Insert Witty Beach Boys Reference Here

Brian Wilson (no, not that Brian Wilson) won Event #20 ($5,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em) yesterday, and we’re not even going to bother making a reference to the Beach Boys, to Bare Naked Ladies (i.e. “…lying in bed, just like Brian Wilson did…”), to Wilson Phillips, or to Charles Manson. 

No, that would do injustice to the latest WSOP winner.  Sure, we’d like to win a WSOP bracelet, just like Brian Wilson did.  But obvious pop-culture-ish jokes about some guy who shares the same name as one of music’s greatest icons is entirely too easy, and quite frankly, beneath Wicked Chops Poker.

So on to the action.  To win the coveted bracelet, Wilson battled heads-up with John Gale, who at one time held a 5-1 chip advantage.  But twice Wilson won huge pots (once going all-in with pocket 6’s and making a straight after Gale called with A-J and had hit a Jack, and another time making trip 4’s to best Gale’s pocket 10’s).  In the end, Gale was unable to hold on for one more day.  No, things did not go his way. 

On the final hand, Wilson had the button and raised to $34,000.  Gale re-raised it to $94,000.  Wilson re-re-raised to $276,000.  Gale re-re-re-raised it, pushing all of his chips into the pot.  Apparently, they both liked their hands.

Wilson called with an Ac-Qd. Gale had the Kc-Js.  God only knows that Wilson was now a big favorite to win the hand, as Gale only had six outs. 

The flop comes up 9d-6s-3c, and Gale starts thinking to himself, “Help me, Rhonda!” (a common Gale expression…well, as far as you know). The turn produces a 7h, and Gales thinks to himself (as far as you know), “Wouldn’t it be nice for a King or Jack to spike the board.”  But the river is the 2c, and Brian Wilson’s A-Q shuts down John Gale.  Let’s just say that Brian Wilson was picking up good vibrations at that point.

Along with the bracelet, Wilson earned $370,685 (Kokomo here I come!).  Gale pockets $204,440 for second.  Other notables included: 4th: Allen Cunningham - $89,685, 7: Cyndy Violette - $44,930, 14th: David 'Devil Fish' Ulliott - $13,480, 16th:  Erik Seidel - $11,235, and 18th: Ted “Yah Man I have a straight” Lawson - $11,235.