1. Praz Bansi London , UK $230,209 2. Anh Lu Ohio $120,120 3. Baktosh Gulzarzada Ranch Cucamonga, CA $63,570 4. Fabrice Soulier France $50,050 5. Earl Coggin Rockledge , FL $40,040 6. John Buttifant Columbia , SC $35,035 7. Mark Petrillo Indialantic , FL $30,030 8. Nick Mehmeti Brookfield , IL $25,025 9. Vijayan Nagarajan Malaysia $22,523 10. Hudson Bethard Brookhaven , PA $20,020 11. Jong Choi Columbus , OH $18,513 12. Thomas Knudston Denmark $17,017 13. Arshad Hussain England $15,516 14. John Ghiloni Newark , OH $14,014 15. Bob Beck Slidell , LA $12,513 16. Jim Worth Oakville , ON $11,011 17. Eric Nelson Sandy , UT $9,510 18. Al Mottur Washington DC $8,008 19. Duane VanKeulen Abbotsford , BC $6,507 20. Mark Jones Manhatten , CA $6,507 21. Robert Puryear Winston Salem, NC $6,507 22. Pasi Heinanen Helsinki , Finland $6,507 23. Sverre Sundbo unknown $6,507 24. Jared Okyn Tampa , FL $6,507 25. Jon Jaffe Miami Beach , FL $6,507 26. Gunner Burghardt Belgium $6,507 27. Michael Vansickle Brighton , MI $6,507 28. Craig Swick Big Sky, MT $5,005 29. Davood Mehrmand Frankfurt , Germany $5,005 30. David Beaudoin Quebec City , Canada $5,005 31. Andre Bouchard Beauport , Canada $5,005 32. Scott Sanford Pearland , TX $5,005 33. Jay Houston Orlando , FL $5,005 34. Michael Mateo Milwaukee , WI $5,005 35. Samuel Jacob Tampa , FL $5,005 36. Tom Meixner Gilbert $5,005 37. Joseph Noa Miami , FL $4,004 38. Jack Smith Copperas Cove , TX $4,004 39. Randy Haddox Houston , TX $4,004 40. Frankie O'Dell Long Beach , CA $4,004 41. Howard Mann Martinsburg , WV $4,004 42. George McDonald Glascow , UK $4,004 43. Jeff Lawrence Alberta , Canada $4,004 44. Brian Waltz Pataskala , OH $4,004 45. Daniel Williams Golden Valley , MN $4,004 46. Karl Tretter Bellerose , NY $3,003 47. Juha Reinikainer Finland $3,003 48. Marius Skoglund Torbergsen Norway $3,003 49. Brooks Rickard Mount Horeb , WI $3,003 50. Michael Milano Kings Park , NY $3,003 51. Dan Ladue Henderson , NV $3,003 52. Matthew Hilger Duluth , GA $3,003 53. John Chou Sunnyvale , CA $3,003 54. M.R. Garshofsky Las Vegas , NV $3,003 55. Steven Frederick San Mateo , CA $2,503 56. Lisa Steiner Fullerton , CA $2,503 57. John Stansell Seattle , WA $2,503 58. Klein Bach Las Vegas , NV $2,503 59. Kjetil Flaten Norway $2,503 60. Kenneth Haraughty Moreno Valley , CA $2,503 61. William Gazes $2,503 62. Chris Dyer Nashville , TN $2,503 63. Joseph Brandenburg Portland , OR $2,503 64. David Masters Ireland $2,002 65. Patrick Commarford Delray Beach , FL $2,002 66. Charles Lineberry San Antonio , TX $2,002 67. Lawrence Merritt $2,002 68. Gregg Fisher Eagle, ID $2,002 69. Danny Wong Walnut, CA $2,002 70. John Batchan Avondale , AZ $2,002 71. Patrick Finnigan Burlington , UT $2,002 72. Douglas Carli Alliance , OH $2,002 73. Andrew Green West Palm Beach , FL $2,002 74. Gary Kainer Bay City , TX $2,002 75. Jonathan Demers $2,002 76. Matthew Todd Troy , OH $2,002 77. Darrell Woerner Crowley , TX $2,002 78. Raymond Popowich Rochester , NY $2,002 79. Terry Black San Antonio , TX $2,002 80. Richard Osborne Martinez , CA $2,002 81. Johan Melchior New York , NY $2,002 82. Paul Dilley UK $1,502 83. Fadi Morsy Ontario , Canada $1,502 84. Matthew Russell Larchmont , NY $1,502 85. Johnny Olesen Denmark $1,502 86. John Scibelli Las Vegas , NV $1,502 87. Mille Tystad Norway $1,502 88. James Lang Redondo Beach , CA $1,502 89. James Walker Dublin , GA $1,502 90. Christopher McMahan Mount Morris , MI $1,502 91. Kevin Hayes Ireland $1,502 92. Anthony Torti Marragansett , RI $1,502 93. Michael Kretch Oceanside , CA $1,502 94. William Braxdale Austin , TX $1,502 95. Antonio Abesamis West Covina , CA $1,502 96. Mangus Ramkuist Sweden $1,502 97. Angel Adams Rapid City , SD $1,502 98. Marino Mura London , UK $600 99. Derek Zamora Hugo , OK $600 100. Yoon Kim Franklin , WI $600 101. Gerald Maggi Ortonville , MI $600 102. James Lowe UK $600

