Tapscott, 71, outlasts record field

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The World Series of Poker has trended dramatically younger over the past decade. As the "Moneymaker effect" inspired a new crop of players and welcomed the online generation to the live felt, winners' photos have been filled with 20-somethings who have dedicated most of their adulthood to perfecting the game behind a pair of sunglasses and a hoodie.

In Event 8 of the 2012 WSOP, we didn't get the expected champion. That's not to say that the man who defeated a record-setting field of 967 players in the $1,500 Omaha high-low split eight-or-better event isn't deserving, but let's just say, he doesn't fit the mold of a new poker icon; something that every bracelet winner instantly becomes. At age 71, Alabaman Herbert Tapscott emerged victorious to win $264,400 and his first WSOP bracelet as he defeated Gavin Griffin heads-up for the title. It was Tapscott's first career WSOP cash, one he'll remember forever.

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WSOP.com Herbert Tapscott, 71, won his first WSOP bracelet in Event 8 of the 2012 WSOP.

Tapscott served in the Air Force and is a Vietnam veteran. He currently owns a finance business in Hartselle, Ala., is married and has four children. On the poker side of the spectrum, Tapscott is a WSOP Circuit champion, just like Event 5 winner Nick Jivkov.

"The money is nice, but getting to the final table and winning the bracelet is what I was really after," said Tapscott to Bluff after his victory. That's what everybody who plays is playing for."

Tapscott held a 1.5:1 edge to begin heads-up play. There were many chopped pots and exchanges of the chip lead, and it seemed Griffin was ready to pull away and capture his second bracelet. However, Tapscott scooped a major pot holding the nut flush and an A-2-3-6-7 low on a board 2c-3c-Jc-8d-7c (holding Ac-10c-10d-6d). From that point on, Griffin couldn't gain any momentum and was eliminated just minutes before the planned hard stop time early Monday morning.

"Had no shot heads up," said Griffin on his Twitter feed after his elimination. "Thanks to everyone who railed virtually and in person. Pretty disappointed but I'm back at it at noon tomorrow."

Griffin, 30, emerged into the poker spotlight in 2004 when he became the youngest player to win a WSOP bracelet (that title now belongs to Steve Billirakis for the WSOP and Annette Obrestad for WSOPE). Since then, he's seen his share of highs and lows and has been vocal about his tribulations as a poker star. The poker triple crown winner earned $163,625 for second place, his biggest cash since 2008.

2010 WSOP main event runner-up John Racener finished sixth for $41,121. This was his 18th career WSOP cash and the fifth consecutive year that Racener has made a final table. Racener also made it to the Round of 16 in Event 3.

Other notable finishers include Allen Bari (15th), Chad Brown (32nd), Dan Shak (40th), Daniel Negreanu (45th), Phil Hellmuth (52nd) and Shaun Deeb (62nd).

Below are the complete results of Event 8 at the 2012 World Series of Poker:

Event 8: Omaha high-low split eight-or-better
Buy-in: $1,500
Entries: 967
Prize pool: $1,305,450
Players in the money: 117

