2005 - This Year in WSOP History

2005

January 9

Daniel Beers Wins First WSOP Circuit Event
Defeats field of 254 in Harrah's Atlantic City $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for $81,280 and the first WSOP Circuit ring awarded.

January 18

World Series of Poker Circuit Debuts
Nghi Tran defeats field of 249, including Erick Lindgren heads up, to win first WSOP Circuit main event at Harrah's Atlantic City for $780,615.

February 3

Tom McEvoy & T.J. Cloutier's "Championship Hold'em Tournament Hands" Released
The excellent collection of important WSOP Main Event hands includes most years from 1978 to 2001. [Approximate date]

February 19

Chris Moneymaker's "Moneymaker" Released
The amateur who sparked the poker boom by winning his 2003 Main Event entry online tells his story with help from Daniel Paisner.

February 24

Alan Schein Becomes First Player With Two WSOP Circuit Rings
Defeats field of 173 in Harrah's Rincon $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for $55,370 six weeks after winning at Harrah's Atlantic City.

April 26

Amarillo Slim Preston's "Amarillo Slim in a World of Fat People" Released
The Texas road gambler and poker pro's book recounts many entertaining tales, including a chapter on the 1972 WSOP Main Event.

June 2

2005 World Series of Poker Begins at Its New Home, the Rio Hotel & Casino
Final two days of the Main Event to be last hurrah for the Horseshoe, while all other events will be played entirely at the Rio. The entire festival was pushed back a couple months to accommodate the new WSOP Circuit.

June 3

Total WSOP Entries Top 100,000
2,305 players enter $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em to reach the milestone.

$500 Casino Employee No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #1, 2 days [6/2 start])

Winner: Andy Nguyen ($83,390 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 662 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 5

Allen Cunningham Wins $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Third Bracelet
Defeats non-Main Event record field of 2,305 for $725,405.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #2, 3 days [6/3 start])

Winner: Allen Cunningham ($725,405 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 2,305 (200 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 6

$1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #3, 3 days [6/4 start])

Winner: Thom Werthmann ($369,535 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,071 (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 7

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #4, 3 days [6/5 start])

Winner: Eric Froehlich ($361,910 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,049 (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 8

$1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #5, 3 days [6/6 start])

Winner: Patrick Poels ($270,100 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 699 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 9

$2,500 Short-Handed No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #6, 3 days [6/7 start])

Winner: Isaac Galazan ($315,125 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 548 (66 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 10

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #7, 3 days [6/8 start])

Winner: Maciek Gracz ($594,460 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 826 [1495 rebuys] (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud (Event #8, 2 days [6/9 start])

Winner: Cliff Josephy ($192,150 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 472 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 12

Erik Seidel Wins $2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Seventh Bracelet
Defeats field of 1,403 for $611,795.

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #9, 3 days [6/10 start])

Winner: Erik Seidel ($611,795 & 7th bracelet)

Entries: 1,403 (140 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 13

$2,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #10, 3 days [6/11 start])

Winner: Reza Payvar ($303,610 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 569 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #11, 2 days [6/12 start])

Winner: Edward Moncada ($298,070 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 540 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 14

Josh Arieh Wins $2,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for Second Bracelet
Defeats field of 212 (395 rebuys), including Chris Ferguson heads up, for $381,600.

$2,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #12, 2 days [6/13 start])

Winner: Josh Arieh ($381,600 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 212 [395 rebuys] (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 16

T.J. Cloutier Wins $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Sixth Bracelet
Defeats field of 466 for $657,100.

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #13, 3 days [6/14 start])

Winner: T.J. Cloutier ($657,100 & 6th bracelet)

Entries: 466 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 17

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #15, 2 days [6/16 start])

Winner: Mark Seif ($181,330 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 450 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em Shootout (Event #16, 1 day)

Winner: Anthony Reategui ($269,100 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 780 (78 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 18

$1,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event #14, 3 days [6/15 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Steve Hohn ($156,985 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 595 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 19

$2,500 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #17, 2 days [6/18 start])

Winner: Quinn Do ($265,975 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 373 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 20

Barry Greenstein Wins $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha, Dedicates Victory to Charlie Tuttle, a Terminally Ill Cancer Patient
Defeats field of 293 for $128,505 and second bracelet.

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #18, 2 days [6/19 start])

Winner: Barry Greenstein ($128,505 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 293 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Three Woman Reach Final Nine for Only the Second Time
Jennifer Harman, Bonnie Rossi, and Leticia Tanhueco reach the last nine of the $2,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo, a feat only accomplished previously in the 1996 $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em. Harman finishes 3rd for $53,903, Rossi 6th for $25,155, and Tanhueco 9th for $9,240.

