WSOP Circuit New Orleans - Main Event Final Table
SEAT 1: Walter Chambers, Baton Rouge, LA
Chip Count – 576,000
Wally Chambers is a 31-year-old business owner from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned his college degree in psychology from Louisiana State University. Chambers has been a real ‘Tiger’ in this tournament. He comes into the final table as the chip leader. Chambers is no stranger to final table appearances. He finished second here last year at the New Orleans Bayou Poker Challenge – earning nearly $35,000 in prize money. But that’s chump change. Chambers is guaranteed to do much better than that today, as everyone sitting here will earn $49,000 and up.
SEAT 2: Nick ‘Chairman’ Mao, Long Beach, CA
Chip Count – 522,000
Nick ‘Chairman’ Mao certainly isn’t in the red at this final table. He arrives second in the chip count. Mao was actually born in 1975 in war-ravaged Cambodia. He arrived in the United States seeking to build a better life. He is now living the American dream. Today, Mao is a real estate broker in Long Beach, California. He has won major poker tournaments held in Los Angeles, and just won an event at the Heavenly Hold’em Classic held last week – good for 55 grand. He started playing poker only a year ago, which means that ‘Chairman Mao’ – like his namesake -- will only be more dangerous later in life. The Chairman hopes to stage his own revolt here today, and says he will take no prisoners at the poker table.
SEAT 3: Harry Cullen, Jr., Houston, TX
Chip Count – 202,000
Harry Cullen, Jr. is a 47-year-old Houston native who is married and has three children. Cullen is a real gambler -- a wildcatter in the oil and gas exploration business. While his poker contemporaries are playing cards, Cullen is usually out in the oil fields trying to strike it rich. He hopes to put a drill to his opponents today and produce a steady flow of chips towards his stack. We’ll soon see if Cullen can build a pipeline, or instead discover if his well has come up dry.
SEAT 4: Antonio ‘The Magician’ Esfandiari, San Francisco, CA
Chip Count – 320,000
Antonio Esfandiari is unquestionably the most well-known poker player at today’s final table. He has been featured on television many times, due just as much to his natural charisma as his immense poker talent. Esfandiari is better known as ‘The Magician’ because he performed magic tricks for a living before turning to poker. The Magician was actually born in Iran and immigrated to the United States at the age of nine. He now lives in San Francisco. Last year, he won his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet, in pot-limit hold’em – earning nearly $600,000 for the top prize. Esfandiari is quite philosophical about his poker success: “Money is not the answer,” Esfandiari says. “More money – that’s the answer.”
SEAT 5: Imre Leibold, Tallinn, Estonia
Chip Count – 169,500
Imre Leibold traveled the greatest distance to play at today’s final table – all the way from Tallinn, Estonia. He is 29-year-old soon-to-be married professional poker player who has won major European tournaments -- including the 2005 Baltic Open Championship held earlier this month. He is ranked among the top European tournament finishers so far this year. Leibold has proven to be a dangerous player over the past three days and we will see if he ends up as the last man sitting at what is certainly one of the most enigmatic final tables on this year’s World Series of Poker Circuit.
SEAT 6: Marlon Labbe, Lafayette, LA
Chip Count – 163,000
Marlon Labbe is a 28-year-old salesman from Lafayette, Louisiana. He is one of two poker players at the final table from the New Orleans region. Labbe is married and has two children. This is the first time Labbe has ever made it to the final table of a major poker tournament. When he’s not playing poker, he enjoys hunting and fishing. Today, Labbe hopes to be the shark inside the fish tank. If so, he’ll complete what might have been just a dream a few days ago – to win a World Series of Poker event and end up with nearly $800,000 in cash. Today, we’ll see if dreams do come true.
SEAT 7: Cyril ‘Sid’ Gittens, Miami, FL
Chip Count – 338,500
Sid Gittens was born in Trinidad and now lives in Miami, Florida. He is a 48-year-old manager and is married. Gittens won his seat into this tournament by playing at an online poker site. This is his first time to make it to a final table at any poker tournament. Today, we will see if Gittens can translate his online poker skills into a huge tournament victory. Gittens is certainly sitting in good position at the start, as he comes into today third in the chip count. Hey, maybe these online players can play poker, after all. Just ask Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker.
SEAT 8: Corey A. Bierria, Atlanta, GA
Chip Count – 191,000
This is a sort of homecoming for Corey A. Bierria. He was born right here in New Orleans, but now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Bierria is 28-years-old, engaged, and owns a small business. He is also an LSU graduate – one of two ex-LSU Tigers sitting at today’s final table. Bierria says that he plays poker mostly in Tunica, Mississippi – and occasionally online, as well. Oddly enough, Bierria admitted that he considered selling off his entry into this $10,000 buy-in event, but it was his fiancé who ultimately talked him into playing. If only all poker players received such encouragement and confidence.
SEAT 9: Mark Cole, Greensboro, NC
Chip Count – 107,000
Mark Cole is a 43-year-old owner of a restaurant business, who lives in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is married and has two children. This is his second taste of success at the World Series of Poker. Cole finished in 11th place in last year’s pot-limit hold’em championship in Las Vegas. He has the biggest challenge of anyone at today’s final table – since he arrives with the lowest stack size. Cole, who enjoys sailing when he’s not playing poker, is hoping for smooth sailing in today’s final. But this final table will not be a breeze. Cole will need to get chips early to stay afloat at today’s final table, or he’ll end up like the Titanic.
