Bodog Beat

Team Bodog poker player Justin "ZeeJustin" Bonomo finished 18th in the $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. event at the 2007 World Series of Poker. (Bodog Beat Image)

To say that the $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. event at the 2007 World Series of Poker is competitive would be an understatement. The field reads like a who's who of poker's most talented and respected players, and since its inception at last year's WSOP, the players, fans and media have recognized it as the ultimate test of a poker player's worth. The steep buy-in and ultra-tough competition mean that a win in this event could be considered, and already is by many, more meaningful than winning the $10,000 buy-in Main Event.

As the first leg of the "Triple Crown" - which also includes the Main Event and the WSOP Player of the Year award - 148 players entered with the hopes of becoming the next H.O.R.S.E. event champion and drawing one step closer to the Crown. Team Bodog poker player Justin Bonomo, known online as "ZeeJustin", outlasted 130 of them to finish in 18th place, just two places from cashing.

Bonomo sat down at the ESPN featured table this morning with 2004 World Champion Greg Raymer, three-time WSOP bracelet winners Daniel "KidPoker" Negreanu and Dewey Tomko, two-time WSOP bracelet winner Mike "The Mouth" Matusow and feared tournament poker pro Amnon Filippi. By far the youngest player left in the field at 21, Bonomo had already tested his mettle against, and outlasted, names like Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Scotty Nguyen, Allen Cunningham, Eli Elezra and Doyle Brunson.

Bonomo only began playing live poker tournaments midway through 2005, and has only been playing live in the US since October of 2006, when he turned 21. Even with just two years of tournaments under his belt, he has racked up over $700,000 in winnings, including a fourth place finish in the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em early on at the 2007 WSOP. Unfortunately, he was unable to add to this total in this event as he finished just two places shy of the money bubble; the bubble of the bubble, if you will.

With ten events still remaining until the Main Event, expect Bonomo to continue making a name for himself with several more deep runs.

Keep coming back here for more updates on Justin "ZeeJustin" Bonomo and the other Team Bodog members live from the 2007 World Series of Poker.