Denis
Ethier Wins Stud High-Low Poker Derby:
Former racehorse owner from Canada eclipses
tough field and cashes $160,682 ticket
POST
PARADE
A record 279 players saddled up to run
in the second Seven-Card Stud High-Low
(Eight-or-Better) championship at this
year’s World Series of Poker. For this
event, the entry fee was $2,000. The total
prize pool amounted to $513,360.
The final table included one former gold
bracelet winner – Jennifer Harman, a two-time
champion. Furthermore, Lance Edelman was
making his second consecutive final table
appearance in this event. But it was former
Hollywood actor (and widely respected
tournament semi-pro) Chad Brown who enjoyed
the chip lead and seemed poised to win
his first WSOP title.
On
Day Two, after the 26 finalists played
down to the remaining eight, players and
starting chips counts were as follows:
IN THE STARTING
GATE
SEAT 1: Jennifer Harman 48,000
SEAT 2: T Fu 110,000
SEAT 3: Chad Brown 140,000
SEAT 4: Tom McCormick 21,000
SEAT 5: Bonnie Rossi 60,000
SEAT 6: Lance Edelman 39,000
SEAT 7: Phillip Penn, Sr. 62,000
SEAT 8: Denis Ethier 73,000
AND, THEY’RE
OFF!
Players
were eliminated in the following order:
8th
Place – Tom McCormick has made
10 final table appearances and cashed
16 times. But for all of his experience
in tournaments, he has yet to win a gold
bracelet. McCormick will have to wait
a while longer as he was the first player
to be eliminated. ‘The Shamrock Kid’ was
short-stacked, collected $14,374 for 8th
place, and was sent off to the glue factory.
7th Place –
Phil Penn, Sr. has placed high in a number
of LA-area poker tournaments in the past.
But this was his first time to cash at
the WSOP. Penn was cut down to size with
two devastating losses and went out a
short time later. On his final hand, he
started with a pair of aces but lost to
Lance Edelman’s full house. He ended up
as Alpo. Seventh place paid $20,021.
JOCKEYING
FOR POSITION
6th Place –
This was the first final table this year
with two female players (Bonnie Rossi
and Jennifer Harman). Rossi was the first
filly to exit when her 6-high straight
(normally a powerhouse hand in High-Low)
lost to a higher hand and a better low.
The final hand was brutal to Rossi, who
is a real estate agent in southern California.
Her commission amounted to $25,155.
5th Place – Lance
Edelman is a former East Coast card shark
specializing in the ancient game of seven-card
stud. He moved to Las Vegas a few years
ago and now plays poker mostly online
and bets on sports. Edelman had an uphill
climb all night since he was low on chips
and his short stack finally caught up
with him in the end. Edelman made two
pair on his final hand, which was crushed
by a flush. For Lance Edelman, this was
his second consecutive year to saddle
up to the final table in this event. He
earned $31,828.
DOWN
THE BACKSTRETCH
4th
Place – Tim Fu had a wild ride
in this race. He started off with plenty
of chips, lost them, then came back and
appeared to be the biggest threat to Chad
Brown. But in the end it was Brown who
turned Fu into a gelding. On his final
hand, Fu started with a pair of kings,
and failed to improve. Meanwhile, Brown
hit a third seven to go with his two pair
(Js and 7s) – good for a full house. Tim
Fu, a software manager from China, has
now finished in the money two times in
stud high-low events. He was sent out
to pasture with $38,502 for 4th place.
AROUND
THE FINAL TURN
3rd
Place – The final trio was an interesting
mix of talent – with Jennifer Harman,
Chad Brown, and Denis Ethier playing for
the gold bracelet. Many were anticipating
Harman’s sterling poker talent and depth
of experience to come out in short-handed
play. But she remained shortest on chips
throughout, and ended up going out as
the SHOW horse. On her final hand, Harman
missed a low draw and lost the high to
a miserable pair of fours. This was Harman’s
6th final table and 12th time to cash
at the WSOP. Her ‘show’ ticket paid $53,903.
AND
DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!
2nd
Place – It was hardly a photo finish.
Denis Ethier led by several lengths as
play crossed the 12-hour mark. Chad Brown
was down by a 3 to 1 margin in chips most
of the way, although he did rally a few
times before Ethier finally pulled away.
On the final hand of the tournament, Brown
– down by about a 4 to 1 margin -- was
dealt (A-2) 4-4-8-8 (J). That was good
for two-pair for high, and no low. Ethier
was dealt (A-2) 2-5-5-5 (10)…..which made
a full house.
Chad
Brown was gracious following the defeat.
He was visibly disappointed but congratulated
Ethier on a great victory. Brown is certainly
one of the greatest sportsmen in the game
of poker and will be most deserving when
he inevitably wins a gold bracelet. He
will live to race another day. Second
place paid $89,838.
CROSSING
THE FINISH LINE
1st
Place – The winner, Denis Ethier,
is a 50-year-old professional poker player.
He was born in Charlemagne, Quebec. He
bought and raised racehorses for many
years, mostly trotters who ran at most
of the major harness tracks scattered
along the East Coast. Many of his horses
ran at The Meadows in Pennsylvania. He
has since moved and settled down in Durham,
North Carolina.
IN
THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
As
he snapped on the gold and diamond bracelet
presented to all WSOP winners, Ethier
was visibly thrilled with his victory.
When asked why he left horseracing in
favor of poker, Ethier joked, “I got tired
of losing.”
“I
had a lot of winners…..but I had a lot
of losers, too,” he said. “I got tired
of losing money every day, so I started
to play poker, instead.”
When
asked what he plans to do with his coveted
gold bracelet, Ethier stated that he plans
to give it to his son. “He’s my best buddy,”
Ethier said.
The
WIN ticket on Denis Ethier paid $160,682.
Official Report
by Nolan Dalla – World Series of
Poker Media Director
World
Series of Poker Circuit Director of Operations
– Ken Lambert
World Series of Poker Tournament Director
– John Grooms
Rio Poker Room Manager – Michael
Matts
Rio Poker Tournament Director – Robert
Daily
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