$2,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8/OB (Event #19, 2 days [6/19 start])

Winner: Denis Ethier ($160,682 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 279 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 22

$5,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #20, 3 days [6/20 start])

Winner: Brian 'FL' Wilson ($370,685 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 239 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 23

WSOP Pays Out 10,000th Prize
The 10,000th prize awarded in WSOP history goes to Max Pescatori for 19th place in $2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo ($4,955).

Todd Brunson Wins $2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo to Join Dad Doyle as only Father-Son Bracelet Winners
Defeats field of 359 players for $255,945.

$2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #21, 3 days [6/21 start])

Winner: Todd Brunson ($255,945 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 359 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 24

Sam Petrillo d. 2005 [age 68] (b. 8/17/1936)
Two WSOP Main Event final tables: 1979 6th (not paid) & 1981 9th ($15,000).
Obituary | WSOP.com | Hendon

Mark Seif Wins $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em PSO Invitational for Second Bracelet of Year
Defeats field of 2,013 for $611,145 just one week after winning $1,500 Limit Hold 'Em Shootout for $181,330. (PSO = PokerSchoolOnline.com)

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em PSO Invitational (Event #22, 3 days [6/22 start])

Winner: Mark Seif ($611,145 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 2,013 (200 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 25

$5,000 Seven-Card Stud (Event #23, 3 days [6/23 start])

Winner: Jan Sorensen ($293,275 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 192 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 26

Farzad Bonyadi Wins $2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Third Bracelet
Defeats field of 279 (777 rebuys) for $594,960.

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #24, 3 days [6/24 start])

Winner: Farzad Bonyadi ($594,960 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 279 [777 rebuys] (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 27

Johnny Chan Wins $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em for Record Tenth Bracelet
Defeats field of 425, including Phil Laak heads up, for $303,025 to beat Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth to double digits.

$2,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #25, 2 days [6/25 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Johnny Chan ($303,025 & 10th bracelet)

Entries: 425 (36 paid)

Chan beats Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth to ten bracelets.

WSOP.com | Hendon

Jennifer Tilly Wins Ladies Championship
Actress defeats event-record field of 601 for $158,335 as game switches to 100% No-Limit Hold 'Em for the first time. The tradition of holding the Women's Championship on Mother's Day ends with the entire festival pushed back a little over a month.

$1,000 Ladies Only Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #26, 2 days [6/26 start])

Winner: Jennifer Tilly ($158,335 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 601 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 28

Phil Ivey Wins $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for Fifth Bracelet
Defeats field of 134 (229 rebuys) for $635,603 and speculates, "I think I can win 30 [bracelets]."

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #27, 3 days [6/26 start])

Winner: Phil Ivey ($635,603 & 5th bracelet)

Entries: 134 [229 rebuys] (9 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 29

Gabe Kaplan Finishes Second in $5,000 Limit Hold 'Em
Pockets career-best $222,515 after losing to Dan Schmiech heads up.

June 30

$5,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #28, 3 days [6/27 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Dan Schmiech ($404,585 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 269 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #29, 3 days [6/28 start])

Winner: Lawrence Gosney ($483,195 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,072 (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 1

Doyle Brunson Wins $5,000 Short-Handed No-Limit Hold 'Em for Tenth Bracelet
Defeats field of 301 for $367,800 to tie Johnny Chan's record bracelet total just four days later. Doyle and his son Todd become the first father-son to win bracelets in the same year as Todd had won the $2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo eight days earlier.

$5,000 Short-Handed No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #30, 2 days [6/29 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Doyle Brunson ($367,800 & 10th bracelet)

Entries: 301 (48 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Razz Final Table Takes Record 16 Hours to Complete
O'Neil Longson ultimately defeated Bruno Fitoussi heads-up to earn his third bracelet and $125,690.

$1,500 Seven-Card Razz (Event #31, 2 days [6/29 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: O'Neil Longson ($125,690 & 3rd bracelet)

Entries: 291 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 2

David Chiu Wins $5,000 Omaha Hi/Lo for Fourth Bracelet
Defeats field of 224 for $347,410.

