Poker Tournament Results

3rd Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open

Humberto Brenes

Tournament Report

Prize Table for top 5 places 1st = $502,460 2nd = $258,020 3rd = $129,010 4th = $ 81,480 5th = $ 47,530 World Poker Open 2002 Final Table -- Player Biographies Seat 1: HUMBERTO BRENES (bren – ez) Chip Count: $771,000 Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica Humberto Brenes, age 50, has been playing poker for 35 years. He was educated as an industrial engineer in Costa Rica, but has played poker professionally for more than a decade, with many tournament wins to his name. Brenes owns two titles at the World Series of Poker – for Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha. He has also won at the Hall of Fame tournament in Las Vegas. Interesting Brenes Side Note: Brenes likes to listen to music while he plays poker. He usually wears headphones and has two types of music he enjoys while at the table. He puts on fast music when he’s got lots of chips and intends to play aggressively -- and puts on slower, more soothing music when he wants to remain patient at the table. Seat 2: ALEX PAPACHATZAKIS (papa – shat – zak – is) Chip Count: $230,000 Hometown: Athens, Greece Alex Papachatzakis, age 41, has been playing poker for ten years. He is a restaurant owner who currently resides in Torrance, CA. His greatest poker accomplishment up to this point was a 2nd place finish in the Seven-Card Stud High-Low Eight or Better event at the 2001 World Series of Poker. Papachatzakis also has two first-place finishes -- at The Orleans Open in 1999, and Legends of Poker in 2000. Interesting Papachatzakis Side Note: Papachatzakis is one of three of the last five players at this year’s final who were born outside the United States. It goes to show that poker is truly becoming an international game. Not surprisingly, Papachatzakis’ real passion -- aside from poker -- is soccer. Seat 3: ERIK SEIDEL (sy – del) Chip Count: $183,000 Hometown: Las Vegas, NV Erik Seidel, age 42, has been playing poker professionally for 17 years. He owns five gold bracelets and is currently ranked 5th on the all-time money winner’s list at the World Series of Poker. Seidel is both a successful high-stakes player in Las Vegas and a regular participant in the biggest events in tournament poker. Interesting Seidel Side Note: Seidel was one of the first professional poker players to ever be featured in a Hollywood major motion picture. In the 1998 film, “Rounders,” a clip is shown from the 1987 World Series of Poker showdown between Erik Seidel and Johnny Chan. Seidel finished 2nd to Chan on that day. However, in their re-match 14 years later at the 2001 World Series, Seidel went head-up versus Chan again, this time getting his revenge and winning $411,000 in a No-Limit Hold’em Event. Seat 4: DAVID “DEVIL FISH” ULLIOTT (u – lee – ott) Chip Count: $110,000 Hometown: Hull, England David “Devil Fish” Ulliott, age 47, has been playing poker for 30 years. He lists his occupation as a jeweler, and has added plenty of bracelets and gold watches to his collection, strictly from poker playing. Ulliott has numerous tournament wins -- both in the United States and in Europe. His biggest wins have been at the World Series of Poker for Pot-Limit Hold’em, the European Seven-Card Stud Championship, and ten other Pot-Limit Omaha titles – including his latest win here at the World Poker Open just a few days ago. Ulliott noted before the tournament started that the one reason he is here at the World Poker Open is because of the great respect he has for Jack Binion. Interesting Ulliott Side Note: Recently, when asked why he likes to play poker in the United States, DevilFish answered that he “loves the $100 bills. I love to take them home with me in a big suitcase,” he said. Seat 5: ROBERT DREYFUSS (dry – fuss) Chip Count: $108,000 Hometown: Dallas, TX Robert Dreyfuss, age 43, is an amateur poker player who is currently playing in only his fourth poker tournament ever. Dreyfuss is a business owner who has been playing recreationally in home games back in Texas for the past 20 years -- but has never made it this high into the money at a tournament before. Dreyfuss won his way into this year’s $10,000 main event by winning a seat in a $220 super satellite -- and is now guaranteed at least $61,110 in prize money. Interesting Dreyfuss Side Note: Dreyfuss admits that this final table appearance at the World Poker Open has been a great learning experience for him. When asked which players in poker he respects the most, he answered – “I have come to respect all of the pros I have played against in this tournament.”