2002 Bellagio Five Diamond
World Poker Classic
Tuesday,
December 10, 2002
Event #9
Limit Hold'em
BUY-IN:
$500 + $40
Players: 252
Prize Pool: $122,220
1
Scott Buller Lincoln, NE $45,222
2 Chris
Karagulleyan Glendale, CA
$23,222
3 Michael Hall Las Vegas,
NV $11,611
4 Janet Park Torrance, CA
$7,333
5 Paul Dahl Vancouver, WA
$5,500
6 Max Pescatori Milan, Italy
$4,278
7 Moji Seyevin Las Vegas,
NV $3,056
8 Scott Nguyen Anaheim, CA
$2,444
9 Hieu Ma South El Monte,
CA $1,956
10 Steve Kaufman Cincinnati,
OH $1,467
11 Fred Koubi Van Nuys, CA
$1,467
12 Richard Klamian Las Vegas,
NV $1,467
13 Dave Klassen Edmonton,
Canada $1,222
14 Jack Duncan Las Vegas,
NV $1,222
15 Mike Yuwiler Las Vegas,
NV $1,222
16 David Plastik Las Vegas,
NV $978
17 Mike Halford Memphis, TN
$978
18 David Pham Bell Gardens,
CA $978
19 Todd Berman Las Vegas,
NV $733
20 Ken Xydias Fargo, ND $733
21 Vinnie Vinh Houston, TX
$733
22 Brian Green San Jose, Costa
Rica $733
23 Wes Gronhovd Nekoma, ND
$733
24 Dale Garthus Moose Jaw,
Canada $733
25 Joseph Dada Las Vegas,
NV $733
26 Keith Davis Oceanside,
CA $733
27 Steven Rider West Point,
CA $733
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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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