2005 World Series of Poker - Week #5 Recap

We’ve reached the home stretch here at the Rio Casino in Las Vegas. The last week leading up to the Main Event was filled with plenty of amazing stories. Satellites have been running around the clock and players are waiting up to the last minute to qualify for the Main event. Again, history was made at the most prestigious poker tournament in the world when the oldest ever bracelet winner was crowned. Also, several other players collected their first bracelets such as Andre Boyer, who is a poker announcer from Canada. David Chui won his fourth career bracelet. Plus, Allen Cunningham became this year’s first million dollar winner.

Here are bracelet winners from this past week:

• Event #32 $5,000 Omaha Hi/Lo: David Chui (Rowland Heights, CA) $347,410
• Event #33 $3,000 NL Hold’em: Andre Boyer (Montreal, Quebec) $682,810
• Event #34 $1,000 Seniors NL: Paul McKinney (Princeton, WV) $202,725
• Event #35 $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha: Rafi Amit (Holon, Israel) $511,835
• Event #36 $3,000 Limit Hold’em: Todd Witteles (Las Vegas, NV) $347,385
• Event #37 $1,000 NL Hold’em w/ Rebuys: Jon Heneghan (Safety Harbor, FL ) $611,015
• Event #39 $5,000 NL Deuce to Seven Lowball w/ Rebuys: David Grey (Las Vegas, NV) $365,135
• Event #40 Media/Celebrity Charity Event: Randy Bowan (Noblesville, Indiana) $10,000

David Chui won his fourth bracelet in the Omaha Hi/Lo event and beat out a table that included several international players. The bigger story during that event had to be Allen Cunningham’s fourth final table this year. He also collected his fifth cash and became the first “Million Dollar Man” of the 2005 WSOP.

Andre Boyer is considered the “Mike Sexton” of Quebec. He is a poker announcer for Reseaux Des Sports (RDS) and once made the final table at the WSOP main event several years ago. He also outlasted John Duthie, who is the founder and director of the European Poker Tour. If you don’t know, John Duthie was the first player to win at least $1 million in a European televised poker event.

Paul “Cigar” McKinney had been playing poker for over six decades. The 80 year old has won tournaments all over America in Atlantic City, Tunica, and in Las Vegas. He has also made several final tables at the WSOP and collected many cashes, but never won a bracelet until he emerged victorious in the Seniors NL event. In order to be eligible for the WSOP Seniors event, you have to be at least 50 years old.

Rafi Amit won his first bracelet in the Pot Limit Hold’em event and beat out a final table that included several Europeans such as Simon “Aces” Trumper, Also at his final table were tough players such as Vinny Vinh and 2005 bracelet winners Todd Brunson and Erik Seidel. Rafi Amit was in the middle of some controversy when he was penalized for cursing during heads up play with Vinny Vinh.

Todd Wittles is another player who won his first bracelet in the last Limit event of this year’s WSOP. He beat out bracelet winners Eddie Schaarf from Germany and Cyndy Violette who reached her third final table of the 2005 WSOP.

Jon Heneghan had a tough final table to overcome in order for him to win his first bracelet. He took down both Freddy Deeb and Barry Greenstein. Both Deeb and Greenstein made final tables earlier in the month.

David Grey won one of the most prestigious tournaments at the WSOP, the NL Deuce to Seven Lowball. He had to beat out a rough final table that included Johnny “World” Hennigan and Dewey Tomko. Grey earned his second bracelet after making his fourth WSOP final table.

Randy Bowan won the Media/Charity event. He won $10,000 for the Noblesville, Indiana Boys and Girls Club. I made the final table and took 6th place. I won $250 for the Charlie Tuttle Foundation. With two tables remaining, I held the chip lead. I knocked out actress Shannon Elizabeth on a bad beat. I had pocket Jacks and she held pocket Aces. I caught a Jack on the river to send her to the rail. Other celebrities who participated in the event included James Woods, Penn Jillette, Oliver Hudson, Brad Garret, Dick Van Patten, an Elvis impersonator, and Oklahoma Johnny Hale.

The fifth week of action at the World Series of Poker is complete and the main event is underway. Stay tuned for a mid-week update of the $10K main event.