WSOP - Event #25 Official Report

[Talking Poker]

2005 World Series of Poker
Rio All-Suites Casino-Resort
Official Report

Event #25
Pot-Limit Hold’em
Buy-in: $2,500
Number of Entries: 425
Total Prize Money: $977,500

Official Results:

1. Johnny Chan Las Vegas, NV $303,025
2. Phil Laak San Jose, CA $156,400
3. Richard Osborne Martinez, CA $78,200
4. Frank Kassela Germantown, TN $68,425
5. Jerri Thomas Hamilton, OH $58,650
6. Tony Hartmann Minneapolis, MN $48,875
7. Richard Harroch San Francisco, CA $39,100
8. Ashok Surapaneni Las Vegas, NV $29,325
9. Jose Brenes Miami Lakes, FL $19,550

10. Ivo Donev Bregenz, Austria $11,730
11. Stuart Fox Birmingham, England $11,730
12. Terrence Chan Burnaby, BC $11,730
13. Darrell Dicken Waterloo, IA $9,775
14. Paul Wolfe Royal Palm Beach, FL $9,775
15. Thithi Tran Torrance, CA $9,775
16. Mark Muchnik Henderson, NV $7,820
17. Michael Keiner Braunfels, Germany $7,820
18. Josef Monro Beverly Hills, MI $7,820
19. Trang Phan Long Beach, CA $5,865
20. Terry Eisenman Olympia, WA $5,865
21. Roy Carter Carrollton, TX $5,865
22. Rob Harris San Jose, CA $5,865
23. Michael "Grinder" Mizrachi Hollywood, FL $5,865
24. Bradley Peeples Coffeeville, MS $5,865
25. Bo Hunt Lowell, FL $5,865
26. James Brown Jr. Gilbert, AZ $5,865
27. Barny Boatman London, England $5,865
28. Blair Rodman Las Vegas, NV $3,910
29. Daniel Shak Bryn Mawr, PA $3,910
30. Juha Helppi Finland $3,910
31. Carl Frommer Canyon Cntry, CA $3,910
32. Barbara Laux Clairton, PA $3,910
33. Dr Max Stern Las Vegas, NV $3,910
34. Tom Livia Boca Raton, FL $3,910
35. Bobby Firestone Santa Barbara, CA $3,910
36. Mike White Prairie Village, KS $3,910

(continued)

[Talking Poker]

A Perfect ‘10’
Poker legend Johnny Chan becomes first player in World Series of Poker history to win ten gold bracelets


The World Series of Poker is filled with many memorable moments: Doyle Brunson’s back-to-back wins back in 1976-77 holding his trademark hand -- ten-deuce; Stu Ungar’s rise from the ashes in his third world championship (a.k.a. “the comeback”) in 1997; Online poker player Chris Moneymaker’s stunning victory in 2003. These events rank among the most unforgettable of poker memories.

What happened at 3:18 am on a Sunday night at the Rio Pavilion in Las Vegas ranks right up there as one of the games’s greatest moments. Johnny Chan won his all-time record tenth WSOP gold bracelet. After a two-year epoch during which poker’s three most famous players remained locked in a virtual dead heat with nine gold bracelets each (lifetime wins), Chan finally broke through and became the first player to win Number Ten.

It would be hard to decide which was more exciting – the final duel between Chan and Phil ‘the Unibomber’ Laak -- or, the fanfare of media and well-wishers swarming around Chan afterwards.

Neither of these things would have happened had it not been for one dazzling hand which took place when play was four-handed. Chan was dealt Q-Q. His opponent, Frank Kassela, was dealt A-A. The former world champion was ‘all in.’ Chan, not accustomed to needing help from the deck, was in serious trouble. Almost as though his fate was pre-ordained, the flop brought a queen. The jam-packed crowd went ballistic. In mere seconds, Chan went from one step away from the rail to the chip lead. Indeed, pocket queens would prove to be a lucky hand for Johnny Chan.

The tournament began with 425 entrants. Finalists included three former gold bracelet winners – Johnny Chan (3), Jerri Thomas (1), and Humberto Brenes (1). The chip leader was formidable poker pro, Tony Hartman. At the final table, players and chip counts were as follows:

THE FINAL TABLE:

SEAT 1 -- Jerri Thomas 65,000 in chips
SEAT 2 -- Tony Hartman 200,000 in chips
SEAT 3 -- Richard Osborne 55,000 in chips
SEAT 4 -- Johnny Chan 70,000 in chips
SEAT 5 – Ivo Donev 50,000 in chips
SEAT 6 -- Frank Kassela 170,000 in chips
SEAT 7 -- Richard Harrich 75,000 in chips
SEAT 8 -- Humberto Brenes 125,000 in chips
SEAT 9 – Phil Laak 85,000 in chips
SEAT 10 -- Ashok Surapaneni 175,000 in chips

Players were eliminated in the following order:

10th Place – Ivo Donev, from Austria, has made several final tables and in-the-money finishes at the WSOP. He arrived low on chips and went out first. Tenth place paid $11,730.