$5,000 Omaha Hi/Lo (Event #32, 3 days [6/30 start])

Winner: David Chiu ($347,410 & 4th bracelet)

Entries: 224 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 3

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #33, 2 days [7/1 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Andre Boyer ($682,810 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 1,010 (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 4

Paul McKinney Wins Seniors Championship at 80 Years Old
Wins $202,725 and becomes oldest player to earn his first bracelet and second oldest to win any bracelet behind only Johnny Moss.

$1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #34, 3 days [7/2 start])

Winner: Paul McKinney ($202,725 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 825 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Rafi Amit Wins $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for Israel's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 165 for $511,835.

$10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #35, 3 days [7/2 start])

Winner: Rafi Amit ($511,835 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 165 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 5

Jack Binion and Crandell Addington Join Poker Hall of Fame
President of the Horseshoe since 1963, Binion helped create the World Series of Poker in 1970 and owned the Horseshoe from 1989 to 2004, while Addington finished in the final ten of the WSOP Main Event seven times including second place in 1974 and 1978.

Cyndy Violette Sets Women's Record With Third Final Table of Year
Finishes 7th in the $3,000 Limit Hold 'Em for $44,820 after placing 2nd in the $2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for $295,970 and 7th in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em for $44,930.

$3,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #36, 3 days [7/3 start])

Winner: Todd Witteles ($347,385 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 406 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

Jennifer Harman Sets Record With Fifth Cash of Year
Finishes 81st in $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em for $3,290 to go with cashes in $2,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo (3rd for $53,903), $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (16th for $15,330), and $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (48th for $5,265).

July 6

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #37, 3 days [7/4 start])

Winner: Jon Heneghan ($611,015 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 894 [1584 rebuys] (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw (Event #38, 2 days [7/5 start])

Winner: David Grey ($365,135 & 2nd bracelet)

Entries: 65 [139 rebuys] (7 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 11

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #40, 1 day)

Winner: Ron Kirk ($321,520 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 863 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 12

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #41, 1 day)

Winner: John Pires ($220,935 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 971 (90 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 13

Nick Cassavetes Last Celebrity Standing in WSOP Main Event
Actor and director finishes 93rd for $77,710 in his first WSOP tournament.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #42, 1 day)

Winner: Willie Tann ($188,335 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 758 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 14

Allen Cunningham Is WSOP Player of the Year
Cashes five times for over a million dollars to easily outdistance Mark Seif.

July 15

Greg Raymer Last Champ Standing in Main Event
Exits in 25th place for $304,680.

Tiffany Williamson Finishes 15th as Last Woman Standing in the WSOP Main Event
Wins $400,000 for women's Main Event record.

July 16

Joe Hachem Wins 2005 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 5,619, including Steve Dannenmann heads up, for record $7,500,000 as the final two days play out in the Horsehoe for the last time.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #39, 7 days [7/7 start; ended past midnight])

Winner: Joe Hachem ($7,500,000 & 1st bracelet)

Entries: 5,619 (560 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

August 29

History Channel Airs "Breaking Vegas - The Prince of Poker"
Episode covers James McManus's 2000 WSOP Main Event run with James C. Burns as the author, Scott Beringer as T.J. Cloutier, and actual tournament footage.

September 1

Steve Rosenbloom's "Best Hand I Ever Played" Released
The collection of entertaining and educational stories from 52 poker pros includes nine hands from WSOP Main Events.

September 14

Chris Ferguson Becomes First Player to Win Two Circuit Main Events
Defeats Harrah's Las Vegas field of 107 for $362,088 to go with his win in the Harrah's Rincon Circuit Main Event on February 27.

October 1

Jonathan Grotenstein & Storms Reback's "All In" Released
The well-researched tome recounts every World Series of Poker Main Event through 2004, including many final table hands. [Approximate date]

October 26

Charles Dunwoody d. 2005 [age 91] (b. 5/7/1914)
Two WSOP Main Event Top 10 finishes: 1980 5th ($36,500) & 1990 10th ($12,500).
Obituary | WSOP.com | Hendon

November 9

Mike Matusow Wins Tournament of Champions
Defeats field of 114, including Hoyt Corkins heads up, for $1,000,000 in the non-bracelet event.

December 5

Big One for One Drop $1 Million Bracelet Event Announced
In conjunction with the One Drop Foundation and Guy Laliberte, the WSOP will run a million-dollar tournament from July 1 to 3, 2012 with $111,111 of each entry going to the charity.

December 11

"Annie Duke - How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed, and Won Millions at the World Series of Poker" Released
The Duchess of Poker's life story is intertwined with a recap of the 2004 WSOP $2,000 Limit Omaha 8-or-Better tournament. [Approximate date]