Aussie Rookie Wins World Series of Poker

Saturday, July 16th, 2005

By ADAM GOLDMAN
Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS - Australian Joseph Hachem prevailed in his first World Series of Poker Saturday, winning $7.5 million and snatching the game's greatest crown in the longest final table in the tournament's history.

Only six hands into the two-man showdown at the end, Hachem eliminated Steven Dannenmann of Severn, Md., when he flopped a seven-high straight.

When it was clear Hachem had won, his fans in the room erupted into "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!" Hachem immediately embraced Dannenmann, wrapped himself in an Australian flag and shouted: "Thank you, America."

Hachem's victory was astonishing because he had been nursing a short stack of chips for 11 1/2 hours through the night, waiting for the right moment and avoiding confrontations that could cost him a chance at the 36th annual no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event title.

"I never gave up," he said.

The 39-year-old gambler from Melbourne moved with his family from his native Lebanon in 1972 and gave up a 13-year chiropractic career three years ago to play poker for a living.

Nearly 14 hours into the final round of seemingly interminable poker, Hachem pounced, bringing the tournament to a decisive end about an hour after sunrise.

The final play unfolded slowly as Dannenmann raised before the flop — three community cards — was turned over. Hachem called and the dealer revealed a six-five-four flop. Hachem checked, Dannenmann bet another $700,000 and then Hachem raised to $1.7 million.

The turn, or fourth card, was an ace and Hachem threw another $2 million into the pot. Dannenmann raised to $5 million and Hachem went "all-in" with more than $30 million, moving into a high-stakes gear that can either save or break a gambler.

Dannenmann called instantly and then Hachem produced a seven and three, giving him a seven-high straight. Dannenmann showed an ace-three, and needed a seven on the river — the last card — to match Hachem's straight. It didn't happen.

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At World Series of Poker, Betting His Shirt to Win

Friday, July 15th, 2005

By Peter Carlson
Washington Post Staff Writer

Steve Dannenmann's shirt may be getting a tad funky, but he keeps winning and that's what's important at the World Series of Poker.

Dannenmann, 38, an accountant from Severn, was in seventh place late last night in the annual tournament in Las Vegas. That meant he was guaranteed to win at least $400,000. If his luck holds out, he could win as much as $7.5 million.

But Dannenmann is a superstitious poker player, so he keeps wearing the same tan, short-sleeved dress shirt he wore last Saturday, the first day of the tournament.

"He airs it out," says his wife, Anita, speaking by phone from their Vegas hotel room. "We have a window and he hangs it out at night."

That's not his only superstition. Every day, he takes an even-numbered cab to the tournament because he rode in an even-numbered cab on the first day. And he won't let Anita watch him play because she wasn't watching that first day.

"Every morning, I walk him to the taxi stand and put him in a cab," she says, "and I think, 'I'm putting my little boy on the school bus and sending him off to school.' "

The World Series of Poker is a rough school where lessons can be painful and expensive, and Dannenmann didn't expect to enrolled this long.

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For poker players, universal draw of World Series lies in riches: Thousands in Vegas vie for $7.5m prize

Thursday, July 14th, 2005

By Steve Friess
Globe Correspondent

LAS VEGAS -- Bernard Lee of Wayland kissed a wallet-size photo of his son and daughter, peeked quickly at his cards -- a pair of kings -- and changed his expression not a bit.

This was a moment of truth, one of a parade of them for the Boston Scientific marketing manager making an improbable run in the fifth round of the seven-round 2005 World Series of Poker No-Limits Texas Hold 'Em Championship yesterday. He was ''all in," meaning he bet all his chips and if he lost, he would be eliminated from the world's richest poker event.

Then the call: His opponent showed a pair of fours. Lee let out a hearty yelp. He had doubled his chips.

By surviving that battle and several others, by 8 p.m. local time last night Lee found himself among the last 28 players in a tournament that started last week with 5,619 entrants and he was assured of taking home at least $274,090. The top prize is the largest in poker history, $7.5 million, which the nine finalists will vie for at tomorrow's final table.

The 5,619 entrants is more than double last year's 2,576 and about seven times the 839 players in 2003, a reflection of the game's popularity explosion.

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America’s biggest threat: online poker

Wednesday, July 13th, 2005

LAS VEGAS

HERE IS MY fear about the poker nation we are creating, part one: One day, while tens of millions of us are holed up in our bedrooms or dens — shades lowered, computers whirring — playing four screens of Texas hold ’em simultaneously, Soviet troops will roll into New York and bring America to the brink of collapse.*

(* I know some of you are saying, "What do you mean, Soviet troops? There is no Soviet Union anymore." Poker players don’t know this — they are too busy trying to make a flush on the river.)

Here is my fear about the poker nation we are creating, part two: With college students spending dozens of dormitory hours weekly at Internet sites, and young professionals wasting away their down time losing the mortgage money online one house drop at a time, a decade from now Gamblers Anonymous will have more outlets than Starbucks.

For the past few days here at the Rio Hotel and Casino, 5,619 players have gathered to chase the $7.5 million first prize in the World Series of Poker Main Event. It is a stunning spectacle, a testament to the rising popularity of poker.

But there is a dark side. Poker’s growth is fueled mainly by television and the Internet — TV always worries me; the Internet worries me more.

I love playing the game and, now, as an analyst on ESPN, I love talking about it. And I’m certain that much of the newfound interest emanates from people playing on the Internet.

Still, I’m struck by a notion — online poker is great for the game and lousy for the greater good of America.

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Jennifer Tilly beat out 600 other women to win a WSOP Championship Event, and I have to ask myself, "Is Poker a Shooting Star, or a New Sport?"

By: Patrick Smyth

Monday, July 11th, 2005

Last week I went to an invite-only party at the Wynn Casino sponsored by Full Tilt and witnessed a brand new type of ‘star’ emerge - the Professional Poker Player.

The well-heeled soiree featured a charity poker game in which the common person was able to play against the likes of Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, and Erick Lindgren. There were even some other celebrities including Penn Jillette and Omarosa of the Apprentice fame.

And of course, there was Jennifer Tilly, the winner of the Ladies-Only No Limit Texas Hold 'Em event at the World Series of Poker, becoming the first celebrity to win an open (as opposed to celebrity-only) WSOP tournament and earn a World Series bracelet. She beat out exactly 600 other women to take the championship.

Now is she a ‘movie star’ or a ‘poker star’?

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