2007 - This Year in WSOP History

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2007

March 21

Sam Angel d. 2007 [age 86] (b. 11/30/1920)
Two bracelets: 1973 $1,000 Razz ($32,000) & 1975 $1,000 Razz ($17,000).
Obituary | Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

March 27

Doyle Brunson's My 50 Most Memorable Hands Released
Stories include hands from the 1974, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1993, 2004, and 2006 WSOP Main Events.

May 1

WSOP Main Event to Start With 20,000 Chips
Starting stack doubles from the usual 10,000.

May 2

Anthony Holden's Bigger Deal Released
Author plays another year of poker, including the 2005 and 2006 WSOP Main Events.

May 4

Lucky You Debuts in Movie Theaters
The fictional story that culminates with the 2003 World Series of Poker includes cameos by a couple dozen real poker pros including Berry Greenstein, Sammy Farha, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth. Eric Bana's character, Huck Cheever, is clearly inspired by Huck Seed, while Jennifer Harman appears as the character Shannon Kincaid.

May 17

Jack Effel Becomes Sole WSOP Tournament Director
Takes over after being Co-TD with Bob Daily, who leaves to lead the online gaming platform division of DG Holdings.

June 2

$500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #2, began 6/1)

Winner: Frederick Narciso ($104,701)

Entries: 1039 (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 3

Steve Billirakis Wins $5,000 World Championship Mixed Hold 'Em to Become Youngest Bracelet Winner
Defeats field of 451 for $104,701 eleven days after his 21st birthday.

$5,000 World Championship Mixed Hold 'Em (Limit/No-Limit) (Event #1, began 6/1)

Winner: Steve Billirakis ($536,287)

Entries: 451 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 4

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #3, began 6/2)

Winner: Ciaran O'Leary ($727,012)

Entries: 2998 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 5

Tom Schneider Wins $2,500 Omaha/Seven-Card Stud for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 327 for $214,347 and has bracelet put on his wrist by his wife on their ninth wedding anniversary.

$1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #4, began 6/3)

Winner: Michael Spegal ($251,957)

Entries: 781 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,500 Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better (Event #5, began 6/3)

Winner: Tom Schneider ($214,347)

Entries: 327 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #7, began 6/4)

Winner: Burt Boutin ($825,956)

Entries: 145 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 6

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #6, began 6/4)

Winner: Gary Styczynski ($280,715)

Entries: 910 (90 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 7

Alexander Kravchenko Wins $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo for Russia's First Bracelet
Defeats field of 690 for $228,446.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #8, began 6/5)

Winner: Michael Chu ($585,774)

Entries: 844 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo Split 8 or Better (Event #9, began 6/5)

Winner: Alexander Kravchenko ($228,446)

Entries: 690 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 8

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #10, began 6/6)

Winner: William Durkee ($566,916)

Entries: 1531 (153 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 World Championship Seven-Card Stud (Event #11, began 6/6)

Winner: Chris Reslock ($258,453)

Entries: 180 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 9

Total WSOP Entries Top 200,000
2,628 players enter $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em to reach the milestone.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #12, began 6/7)

Winner: Jason Warner ($481,698)

Entries: 1427 (126 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 10

Allen Cunningham Wins $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em for Fifth Bracelet
Defeats field of 398, including Jeff Lisandro heads up, for $487,287.

$5,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #13, began 6/8)

Winner: Allen Cunningham ($487,287)

Entries: 398 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Stud (Event #14, began 6/8)

Winner: Michael Keiner ($146,987)

Entries: 385 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 11

Phil Hellmuth Wins $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em for Record Eleventh Bracelet
Defeats field of 2,628 for $637,254. After Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan present the bracelet, Hellmuth gives it to his sister Molly, who was born on the 11th day of the 11th month.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #15, began 6/9)

Winner: Phil Hellmuth ($637,254)

Entries: 2628 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 12

Sally Anne Boyer Wins Record-Setting Ladies Championship
The 31st running of the event sees 1,286 players compete for a $1,170,260 prize pool with Boyer taking home the $262,077 first prize, all records for the event.

