Event 1: 3rd Place - Taylor

$500 + $60 Big Stack No Limit Hold'em (Re-Entry)

Sam Taylor (New York, NY)

$137,261

Blinds 400k/800k/75k ante

On the first hand back from break, Sam Taylor raises to 2 million from the button. Tanios Abi-Yaghi
makes it 7 million from the BB. Taylor moves all, Abi-Yaghi calls and is at risk for 20.6 million

Taylor: A♥ J♥
Abi-Yaghi: 7 7

Sevens hold for Abi-Yaghi and he takes the chip lead with 42 million, which leaves Taylor with only 2.5 million.

He busts the next hand when Abi-Yaghi and Joe Stiers each have a seven for a straight and split the last of Taylor's chips.

"I'm pretty proud of myself," says the 22-year-old part time player.  "I think surreal is the word of the day. It's not just the money, but because there were almost 4,000 players. You have to get lucky, there's no doubt about that."

Taylor's found his biggest luck on Day 1A when he was left with only three big blinds, but battled to record the highest payday of his career.

In addition to poker, Taylor is a student at Hunter College in New York and is an entrepreneur as part owner of a clothing company.