Vietnamese poker star wins big in Las Vegas despite accidentally entering wrong tournament
40-year-old professional accidentally enters game he's never played and leaves with top prize
It's one thing to outlast hundreds or thousands of poker players to win one of the World Series of Poker's 68 events and the Las Vegas tournament's coveted gold bracelet. It's another thing entirely to win a game you've never played before.
Christian Pham, a Vietnamese immigrant living in St Paul, Minnesota, did exactly that on Thursday, rising to the top of 219 players, including a few poker icons - by accident.
The 40-year-old professional poker player said he intended to play no-limit Texas Hold 'Em but instead inadvertently signed up for a different game happening the same day: so-called no-limit deuce-to-seven draw lowball. The cost? A US$1,500 buy-in.
"It's a totally different game. Different mindset. Different strategies," said Shawn Harris, Pham's dealer at the final table.
Essentially, the goal is to have the lowest poker hand, no straights or flushes, and if a player ends up with a pair, it's better if it's a pair of twos. Players can also draw cards.
The event was just one of 68, all offering a chance at a golden bracelet prize, happening in Las Vegas at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino throughout the 51-day World Series of Poker that started on May 27 and culminates with the closely watched Main Event.