1 Carl G Brucker, Cleves, OH $31,914 2 Constantine A Zdanowich, El Segundo, CA $16,388 3 Steven E Hohn, Overland Park, KS $8,840 4 David Bagheri, Rockville, MD $5,607 5 Christopher R Jenkins, Pawcatuck, CT $4,312 6 Abraham Levy, Coral Springs, FL $3,451 7 Allen Kessler, Las Vegas, NV $2,587 8 Jean M Gaspard, Evanston, IL $2,156 9 Howard Crash, Weston, CT $1,941 10 Kevin J Marcus, Massapequa, NY $1,725 11 Yuebin Guo, Brooklyn, NY $1,639 12 Ferenc Molnar, Forest Hills, NY $1,552 13 Christopher J Wilson, Syracuse, NY $1,467 14 Bennett L Greenstein, Newton, MA $1,380 15 Damon C Ramirez, Plano, TX $1,293

CARL BRUCKER “REPEATS”
AS CHAMPION!

The $600 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Championship event had 164 enthusiastic participants chasing a prize pool of $86,252. In the end Carl Brucker of Cleves, OH, was the winner of the First Place Prize of $31,914! Carl’s road to the Championship was not easy as he had to overcome Stan Zdanowich’s commanding chip advantage at the final table. Carl claims the title as a repeat winner as he won the same event ten years ago in 1996 over Mike Sexton.

Jean “Prince” Gaspard of Evanston, IL, lost an early hand to Steve Hohn and never recovered. He was all-in with two pair but Stan caught a flush and Prince was our 8th place winner for $2,156. Allen Kessler, a resident of Las Vegas, NV, saved a couple of all-ins but with his last $6500 his 5’s up could not help him continue as Avi Levy caught a K on the river to give him K’s up. Allen was in 7th place good for $2,587. Avi Levy lost a large pot to Chris Jenkins, won an all-in versus Stan with quad 3’s and then lost with K’s up to Stan’s A’s up. Avi would return home to Coral Springs, FL, with $3,451 for 6th place.

Local player Chris Jenkins had his cheering squad with him as he put up a valiant fight to improve from the short stack to 5th position. Chris, a resident of nearby Pawcatuck, CT, was finally all-in with 8’s up but Steve had A’s up and Chris took home $4,312. David Bagheri of Rockville, MD, was the 4th place finisher. David survived through two levels but with the levels at $10K/$20K he was all-in with his last $48K. David had K’s up but Steve caught a 10 on the river to give him A’s up and David’s day was over as he collected $5,607.

Now down to the final three, Steve Hohn had the chip lead as both Carl and Stan struggled to stave off elimination. Both were all-in more than once but Steve could not put either one away. A turning point was when, in three way action, Stan with K’s full took a large side pot from Steve who had a flush. Carl, all-in with a wheel, chopped the main pot and stayed alive. Steve was all-in later for $50K with A’s up but Stan caught a flush to send Steve back home to Overland Park, KS, with $8,840 for 3rd.

Stan Zdanowich of El Segundo, CA, had rebuilt his chip lead over Carl but saw it slowly erode with the limits now at $15K/$30K. Carl scooped a large pot when he caught trip A’s to Stan’s two pair. Stan avoided defeat twice but he could not hit a straight or flush and Carl’s two pair was a winner. Stan was in 2nd place for $16,388!

Carl Brucker was once again the World Poker Finals Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Champion and the proud possessor of the crystal trophy, commemorative leather jacket and $31,914!

Reported by Jeffrey A. Toth for Foxwoods Resort Casino

2006 World Poker Finals