By John Harvey
 |
LAS VEGAS – Brandon Paster captured his first World
Series of Poker bracelet last week during the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event
during the 2014 event held at the Rio in Las Vegas.
Paster graduated from the College of William and Mary in
2008 with a degree in Economics. He was also a member of the Tribe swimming and
diving team for two years.
W&M swim coach Matt Crispino never coached Paster,
but did get to know him during his time on campus. “He is unbelievably bright
and has extraordinary intellect and analytical skills,” Crispino said. “I don’t
know much about him as an athlete, but as a person, you could tell he was
motivated to take his poker to a higher level.”
Crispino said that Paster developed his love of poker in
college. “He didn’t stay with swimming all four years,” the W&M coach said.
“He was making a living playing online poker until they abolished it in the
United States.”
He turned professional in 2010 and has achieved some
success. In 2011, he cashed in his first WSOP event, placing 25th in
$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. He won $8,848.
Three years later, he won his first WSOP event. Paster
outdueled the Netherland’s Marcel Volk heads-up to win $264,400 in prize money.
“This is the best
thing that has ever happened to me,” Paster told PokerNews.com following his
win. “I ran pretty pure. I had a good
tournament straight through. I got it in real good, go beat real bad and then
ran it up.”
Paster, who lives in Massachusetts, said he only planned to
play in three WSOP events this year. His final tournament will begin Tuesday,
the Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better event.
“I’m going to keep doing what I want to do,” he said. “Traveling
around, playing a tournament here or there, where I can. I just want to see the
world. I’ve got everything I want, so I just want to travel.”
Harvey can be reached at johnharveysports@gmail.com or via
Twitter @Johnharveysport.
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