Seat 2: Daniel Alaei - 1,800,000
A few years ago, those who've heard of Daniel Alaei were only the ones immersed within the poker industry on a daily basis. Since then, Alaei has quietly made a bold name for himself with two WSOP gold bracelets and over $4.2 million in career tournament earnings.
Alaei holds 19 WSOP cashes and four final tables. His first bracelet was won back in 2006 in the $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball with Rebuys event. He banked over $430,000 for his win there. Three years later in 2009, Alaei claimed his second gold bracelet, taking down the $10,000 World Championship Omaha Hi/Lo 8-or-better event for $445,898. He also placed fourth in the $10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em event that same year at the WSOP for just shy of $135,000.
Even despite all of that success, Alaei wasn't well known amongst the common poker fan until he popped off a big win at the $15,000 2009 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic Main Event. He conquered a field there of 329 entrants and took down Josh Arieh heads up for nearly $1.5 million in prize money.
Alaei is a regular amongst the largest cash games in the world, but today it's all about tournament poker as he goes for his third piece of WSOP hardware.