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The largest poker tournament in history wrapped up on Saturday, July 16, 2005
after nine days of nerve-racking play. The total prize pool in this year's World
Series of Poker in Las Vegas was $52 million, a poker world record, collected
from a field of 5,619 players. The top nine players all received prizes of more
than $1 million, and two of those players qualified online at PartyPoker.com.
Aaron Kanter
Aaron Kanter Rides $55 WSOP Step Tournament on PartyPoker.com to $2 Million 4th
Place finish in WSOP
The 27-year-old from Elk Grove, CA, known as "AK," is a former bank loan officer
who was playing in his very first WSOP. Kanter holds a bachelor’s degree in
liberal studies from Chico State and was born in California’s central valley. He
knocked out last year’s champion Greg Raymer during the tournament. Kanter, now
a professional player, began playing poker in high school for dimes and
quarters. He's been playing regularly on PartyPoker.com for the past two years.
Going into the final day, Kanter was the chip leader with $10,700,000 but was
knocked out at 4:00 a.m. when his Ace-9-9, was topped by "Tex" Barch's three
jacks on the river.
Kanter, still overwhelmed by the experience, said: "It felt unreal walking into
a room with 200 tables and thousands of players, then working my way down to 20,
then 10, two and finally, the final table." Kanter, who plans to use his prize
money to secure his future with property and investments, will be one of the
featured players joining the PartyPoker.com Million V in March 2006.
Andy Black
PartyPoker.com was also the conduit for another player who made the final table.
Andrew Black from Ireland won $1.75 million and finished one place below Kanter.
To qualify, Black entered a $300 + $28 satellite. Black, nicknamed "The Monk,"
had been a professional poker player who competed in the 1997 and 1998 WSOPs,
but the pressure of high stakes poker and the disappointment of one last bad
beat caused him to retire from the game. Black, who holds a law degree from
Trinity College, ultimately went to India to become a Buddhist and devote his
life to charitable fund raising. Living the aesthetic life of a monk, he lived
on minimal money. However, after nearly six years, he returned to Ireland with
only €100 euros and started playing poker again on PartyPoker.com, where he was
able to build up his bankroll and his self-confidence. Looks like it paid off!
In total, 641 players qualified online at PartyPoker.com for the WSOP and 57
of those had a share of the record prize pool. Here are the results for our
PartyPoker.com players;
More on Party Poker winners
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