A Simple Plan

Praz Bansi wins his first WSOP Gold Bracelet

London Consultant makes good during the not so main event

Nestled in the backdrop of the camera crews and countless numbers of spectators, players vied for $230,000 and a coveted championship bracelet during event #40 of the World Series of Poker. The two-day event began with just over 1000 players and ended with only 40 after the first day.

While lacking the attention and prestige, the final table of the $1,000 no-limit Hold’em event displayed an array of competitors as focused as those participating in the $10,000 main event that encompassed it.

Name Seat

Mark Petrrllo 1
Nick Memeti 2
Baktash Gulzarzada 3
John Buttifant 4
Fabrice Soulier 5
Earl Coggin 6
Praz Bansi 7
Anh Lu 8
N. Vijayan 9

A couple of hands after the final table was established, N. Vijayan was the first to be eliminated. The sales manager from Kuala Lumpur hit the rails with $20,020 only minutes before the remaining players recessed for dinner.

Shortly after the players returned from break, Nick Memeti was the next to go. Memeti called Anh Lu’s pre-flop raise of 30k and saw a 7c 4c 3h hit the board. After the 2h and 10c showed on the turn and river Memeti raised while Lu re-raised all-in. Memeti called and showed pocket 3’s for the set. However, Lu’s turned over A-5 giving him the straight and Memeti an eighth place finish.

Mark Petrillo helped to further the adage about pocket jacks as his all-in against Fabrice Soulier’s pocket As,Ah sent him to the rail. Salt was added to Petrillo’s wound as Soulier flopped a set before a meaningless turn and river.

Next out was John Buttifant. The 22-year old college student moved all-in while Soulier called. Buttifant’s pocket 9’s could not hold up against the Frenchman’s A-6 as Ah showed on the flop. The Kh on the turn and the 5h river sealed Butifant’s fate at sixth place.

Earl Coggins was eliminated next after going all-in with 6-8 suited. Baktash Gulzarzada called with Ad-Jc and eliminated Coggins with the high-card ace.

Soulier saw a 4th place finish after being crippled in a previous hand. His all-in Qc-7c was called by Lu’s 9c-Kc. Although Soulier flopped a pair of queens, jubilation turned into defeat after Lu caught a river Ks.

In third place was Baktash Gulzarzada. The Afghani-born mortgage broker moved all in for 384k. Bansi called. His Ah-Ks dominated Praz’s As-8s while the board failed to improve either player’s hand.

Heads-up action pit Praz Bansi against Anh Lu who experienced one of the most amazing comebacks of this year’s WSOP. Earlier in the day, a bad beat left Lu with a pitiful 10k stack. Unwavering, he built his stack back up to a phenomenal 250k through a miracle three-way all-in, a couple of more all-ins and further aggressive pre-flop strategy.

“A miracle,” Lu answered through his interpreter and mentor, Men “The Master” Nguyen when asked how he was able to come back from such a low stack.

However, Bansi was the aggressor during heads-up action forcing his opponent to fold four times after reraising Lu pre-flop. Crippled, Lu could only go all-in with 8s-3s against Bansi’s ace-anything. An ace on the river gave Bansi the victory. “Amazing,” replied Bansi when asked how it felt to be a WSOP gold bracelet winner. “I started with 1500 chips, and just threw some up… I got moves,” Bansi said with a grin.

By Alan Fowler

2006 World Series of Poker