EVENT #115/2 to 5/3/97
WORLD SERIES OF POKER
OMAHA (POT LIMIT) $2,500
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY - $457,500 PRIZE MONEY TO DATE - $5,283,000
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT - 87 (96 Rebuys) TOTAL ENTRIES TO DATE - 2,596
Daily Report Final Table
1stMatthias RohnacherHeidelberg, Germany$183,000
2ndSurinder SunarWolverhampton, U.K.$105,225
3rdJohn SpadavecchiaN. Miami Beach, FL$54,900
4thJack KellerLake Cormorant, MS$32,025
5thBrent CarterOak Park, IL$25,163
6thMansour MatloubiCardiff, U.K.$20,588
7thRuss HamiltonLas Vegas, NV$16,012
8thOšNeil LongsonSalt Lake City, UT$11,437
9thBerry JohnstonLas Vegas, NV$9,150

Daily Report
Las Vegas, May 3, 1997. Another beautiful spring day in Las Vegas. Very little wind, sunny with more clouds than normal, a little haze, and a high temperature in the mid 80's.
Smoking Survey: I didn't see anyone smoke at the final table today, although Monsour Matloubi had a couple of ashtrays next to his chips. Maybe he would have lit up if he had lasted longer.
Matthias Rohnacher became the first German to ever win a WSOP event as he beat out what was arguably the most prestigious final table in WSOP history. There were four past WSOP Championship Event winners at the final table, and the nine participants had won a total of $7,629,875 in previous WSOP events. Deals at the final table are a normal and routine occurrence in the tournament world, and likely happened in the first nine Events of this year's WSOP, but today's Event made it two in a row where no deal was made, or even seriously talked about. Very refreshing IMHO.

WSOP Collector Chip

The Huck Seed collector chip went on sale this morning, and all 2,000 chips were sold out when I got to the Horseshoe around 1:30 PM this afternoon. Sales were limited to two of the $2.50 chips per transaction. The chips were sold at their face value.

An English casino executive was sitting in the Press section with my wife Georgia, and was elated that he had just been able to buy one of the $2.50 chips from a well known Poker personality and entrepreneur for only $10. When I heard this, I asked him if he would like to buy the Brooklyn Bridge also. He said no, but that he believed that the Brits had been able to unload a bridge on us Yanks ... Touche.

Gems from Jack McClellan

Commenting on a fold by Surinder Sunar: "Mr Sunar surrenders".

Commenting on the success that Europeans have had in the 1997 WSOP:

"U. S Poker players have finally figured out a way to beat the IRS. They're sending all of the WSOP prize money to Europe."

and

"We're not sending the WSOP brochure and announcements to Europe next year."

Binion's still had some of their 1997 WSOP commemorative coins ($20 + tax) available today. As long as they are available, I will purchase a coin(s) for anyone who will pick them up COD from me in Las Vegas sometime in the near future. I don't want to get into the mailing business though. They don't have a whole lot of them left.
The web site for the live WSOP TV feed "www.wsop.com" is still on a maybe next day basis, and I don't think that Binion's Las Vegas web site is up yet either.
Limit Holdem, which will be played tomorrow, was the featured single table satellite today. Ten players buy-in for $320 each, receive $1,200 in chips and compete for six $500 tournament chips + $100 cash.

Becky Kerber, the single table satellite specialist, said that they were also running $320 buy-in no-limit tables today, with the same buy-in and rules that the limit tables had.

Last night's no-limit super satellite had 12 ten handed tables competing for $10,000 Final Event seats and cash. Buy-ins are $220 for $200 in chips, and re-buys can be made for $200 during the first hour of play. Blinds start at $5/10 and increase every 20 minutes. Rudy Lotief, the super satellite guru, informed me that there were 165 entrants, who made a total of 156 re-buys last night. Here are last nights pay outs:

Patrick Bruel, Louis Asmo, Dan Fairly, Jerre Juhl, and John Strzemd each won a $10,000 seat for the final championship event plus $511 in cash.
6.11 - $500 tournament chips + $180 cash
7.6 - $500 tournament chips + $266 cash
8.3 - $500 tournament chip + $204 cash
9.1 - $500 tournament chip + $494 cash

