2011 WSOP Bracelet Winner Profile – David Diaz

David Diaz took down Event # 12 of the 2011 WSOP, the  $1,500 Triple Chance No Limit Hold’em.  Diaz won the bracelet as well as $352,808 dollars. Diaz bested a field of 1,340 entrants to win the title after defeating Anders Meli when it got down to heads up.

David Diaz - $1,500 Triple Chance No-Limit Hold'em bracelet winner.

Diaz considers himself lucky in more ways than one. He originally came to the United States as a child. His family traveled from Honduras seeking medical treatment for Diaz’s cancer. The form of cancer that Diaz was diagnosed with was difficult to treat in his native country. They settled in Tennessee in order to receive treatment at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis.

Diaz began playing poker in the local bar tournaments and cash games around his hometown of Memphis. He was successful enough that he made trips to Tunica to play in larger field tournaments and cash games.

Diaz has only been playing poker professionally for a few years but already considers himself a pro. He says that he travels from tournament to tournament and also plays in side cash games. Prior to his win at the WSOP his most significant cash came at the Isle Poker Open where he won over $82,000.

Event #12 had 1,340 entrants. Among the many players were such highly regarded pros as Andy Black, J.C.Tran, and Ted Forest. Diaz had to make his way though a sea of players to reach the final table.

At the final table Diaz was joined by poker pro and two-time bracelet winner Bill Chen along with Anders Meli, a twenty five year old student from Norway, who would end up battling Diaz for the title. Half of the table had a decent stack of 25 big blinds and so there was room for play.

When Diaz began the final table he was near the bottom in chips. He played cautious but was not afraid to 3-bet bluff with a 10-3 off suit and show the table. When it got down to heads up between Diaz and Meli the chips were near even. Diaz went on a run winning a number of small pots and chipped away at Meli’s stack. The final hand saw Diaz calling an all-in shove from Meli.  Diaz held A-10 and Meli turned over pocket Fours. When a 10 hit on the flop and a four failed to come on the turn or river, Diaz was crowned champion.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Related posts:

• 2011 WSOP Recaps: Zhukov wins Omaha Hi-Lo Championship and Diaz Wins Triple Chance Event As the 2011 World Series of Poker rolls along, new champions are crowned.  In Event #11, a former mining student wins the Omaha Hi-Low World Championship, while in Event #12, a childhood cancer survivor beat the odds yet again. Viacheslav...
• 2011 WSOP Bracelet Winner Profile – Owais Ahmed On Wednesday, Owais Ahmed took down Event #47 of the 2011 WSOP, the $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo / Stud Hi-Low Event. Owais beat out a tough field of opponents to win his first ever bracelet. There were 450 entrants all looking...
• 2011 WSOP Bracelet Winner Profile – Nick Binger On Friday, Nick Binger won Event #57 of the 2011 WSOP, the $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha 8 or Better. Binger won his first ever WSOP bracelet as well as $397,073 in prize money. Binger had to best a field of...
• 2011 WSOP Bracelet Winner Profile – Ben Lamb On Monday, Ben Lamb took down 2011 WSOP Event #42: the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha World Championship.  The win comes only a few days after Lamb took second in event #31, the $3k Pot Limit championship. Lamb won $814,436 for his...
• 2011 WSOP Bracelet Winner Profile – Jake Cody Jake Cody took down one of the most prestigious events at the WSOP when he won Event #2 of the 2011 WSOP, the $25k NL Hold’em Heads-up Championship. Cody won $851,192 along with the coveted championship bracelet. He made his...