$2,500 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #16, began 6/9)

Winner: James Richburg ($238,881)

Entries: 382 (40 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,000 World Championship Ladies Event No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #17, began 6/10)

Winner: Sally Anne Boyer ($262,077)

Entries: 1286 (99 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 World Championship Limit Hold 'Em (Event #18, began 6/10)

Winner: Saro Getzoyan ($333,379)

Entries: 257 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 13

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #19, began 6/11)

Winner: Francois Safieddine ($521,785)

Entries: 1013 (99 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better (Event #20, began 6/11)

Winner: Ryan Hughes ($176,358)

Entries: 340 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #21, began 6/12)

Winner: Donald Baruch ($264,107)

Entries: 900 (90 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 15

Robstown, Texas Claims to Be Birthplace of Hold 'Em
The Texas House of Representatives declares that Texas Hold 'Em originated in Robstown around the time it was founded just over a century earlier.

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #22, began 6/13)

Winner: James Mackey ($730,740)

Entries: 640 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #23, began 6/14)

Winner: Scott Clements ($194,206)

Entries: 576 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 16

Eli Elezra Wins $3,000 Seven-Card Stud for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 236, including Scotty Nguyen heads up, for $198,984.

$3,000 World Championship Seven-Card Stud Hi/Low Split-8 or Better (Event #24, began 6/14)

Winner: Eli Elezra ($198,984)

Entries: 236 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 17

Katja Thater Wins $1,500 Razz to Become First Non-American Female Bracelet Winner
German defeats field of 341 for $132,653. Eskimo Clark finishes fourth for $31,186 despite leaving to get medical attention for a seizure.

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #25, began 6/15)

Winner: Ben Ponzio ($599,109)

Entries: 1619 (153 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #26, began 6/15)

Winner: Ralph Schwartz ($275,683)

Entries: 192 (25 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 18

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #27, began 6/16)

Winner: David Stucke ($603,069)

Entries: 2315 (198 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 19

Norm Macdonald Finishes 20th in $3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em
Comedian and Saturday Night Live actor wins $14,608 for the largest of his three career cashes.

$3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #28, began 6/17)

Winner: Shankar Pillai ($527,829)

Entries: 827 (81 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Seven-Card Razz (Event #29, began 6/17)

Winner: Katja Thater ($132,653)

Entries: 341 (32 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 20

Jeff Lisandro Wins $2,000 Seven-Card Stud for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 213 for $118,426.

$2,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #30, began 6/18)

Winner: Hoyt Corkins ($515,065)

Entries: 847 (78 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,000 Seven-Card Stud (Event #32, began 6/19)

Winner: Jeff Lisandro ($118,426)

Entries: 213 (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 21

$5,000 World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #31, began 6/19)

Winner: Daniel Schreiber ($425,594)

Entries: 392 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #33, began 6/20)

Winner: Alan Smurfit ($464,867)

Entries: 293$ (880 rebuys) (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 22

$3,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #34, began 6/20)

Winner: Alex Borteh ($225,483)

Entries: 296 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 23

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #35, began 6/21)

Winner: Ryan Young ($615,955)

Entries: 2541 (271 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$5,000 World Championship Omaha Hi/Low Split-8 or Better (Event #36, began 6/21)

Winner: John Guth ($363,216)

Entries: 280 (27 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 24

Gabe Kaplan Finishes Ninth in $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E.
Wins $131,424 for his final table accomplishment.

$2,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #37, began 6/22)

Winner: Greg Hopkins ($269,274)

Entries: 599 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 25

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #38, began 6/23)

Winner: Robert Cheung ($673,628)

Entries: 2778 (270 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 26

$1,500 Mixed Hold 'Em (Limit/No-Limit) (Event #40, began 6/24)

Winner: Fred Goldberg ($204,935)

Entries: 620 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Split 8 or Better (Event #42, began 6/25)

Winner: Lukasz Dumanski ($227,454)

Entries: 687 (63 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 27

WSOP Pays Out 20,000th Prize
The 20,000th prize awarded in WSOP history occurs roughly near the end of the $1,000 Seniors Championship, although other events were running at the same time.

$1,000 World Championship Seniors No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #41, began 6/25)

Winner: Ernest Bennett ($348,423)

Entries: 1882 (153 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 28

$50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (Event #39, began 6/24)

Winner: Kassem Deeb ($2,276,832)

Entries: 148 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #43, began 6/26)

Winner: Saifuddin Ahmad ($217,329)

Entries: 472 (45 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$2,000 Omaha Hi/Lo Split (Event #44, began 6/27)

Winner: Frankie O'Dell ($240,057)

Entries: 534 (54 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

June 30

Tom Schneider Wins $1,000 Seven-Card Stud for Second Bracelet of Year
Defeats field of 668 for $147,713.

