The first-ever Epic Poker main event was won during the weekend by David “Chino” Rheem. Palms Casino Resort was the setting for the 6 max championship and Chino took out the $1,000,000.00 prize money plus the Champion’s Ring.

It was one of the toughest final tables in history. The six starters below had $45,000,000.00 in tournament winnings among them:
Seat 1: Hasan Habib 1,655,000 chips
Seat 2: Erik Seidel 1,109,000 chips
Seat 3: Chino Rheem 1,432,000 chips
Seat 4: Gavin Smith 766,000 chips
Seat 5: Jason Mercier 1,495,000 chips
Seat 6: Huck Seed 396,000 chips

Short stacked Huckleberry Seed was the first to depart in sixth place when his pocket jacks didn’t hold up against Jason Mercier’s ace king.

Shortly after Gavin Smith was all in with pocket nines which ran into Jason Mercier’s pocket queens. Gavin finished in fifth place after a galant effort.

Hasan Habib was next to go, when after a lucky chop three hands earlier against Chino Rheem found himself all-in again with pocket jacks. This time Chino woke up with pocket aces and it was adios to Hasan in fourth place.

Three handed, Jason Mercier whose stack had been dented through an earlier hand against Erik Seidel moved all-in with 98 and was called by Seidel who showed KJ. The board ran out blank, sending Jason to the rail in third place.

Heads up was a tough and lengthy battle and at the end it came down to Seidel moving all-in with AQ against Rheem’s AK. Rheem rivered a diamond flush to take out the championship and send Seidel out in second place.

Final Table payouts:
1st: Chino Rheem – $1,000,000
2nd: Erik Seidel – $604,330
3rd: Jason Mercier – $360,970
4th: Hasan Habib – $237,560
5th: Gavin Smith – $154,260
6th: Huck Seed – $107,980