Entry Board for $10,000 Championship Final Event

1.Nevada Stupak2.Chris "Jesus" Ferguson
3.Chuck Thompson4.Ken Flaton
5.Ken Buntjner6.Mo Fathpour
7.Amadeo Parado8.Laurence Clenau
9.Jay Reisler10.Joseph Winston
11.Keith Taylor12.Andre Boyer
13.Kev Nettles14.Tormod Roren
15.Kenneth Davis16.Stephen Kaufman
17.Marko Trapini18.Steve Kim
19.Sam Merchant20.Andrew Black
21.Anthony Guerriero22.George Gerus, Sr.
23.MacDonald Kempf24.Ron "Carolina Express" Stanley
25."Midnight" Pete Haugan26.Jack Fox
27.John Hendrix28.Dave Crunkleton
29.Jim Brown30.Mike Pilkington
31.Martin Comer32.Samir Khoveis
33.Gary Benson34.David Roepke
35.Don Holt36.J. C. Pearson
37.Tommi Han38.Phuc Bao
39.Dave Welch40.Ken Jacobs
41.Pete Dixon42.Bruce Van Horn
43.Bill Fain44.Myron Rosenbaum
45.Robert Henry Kojfer46.David Rubin
47.Jim Mascher48.Al McCoy
49.Mallie Hoyer50.Angus Hill
51.Herb Potter52.Allen Barker
53.Dr. Max Stern54.Robert Dale Ellis
55.Peter Lameureaux56.Milt Myers
57.Ken Sahek58.Cal Dykes
59.Alex Horowitz60.Thomas Sparks
61.Monte Kouz62.Phil Helmuth
63.Jack Keller64.Patrick Bruel
65.Louis Asmo66.Dan Fairly
67.Jerre Juhl68.John Strzemd
The Final Table
Card by Card and Bet by Bet
WSOP Event #11: $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha
87 Entries/96 Re-buys, $457,500 Total Prize Pool and chips in play

Final Table chip position:
PlaceName, CityChip CountSeat
1.[C] Brent Carter - Oak Park, Il$117,0008
2.[R] Matthias Rohnacher - Heidelberg, Germany95,0006
3.[K] Jack Keller - Lake Cormorant, MS70,0007
4.[J] John Spadavecchia - North Miami Beach, FL54,0002
5.[H] Russ Hamilton - Las Vegas47,5009
6.[O] O'Neil Longson - Salt Lake City, UT23,5003
7.[S] Surinder Sunar - Wolverhampton, England20,0004
9.[B] Berry Johnston - Las Vegas17,5001
6.[M] Mansour Matloubi - London, England13,0005

Standard Abbreviations:
Bet [b]Big Blind [bb]
Bring in [bi]Call [c]
Check [ck]Fifth Street [5:]
First In [fi]Flop [fl]
Fold [f]Fourth Street [4:]
River [rv]Seventh Street [7:]
Sixth Street [6:]Small Blind [sb]
Show Down [sd]Third Street [3:]
Turn [t]Winner [w]
    Standard Flop Game Notations

    [K] Kevin Song Seat #1
    [Y] Yvan Lanvin Seat #2

    96. sb K - c K - ck Y - fl 9s 5h 7h - ck Y - b K - f Y - w K

    Interpretation: On hand #96 in heads-up play, Kevin Song had the small blind on the button, Kevin called and Yvan checked. The flop was the 9s 5h 7h. Yvan checked, Kevin bet and Yvan folded. Kevin won the hand.

    Standard Stud Notations

    [B] Peter Brownstein Seat #1
    [L] Linda Johnson Seat #2

    170. 3: 4h 9s - bi L 9s - c B 4h - 4: Ad Kc - b B - f L - w B

    Interpretation: On hand #170 in heads-up Razz play, the doorcards on third street in seat order were the 4h for Peter and the 9s for Linda. Linda's 9s made the bring-in bet and Peter called. On 4th street Peter got the Ad and Linda got the Kc. Peter Bet. Linda folded. Peter won the hand.

