1. Chris Gros Henderson, NV $127,496 2. Bryan Devonshire Burnsville, MN $66,528 3. R.J. Wright Las Vegas, NV $38,531 4. Scott Clark Las Vegas, NV $22,720 5. Christopher Himmenger Las Vegas, NV $22,176 6. Craig Federspiel Las Vegas, NV $19,404 7. David Wortham Hemet, CA $16,632 8. Marsha Waggoner Downey, CA $13,860 9. Barry Goldberg Las Vegas, NV $12,474 10. Alejandro Posso Sunrise, FL $11,088 11. Rodney Lacsamana Temecula, CA $10,256 12. Eric Losee Mt. Pleasant, MI $9,425 13. Jackson Young Las Vegas, NV $8,593 14. Melissa Poff THC, Indiana $7,762 15. Florian Sutalo Renton, WA $6,930 16. Eric Rindal Aurora, IL $6,098 17. Lance Dillenberg $5,267 18. Ed Martin Las Vegas, NV $4,435 19. Lydia Chang Las Vegas, NV $3,604 20. Randall Garza Henderson, NV $3,604 21. Angeliot Trinidad Las Vegas, NV $3,604 22. Ngoc Dang Santee, CA $3,604 23. Ronald Marks Las Vegas, NV $3,604 24. Aaron Bass Las Vegas, NV $3,604 25. Michael Jones Tampa, FL $3,604 26. Thanh Huyntt Las Vegas, NV $3,604 27. Frederick Narciso Las Vegas, NV $3,604 28. Bryan Connole Palm Springs, CA $2,772 29. Sonny Lee Las Vegas, NV $2,772 30. Inti Garcia Las Vegas, NV $2,772 31. Jonathan Job Houston, TX $2,772 32. Brian Petersen Las Vegas, NV $2,772 33. Michael Bond Las Vegas, NV $2,772 34. Gregory Eichhorn Las Vegas, NV $2,772 35. John Vasher Lake Orion, MI $2,772 36. Dustin Howes Hayward, CA $2,772 37. Arnim Temmler Dortmund, GM $2,218 38. Jason Seitz Shakopee, MN $2,218 39. Michael Enea Stockton, CA $2,218 40. Gerold Hills Gilbert, AZ $2,218 41. Lucia Gabor Las Vegas, NV $2,218 42. Marcus Pruitt Los Angeles, CA $2,218 43. Lorinda Ahlgren Las Vegas, NV $2,218 44. Robert Pacleb Vallejo, CA $2,218 45. Gregory Brenner Palm Desert, CA $2,218 46. Curisa Schweibenger N/A $1,663 47. Edward Long El Cajon, CA $1,663 48. Brian White Las Vegas, NV $1,663 49. Keith Maclaine Las Vegas, NV $1,663 50. Kyle Weurding Las Vegas, NV $1,663 51. Kelly Dora St. Clair Shores, MI $1,663 52. Matthew Voorhees Englewood, CO $1,663 53. Phillip Wong Mesa, AZ $1,663 54. John Hopkins El Caton, CA $1,663 55. Henry Karevowski Incline Village, NV $1,386 56. Nikkailette Letran Keiut, WA $1,386 57. Jake Nowatchik Milwaukie, OR $1,386 58. Charles Clark Windbear, PA $1,386 59. Michael Allen Las Vegas, NV $1,386 60. Donnalee Polgar Las Vegas, NV $1,386 61. Victor Randall New Caney, TX $1,386 62. William Hagen San Jose, CA $1,386 63. Lenoidas Vargas Las Vegas, NV $1,386 64. Thomas Shue Las Vegas, NV $1,109 65. Richard Pecorello Sherrill, NY $1,109 66. Anthony Zeichick Las Vegas, NV $1,109 67. Scott Bean Jr. Reno, NV $1,109 68. Matthew Rhinerson Las Vegas, NV $1,109 69. Todd Dobereiner Davenport, IA $1,109 70. Shawn Karmil Mill Creek, WA $1,109 71. Matthew Hardesty Las Vegas, NV $1,109 72. Richard T. Gatewood Las Vegas, NV $1,109 73. Randall Shur Henderson, CO $1,109 74. David Day Las Vegas, NV $1,109 75. Joseph Bodrogi Henderson, NV $1,109 76. Patrick Filomena Henderson, NV $1,109 77. Joseph Bilckenstaff Henderson, NV $1,109 78. Scott Johnson Las Vegas, NV $1,109 79. Jobie Cross Marana, AZ $1,109 80. Stephen Angeles Las Vegas, NV $1,109 81. Unknown Unknown $1,109 82. Amanda G. Wheeler Las Vegas, NV $832 83. Mohammad Fathipour Woodland Hills, CA $832 84. Neal Lipman Las Vegas, NV $832 85. Brian David Kooymar Hanford, CA $832 86. Woody Rivero Las Vegas, NV $832 87. Ari Mzrachi Las Vegas, NV $832 88. Lisa Brumbeloe Auburn, CA $832 89. Richard Haughey Las Vegas, NV $832 90. James W. Riley III Las Vegas, NV $832 91. Jesse Petrakis Napa, CA $832 92. Justo Gutrerrez Arruyo Seco, NM $832 93. Robert Alan Vaneerde Las Vegas, NV $832 94. James Margellos Las Vegas, NV $832 95. Ashley Young Pleasanton, CA $594 96. Curtis Wood Las Vegas, NV $594 97. James Gorczyca Henderson, NV $594 98. Hank Ritchey Las Vegas, NV $594 99. Ryan Kirk Federal Way, WA $594 100. Brian Johnson Arcata, CA $594 101. Joshua McBroom Las Vegas, NV $594

Chris Gros Wins First Event
at the 2006 World Series of Poker!

