2003
World
Series of Poker Final Table
Players Bios
SEAT
1: AMIR VAHEDI
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $1,407,000
Mr.
Vahedi is a Southern California-based
tournament professional. Born in Iran,
Mr. Vahedi was the "No-Limit Texas Hold'em
Player of the Year in 2001. He won the
"Best All Around" award at the World Poker
Finals at Foxwoods that same year, and
also won the championship event at the
Hustler Casino this year. Mr. Vahedi has
won titles at both the World Series of
Poker and the World Poker Open. This is
is third final table at the World Series
of Poker, where he has lifetime earnings
of $300,000.
SEAT
2: TOMER BENVENITSI
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $922,000
Mr.
Benvenitsi lives in Las Vegas. He has
the unusual occupation of an "expedition
tour guide," as he regularly takes groups
to Antactica and the Arctic. Mr. Benventisi
son his seat in the main event by playing
(and winning) a two-tiered satellite run
here at Binion's Horseshoe -- at a cost
of only $125. This is his first final
table appearance and first time in the
mony at the World Series of Poker.
SEAT
3: IHSAN "SAM" FARHA
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $999,000
Originally from Lebanon, Mr. Farhais now
lives in Houston, TX. He won the Pot-Limit
Omaha championship at the World Series
of Poker in 1996, and also finished third
in that same vent in 2002. He has career
earnings at the World Series of Poker
of over $200,000.
SEAT
4: YOUNG PAK
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $360,000
Mr.
Pak is from Bainbridge, WA. This marks
his 5th time in the money at the World
Series of Poker. His best finish was 6th
in the Pot-Limit Hold'em event in 1996.
Mr. Pak has lifetime World Series of Poker
winnings of $35,000.
SEAT
5: JASON "JAKY" LESTER
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $695,000
Mr.
Lester is a Wall Street options trader
and investor from New York City. He is
originally from Montreal, Quebec. Mr.
Lester has cashed 11 times at the World
Series of Poker, dating back to 1990.
His best finish was 4th in the Pot-Limit
Hold'em event in 1995. He now has career
winnings of $140,000 at the World Series
of Poker.
SEAT
6: DAN HARRINGTON
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $574,000
Mr.
Harrington is the only former "World Poker
Champion" to make the final table. He
won the main event at the World Series
of Poker in 1995. Mr. Harrington lives
in Santa Monica, CA and now plays only
the biggest and most prestifious events
in poker -- such as the World Series.
Most of his time is now spent as a Mortgage
Broker. In addition to being a former
world champ, Mr. Harringon also won the
European Poker Championship title back
in 1995. He has two gold bracelets and
lifetime World Series of Poker earnings
of nearly $1,400,000.
SEAT
7: DAVID GREY
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $338,000
Mr.
Grey is a professional gambler. Originally
from New York City, he now lives in Henderson,
NV. Mr. Grey won a gold bracelet in 1999
in the Seven-Card Stud event and has now
cashed eight times here at the World Series.
He also won two events at the Hall of
Fame tournament, hosted by Binion's Horseshoe.
SEAT
8: CHRIS MONEYMAKER
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $2,344,000
Mr.
Moneymaker is the chip leader coming into
the final day. Incredibly, he earned his
way into the championship event by playing
in an online poker tournament (good for
a WSOP entry) on the Internet site, "PokerStars"
-- at a cost of only $40. Mr. Moneymaker
is from Spring Hill, TN, is married, and
has a 3-month old daughter. He works two
jobs -- as an accountant, and part-time
in a local restaurant. He started to play
poker just three years ago. Amazingly,
this is Mr. Moneymaker's first-time to
ever play in a "live" poker tournament.
SEAT
9: DAVID E. SINGER
Starting Chip Count (Day 5) -- $750,000
Originally
from Brooklyn, Mr. Singer is a professional
poker player from Mamaroneck, NY. A cash-game
specialist, Mr. Singer has just recently
turned to tournaments. Mr. Singer's best
finish at the World Series of Poker was
5th in this year's $5,000 buy-in No-Limit
Hold'em event. He also took 7th in the
$2,500 No-Limit Hold'em event -- meaning
he has now made final tables in the top-three
no-limit hold'em events at this year's
World Series (a first). He now has $39,000
in career earnings at the World Series
of Poker.
-- by Nolan Dalla
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