    Cards were in the air at 4:06 PM with Jack McClelland and Jim Albrecht presiding. Blinds were $1,000/2,000 with 10 minutes remaining at this level.

  1. sb M - bb R - bi r6000 K - all fold - w K
  2. sb R - bb K - fi c R - r4000 K - f R - w K
  3. sb K - bb C - fi r4000 O - f K - c C - fl 9d 2d 7h - b12000 C - f O - w C
  4. sb C - bb H - fi r4000 C - f H - w C
  5. sb H - bb B - fi r4000 O - r15000 K - all fold - w K
  6. sb B - bb J - fi r5000 C - all fold - w C
  7. sb J - bb O - fi r4000 M - all fold - w M

    *** Blinds increase to $1,500/3,000 at 4:16 PM.

  8. sb O - bb S - fi r7000 B - all fold - w B
  9. sb S - bb M - fi r5000 S - f M - w S
  10. sb M - bb R - fi r4000 O all in - all fold - w O
  11. sb R - bb K - fi r7000 R - c K - fl 6s Qh 3d - f K as R reaches for chips - w R
  12. sb K - bb C - fi c K - r6000 C - f K - w C
  13. sb C - bb H - fi r7500 B all in - c R - f C - f H - B shows As 5h 8h Qs - R shows Ad Ah 7c 9s - board 3d 9h Td Kd Ks - w R

    *** Berry Johnston finishes 9th at 4:24 PM.

  14. sb H - bb J - all fold to bb - w J
  15. sb J - bb O - fi r7500 M all in - all fold - w M
  16. sb O - bb S - fi r4500 O - c S - fl 9s 8h 6d - b500 O all in - c S - O shows Ah 9h Qh 3c - S shows 8s Ts 8d Jd - t 2h - rv 9c - w S

    *** O'Neil Longson finishes 8th at 4:29 PM.

  17. sb S - bb M - fi r7500 K - c H - fl Kd 7d Ah - b25500 - f H - w K

    *** Approx chip count: J 50K S 30K M 13K R 110K K 90K C 125K H 40K

  18. sb M - bb R - fi c H - c S - c M - ck R - fl Ah 3s 9h - b12000 H - all fold - w H
  19. sb R - bb K - fi r7000 C - all fold - w C
  20. sb K - bb C - fi r7500 J - all fold - w J
  21. sb C - bb H - fi c C - ck H - fl 2s 5s Ks - ck C - b5000 R - c C - t 8h - both ck - rv Jc - b11000 C - f R - w C
  22. sb H - bb J - fi c H - ck J - fl Qh Jc 4s - ck H - b6000 J - r18000 H - f J - w H
  23. sb J - bb S - fi c H - r9000 J - f S - c H - fl 5h Qd Ah - b35000 J - f H - w J
  24. sb S - bb M - fi r7000 S - f M - w S
  25. sb M - bb R - fi r7000 C - all fold - w C
  26. sb R - bb K - fi c H - c R - ck K - fl 4d Jh 9d - all ck - t Jc - b6500 R - f K - r18000 H all in - c R - R shows Ks Kh Jd 5d - H shows Ac Js 8c 3s - rv 5c - w R

    *** Russ Hamilton finishes 7th at 4:52 PM.

  27. sb K - bb C - all fold to bb - w C
  28. sb C - bb J - fi r4500 M all in - c R - f C - c J - fl 9c 5h 4d - all ck - t Td - all ck - rv Ah - M shows 7h 6d 6c 8c - J shows 7c 7d 4c Qc - R shows Ad Qs 5d Jc - w R

    *** Monsour Matloubi finishes 6th at 4:54 PM.

  29. sb J - bb S - fi c J - ck S - fl Kd 8d As - all ck - t 7s - all ck - rv Jd - all ck - J shows Qc 9c 7c 9s - S shows Jc Th 2h Kh - w S
  30. sb S - bb R - fi r7000 C - all fold - w C
  31. sb R - bb K - all fold to bb - w K
  32. sb K - bb C - fi c K - ck C - fl Kh 6d Qh - b6000 K - r20000 C - f K - w C
  33. sb C - bb J - fi r6000 C - f J - w C

