2017 WSOP Main Event Final Table Quiz

Answer: Michael Ruane

Michael Ruane had an incredible run this year, finishing painfully shy of another final table in tenth place for $825,001. Another November Niner from last year, Kenny Hallaert also ran deep going out 64th this year. Ruane finished in fourth place last year for $2,576,003.

Since the poker boom only two players have been able to make back to back trips to the final table, Dan Harrington in 2003 and 2004 and Mark Newhouse in 2013 and 2014. Harrington also won the Main Event in 1995 prior to the poker boom.

Answer: John Hesp

During the later days of the Main Event John became a sensation for his brash, unorthodox play and his tendency to show his hands when he didn't have to. John entered the Main Event as a bucket list item and set out to have as much fun as possible. His spirit won over both players and spectators alike.

John entered the final table second in chips with 85,700,000. He took the chip lead for a short time until he ran into a cooler and lost most of his chips to Scott Blumstein. John held AT against Scott's AA. There was an Ace on the flop and a ten on the turn giving John top two against Scott's set. John was still able to hold on before eventually going out in fourth place for $2,600,000.

Answer: Antoine Saout

In 2009, Saout finished third winning $3,479,670. In 2016, he finished 25th for $269,430. This year he nursed a short stack for much of the final table until he was finally knocked out by eventual champ Scott Blumstein in fifth place. In hand 126 Antoine held KcJd vs Scott's 5s3s.

The flop came Jc7d6c giving Antoine top pair. The turn was the $c giving Scott an unbeatable straight. An unfortunate Jh fell on the river improving Antoine to trips. Scott pushed all in on the river and Antoine eventually called. Antoine won $2,000,000 this year.

As of 2017, Antoine has amassed winnings in excess of $7,500,000.

Answer: Bryan Piccioli

Bryan Piccioli won his bracelet at the WSOP Asia/Pacific in 2013. He has 27 WSOP cashes to his name. This year he finished in sixth place when his A7os ran into Dan Ott's KK in the big blind. Bryan did not improve enough and was gone on hand 122. He won $1,675,000 for his finish.

Answer: Ben Lamb

Ben Lamb is no stranger to Main Event success. In 2009, he finished 14th winning $633,022. In 2011, he bettered that by finishing third winning $4,021,138. Earlier in 2011 he won his first bracelet in the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha event. He made four final tables in 2011 in route to his WSOP Player of the Year award.

Ben's luck ran out early at this year's final table and he was knocked out in ninth place on the fourth hand of the night by Jack Sinclair. Jack held AQ vs Ben's A9 suited. Ben did not improve. Ben earned another $1,000,000 for his efforts.

Answer: Jack Sinclair

Jack Sinclair had very little live results before this year's final table. He has been playing online professionally for the last two years before his friends, Philipp Gruissem and Anton Morgenstern, talked him into trying live.

On hand 64 Jack ran his KJ suited into Brian Piccioli's pocket Aces. He hit a King on the flop but did not improve further and was knocked out in eighth place for $1,200,000.

Answer: Scott Blumstein

Scott Blumstein had a somewhat wild ride getting to the final table but once there he was almost unstoppable. The key hand against John Hesp catapulted him into a chip lead that he would not relinquish for the rest of the final table. Going into heads up against Dan Ott he held an almost 2 to 1 chip lead. Still it took another 65 hands of heads up play for him to finish off Dan. Scott won the bracelet and $8,100,000.

Blumstein had a plan to only play the Main Event this year for the first time and win it. Many players come to Vegas with that dream. For this East Coast grinder it came true. Scott's previous biggest win was in July 2016 when he won a Borgata tournament for just shy of $200,000.

Answer: Damian Salas

Damian Salas had over $900,000 in live tournament earnings and over $4,000,000 when his online winnings are considered prior to this year's final table. He made a final table at a preliminary WSOP event in 2016 along with 14 previous cashes. Salas nursed the short stack for a long time before a nasty river card sent him packing on hand 102. Salas held AT against Ott's pocket fours on a board that read A23. Salas checked to Ott who bet enough to put Salas all-in and Salas called.

The turn was a 6 and the river was a 5 to give Ott the straight. Salas earned $1,425,000 for his seventh place finish.

Answer: Benjamin Pollack

Benjamin Pollack had previous success in the Main Event finishing 27th in 2013 for $285,488. He had just shy of $3,000,000 in live tournament earnings prior to this year's final table. He and Saout are good friends and have travelled the European circuit together. Pollack started three hand play as the short stack but battled to take second place before finally succumbing in a three way all-in hand. On hand 181, Pollack pushed all-in holding QcTd. Ott pushed all-in over the top holding Kc9d and Blumstein called holding AhQs.

The flop came KdJs3d giving Ott the lead. The turn and river bricked knocking Pollack out in third place for $3,500,000.

Answer: Dan Ott

Dan Ott was another first timer in the Main Event this year. Ott struggled the first night of the final table but then went on a run on the second night. Ott started the second night with just over 16 million chips and ran that up to 88 million by the end of the night.

Although Ott battled valiantly he was never able to overcome Scott's massive chip lead. In a key hand early on the third night Scott bluffed all-in and Ott could not find a call. Had he called that hand he would have been the massive chip leader and Scott would have fallen to a very distant third.

Ott won $4,700,000 for his second place finish.