Steven van Zaadelhoff's WCOOP Victory: A Dream Come True

Steven van Zaadelhoff, born on March 1, 1979, has been playing poker for over 15 years. His most significant achievement came this fall when he won the WCOOP tournament, earning $256k after sharing the prize with backers and friends. Van Zaadelhoff's journey to this victory was marked by perseverance and strategic planning.

Before his WCOOP win, van Zaadelhoff had notable successes in both online and offline tournaments. In 2007, he won $247,050 for 2nd place in the FTOPS tournament and $193,584 for winning the Sunday Million tournament. His largest offline win was $100,000 for 1st place in a €3,000 tournament in 2009.

Van Zaadelhoff's preparation for the WCOOP series was thorough. He won $70k in August and a $109 tournament on Stars just before the series began. His stack was worth around $1.1 million at the start of the final day, and he ended the second day as the chip leader. However, he faced a significant setback when he realized he had forgotten about two shares, losing $130,000 in equity. Despite this, he consulted with Jared Tendler for psychological support and was able to refocus for the final table.