    *** Approx chip count: C 150K R 150K J 50K S 25K K 85K

  34. sb J - bb S - fi r7000 C - all fold - w C
  35. sb S - bb R - all fold to bb - w R
  36. sb R - bb K - all fold to bb - w K
  37. sb K - bb C - fi c K - ck C - fl 3d 7h Jd - both ck - t 2h - b6000 K - c C - rv Td - both ck - K shows 2s 3s 4d 5h - C shows 2d 3h 4c 6c - split pot K + C
  38. sb C - bb J - fi r7500 K - all fold - w K
  39. sb J - bb S - fi r7000 C - all fold - w C
  40. sb S - bb R - fi c S - ck R - fl 2h Ks 3h - both ck - t 2c - b3000 S - f R - w S
  41. sb R - bb K - fi r7000 J - all fold - w J

    *** Break at 5:16 PM. Blinds increase to $2,000/4,000.

    K wins $2,000 in $500 chip race off

    Approx chip count: K 75K C 160K J 50K S 22K R 150K

    Cards are back in air at 5:31 PM.

  42. sb K - bb C - fi c K - ck C - fl 3c Jc 9h - b10000 K - f C - w K
  43. sb C - bb J - fi r8000 C - f J - w C
  44. sb J - bb S - fi r10000 K - all fold - w K
  45. sb S - bb R - fi r10000 C - r8000 S - f R - c C - C shows Qc Kc Qh 3d - S shows As 9s Ad Jc - board 4c 5d 7h Ah 4h - w S
  46. sb R - bb K - all fold to bb - w K
  47. sb K - bb C - fi r10000 R - all fold - w R
  48. sb C - bb J - fi r10000 K - f C - c J - fl 7h 2h 9d - ck C - b30000 K - f J - w K
  49. sb J - bb S - fi c R - c C - c J - ck S - fl Kd 3s 8h - all ck - t 9c - ck J - ck S - b11000 R -c C -f J - f S - rv 5h - ck R - b40000 C - c R - C shows As Js Tc Qh - R shows 3h 6h Kh Ks - w R
  50. sb S - bb R - fi c J - c S - ck R - fl 3c 2c Qh - ck S - b12000 R - r5000 J all in - c R - J shows Ac 8c 8h 4d - R shows Qc Jc Kh 3h - t Tc - rv Th - w J

    *** Approx chip count: R 180K K 90K C 90K S 35K S 35K

  51. sb R - bb K - fi r10000 S - all fold - w S
  52. sb K - bb C - fi c K - ck C - fl Jc Qc 3s - both ck - Qd - b8000 K - f C - w K
  53. sb C - bb J - fi r10000 K - f C - c J - fl 7d Td 5h - both ck - t 9d - both ck - rv 6d - both ck - J shows 4h 7s Qs Qh - K mucks shows Js Jc - w J
  54. sb J - bb S - fi r10000 C - f J - r24000 S all in - C shows Ts Js Jd Kd - S shows As 9s Ad 3c - board Qh 2h 8h 8d 8s - w S
  55. sb S - bb R - fi r10000 K - all fold - w K
  56. sb R - bb K - all fold to bb - w K
  57. sb K - bb C - fi c J - c R - f K - ck C - fl Qs 3s 4d - ck C - b14000 J - all fold - w J
  58. sb C - bb J - fi c C - ck J - fl 9c 7h Qd - both ck - t 6d - both ck - rv 8s - ck C - b8000 J - f C - w J
  59. sb J - bb S - fi r10000 K - all fold - w K
  60. sb S - bb R - fi c S - r8000 R - f S - w R
  61. sb R - bb K - fi c S - f R - ck K - fl 3d 8h 5h - both ck - t Qs - b8000 K - c S - rv Jc - both ck - S shows As Ac 2d 4h - K mucks - w S

    *** K seems to be making a practice of letting the other player show first, even though K should show first - probably not a bad practice, if you can get away with it.

