What does it take to bring home a $100,000 payday when it comes to playing poker? Some timing, a little bit of luck, a lot of brains, and even more skill. You’ll find all of these things tenfold when it comes to Mark Stephen Edwards, bestbet Jacksonville Summer Series Main Event champion. Aside from having all of those talents in his arsenal, Mark also brought a boisterous and positive personality to the poker table this Summer, and what he got in return was not only a wonderful tournament experience but also a fantastic, hard-fought victory.
Mark’s a professional poker player, primarily in cash games, but he likes to play tournaments to prove to his mom that he’s legitimate. He’s not only familiar to the Jacksonville poker scene, having been the runner-up in last Spring’s 900 plus player Event #1, but he’s also won an impressive number of tournaments all across the country, including a WSOP Circuit ring, the heads-up championship, and the Southeaster Poker Championship. Now he can add that beautiful WPT regional trophy to his shelf; just another notch in his quest for poker nirvana. Mark’s originally from Orlando, but he took a hiatus from the Florida life to cut his teeth in Las Vegas.
Now he’s back living in Orlando with his 3rd grade sweetheart, who supported him all throughout his three-day run at the Main Event, along with a blaring cheering section that chanted ‘Mark the Shark’ every time Mark dragged a pot. They did a lot of chanting at the final table. Mark eliminated a few monstrous opponents on his journey to his hundred-grand payday, including John Dolan. Mark went into the final ten with the chip lead that he maintained throughout most of the day, without any real threats to his supremacy.
At the final table he took down seven out the ten players, including bestbet regulars Thad McNulty, Jerome Hall, Sean Winter, and Diem Pham. When they got down to the final three, Mark played a pivotal hand against an excellent opponent in Tad Wood. Tad shoved all-in preflop and Mark went into the tank. He emerged with a call, turning over A-J which had Tad’s K-J dominated. It held strong, and sent Mark into a heads-up match with Diem Pham. It wouldn’t last long however, Mark had 4.5 million in chips and Diem had 1.5.
After only a few hands, Diem went all-in and Mark called her with Q-10 of clubs, Diem rolled over A-8. The flop came Kc-6c- 2h, giving mark a flush draw and keeping Diem in a slim lead. The turn was a 5d, but when the river came it wasn’t a club that brought the victory home, it was the 10 of spades to give Mark a pair and a well-deserveed $100,000 first prize.
BESTBET CASINO 9/7/12
WPT Regional—Jacksonville
No Limit Hold’em
BUY-IN $1,500
PlAYERS 285
Prize pool $384,750
1. Mark Stephen
Edwards. . . . . . . . . .$107,730
2. Diem Pham . . . . . . . .$63,484
3. Tad Woods . . . . . . . . .$42,322
4. Jerome Hall . . . . . . . .$29,433
5. Thad McNulty . . . . .$21,931
6. John Cynn . . . . . . . . .$16,929
7. John Bamman . . . . . .$13,018
8. Sean Winter . . . . . . . .$9,619
9. Derrick Cutler . . . . . .$6,925
10. Richard Huggins . . . .$5,386
11. Joshua Turner. . . . . . .$5,386
12. Tim White . . . . . . . . . .$5,386
13. Constantinos Liapis . . $4,617
14. Andrew Dykeman . . .$4,617
15. Nghia Le AKA. . . . . . .$4,617
16. John Dolan . . . . . . . . .$4,040
17. Armando Cisnero . . . .$4,040
18. Michael Graffeo . . . . .$4,040
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