On Tuesday night, the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event came to a close. Young 23-year-old professional poker player Ryan Riess earned the gold bracelet and $8,361,570 first-place prize after defeating Jay Farber heads up.
All photos were done by the amazing Joe Giron, so please, enjoy!
Back on July 16, the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event had just nine players left. It was these nine players that would return in November to play for $8,361,570.
Part of Marc-Etienne McLaughlin's rail included 2010 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel.
While the railbirds awaited entry into the Penn & Teller Theater to take their seats, the WSOP tournament staff prepared the final table, which included the unbagging and verifying of the players' chip stacks.
Many anxious spectators awaited the start of the final table. The line formed early and stretched a couple hundred people down the halls of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
When the doors opened, each group of supporters flocked to their respective sections in the theater, with Ryan Riess' rail front and center.
Mark Newhouse entered the final table as one of the short stacks and bowed out in ninth place for $733,224.
David Benefield fought hard and made some impressive folds without many chips, but his run ended in eighth place for $944,650.
Next to go was Michiel Brummelhuis. The first Dutchman to make the official WSOP Main Event final table was eliminated in seventh place for $1,225,356.
Amongst the railbirds supporting Sylvain Loosli were a pair of European Poker Tour champions, Ludovic Lacay and Davidi Kitai.
On the other side of the stage opposite Loosli's rail was Jay Farber's rail, complete with a few pandas.
McLaughlin was very active during the final table, but all of that came to an end when he fell in sixth place, taking home $1,601,024.
McLaughlin's face says it all.
Finishing in fifth place was JC Tran, the player who began the final table as the chip leader. Tran never got going in the right direction and took home $2,106,893 for his efforts.
Loosli was eliminated in fourth place, providing a great sweat for the French and taking home $2,792,533.
The elder statesman of the final table, Amir Lehavot, made it all the way to three-handed play, but that's where his run would end. Lehavot took third place for $3,727,823.
After Lehavot fell in third place, Riess and Farber were all smiles as they embraced briefly to celebrate making it to heads-up play.
The final two players, Riess and Farber, would play for a difference of nearly $3,200,000 between first and second place.
You want to know what $8,361,570 looks like up close? Here it is! The icing on the cake is the 2013 WSOP Main Event gold bracelet.
Farber extends his arms to fire a large bet during heads-up play, which certainly didn't lack entertainment.
Pained with a decision and facing a large bet from Farber, Riess spends several minutes in the tank.
After grabbing the chip lead, Riess never looked back and eventually had Farber on the ropes.
Riess anxiously waiting for the next card. He can taste it.
One more card to come and the title would be his -- Riess and his supporters can feel it.
Farber watches the final card fall that ends his run in second place. He earned $5,174,357 -- nothing to hang your head about.
Riess embraced by his friends and family after claiming victory and the $8,361,570 first-place prize.
After getting congratulated by his fans, Riess congratulated Farber on a job well done as the two hugged it out.
The new champion Riess with his Mom and Dad.
Riess with his parents, brother, and sister.
2013 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Ryan Riess!
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