EVENT #20 NO-LIMIT HOLD'EM CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT
Friday, September 13, 2002
$5,000 BUY-IN
$5,000 in chips
DAY ONE
JOHNNY CHAN'S HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
Johnny Chan is used to being first. The winner of back-to-back World Championships in 1987 and 1988, Johnny is also first in money won all-time at the World Series of Poker.
He's also the first poker-playing movie star.
It was Chan (shown repeatedly on videotape trapping Erik Seidel to win his first championship) that Matt Damon idolized in the movie 'Rounders'. To many younger Americans, Johnny Chan may be the only poker player they would be able to name.
It may come as a surprise to some that Johnny Chan isn't already in the Poker Hall of Fame. It's not an oversight. It's because Johnny is still so young. Not yet 50 years old, Chan had unusual success very early. Always known as one of the finest No-Limit Hold'em players who ever lived, Johnny Chan qualifies easily for Hall of Fame membership because Johnny has always taken on all comers. Chan has played in the biggest games going for the last quarter century. Nicknamed by the pundits as "The Great Wall of China" and "The Orient Express" Johnny Chan is also one of the most approachable and well-liked of former World Champions.
In this year's World Series of Poker, Chan won his 7th bracelet to leave him only one behind the legends Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson. Oh, and fittingly, the great Johnny Chan is the first Asian-American in the Poker Hall of Fame.
Johnny Chan is truly first among equals.
Lyle Berman, fellow Hall of Fame 2002 Inductee, introduced Johnny before the start of the Championship Event. He reminded the audience that Chan started playing poker at the $2/$4 level. He cautioned all players that if they couldn’t beat that game, they wouldn’t be able to beat $10/$20 and above. So don't ask him for a stake.
Johnny thanked Lyle for the introduction and the Hall of Fame for the "honor" Then he told the dealers, "Shuffle up and deal."
LUCK vs. SKILL
Those arguing that poker is all luck took a beating today as only famous players made it to the Final Table. Of the 54 entrants have were well known and half weren't. Presumably, the known players were more skillful than the unknowns were. Score: 9-0 skillful. Which is just the opposite of what happened at this year's World Series of Poker. That score was 9-0 also, all unknown. So go figure.
Final Table: 43 mins. Of 60. The blinds are $400/$800 with a $100 ante.
Seat Hometown Chips
Seat 1. T J Cloutier Richardson TX $25,400
Seat 2. David Ulliott Hull, UK $12,000
Seat 3. Peter Costa Leicester, UK $59,500
Seat 4. Chris Bjorin London, UK $18,300
Seat 5. Howard Lederer Las Vegas NV $64,900
Seat 6. Tony Cousineau Daytona Beach FL $10,900
Seat 7. Tom Franklin Gulfport MS $ 6,400
Seat 8. Paul Rowe Las Vegas NV $19,100
Seat 9. Amir Vahedi Los Angeles CA $53,600
Tough table, you bet. But so would any table be a sampling of today’s starters.
Lyle Berman, Humberto Brenes, Allen Cunningham, Layne Flack, Ken Flaton, Julian Gardner, Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Phil Ivey, John Juanda, Mike Laing, Kathy Liebert, Carlos Mortenson, Daniel Negreanu, Scotty Nguyen, Erik Seidel, Surinder Sunar,
When O'Neil Longson raised from the button all-in with pocket Queens, Amir Vahedi nearly beat him into the pot with pocket Kings.
The Final Table was set for Day Two with all money winners.
Championship Event Payout
1st $101,520
2nd 58,370
3rd 30,460
4th 17,770
5th 13,960
6th 11,420
7th 8,880
8th 6,350
9th 5,070
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