A Look Back with Brian Lemke
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Brian Lemke looks like any other poker player in the room today but he has a special reason for playing this event. Lemke won this tournament in 2009 and dedicated his win to his cousin Justin Shronk.
Known widely just as "Shronk," he was an integral part of the poker community. He got is start working with PokerRoad as in intern and worked his way up the ladder with hard work and an infectious sense of humor. He also contributed to CardPlayer, BLUFF and even PokerNews.
Shronk suddenly passed away in April 2009 at the age of 27 of natural causes and left a large hole in the heart of the poker media community.
Lemke returns each year to play this event and when asked if the event has any special meaning to him he said, "I don't really know what to say." On the verge of emotion he said, "I want to play well and make the final table."
"It'd be nice to join the elite community of players with two bracelets," Lemke continued. "Especially with the field in this event."
The field in the 2009 affair was just as good at todays. Thomas Keller, Mike Sowers and Isaac Baron all made the final table. Biily Kopp, David Pham, Olivier Busquet, David Benefield, Lars Bonding, Nick Grippo, Faraz Jaka, Kathy Liebert, Erik Seidel and Darryll Fish all finished in the final three tables.