When Jeff Cabanillas first strolled through the doors of the mammoth Rio poker tournament room three days ago, few people recognized him. Few appreciated his talent. Fewer still gave him any chance whatsoever to win one of the toughest competitions in all of tournament poker -- the $5,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em event at the World Series of Poker.

Cabanillas won his way into this event through a single-table satellite. He played the best poker of his life and survived the first day which saw 621 players enter the tournament. On Day Two, Cabanillas made it into the money.