World Series of Poker Africa Won by Local Pro

by Mario Alfonsi  |  Published on Feb 28, 2012  |  Updated on Feb 28, 2012

The World Series of Poker Africa is a relatively new addition to the world’s most prestigious poker brand, but it has already been a successful new venture for the WSOP. The first WSOP Africa was held in 2011, and featured just two events that offered WSOP Circuit Rings.The 2012 version expanded on that effort by hosting a total of six different poker tournaments, culminating in a $3,300 Main Event. Once again, all of these events were treated as being on the level of the WSOP Circuit, and gave each winner a gold ring to commemorate their achievements. All tournaments were held at the Emerald Casino and Resort in South Africa(read our review of Poker in South Africa).Ultimately, the Main Event would attract an impressive field of 218 players, setting up a three-day battle between dozens of the best South African professionals and numerous amateurs looking to score their first WSOP win. With a prize pool of about $635,000 and a first place prize equivalent to more than $158,500 (about €118,000), the action was definitely worthy of the WSOP Circuit, even if those numbers don’t quite compare to the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas.As action wore down to the final table, the top players didn’t disappoint, with several notables reaching the last stage of the event. Two winners of earlier events in this year’s WSOP Africa showed up at the final table, with Gregory Ronaldson bowing out in 5^th place, and Jason Straus finishing 3^rd.That left a heads-up battle between Ivan Pakkiri and South African pro Joe-Boy Rahme to decide the title. The final confrontation was short lived, and after Rahme’s pocket jacks held up against the QT of Pakkiri, Rahme had become only the second WSOP Africa Main Event champion.While Rahme isn’t exactly a worldwide poker superstar, he’s a popular local pro who has been making waves in African poker tournaments for years now. Most of his previous success came on the popular All-Africa Poker Tournaments held in Swaziland, in which Rahme has six career cashes.