WSOP 2013: Chad Holloway Wins Employees Event For $85k

Chad Holloway has won the first tournament of WSOP 2013, after taking down the $500 buy-in no-limit hold’em casino employees event in Las Vegas for $84,915.
It was only last year that the casino employees event was finally opened up to members of the poker media and it didn’t take long before one such player has now captured a prestigious WSOP bracelet. Following his impressive victory, PokerNews’ senior editor Chad Holloway commented:
“As media members, we have all been in the seats where the winners sit or we hold the trophy or try on the hold bracelet. But to actually think I would have one to call my own and to show my family was a pipe dream more or less, at least until today.”
A total of 898 players entered WSOP event 1, a 23% increase over the previous year, to create a prize pool worth $404,100. Two days later the final table was set which would then last a total of 7 hours before the winner was determined. On his way to scooping the title, Chad Holloway eliminated Michael Trivett in 8th ($8,146), Sean Small in 6th ($13,868), before eventually getting heads-up against Allan Kwong.
In the final hand, Holloway (Q-9) check-raised Kwong (A-K) on a Q-Q-5 flop, and after Kwong moved all-in, the turn and river produced a T and 2 to hand Holloway the victory. Talking about the hour-and-a-half heads-up battle, Holloway said:
“I reflected back on the countless situations I’ve observed. I was just patient, and I kept my head about me and just remembered all the mistakes I’ve seen players make over the years.”
The final table payouts were as follows:
1 Chad Holloway – $84,915
2 Allan Kwong – $52,318
3 Bobby Rooney – $33,903
4 Brian Pingel – $24,811
5 Daniel Ellery – $18,426
6 Sean Small – $13,868
7 Tyrone Smith – $10,567
8 Michael Trivett – $8,146
9 Hieu Le – $6,348