Meet Tim: The unluckiest man in the world
American fisherman Tim McDonald busts out on the bubble at the WSOP 2010 winning nothing despite beating 6,571 players
| by Alligator Blood |  July, 14th 2010 |
Overall: 4.43
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Above: Devastated: Tim McDonald is knocked out on the bubble at the WSOP 2010
WHEN 7,319 players paid $10,000 to enter the second-biggest poker game in history, they all knew one of them would be left inconsolable.
That man turned out to be American Tim McDonald, who managed to beat a staggering 6,571 players but today got knocked out 748th - the last unpaid place – of the World Series of Poker Main Event 2010.
The 50-year-old fisherman 'bubbled' after four days of non-stop, high intensity poker in Las Vegas when his pocket queens ran into Ismail Erkenov's A,2s.
As a result, McDonald walked away with nothing. If he had hung on another minute or so, he would have won a minimum of $19,263.
Worst of all, as Mcdonald's world crashed around him the remaining 747 players all stood up, cheered and hugged each other at the realisation that they would all be going home at least $10,000 richer.
A shattered McDonald said afterwards: “I felt like I could sit there and go ahead and grind out a check, but I was trying to play good poker no matter short-stacked or otherwise.”
He added: "I felt like it was the right play at the right time."
It means the remaining players – and just 574 were left by the end of Day 4 - will now battle it out for the entire $68.8 million prize pool and a first prize of $8.94 million.
Chip leader is Las Vegas local Tony Dunst, who bagged up 1,546,000. He is closely followed by four other Americans: Duy Le (1,460,000), Garrett Adelstein (1,440,000), Matt Affleck (1,395,000) and Phil Galfond (1,392,000).
Poker legend Johnny Chan is still at the business end, in 14th place at the end of Day 4 with 1,159,000 chips.
And, for the first time at this year's Main event, a Brit – Redmond Lee – is at the business end. The Barnet Battler lies in 14th place heading into Wednesday's Day 5 with 1,184,000. Pokerjolt columnist JP Kelly is still alive and kicking, with 610,000.
Big names Humberto Brenes and Barry Greenstein both hit the rail, although the former did at least make his eighth WSOP cash before busting out.
The remainder of the tournament – which plays down to the 'November Nine' on Saturday night, will take place in the Rio Hotel's Amazon Room after the Pavilion Room, which has seen so much drama this year, lost its one remaining table shortly before the end.
