Ken Aldridge used to teach high school. At the Rio in Las Vegas, he once again showed how it’s done. Aldridge outlasted 1,458 other players to take first in the $1,500 Six-Handed No-Limit hold’em tournament, Event 9, at the 2009 World Series of Poker. The win marked just the second time the North Carolinian has cashed at a major tournament.

“I really don’t think I made many mistakes,” Aldridge, 57, said. “I was very happy with how things went.”

UK resident Peter Gould, who placed third, cashed for the fifth time at a WSOP.

Several owners of World Series bracelets made money in Event 9, including Praz Bansi, Bill Chen, David Daneshgar and Carlos Mortensen.

Overall, 144 places paid.

Event 9

Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em

Buy-in: $1,500

Entries: 1,459

Payouts

1. Ken Aldridge, Pleasant Garden, NC … $428,259
2. Carman Cavella, Turnersville, NJ … $264,814
3. Peter Gould, London, UK … $170,953
4. Bryce Yockey, Torrance, CA … $115,230
5. Charles Furey, Bridgewater, NJ … $80,896
6. Manelic Minaya, Tampa, FL … $59,049
7. Praz Bansi, London, UK … $42,320
8. Bryn Kenney, Long Beach, NY … $42,320
9. Robert Lipkin, Buffalo Grove, IL … $30,311

10. Steven McNally, Henderson, NV … $30,311