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US Marine Wins WSOP Title

June 29, 2011

A US Marine, who served his country for 10 years in various posts around the world such as Iraq, Ken Griffin, deservingly won the 45th gold bracelet this year at the World Series of Poker. Now as a defense contractor, Griffin spends time traveling to Iraq and Afghanistan. He only arrived in the US a few days ago to decide at the last minute to attend the WSOP. Good thing he did.

Event #45, the $1,000 No Limit Hold ‘em event saw 2,890 players register. Three days later, a winner emerged, and that winner was Griffin. Winning a $455K+ prize made Griffin’s year, and his first gold bracelet will look great with all of the military medals and honors he’s won.

From Houston, Texas, Griffin is 34 years old. With his prize money, he plans to see to his mother’s medical needs, who was just recently diagnosed with a serious illness.

“I’m going to take care of her and be closer to home,” Griffin said after winning the tournament.  “I’m going to be transferring money into her account as soon as I get it. You know, she’s a senior, working-class, she’s going through some chemotherapy and medicine is expensive. She lives paycheck to paycheck, so I’m really looking forward to helping her out.”

Griffin is the fifth amateur poker player to win a bracelet this year and the third of those to call Texas home. It is his one and only WSOP cash, but his third year and his third event at the WSOP. It was his first tournament of 2011.

When asked how he got into poker, he replied, “Actually, my little brother taught me to play real poker.  I dabbled with my friends and I came home on leave and my little brother had gotten into poker, and so I started going to card rooms with him and learning what real poker was and listening to my brother. You know, from there I just started reading and playing and it just grew from there.”

His brother was with him when he won.

Written by Johnny · Filed Under Poker News 

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