  62. sb K - bb C - fi c K - r8000 C - c K - fl Js 7d 7s - ck K - b27000 C all in - c K - C shows Ah Kh 6c Jc - K shows 7c Kc Tc Qd - t Td - rv 4h - w K

    *** Brent Carter finishes 5th at 6:12 PM.

  63. bb J - fi c R - ck J - fl 8d 2h 7h - both ck - t 6s - both ck - rv Ks - both ck - R shows Qc Qh 9s 9d - J shows 4h Td Ac 7c - w R
  64. sb J - bb S - fi r8000 J - f S - w J
  65. sb S - bb R - fi r10000 K - all fold - w K
  66. sb R - bb K - fi r8000 R - f K - w R
  67. sb K - bb J - fi c K - ck J - fl Qs 2s 8h - both ck - t Kc - b8000 K - c J - rv As - both ck - J shows 4h 4c 7h Kd - K shows Ad 2h 4d Td - w K
  68. sb J - bb S - all fold bb - w S

    *** Approx chip count: K 140K R 170K J 60K S 90K

  69. sb S - bb R - fi r10000 K - c S - f R - fl Kc Td 2d - b30000 S - r100000 K all in - c40000 S all in - S shows Jd Kd Tc 7c - K shows Ks Qd Ac Th - t 3c - rv Ad - w S
  70. sb R - bb K - fi r8000 R - c K - fl 6c 7s 8h - both ck - t 9s - b15000 R - c K - rv 4c - b100000 R - c34000 K all in - R shows Kd 9d Ts Js - K mucks - w R

    *** Jack Keller finishes 4th at 6:27 PM.

  71. bb J - fi r8000 - all fold - w S
  72. sb J - bb S - fi c J - r8000 S - f J - w S
  73. sb S - bb R - fi r10000 J - all fold - w J

    *** Short Break at 6:30. Blinds go up to $3,000/6,000

    Approx chip count: R 240K J 64K S 150K

  74. sb R - bb J - fi r12000 S - f R - c J - fl 7c 5c 4c - ck J - b12000 S - c J - t 5s - ck J - b34000 S - c J all in - S shows Jh Jc 5s 8d - J shows Qc Qh 5h 8d - rv 4h - split pot J + S
  75. sb J - bb S - all fold to bb - w S
  76. sb S - bb R - all fold to bb - w R
  77. sb R - bb J - fi c S - r18000 R - c J - f S - fl 8s 5d 8c - b25000 R - r15000 J all in - c R - R shows Ac Ah 8d Qs - J shows Jc Jh 6h 2s - t 4c - rv Ts - w R

    *** John Spadavecchia finishes 3rd at 6:44 PM.

    Chip count R 300K S 160K - No desire to talk deal

  78. sb and button R - r12000 R - f S - w R
  79. sb S - c S - ck R - fl 8s Kd 2s - both ck - t Td - b12000 R c S - rv 8h - ck R - b40000 S - f R - w S
  80. sb R - f R - w S
  81. sb S - c S - ck R - fl 8d 8h 9d - both ck - t Ts - ck R - b10000 S - f R - w S
  82. sb R - r6000 R - f S - w R
  83. sb S - f S - w R
  84. sb R - r8000 R - f S - w R
  85. sb S - r8000 S - c R - fl 9c Js 8c - both ck - t Qc - both ck - rv 6c - ck R - b16000 S - f R - w S
  86. sb R - c R - r10000 S - c R - fl 3d 8c Kd - b16000 S - f R - w S
  87. sb S - c S - ck R - fl Kd 6c Jh - both ck - t 6s - ck R - b6000 S - f R - w S
  88. sb R - f R - w S
  89. sb S - f S - w R
  90. sb R - r8000 R - f S - w R
  91. sb S - f S - w R
  92. sb R - f R - w S
  93. sb S - f S - w R
  94. sb R - r12000 R - f S - wR
  95. sb S - c S - ck R - fl 3c Tc 2s - both ck - t 4s - both ck - rv 8d - ck R - b10000 S - f R - w S
  96. sb R - c R - ck S - fl Qd Jc 4d - both ck - t 7s - both ck - rv Qh - b6000 S - f R - w S
  97. sb S - r8000 S - f R - w S
  98. sb R - c R - ck S - fl Jh Kc Js - both ck - t 4d - ck S - b12000 R - f S - w R
  99. sb S - r10000 S - r32000 R - c S - fl 4d 9s 5h - b96000 R - f S - w R