Casino Employees World Poker Championship
Shatters All-Time Attendance Record – with 1,232 Entries

Las Vegas, NV -- On most days and nights, players in the “Casino Employees World Poker Championship” can be found providing customer service to the guests of their respective casino and hotel properties. On this day however, the concept of hospitality was the farthest thing from any of their minds.

As well it should have been.

The all-time record field of 1.232 participants competed for a total prize pool of $554,850 in the traditional kick-off to the six-week long World Series of Poker Tournament held at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino.

The ten players at the final table displayed an array of individuals vying for the $127,616 first prize and coveted WSOP championship gold bracelet. The lone female finalist, Marsha Waggoner was unwavering when asked how she felt as the only woman at the table. “This is where I belong,” she replied with a confident grin.

10th Place Finisher -- Alejandro Posso.

After a spell of little action in the early rounds, Alejandro Posso moved all-in with pocket kings. For Posso, opportunity quickly turned into a devastating instance of bad timing as Christopher Himmenger called and showed pocket aces. The flop of 3h 3c 8h did nothing for Posso, representing The Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The turn showed the 4d, while a Qs on the river sealed the Columbian-born poker dealer’s 10th place finish.

9th Place Finisher -- Barry Goldberg

A little more than an hour later, Barry Goldberg moved all in with Ac-Jd and R.J. Wright quickly called. Wright’s dominating Ad-Qc ended Goldberg’s bid as the flop showed 9s, 10s, 3d followed by a benign 5d at the turn and a 10d on the river.

8th Place Finisher -- Marsha Waggoner

The Brisbane, Australia native took home $13,860 after finishing in 8th place. An executive host for Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California, Waggoner beat out 1,227 other competitors before being eliminated.

7th Place Finisher -- David Wortham

Originally from Atlanta, GA, Wortham played a tight game at the final table, doubling-up when the opportunity presented itself. However, what seemed to be an opportunity turned into a bust as his pocket Queens were trumped by Bryan Devonshire’s pocket Aces. Luck was not a lady that night as Devonshire’s rockets held-up against Wortham.

6th Place Finisher -- Craig Federspiel

Moving all-in with pocket Jacks, Federspiel was called by Chris Gros who turned over what else? Pocket Aces. The Mirage Las Vegas dealer originally from Louisville, KY who holds a Bachelor’s Degree from UNC Chapel Hill was eliminated as Gros’s aces held up.

5th Place Finisher-Chris Himmenger

With the blinds increased to $4,000-$8,000, Chris Himmenger moved all-in for $49,000 and R.J. Wright obliged. Himmenger, a waiter at Binion’s Casino in Las Vegas turned over As-6h. Wright showed 10s-9s. The flop came 2c - 7c - 7s. An 8h at the turn gave Wright an open-ended straight draw while the Jh on the river completed the straight and busted Himmenger.

4th Place Finisher -- Scott Clark

After watching his colossal chip-count slowly diminish, Clark, a 25-year old dealer at the Rio Las Vegas pushed his remaining stack into the pot. Once again, R.J. Wright sensed opportunity and called. Clark, or “Scooter” as his friends and family affectionately call him, showed pocket fives. Wright turns over Ad-3s. It was bad news for Clark as the flop showed Ac, 4s, 9c. Wright eliminated his third opponent at the final table as the turn came with an 8s and the river showed Qc.

3rd place Finisher -- R.J. Wright

Only a couple of hands later, the “eliminator” became the “eliminated” when Wright went all-in after a flop of 6d, 2d, 2h, re-raising Chris Gros’s 200K bet. Gros called and showed Ks-Qs. Wright, a New Jersey native and dealer at the Luxor in Las Vegas, turned over the better hand, As-5d. The turn brought the 3h. A Kc on the river prompted a loud eruption from spectators as Wright was eliminated.

Heads-Up Action -- Chris Gros vs. Bryan Devonshire

After a number of alternating re-raises and folds between the two finalists, Gros, a dealer at Caesar’s Palace called 24-year-old Devonshire’s 30K pre-flop re-raise. After a flop of 3s, 3d, 8h, Devonshire, a semi-professional poker player from Burnsville, MN bet $45,000. Gros re-raised to 100K and Devonshire moved all-in. Chris Gros, a St. Louis native who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology called and revealed that he caught trip 3’s with 4h,-3c in his hand. Devonshire turned over Ac-Kc. A 10h at the turn and a 7s on the river made Gros the champion of the opening 2006 World Series of Poker event.

“Oh my God,” replied Gros when asked how it felt to be a WSOP bracelet winner. “I don’t know what’s more exiting, not having to make another mortgage payment or winning the bracelet. It is something that I will always have.”

Alan Fowler (WSOP Staff)

2006 World Series of Poker