1. Herbert Tapscott ($264,400)
2. Gavin Griffin ($163,625)
3. Ashly Butler ($102,373)
4. Can Kim Hua ($74,306)
5. Michael Kleist ($54,855)
6. John Racener ($41,121)
7. Thayer Rasmussen ($31,278)
8. Raymond Davis ($24,111)
9. Bryan Jolly ($18,837)
10. David Self ($14,908)
11. Greg Mascio ($14,908)
12. Brian Lives ($14,908)
13. Tyler Schwecke ($11,957)
14. Joey Spanne ($11,957)
15. Allen Bari ($11,957)
16. Ryan Turner ($9,712)
17. Daniel Ratigan ($9,712)
18. Dutch Boyd ($9,712)
19. Daniel Weinman ($7,989)
20. Wellington Draper ($7,989)
21. Joe Poole ($7,989)
22. Michael Stewart ($7,989)
23. Ryan Miller ($7,989)
24. Ryan Lenaghan ($7,989)
25. David Greene ($7,989)
26. Brandon Bregman ($7,989)
27. Tim Burt ($7,989)
28. George Vranish ($6,670)
29. Raymond Bonavida ($6,670)
30. Matt Wood ($6,670)
31. Joeseph Kuether ($6,670)
32. Chad Brown ($6,670)
33. Bradley Libson ($6,670)
34. Shawn Prigmore ($6,670)
35. Alex Ferrari ($6,670)
36. Mikhail Petrov ($6,670)
37. Jack Ernest Ward ($5,639)
38. Brian Brubaker ($5,639)
39. Chris Conrad ($5,639)
40. Dan Shak ($5,639)
41. Ben Tang ($5,639)
42. Yuebin Guo ($5,639)
43. Nikolai Yakovenko ($5,639)
44. Matt Lefkowitz ($5,639)
45. Daniel Negreanu ($5,639)
46. Jeffrey Vaughn ($4,817)
47. Tam Ho ($4,817)
48. Robert Campbell ($4,817)
49. Roberto Reyna ($4,817)
50. Nick Polydoros ($4,817)
51. Bonnie Rossi ($4,817)
52. Phil Hellmuth ($4,817)
53. Michael Schneider ($4,817)
54. Jiaqi Xu ($4,817)
55. Grzegorz Derkowski ($4,164)
56. Grzegorz Trelski ($4,164)
57. Loi Tran ($4,164)
58. Ed Smith ($4,164)
59. David John ($4,164)
60. Peter Levine ($4,164)
61. Todd Brunson ($4,164)
62. Shaun Deeb ($4,164)
63. David Baker ($4,164)
64. Gaurav Kalro ($3,655)
65. Matt Hawrilenko ($3,655)
66. Darin Thomas ($3,655)
67. Jeffrey Dewitt ($3,655)
68. Mike Krescanko ($3,655)
69. Joseph Aronesty ($3,655)
70. Ming Lee ($3,655)
71. Alan Morgan ($3,655)
72. Scott Byron ($3,655)
73. Scott Oreilly ($3,250)
74. Florante Mandap ($3,250)
75. Scott Bohlman ($3,250)
76. Steven Prosak ($3,250)
77. Lance Edelman ($3,250)
78. Jeffrey Davis ($3,250)
79. Chris Ruby ($3,250)
80. Jeff Madsen ($3,250)
81. David Nicholson ($3,250)
82. Barry Hartheimer ($2,924)
83. Bruce Levitt ($2,924)
84. Omar Mehmood ($2,924)
85. Chris Swan ($2,924)
86. Jerry Kleinsasser ($2,924)
87. Jesus Cortes ($2,924)
88. Dustin Bierma ($2,924)
89. David James ($2,924)
90. Andrew Vaughn ($2,924)
91. Joshua Palmer ($2,689)
92. Mesrop Khoudagoulian ($2,689)
93. Sam Feinberg ($2,689)
94. Philip Kranz ($2,689)
95. John O'shea ($2,689)
96. Danny Scott ($2,689)
97. Todd Tritsch ($2,689)
98. Terrence Downey ($2,689)
99. Men Nguyen ($2,689)
100. Lori Berumen ($2,480)
101. Daniel Klein ($2,480)
102. Matthew Croker ($2,480)
103. Kenneth Shei ($2,480)
104. John Knight ($2,480)
105. Michael Herrera ($2,480)
106. Bradley Helm ($2,480)
107. Chris Klodnicki ($2,480)
108. Vito Racanelli ($2,480)
109. Hoyt Verner ($2,480)
110. Christopher Wolfe ($2,480)
111. Niklas Zoller ($2,480)
112. Scott Dorin ($2,480)
113. Jeremy Harkin ($2,480)
114. Bryan Andrews ($2,480)
115. Robert Mizrachi ($2,480)
116. Peter Mavro ($2,480)
117. Dan Santoro ($2,480)

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Andrew Feldman

ESPN.com

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Andrew Feldman is ESPN.com's Poker Editor. He is the host of the Poker Edge Podcast and co-host of ESPN Inside Deal. Andrew has covered the poker industry for ESPN since 2004.