    Approx chip count: S 150K R 310K

  100. sb R - c R - r10000 S - c R - fl 5s 2d 9d - b32000 S - f R - w S
  101. sb S - r10000 S - c R - fl Kc 2s 4d - both ck - t Ts - ck R - b15000 S - c R - rv Ks - both ck - R shows Th Tc Js 4h - S mucks - w R
  102. sb R - c R - ck S - fl 8s As Ah - both ck - t 2h - both ck - rv 7d - both ck - S shows Jc 8c 6d 2h - R shows 6c 6s 7c 7h - w R

    *** S asks for a scramble

  103. sb S - c S - ck R - fl Jd Kc 5h - both ck - t 5c - both ck - rv 7s - both ck - R shows Ah Js 6c Tc - S mucks - w R
  104. sb R - f R - w S
  105. sb S - c S - ck R - fl 6h 9d 8d - both ck - t 5h - ck R - b10000 S - f R - w S
  106. sb R - c R - ck S - fl 7h Ac 4d - ck S b12000 R - f S - w R
  107. sb S - c S - ck R - fl 4c 7h As - both ck - t Kd - both ck - rv Jd - both ck - R shows 4s 7s Qc 8d - S mucks - w R
  108. sb R - c R - ck S - fl Td 7s Qc - both ck - t Qs - both ck - rv Ah - both ck - R shows 6d 6h 9s 7c - S mucks - w R
  109. sb S - c S - ck R - fl 3s 4h Th - both ck - t Js - ck R - b7000 S - c R - rv 9s - both ck - R shows 9d 2d 6d 2c - S shows Ac 7d Td 5c - w S
  110. sb R - c R - ck S - fl 3c Kd Qh - both ck - t Kh - b6000 S - f R - w S shows 3s 3h 3d X

    *** Bathroom break for S at 7:35 PM. Blinds rise to $5,000/10,000

    Chip count: S 130K R 330K - Cards back in the air at 7:46 PM.

  111. sb S - c S - ck R - fl Kc Ad Jc - both ck - t Ks - both ck - rv 3c - both ck - R shows Tc Qd 8s 5s - S shows 7c 7s Ah Jd - w R
  112. sb R - r20000 R - c S - fl 3s 8s Qs - ck S - b40000 R - f S - w R
  113. sb S - c S - ck R - fl Js 3c 5c - both ck - t 5d - ck R - b 15000 S - r70000 R - c65000 S all in - R shows 5h Jd Ts 2c - S shows As 5s 6h Qd - rv 6d - w R

    *** Surinder Sunar finishes 2nd and Matthias Rohnacher wins the $2500 Pot Limit Omaha WSOP Championship at 7:51 PM.

Final Table Chip Standings - Seat Positions

Missing Picture
Matthias Rohnacher of Germany conquered the toughest pot limit Omaha final table ever assembled to win the title, $183,000 and the cherished 14-karat gold WSOP winners bracelet. It was the first World Series victory by a German player in history, and, with his runner-up Surinder Sunar an Indian-born Briton, the international onslaught continued here in the American citadel of poker.

"I really can't believe it. This was the best pot limit Omaha final table ever, that's why I'm particularly proud," said Rohnacher, 36, who has devoted his life since 1994 to playing, promoting and teaching poker. "This will definitely inspire more poker in Germany; I think this will be the absolute turning point for the game in my country."

This was the sixth major tournament victory for Rohnacher, the 13th time in the money at the WSOP (including two runner-up finishes), and it brought his winnings here to $379,665.

