SPECIAL TO THE PVT Dr. Michael Reiner finished 21st in a $1,500 buy in limit-no limit hold'em tournament played last week in the 38th World Series of Poker, at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino. Advertisement

LAS VEGAS -- After several Pahrump players did not cash in the 38th World Series of Poker, Michael Reiner had the remedy for those setbacks.

The Pahrump-area doctor finished 21st in the $1,500 buy-in limit-no limit hold'em tournament last week, earning $5,619 out of the prize pool of $846,300 paid by 620 players.

The tournament, being played at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, is two days away from the start of the $1,000 WSOP Championship Event. An expected field of more than 7,500 players will generate a prize pool in excess of $70 million, with approximately $10 million going to the winner.

In 2006, Jamie Gold, a former Hollywood talent agent, outlasted 8,772 rivals to win $12 million out of a prize pool of almost $83 million. Hoppy Hopkins, a 72-year-old Pahrump resident, will be among the entries, competing Sunday on Day 1-C of the tournament. Day 1-A is Friday, with 1-B Saturday.

Reiner, who was up to $43,000 in chips with 33 players left, but down the stretch, he ran into a cold deck. "I mucked a king-jack, which was the best hand I had seen for 20 minutes. I dodged a bullet; the big blind turned over king-king."

Eventually, with his chip stack decreasing, Reiner called with a pair of 10s. Scott Bohlman, who had been raising Reiner through their play at the same tables, called with 10-queen.

The flop came king-3-2, which kept Reiner in the lead. But the final two cards were an ace and a jack, giving Bohlman a straight and eliminating Reiner.

"All I can say is, even if I had pocket aces, it would have been my time to hit the rail," said Reiner. "Players said it was just not my tournament, but it is the closest I've come to winning a gold bracelet."

One of the hands that boosted Reiner into a contention came with 63 players left. He had a pair of 7s when the flop came 7-8-8 in a hand against pro Paul Darden, who went into action with king-jack. Reiner won and his chip stack was at $43,000 after once being at $550, just before the dinner break.

"About an hour later I am back to start again," said Reiner. "I pick up my three chips and the dealer said, 'Well, this would be a great come back and I stated it would be.'

"I am looking for any ace-rag to go all in and it comes to me in middle position with an unopened pot and I look down and find ace-10. I'm all in ... no one calls and instantly I am up to $775. Next hand I get pocket jacks. I was all in again ... I get one caller a guy who has won two seats to the main event on Poker Stars and I win. Now I am up to $1775."

And so the rally continued for the doctor, who said he would like to play in the $10,000 championship tournament, depending on success in satellite tournaments, which run all day Thursday at the Rio.