WSOP: Cheung wins first bracelet, unknown leading H.O.R.S.E event

Cheung collects first WSOP bracelet

Robert Cheung earned $673,628 for winning Event #38, a $1,500 No Limit Hold'em tournament that drew the sixth-largest field in poker history (2,778).

The 46-year old business man from Vancouver, B.C. started taking poker seriously about two years ago, after learning to play the game with his friends.

He learned quickly, finishing fourth in the Lake Tahoe WSOP circuit event earlier this year. This was Cheung's third cash of the Series.

While Cheung won the bracelet, the hearts of poker fans belonged to third-placer finisher Erica Schoenberg. The former model has translated her blackjack skills into a solid play at the felt, netting her first WSOP final table much to the delight of her many railbirds.

She had the final table lead for a time, but eventually succumbed to Cheung and second-place finisher Richard Muchnik. Schoenberg netted $261,646 for her finish while Muchnik collected $417,117

Relative unknown leads H.O.R.S.E event

A player few people have ever heard is now the person everyone in the poker world would like to be. John Hanson, a New Yorker with $21,000 in major tournament earnings, is leading the coveted $50,000 H.O.R.S.E World Championship.

Close behind are a few players you'd expect to see.

Toto Leonidas, Eli Elezra and Allen Cunningham are in the top-five, closely followed by David Oppenheim, Mike Matusow and Phil Ivey. Hanson, with $640,000 in chips, has an 80,000-chip lead on the rest of the field.

Last year's H.O.R.S.E World Championship final duo is still alive. Andy Bloch is sitting in 11th place with $425,000 and defending champion Chip Reese is in 19th place with $332,000.

Only 52 players remain with two days to play, including Phil Hellmuth (13th), Daniel Negreanu (22), Greg Raymer (25) and Annie Duke (39).

Final table set for $1,500 Mixed Hold'em Event #40

Renowned poker author and Full Tilt blogger Michael Craig is the featured attraction in this final nine.

Craig, best known for his books The Professor, the Banker and the Suicide King and The Full Tilt Tournament Strategy Guide, can also play. Most of Craig's poker success has come online, but he has seemingly learned a few things about live play after years of sweating the pros for a living.

Craig is currently in second chip position, trailing Christoph Niesert.

Fred Goldberg, who was the final table bubble in the 2006 WSOP Main Event, is continuing to prove his skills, cashing for the fifth time at this year's Series. This is also Goldberg's second final table. He is currently in fourth-place.

Other notable finishers included J.C. Tran (14), Phil Gordon (15) and Jeffrey Lisandro (18).

The winner of this event will receive $205,271.