Brummelhuis seventh at WSOP Main Event: Mission accomplished

LAS VEGAS -- Michiel Brummelhuis started the final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event with one major goal in mind: Don't finish ninth.

Since all the members of the November Nine already received ninth-place money of $733,224, being the first to bust would result in no additional profit from the experience.

Brummelhuis started the day in seventh chip position, ahead of both David Benefield and Mark Newhouse, but both players doubled up early and Brummelhuis found himself in last place in chips, wondering if he could find a way to move up the ladder.

In the end, he outlasted both players and finished seventh, claiming $1,225,356 (or an additional $492,132).

"I'm happy with the experience; I'm happy that I didn't finish ninth," said Brummelhuis. "I was a little afraid when I saw Benefield and Newhouse double."

But in the end, Brummelhuis four-bet all in from the small blind with pocket nines after seeing his opening raise three-bet by Ryan Riess in the big blind. Riess wasted no time in calling and flipped over pocket aces, which held up to eliminate the 32-year-old Dutch poker pro.

Brummelhuis played just six of 53 hands before being eliminated.

"I was card dead," he said. "Once I folded eights under the gun plus one; that was a tight fold, and the rest of the time I was card dead."

Despite not being dealt very many playable hands, Brummelhuis left happy with how he'd played and with the experience of making the final table.

"The experience is just a big circus. I hope everybody can do this once in a lifetime, because it's great."