John Strzemp Won't (Set)tle for Second Best

If not for an unfortunate deuce on the river way back in 1997, casino executive John Strzemp would have a banner hanging from the Rio's rafters. Instead, Stu Ungar finished off his improbable, and sadly unsustainable, comeback from drug and alcohol abuse, winning the 1997 World Series of Poker Main Event by making the wheel straight on fifth street.

Strzemp has achieved extraordinary success since that fateful river card fell, rising to the position of Chief Administrative Officer for Wynn Resorts, but one accomplishment that has eluded him is the one all poker players desire most: a gold WSOP bracelet.

Strzemp entered the day with a respectable stack, but the longtime tournament player knew he needed to build during the protracted money bubble to give himself a realistic shot at returning to the WSOP final table stage.

In a recent hand, Strzemp did just that, doubling up with after getting his last 14,900 all in on the river. The final board showed , and with top set on the flop, Strzemp had strung his opponent along perfectly to notch the elimination.