A shout-out to Jesse Sylvia , the 26-year-old Malden native who was the runner-up in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas this week. Sylvia, who grew up on Martha's Vineyard, lost a head-to-head showdown with Greg Merson of Maryland at the final table, making the 24-year-old Merson the winner of $8.53 million. Sylvia actually went into the final table with a chip lead, but lost after Merson benefited from an opponent's unforced error. The tournament began in July with 6,598 players and was narrowed to nine through seven sessions played over 11 days.