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.
THE FINAL TABLE:
43 mins. Of 60.
The blinds are $400/$800 with a $100 ante.
Player
Hometown Chip
Count
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.
Mike Paulle
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