The Guy Who Designed the Trophy Wants to Win It

The trophy that will be awarded to the winner of this tournament is on display on the TD’s desk, and the man who designed it, Jon Hair, was introduced to the crowd. The trophy was sculpted in the shape of Wild Bill Hickok, an American legend from the Old West who was one of the inaugural inductees into the Poker Hall of Fame.

Hair showed the trophy to the crowd, and then warned everyone about playing aces and eights. Why? Hickok was assassinated during a poker game, and he had two pair in his final hand — aces and eights. 

Hair will be playing tomorrow on Day 1b, and he joked that he was only loaning the trophy to the Bicycle Casino for a week until he reclaimed it next Wednesday by winning the tournament.