Newhouse finishes ninth for second year in a row at WSOP final table
But when another jack appeared on the river, Newhouse changed that plan.
"That looks like an opportunity for me," said Newhouse. "I could very easily have a jack, so I just decided to take a shot at it."
Newhouse moved his final 10.2 million chips into the pot, and the bet certainly made Tonking squirm. Tonking would be left with just 2.5 million chips, or five big blinds, if he called and lost. After thinking it over for a minute, Tonking called. When Newhouse turned over his hand, Tonking slammed his pocket queens on the table and eliminated Newhouse in ninth.

Mark Newhouse was once again disappointed with his ninth place showing at the Main Event. (photo by Vin Narayanan)
Sure, Newhouse won $730,725. But he also said numerous times during ESPN's coverage leading up to the final table that he thought that finishing ninth last year was worse than it would have felt to finish 10th. As remarkable as Newhouse's achievement of outlasting a field of more than 6,000 players to make the final table two years in a row is, he wasn't quite ready to put it in context in the moments after his exit.
"We don't need to talk about it anymore," Newhouse said.
The story could have been very different for Newhouse, if only Tonking had bought what Newhouse was trying to sell, or if the jack on the river never presented him with an opportunity to try to steal the pot.
Newhouse finishes ninth for second year in a row at WSOP final table
is republished from CasinoCityTimes.com.