NOTE: Play at the final table will start on Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 2:00 pm CST
Chip Count – 576,000
Wally Chambers is a 31-year-old business owner from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned his college degree in psychology from Louisiana State University. Chambers has been a real ‘Tiger’ in this tournament. He comes into the final table as the chip leader. Chambers is no stranger to final table appearances. He finished second here last year at the New Orleans Bayou Poker Challenge – earning nearly $35,000 in prize money. But that’s chump change. Chambers is guaranteed to do much better than that today, as everyone sitting here will earn $49,000 and up.
SEAT 2: Nick ‘Chairman’ Mao, Long Beach, CA
Chip Count – 522,000
Nick ‘Chairman’ Mao certainly isn’t in the red at this final table. He arrives second in the chip count. Mao was actually born in 1975 in war-ravaged Cambodia. He arrived in the United States seeking to build a better life. He is now living the American dream. Today, Mao is a real estate broker in Long Beach, California. He has won major poker tournaments held in Los Angeles, and just won an event at the Heavenly Hold’em Classic held last week – good for 55 grand. He started playing poker only a year ago, which means that ‘Chairman Mao’ – like his namesake -- will only be more dangerous later in life. The Chairman hopes to stage his own revolt here today, and says he will take no prisoners at the poker table.
SEAT 3: Harry Cullen, Jr., Houston, TX
Chip Count – 202,000
Harry Cullen, Jr. is a 47-year-old Houston native who is married and has three children. Cullen is a real gambler -- a wildcatter in the oil and gas exploration business. While his poker contemporaries are playing cards, Cullen is usually out in the oil fields trying to strike it rich. He hopes to put a drill to his opponents today and produce a steady flow of chips towards his stack. We’ll soon see if Cullen can build a pipeline, or instead discover if his well has come up dry.
SEAT 4: Antonio ‘The Magician’ Esfandiari, San Francisco, CA
Chip Count – 320,000
Antonio Esfandiari is unquestionably the most well-known poker player at today’s final table. He has been featured on television many times, due just as much to his natural charisma as his immense poker talent. Esfandiari is better known as ‘The Magician’ because he performed magic tricks for a living before turning to poker. The Magician was actually born in Iran and immigrated to the United States at the age of nine. He now lives in San Francisco. Last year, he won his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet, in pot-limit hold’em – earning nearly $600,000 for the top prize. Esfandiari is quite philosophical about his poker success: “Money is not the answer,” Esfandiari says. “More money – that’s the answer.”
SEAT 5: Imre Leibold, Tallinn, Estonia
Chip Count – 169,500
Imre Leibold traveled the greatest distance to play at today’s final table – all the way from Tallinn, Estonia. He is 29-year-old soon-to-be married professional poker player who has won major European tournaments -- including the 2005 Baltic Open Championship held earlier this month. He is ranked among the top European tournament finishers so far this year. Leibold has proven to be a dangerous player over the past three days and we will see if he ends up as the last man sitting at what is certainly one of the most enigmatic final tables on this year’s World Series of Poker Circuit.
SEAT 6: Marlon Labbe, Lafayette, LA
Chip Count – 163,000
Marlon Labbe is a 28-year-old salesman from Lafayette, Louisiana. He is one of two poker players at the final table from the New Orleans region. Labbe is married and has two children. This is the first time Labbe has ever made it to the final table of a major poker tournament. When he’s not playing poker, he enjoys hunting and fishing. Today, Labbe hopes to be the shark inside the fish tank. If so, he’ll complete what might have been just a dream a few days ago – to win a World Series of Poker event and end up with nearly $800,000 in cash. Today, we’ll see if dreams do come true.
SEAT 7: Cyril ‘Sid’ Gittens, Miami, FL
Chip Count – 338,500
Sid Gittens was born in Trinidad and now lives in Miami, Florida. He is a 48-year-old manager and is married. Gittens won his seat into this tournament by playing at an online poker site. This is his first time to make it to a final table at any poker tournament. Today, we will see if Gittens can translate his online poker skills into a huge tournament victory. Gittens is certainly sitting in good position at the start, as he comes into today third in the chip count. Hey, maybe these online players can play poker, after all. Just ask Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker.
SEAT 8: Corey A. Bierria, Atlanta, GA
Chip Count – 191,000
This is a sort of homecoming for Corey A. Bierria. He was born right here in New Orleans, but now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Bierria is 28-years-old, engaged, and owns a small business. He is also an LSU graduate – one of two ex-LSU Tigers sitting at today’s final table. Bierria says that he plays poker mostly in Tunica, Mississippi – and occasionally online, as well. Oddly enough, Bierria admitted that he considered selling off his entry into this $10,000 buy-in event, but it was his fiancé who ultimately talked him into playing. If only all poker players received such encouragement and confidence.
SEAT 9: Mark Cole, Greensboro, NC
Chip Count – 107,000
Mark Cole is a 43-year-old owner of a restaurant business, who lives in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is married and has two children. This is his second taste of success at the World Series of Poker. Cole finished in 11th place in last year’s pot-limit hold’em championship in Las Vegas. He has the biggest challenge of anyone at today’s final table – since he arrives with the lowest stack size. Cole, who enjoys sailing when he’s not playing poker, is hoping for smooth sailing in today’s final. But this final table will not be a breeze. Cole will need to get chips early to stay afloat at today’s final table, or he’ll end up like the Titanic.
NOTE: Play at the final table will start on Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 2:00 pm CST
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