A former music industry executive, he has played poker seriously since 1991 when he first came to the Horseshoe, "reading every single poker book, watching videos, studying the other players. And since 1994 I have lived only for poker and my family," he said.

Four former world champions and four other world-class players were at this final table whose total WSOP winnings totalled $7.6 million dollars. After about 100 minutes, Rohnacher gained the chip lead and, he said, "from then on I kept it, never in serious danger of losing it."

Finally heads up against Sunar, Ronacher held a two-to-one lead which lessened slightly but not enough for a real challenge from his veteran opponent. After an hour of intense play, Sunar with A-Q-6-5 was all in against Rohnacher's J-l0-5-2 after the flop of J-5-3. A five on the turn gave Rohnacher a full house and Sunar three fives, needing an ace or queen. But the river card was a six, giving Sunar a lower full house and the title was the German's.

"I'm happy with this finish," said Sunar, 38, an electronic engineer who won the 1993 European No Limit Hold'em championship and the European Pot Limit championship in 1994. Last November he was runner up to Ken Flaton in the U.S. Poker Championship event in Atlantic City.

Sunar said, "You couldn't get any tougher final table than this one. I was short-stacked all the way through." But starting in 7th chip position, he managed to finish second and collect $105,225 for his 9th time in the money and sixth final table at the WSOP. Sunar said he believed that "the British are probably the best at pot limit -- it's practically all we play. Limit won't fly in Britain. We've got too much gamble. British players get bored with limit -- they want to get it all in without waiting."

Recognizing the extraordinary international showing at this World Series, Tournament Coordinator Jack McClelland took to his microphone and said, "It looks as if the American players have finally figured out a way to beat the tax man--they're sending all the money over to tax-free Europe."

Third place prize money of $54,900 went to John Spadavecchia, 59, who has a gold bracelet and a third-place finish in the Championship Event among his nine times in the money here. His earnings now total $635,977.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "I'm used to being low in chips. Usually, I come back. But I ran into a bigger hand (Rohnacher's pair of aces with an eight which made trips on the flop against his own pair of jacks). I wasn't lucky enough to catch a jack. I love the World Series. It's the best tournament anywhere, and I've been all over."

Jack Keller, 54, the 1984 World Champion, finished fourth when he flopped a straight against Rohnacher who also flopped a straight and then turned the nut straight. Keller remains 5th on the list of World Series millionaires, with winnings now of $1,549,698. He has three gold bracelets, four runner-up finishes and 18 final tables among his 22 times in the money.

Fifth place went to Brent Carter, another top tournament competitor, who began the day as chip leader but was knocked out when Keller flopped trips and turned a full house. This was Carter's 24th time in the money. He has two gold bracelets, finished 3rd in the 1995 Championship Event and has total winnings of $852,192.

Mansour Matloubi, the 1990 World Champion, nursed his very short stack to a sixth place finish which brought his WSOP earnings to $1,211,158. This was his ninth final table and 13th time in the money.

Seventh place went to 1994 World Champion Russ Hamilton, who has made the final table at all five in-the-money finishes. With this prize money, he moved from 15th to 13th on the WSOP millionaires list, his winnings totalling $1,094,925.

O'Neil Longson finished eighth, this his 12th final table in 16 times in the money. He has one gold bracelet and three runner-up finishes and won the U.S. Stud Championship in Atlantic City six months ago.

Ninth place went to 1986 World Champion Berry Johnston who has placed in the money at the World Series 31 times -- more than any other player. Johnston, 3rd on the millionaires roster, has four gold bracelets and 24 final tables to his credit and has collected a total of $1,690,912. He has won money at every World Series since 1982.

WSOP Collector Chip

The much anticipated Huck Seed collector chip will go on sale at the west-side cashier's cage Saturday May 3rd at 9:30 a.m.

Sales will be limited to two chips per transaction at $2.50 per chip.

Internet Coverage of the 1997 World Series of Poker is brought to you by Binion's Horseshoe and ConJelCo
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