, as their six tablemates hit the rail, to play heads up for the bracelet. After a long fought battle Rocco bested Barbieri winning the event, his first career bracelet and the $135,753 top place prize money.

When the night had started the seating positions and chip counts were:

Seat 1: Levon Torosyan (Los Angeles, California) - 114,500
Seat 2: Al Barbieri (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) - 252,500
Seat 3: Max Troy (Los Angeles, California) - 88,500
Seat 4: Michael Rocco (Las Vegas, Nevada) - 255,000
Seat 5: Giacomo D’Agostino (North Providence , Rhode Island) - 123,000
Seat 6: Andre Boyer (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) - 106,000
Seat 7: Jeffrey Siegal (Daly City, California) - 150,000
Seat 8: Danny Kalpakis (Ajax, Ontario, Canada) - 55,000

Key hands of the final table:

Jeffrey Siegal eliminated in eighth place earning $14,041

The first casualty of the final table was Jeffrey Siegal when he got all his chips in against Max Troy on sixth street. The hands were shown and they both were hit nines are their last draw.

Troy: (7h-7c) 7d-6h-8c-Qc (9d)
Siegal: (As-Ac) 3c-kd-2c-2h-(9s)

Siegal had a great hand with Aces up, but Troy had sevens rolled up and eliminated Siegal in eighth place of the tournament.

Andre Boyer eliminated in seventh place earning $16,642

Boyer was never able to get his short stack going and was eliminated by trip fours made by Al Barbieri when they put all the chips in on third street. Boyer couldn’t make a better five card hand and Al Barbieri eliminated Andre boyer in seventh place.

Danny Kalpakis eliminated in sixth place earning $21,842

The last hand before the break Kalpakis found himself in a big hand with Al Barbieri and Max Troy. Troy ducked out on third street and it was Barbieri and Troy left in the hand. Barbieri held split deuces and on fifth street made trips which was enough to beat Troy’s dry aces.

Giacomo D’Agostino eliminated in fifth place earning $28,083

D’Agostino was playing a short stack throughout the tournament and finally put all his chips in with split tens and received action from Mike Rocco who held aces in the hole. Fourth street came and D’Agostino drew an ace and still has not improved his pair of tens. On sixth street Rocco put D’Agostino against the wall when he drew the case ace to make trips. D’Agostino put up a well fought battle but fell in fifth place.

Max Troy eliminated in fourth place earning $37,184

Al Barbieri brought in showing a seven of spades and both Levon Torosyan and Max Troy called. On fourth street Troy led out, Torosyan called and Barbieri folded. Fifth and sixth street Troy bet out, but was raised on sixth street and Troy called and was all in. The hands were revealed and the final card was dealt:

Troy: (Kd-10s) As-Ac-Qh-2h (x)
Torosyan: (4s-4h) Kc-4c-10h-9s (x)

Torosyan was in command the entire hand and rubbed it in on seventh street when he made a full house and eliminated Max Troy from the final table.

Levon Torosyan eliminated in third place earning $50,186

Right before Levon Torosyan was eliminated he lost a major pot to Mike Rocco. On fourth and fifth streets Torosyan was check-calling down Rocco’s bets. When they got to seventh street, Torosyan had only 26,000 chips left and they each were showing:

Torosyan: Ad-4d-2c-2s
Rocco: 2d-5s-7s-3s

Torosyan bet again on the final street and left himself with 6,000 in chips. Rocco went into the tank for several minutes and finally made the call. Torosyan showed his other cards and all he could produce out of 7 cards was a pair of deuces. Rocco seen his cards and says, “That’s all you have!?” while flipping over his cards showing a pair of jacks. Rocco is pumped up clapping and yelling. Barbieri had a disgusted look on his face and people assumed it was because of Rocco’s actions after winning the pot, but then Barbieri asked Rocco why he didn’t raise seventh street and make Torosyan put his remaining 6,000 in chips in.

With Torosyan’s 6,000 in chips left he managed to triple it, but then lost it finally to Rocco a few hands later.

The final hand of the tournament came after Rocco crippled Barbieri after a hand where Barbieri lead out each street and also bet the river dark. Rocco raised his river bet and Barbieri was so pot committed that he had to call and Rocco showed a seven high straight. The next hand was dealt and Barbieri put his remaining short stack all in on third street. They ran the hands and Barbieri was only able to make a pair of three’s and Rocco made a pair of kings to win the hand, which eliminated Barbieri from the tournament.

Poker Prop Congratulated Mike Rocco on winning event #35, his first WSOP bracelet and the $135,753 top place prize money!