WSOP 2013: Jonathan Taylor Wins $1,500 NL Event For $455k

US poker pro Jonathan Taylor has won the $1,500 NL tournament (event#14), after defeating a field of 1,819 players over three days on his way to capturing a prestigious winner’s bracelet, as well as the $454,424 first place prize.
Earlier this year, the 31 year-old from Alabama won the WSOPC $1,675 Black Hawk Main Event for $138,938, and now with his latest victory at the Rio in Las Vegas takes his tournament earnings to $822,153. Commenting on his poker background, the former accountant said:
“I was just playing poker on the side, and started to make money at it. Then I decided to focus on it and got to the point where I was traveling around and playing full time..Coming into this event, all I pretty much wanted to do was to cash. I just wanted to say I had my first WSOP breakthrough.”
The $1,500 NL event produced one of the largest fields of the tournament series so far, and there was no lack of pros vying for the bracelet, and a share of the $2,455,650 prize pool. Amongst those notable names cashing in, but falling short of a final table appearance was Dan Kelly in 180th ($2,774), Athanasios Polychronopoulos in 112th ($3,339), Andy Frankenberger in 110th ($3,339), Nick Schulman in 77th ($4,763), David Diaz in 59th ($6,384),  Joseph Serock in 55th ($6,384), Frank Kassela in 49th ($7,538), Paul Wasicka in 37th ($8,987), and Erick Lindgren in 19th ($13,260).
By the time the final table of nine had been reached, Jonathan Taylor was out in front as the chip leader and was then able to sit back and watch his opponents eliminate themselves, before joining the fray and dispatching Tommy Vu to the rail in 5th for $102,449. Taylor would then do likewise to Hiren Patel in 4th ($140,143), Hunter Frey in 3rd ($194,315) and finally Blake Bohn heads-up, to claim the gold bracelet.
Talking about his poker career so far, the pro of three years explained:  “I just started playing in tournaments last year.  I was mostly a cash game player.. this is my first time in Las Vegas.. I’ve already bricked seven events.”
The final table payouts were as follows:
1. Jonathan Taylor $454,424
2. Blake Bohn      $281,049
3. Hunter Frey     $194,315
4. Hiren Patel     $140,143
5. Tommy Vu        $102,449
6. Patrick Kubat   $75,879
7. Jed Hoffman     $56,946
8. Dan Gannon      $43,293
9. Joseph Pergola  $33,323