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Poker Tournament Results
Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic
| 1 |
Scott Buller (Lincoln, NE, USA) |
$45,222 |
| 2 |
Chris Karagoulian (Glendale, CA, USA) |
$23,222 |
| 3 |
Michael Hall |
$11,611 |
| 4 |
Janet Park |
$7,333 |
| 5 |
Paul Dahl (Vancouver, WA, USA) |
$5,500 |
| 6 |
Max "Italian Pirate" Pescatori (Milan, Italy) |
$4,278 |
| 7 |
Moji Sevein |
$3,056 |
| 8 |
Hieu "Tony" Ma (S El Monte, CA, USA) |
$2,444 |
| 9 |
Stephen Kaufman (Las Vegas, NV, USA) |
$1,956 |
| 10 |
Fred Koubi (Van Nuys, CA, USA) |
$1,467 |
| 11 |
Richard Klamian (Las Vegas, NV, USA) |
$1,467 |
| 12 |
Dave Klassen (Edmonton, AB, Canada) |
$1,222 |
| 13 |
Jack Duncan (Newport, WA, USA) |
$1,222 |
| 14 |
Mike Yullier |
$1,222 |
| 15 |
David "C4" Plastik (Las Vegas, NV, USA) |
$978 |
| 16 |
Michael Halford AKA "Kidfrmtenn" (Memphis, TN, USA) |
$978 |
| 17 |
David "Dragon" Pham (Cerritos, CA, USA) |
$978 |
| 18 |
Todd Burman |
$733 |
| 19 |
Ken Xudais |
$733 |
| 20 |
Vinnie Vinh (Houston, TX, USA) |
$733 |
| 21 |
Brian Green (San Jose, Costa Rica) |
$733 |
| 22 |
Wesley Gronhovd (Nakoma, MD, USA) |
$733 |
| 23 |
Dale Garthus (Moose Jaw, SK, Canada) |
$733 |
| 24 |
Joseph Dada |
$733 |
| 25 |
Keith Davis (Charlotte, NC, USA) |
$733 |
| 26 |
Steve Ryder (Richmond, CA) |
$733 |
Tournament Report
| As most veteran tournament players already know, having a big chip lead doesn't necessarily guarantee victory, as was the case during the $500 buy-in Limit Hold'em event Tuesday in the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Professional Chris Karagulleyan of Glendale, CA, owned a chip lead of $310,000 to $60,000 for Scott Buller of Lincoln, NE, during their heads-up final table match, but as it happens more times than one might think, the short stacked player ended up winning.
Buller, whose biggest stake to claim this year was an impressive fifth place finish in the Party Poker Million tournament in March, had pocket Kings several times during a 20-minute span that wreaked havoc on the talented Karagulleyan's war chest of chips. Buller, who was an online qualifier for the Party Poker event, picked up $45,222 for first prize money and the title. He is a conductor for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, but has been playing poker for 23 years. Buller, whose favorite game is Omaha Hi-Lo Split, has also won past events at the Canterbury Card Classic in Minnesota and at the Midwest Iowa Open.
Karagulleyan, a Lebanese-born Armenian who moved to the U.S. 20 years ago, was a taxi driver for a while, but now plays as a full time poker professional. Highlights of his successes this year include winning the No Limit Hold'em championship event of the Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino and winding up second in the No Limit Hold'em championship event of the Four Queens Poker Classic in Las Vegas. Karagulleyan won $23,222 for his runner-up finish in the Five Diamond event.
The sizes of the fields for the Five Diamond World Poker Classic events continue to be impressive, especially considering this is the first time this tournament has been held during this time and that several other major poker tournament schedules overlap with this one. The two-day $3,000 No Limit Championship event begins Wednesday. A field of 252 players entered the Limit Hold'em event, generating a total prize pool of $122,220.
Michael Hall of Las Vegas finished third and made $11,611, while Janet Park of Torrance, CA, got fourth and $7,333, and Paul Dahl of Vancouver, WA, was fifth, earning $5,500.
Rounding out the top 10 were 6-Max Pescatori of Milan, Italy, 7-Moji Seyevin of Las Vegas, 8-Scott Nguyen of Anaheim, CA, 9-Hieu Ma of south El Monte, CA, and 10-Steve Kaufman of Cincinnati, OH.
- Jim Sherwood
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Mon, Oct 06, 2008 - 01:00am CDT
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