1995 Hall of Fame Poker Classic

$5,000 Buy-in
Entries: 118
Total Prize Money: $590,000

1994 Winner: Dr. Barry Schwartz -- $184,000

Hall of Fame 1995 Champion: PHIL HELLMUTH

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

1. Phil Hellmuth                           $236,000
Menlo Park, California
2. Howard Lederer                           135,700
Las Vegas, Nevada
3. Humberto Brenes                           70,800
Miami Lakes, Florida
4. Peter Vilandos                            41,300
Houston, Texas
5. Ron Stanley	                             32,450
Las Vegas, Nevada
6. Perry Green                               26,550
Anchorage, Alaska
7. Ali Farsai                                20,650
Downey, California
8. Luis Santoni                              14,750
Las Vegas, Nevada
9. Paul Stringfellow                         11,800
Killeen, Texas

* Tie

. This is the third Hall of Fame title for Hellmuth, who also has to his credit five World Series of Poker titles -- three of which were won during the 1993 tournament -- and numerous titles from other major competitions. A 31-year-old professional player from Menlo Park, California, Hellmuth began playing poker 12 years ago and captured the world championship at the age of 24.

. Hellmuth came to the final table with more than a 2-to-1 chip lead over each of his remaining eight opponents, and by the time heads-up play began, he commanded almost a 3-to-1 advantage over runner-up Howard Lederer. Although Lederer aggressively defended his stack and survived a couple of all-in confrontations, he never could manage to take the lead. It was all over an hour later when Lederer, who was on the button with 8C7C, made it $20,000 before the flop, and Hellmuth called with A-3 offsuit. The flop came A-7-6, Lederer bet $25,000, and Hellmuth called. When a second six fell on the turn, Lederer moved all in. Hellmuth called, and when the river brought a ten, he claimed the pot and the title with aces up.

. "I told a lot of people that I was going to win this tournament," commented Hellmuth, who now joins Johnny Chan and Jim Bechtel as being the only players to win the championship events in both the Hall of Fame Poker Classic and the World Series of Poker. "I've matured a lot this year, which has given me even more confidence, and I believe I'm playing my best possible poker," Hellmuth added.

. Lederer, a 32-year-old professional gamesman from Las Vegas, received $135,700 for his second-place finish. He won the Hall of Fame's Deuce-to-Seven Draw competition and $72,900 on December 14 and holds titles from several other major competitions, including the Queens Poker Classic and the Diamond Jim Brady Tournament. A co-owner of Poker World magazine, Lederer also competes professionally on the backgammon and chess circuits.

. Winning third place in the championship competition and pocketing $70,800 was Humberto Brenes, a 43-year-old recreational poker player from Miami Lakes, Florida. The owner of a television station and a coffee factory in Costa Rica, Brenes holds three World Series of Poker titles, as well as several titles from other major competitions. He has been playing poker since childhood.

. Short-stacked after losing a $160,000 pot to Howard Lederer, Brenes was eliminated from the tournament on the next hand when he moved all in before the flop with J-3 offsuit and was called by Phil Hellmuth, who held Q-7 offsuit. The board showed A-K-10-2-5, and Hellmuth took down the money with his queen.

The Final Hand

Previous Event.