9th Place – Costa Rican Humberto Brenes went out next when his 6-6 was flattened by Richard Harroch’s 9-9. Brenes collected $19,550 for 9th place.

8th Place – After Brenes departed, Ashok Surapaneni was eliminated on the very next hand when his A-10 was topped by Frank Kassela’s Q-Q. That gave Kassela the chip lead for the first time. Surapaneni collected $29,325 for 8th place.

7th Place – Richard Harroch took a tough beat on what might have been one of the most important hands of the tournament. Harroch was dealt A-J and was ‘all in’ against Johnny Chan’s 4-4. The flop came J-5-8….followed by a 7 and 6 on the turn and river. The runner-runner straight gave Chan the pot and put Harroch on the rail. Seventh place paid $39,100.

6th Place – Tony Hartman had a disappointing final table. He arrived as chip leader, but watched helplessly as his chips moved in the wrong direction. Hartman’s bad run was summed up in his final hand – pocket queens versus Phil Laak’s pocket tens. Wham! A ten on the flop booted Hartman out in 6th place – good fro $48,875.

5th Place – Jerri Thomas was low on chips. She managed to survive six ‘all ins’ before finally succumbing to a 5th place finish. On her final hand, A-8 was dominated by Richard Osborne’s A-10. Neither player made a pair, but the ten played. Thomas walked away with 5th-place prize money -- $58,650.

4th Place – After Frank Kassela lost the most important pot of the night to Johnny Chan (see A-A versus Q-Q), he went out a short time later, losing his final hand to Phil Laak. Kassela earned $68,425 for 4th place.

3rd Place – While play was three-handed, Chan widened his chip advantage. Then, another bizarre hand took place when Phil Laak had much the worst of it with K-10 and had his opponent (Richard Osborne) ‘all in’ with A-K. The river brought a ten to Laak, sending him into a frenzy. Meanwhile, Osborne staggered away in disbelief. $78,200 was the consolation prize for 3rd place.

2nd Place – The final duel was so compelling that ESPN cameras were turned on for an event which was not originally scheduled to be televised. Phil Laak versus Johnny Chan was as great poker theatre as there ever has been in the history of the World Series. Johnny Chan may have seen everything in his 23 years as a pro, but he had certainly not witnessed the equivalent of Phil ‘Unabomber’ Laak playing the role of circus clown, crazed lunatic, and grand shaman all wrapped up in a single, seemingly disturbed, poker player. Chan sat stoically, while Laak bounced around the final table like Jackson Pollack painting a canvas. He darted back and forth around Chan, the dealer, and the Tournament Director – often in the middle of hands. When he folded a hand, he pleaded with the dealer to rabbit hunt cards, seemingly more interested in a hypothetical outcome than reality. Like a deranged madman, Laak had the audience (and occasionally Chan, too) in stitches. No one would have thought that there was about 150 grand riding on the outcome (the difference in prize money between first place and second).

It would be safe to say that although it was past 3 am, no one – the players, nor the audience, nor the staff -- wanted this match to end. It was a theatre worthy of an extended encore. The final curtain came down on the Chan-Laak show when the Unabomber was dealt K-J. Chan was dealt Q-Q. The flop came J-5-5. Laak was trapped. He was ‘all in’ with top pair and Chan had an overpair. Two blanks fell and Chan had delivered the final knockout punch.

Phil ‘Unabomber’ Laak took $156,400 for second place.

1st Place – Johnny Chan won the world poker championship in 1987 and 1988. He came within one card of wining the 1989 WSOP, as well. His win in the event amounted to $303,025.

One must now wonder if and when Phil Hellmuth (or Doyle Brunson) might catch Chan for the all-time “most wins” record. Given that Chan plays fewer tournaments than any of the three, his record is even more extraordinary.


Official Report by Nolan Dalla – World Series of Poker Media Director

World Series of Poker Circuit Director of Operations – Ken Lambert
World Series of Poker Tournament Director – John Grooms
Rio Poker Room Manager – Michael Matts
Rio Poker Tournament Director – Robert Daily

[Talking Poker]

Crazy. Can't wait to see this. I'm also glad to see ESPN was smart enough to turn on the cameras for what is undoubtedly going to be some good tv...