1995 Hall of Fame Poker Classic

$3,000 Buy-in
Entries: 22
Rebuys: 32
Total Prize Money: $162,000

1994 Winner: Howard Lederer -- $52,875

1995 Champion: HOWARD LEDERER

• The Winners.
• The Showdown.
• The Final Table.
• The Final Hand.

1. Howard Lederer                           $72,900
Las Vegas, Nevada
2. O'Neil Longson                            40,500
Salt Lake City, Utah
3. Gabe Kaplan                               24,300
Los Angeles, California
4. Jim Bechtel                               16,200
Gilbert, Arizona
5. Peter Vilandos                             8,100
Houston, Texas

. Besides his two Hall of Fame titles, Lederer holds titles from the Queens Poker Classic and the Diamond Jim Brady Tournament, and has cashed in numerous other major competitions, including the World Series of Poker. A co-owner of Poker World magazine, Lederer also competes professionally on the backgammon and chess circuits.

. Lederer came to the final table as one of the chip leaders and steadily continued to build his stack. By the time heads-up play began, he commanded a 2-to-1 advantage over runner-up O'Neil Longson. Though Longson put up a good fight, he couldn't seem to make a hand and soon fell victim to Lederer's onslaught. In the final confrontation, Lederer raised $10,000 with a one-card draw to 8-7-4-3, and Longson moved all in with a pat J-9. Lederer called and caught a six to claim the $120,000 pot and the title.

. Longson, a 61-year-old recreational poker player from Salt Lake City, Utah, pocketed $40,500 for his second-place finish. The owner of a furniture store, he has cashed in numerous major competitions and holds titles from both the World Series of Poker and the Super Bowl of Poker. Longson has played poker since childhood.

. Finishing third in the Deuce-to-Seven Draw competition and taking home $24,300 was Gabe Kaplan of Los Angeles, California. A 50-year-old actor and investor, Kaplan holds two Deuce-to-Seven titles from the L.A. Poker Classic, as well as titles from the Super Bowl of Poker and the Knights of the Round Table tournament. He is perhaps best known, however, for his starring role in "Welcome Back Kotter," a television comedy that ran four years on ABC.

. Kaplan was eliminated from the competition when he moved all in with a one-card draw to 10-5 and was called by Longson, who drew one to 10-8. Kaplan caught an ace, but Lady Luck was in Longson's corner, giving him a king to take the pot.

. Winning fourth place and $16,200 was 1993 World Champion of Poker Jim Bechtel of Gilbert, Arizona, and placing fifth for $8,100 was Peter Vilandos of Houston, Texas, who won the $1,500 buy-in pot-limit Hold'em event during the 1995 World Series of Poker.

The Final Hand

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