Poker Tournament Results

1st Annual World Poker Challenge

Chris Bigler

Tournament Report

Chris Bigler of Switzerland, who said he had been having a “terrible” week in poker, made everything come out right when he won the 15th event of World Poker Challenge, $1,000 limit hold’em. It was no small accomplishment, either, because, just like the night before, there were two World Series champs at the final table: back-to-back winner Johnny Chan, and reigning champion Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, to say nothing of the always dangerous John “Bono” Bonetti. Bigler’s previous wins includes a pot-limit hold’em event at the Rio, several in Europe and a fifth in the 1999 WSOP championship. Second-place finisher Chan was the day’s host. The final table started explosively. On the second hand, with $1,500-$3,000 limits, Reno stockbroker Dan Essad raised with A-10 and Kevin Song re-raised and put him all in with A-J. The board came 5-5-2-9-6. One down. Mike Laing was in full voice, much to Bonetti’s annoyance. “Stop talking, we’re trying to play poker,” he complained. And play poker they did, with a vengeance. Two hands later. Jeannie Kim was dealt Q-Q, Bonetti was dealt K-K, and Laing got A-A! She raised, Mike made it $4,500 to go, Bono called and Kim raised again all in, then laughed gleefully when a third queen flopped. Laing bet the flop and the turn, then took the side pot as Jeannie pulled in the main. One hand later, Ferguson raised with A-6 and David “Whiteye” White, who’s in the construction business in Texas, called with two 10s. On a flop of 6-5-3, the WSOP champ bet his 6s and went all in, but “Jesus” didn’t have a prayer and busted out in eighth place - Max Shapiro