Las Vegas local takes first in WSOP $1K No-Limit Hold'em

Name: Rulah Divine
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Current Residence: North Las Vegas, Nevada
Age: 34
Profession: n/a
Number of WSOP Cashes: 3
Number of WSOP Final Table Appearances: 1
Number of WSOP Gold Bracelet Victories (with this tournament): 1
Best Previous WSOP Finish: 72nd – 2013 WSOP: Event #30: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($4,088)
Career WSOP Earnings: $267,718
Personal Facts: Divine is married; he and his wife Egypt have two children – twins, a boy and a girl. Divine plays regularly in poker tourneys around the Las Vegas area.

There were 1,750 hopeful players who entered, but only one man survived Event #63: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em. Rulah Divine won his first bracelet and $262,501 — by far his largest cash. Not too bad for a $60 investment; Divine won the seat in a WSOP.com qualifier.

The day began with 20 players returning during Level 21 to play down to a winner. With the elimination of Andy Frankenberger in 10th Place ($16,074), players were at the final table in level 24.

Jeffery Silverstein was sent home in ninth place ($20,640) after his 9s-9h couldn't hold to Fabio Felice Cudia's As-Qd.

Action was slow, with small pots being picked up here and there and hardly any flops seen. Eddy Sabat shoved his last chips with Qs-8s and ran into Qc-Qd of Patrick Truong. Sabat went home in eighth place ($26,806).

John Monnette was all in for his life shortly after Sabat's elimination, but managed to double when his As-Qh beat the Ad-Kc of Cudia. Cudia was down to one blind and eliminated the next hand in seventh place ($35,207).

Only four hands after the massive double up, Monnette was eliminated in sixth place ($46,758). He lost most of his stack with kings to Michael Amato with ace-queen when Amato hit his ace on the turn.

Five-handed, the players took an hour dinner break and returned to move to the Amazon Room. Ryan Hughes was the first player sent home from the new final table in fifth place ($62,785).

Divine got a rush of chips at the final table when he eliminated Yunsheng Sun with ace-five against Sun's ace-queen. The flop came 7s-5c-2s and Divine paired his five. The turn was the Qd and paired the queen for Sun, and the river was the 9s to give Divine the flush eliminating Sun in 4th place ($85,226).

The third place finisher Michael Amato ($116,940) got his chips in over a raise from Patrick Truong, but was called by Divine and Truong folded. Amato held 6h-6s and Divine held Ad-Jh. The ace on the river sealed it for Divine and propelled him as a chip leader into heads up play. Truong announced to the table he folded and would've ended the tournament right there.

Heads up lasted 23 hands and Truong was eliminated when his two pair couldn't beat the higher two pair of Divine. Truong went home with ($162,170).

This won't be the last we see of Rulah Divine. He explained he will be playing the Main Event now as he was unsure before, but this win helps his bankroll and his motivation. Divine's first call was to his wife whom he said was "freaking out" on the other end of the line. He explained this win solidifies everything he has been playing for since he was six years old playing poker for nickels and dimes on his dad's bar.

(Article courtesy of World Series of Poker)