David Bach wins 2009 WSOP Event 49, $50K HORSE37-year old professional poker play David Bach claimed the second annual Chip Reese Trophy last night by winning 2009 WSOP Event 49, $50,000 buy-in HORSE. The final table lasted an astonishing 492 hands and commenced with a seven-hour long heads up battle between Bach and the runner up finisher John Hansen.

Bach has been playing poker professionally for six years, prior to that he was a professional bowler.

In his post match interview David Bach commented:

“In bowling, you have to control your body and your mind at the same time,” he said. “In poker, you only have to control your mind. So, all that training of controlling the mind and body helps make the pressure of poker much easier”. When asked how he kept his concentration through out this marathon battle he said. “I said, just be a professional. I kept looking at Chip Reese’s name on that trophy and that’s what he would do.”

Bach now has five WSOP final table appearances and 11 cashes for $2.4 million in career earnings. While Bach’s accomplishment will forever be engraved on the trophy, Hanson’s performance must not be forgotten. In 2007, Hanson took third in the event. With his runner-up finish this year, he has earned the recognition of the industry as one of the best HORSE players in the world.

Also at the final table were two players who were vying for player of the year honors. Vitaly Lunkin, who won the $40,000 no-limit hold ‘em Event 2, finished in fourth while Ville Wahlbeck, winner of the $10,000 mixed game world championship, finished in sixth. Wahlbeck currently sits second on the player of the year leaderboard with finishes of first, second, third, sixth, 12th and 13th place in 2009.

Fan favorites Huck Seed, Erik Seidel and Chau Giang were also looking for gold, but all were eliminated nearly 10 hours before the tournament was complete.

Other notable finishers included Gus Hansen (ninth), David Chiu (12th) and 2007 world champion Freddy Deeb (14th).

2009 WSOP Event 49 Results

1. David Bach ($1,276,802)
2. John Hanson ($789,199)
3. Erik Sagstrom ($522,394)
4. Vitaly Lunkin ($368,813)
5. Huck Seed ($276,610)
6. Ville Wahlbeck ($219,655)
7. Chau Giang ($184,087)
8. Erik Seidel ($162,382)
9. Gus Hansen ($123,895)
10. Mike Wattel ($123,895)
11. Ray Dehkharghani ($99,590)
12. David Chiu ($99,590)
13. Tony Guoga ($83,630)
14. Freddy Deeb ($83,630)
15. Steve Billirakis ($72,914)
16. John Kabbaj ($72,914)