Lunkin Wins Final Table

June 8, 2009

The idea behind 2009 World Series of Poker Event 3 is that players that were previously unknown would go head to head with those that were already known, and it would showcase the best and the brightest poker players out there today. It would show those players out there who the best really was and would show these best known players who was really the best of the best.

But no one realized that sometimes the best of the best is not necessarily the best known poker player – sometimes it is someone that no one expected to win, except perhaps him. Russian Vitaly Lunkin turned out to be that guy – the guy who wins and nobody saw coming.

Lunkin showed up for a poker game with players like Greg Raymer, 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion; Ted Forrest, five time bracelet winner; and a ton of other really talented poker players and walked away with the big prize. Now, Lunkin is not a stranger to winning as he took the bracelet at his very first event both last year and this year.

Lunkin, who is from Russia and does not speak English, was excited by the win and said that he did not think that he would emerge victorious. He said that it was the “toughest tournament of [his] life” and that it was a “very hard job” for him to win. It ended up between him and American Isaac Haxton and players say that it is the battle to watch when televised. Not bad for a former backgammon player!