News

Dean Hamrick Wins WSOP Gold Bracelet in Event 42

Former Main Event Tenth-Place Finisher Takes No-Limit Hold’em Title.

Jun 26 2010 07:27 AM EST

NEWS FLASH: Dean Hamrick Wins WSOP Gold Bracelet in Event 42

Former Main Event 10-Place Finisher Takes No-Limit Hold’em Title

A few years ago, “Dean Hamrick” was known primarily as the answer to a trivia question. Inquiring as to which poker player finished one position away from being knighted as an inaugural “November Nine” finalist, revealed the name "Dean Hamrick" as the ill-fated tenth-place finisher. At the time, there were more than half-a-million legitimate reasons not to feel too sorry for the rising 25-year-old poker star out of East Lansing, MI -- 591,869 reasons with a dollar sign, to be exact. But involuntarily ejection from any poker tournament, especially something as momentous as the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event championship begets an instantaneous mood shift -- from near ecstasy to crushing defeat and disappointment.

If tournament poker is anything, it is most certainly chaotic. It takes. It gives. It teases. It even deceives. And if the generic tournament trail plays mind games with its devotees, the World Series of Poker is the Bellville of brontosauruses.

This year, dreams denied in past years were resuscitated. It's as though the Gods have apologized to those were were vanquished. Those who played supporting roles in the scripts of previously crowned champions have been cast in their own starring roles.

Indeed, three players who made the poker pinnacle of final tables -- the WSOP Main Event -- returned to Las Vegas in 2010 and won gold bracelets. The list of the resuscitated and risen includes Tex Barch (from 2005), Scott Montgomery (from 2008), and Eric Buchman (from 2009).

On the cusp of the 2008 November Nine ultimately ending as the tenth-place finisher, Dean Hamrick technically did make the final table. But his victory on this long night was just as sweet -- perhaps in some ways, even sweeter. Hamrick was the winner of the $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em championship at the 2010 World Series of Poker. This marked his first career WSOP gold bracelet victory. Hamrick, who lives in East Lansing, MI earned a well-deserved breakthrough victory and collected $604,222 in prize money. Among those who cheered Hamrick's victory from the rail was reigning world champ, Joe Cada (also from Michigan).

In other tournament news:

This was a younger-than-average final table. Three of the final nine players graduated from college within the past six months. Colleges represented were Cornell (sixth-place finisher Ryan Hemmel), Harvard (seventh-place finisher Andrew Rosskamm), and the University of Maryland (fifth-place finisher Aaron Kaiser).

The event attracted a huge field of 2,521 entries. The top 81 finishers collected prize money. Former WSOP gold bracelet finishers who cashed in this event included – James Schaaf (12th), Humberto Brenes (16th), Carter Phillips (48th), Jeff Madsen (139th), Michael Gracz (206th), and Andre Boyer (226th).

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Mike Swick, from Houston, TX finished in 10th place.

Two-time gold bracelet winner Humberto Brenes, from San Jose, Costa Rica moved into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time WSOP cashes list with his 57th in-the-money finish. He is currently one cash ahead of T.J. Cloutier.

A full report of this event will be posted shortly.

For official tournament results and additional details, please CLICK HERE.

Latest News

ROUNDER CUP BRINGS COMPETITIVE FORMAT TO WSOP EUROPE 2026 SCHEDULE

The €2,750 Rounder Cup No-Limit Hold’em tournament, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, April 7, pits European poker players against other players from around the world to see who comes out on top.

Feb 06 2026 11:00 AM EST

WSOP ADDS LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP TO 2026 WSOP EUROPE SCHEDULE IN PRAGUE

Brand-new €1,000 event set for Saturday, April 4; Winner to receive exclusive gold bracelet featuring unique design.

Feb 04 2026 09:00 AM EST

DAVID YOUNT WINS TUNICA WSOP CIRCUIT MAIN EVENT FOR $132K

Earning a seat in the $1,700 buy-in Tunica Horseshoe WSOP Circuit Main Event through a satellite on ClubGG, Dardenne Prairie, Missouri’s David Yount lived every recreational poker player's dream when he turned his satellite seat into a WSOP Circuit Main Event title.

Feb 03 2026 01:09 PM EST