$5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em - Six Handed (Event #45, began 6/28)

Winner: William Edler ($904,672)

Entries: 728 (78 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better (Event #46, began 6/28)

Winner: Tom Schneider ($147,713)

Entries: 668 (64 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 1

$2,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #47, began 6/29)

Winner: Blair Rodman ($707,898)

Entries: 2038 (198 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,000 Limit Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw (Event #48, began 6/29)

Winner: Rafi Amit ($227,005)

Entries: 209$ (0 rebuys) (24 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 2

Robert Mizrachi Wins $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for First Bracelet
Defeats field of 314 for $768,889.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #49, began 6/30)

Winner: Chandrasekhar Billavara ($722,914)

Entries: 3151 (324 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #50, began 7/1)

Winner: Robert Mizrachi ($768,889)

Entries: 314 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,000 S.H.O.E. (Event #51, began 7/1)

Winner: Dao Kim Bac ($157,975)

Entries: 730 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 4

Dan Shak Wins $5,000 Ante Up for Africa Charity Event
Defeats Brandon Moran heads up for $243,898. Shak and Moran ($142,845) donate their entire winnings to benefit survivors of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #52, began 7/2)

Winner: Michael Graves ($742,121)

Entries: 1048$ (0 rebuys) (100 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

$1,500 Limit Hold 'Em - Shootout (Event #53, began 7/3)

Winner: Ram Vaswani ($217,438)

Entries: 782 (72 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 5

Tom Schneider Is WSOP Player of the Year
Wins two bracelets to beat out Jeff Lisandro.

$5,000 World Championship No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw (Event #54, began 7/4)

Winner: Erik Seidel ($538,835)

Entries: 78$ (226 rebuys) (7 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

July 6

Phil Hellmuth and Barbara Enright Inducted Into Poker Hall of Fame
Hellmuth won the 1989 WSOP Main Event and ten other bracelets, while Enright is a 3-time bracelet winner who was the first and still only woman to reach the final table of the World Series of Poker (5th place in 1995). She becomes the Hall's first female member. [Hellmuth has added 5 more bracelets since joining the HOF.]

July 9

Phil Hellmuth Crashes Racecar in Preparation for Main Event
Sustains minor injuries but is still able to play, arriving in a limo instead of driving up as he originally planned.

July 10

Erik Seidel Wins $10,000 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw for Eighth Bracelet
Defeats field of 78 (226 rebuys), including Chad Brown heads up, for $538,835.

July 13

Berry Johnston Cashes in Record Tenth Main Event
Finishes 113th for $58,570 to add to cashes in 1982, 1985-87, 1989-90, 1992, and 1995-96.

Sully Erna Last Celebrity Standing in WSOP Main Event
Godsmack's lead singer finishes 237th for $45,422.

Blind Player Hal Lubarsky Cashes in WSOP Main Event
High stakes poker player who lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa works with a sighted card reader to finish 197th for $51,398.

Bo Sehlstedt Cashes in Record-Tying Fourth Straight Main Event
Finishes 155th for $58,570, following runs to 332nd in 2006 ($34,636), 372nd in 2005 ($18,335), and 103rd in 2004 ($20,000).

July 14

Maria Ho Last Woman Standing in WSOP Main Event
Finishes 38th for $237,865.

July 15

Scotty Nguyen Last Champ Standing in Main Event
Exits in 11th place for $476,926, the same prize as final table bubble boy Steve Garfinkle.

July 17

Jerry Yang Wins 2007 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 6,358, including Tuan Lam heads up, for $8,250,000.

$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #55, began 7/6)

Winner: Jerry Yang ($8,250,000)

Entries: 6358 (621 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 6

WSOP Europe Debuts
Three events to be held at Casino at the Empire in London, England.

September 8

£2,500 H.O.R.S.E. (Event #1, began 9/6)

Winner: Thomas Bihl ($142,723)

Entries: 105 (16 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 9

£5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #2, began 9/8)

Winner: Dario Alioto ($471,999)

Entries: 156 (18 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

September 10

First WSOP Europe Main Event Begins
362 players put up £10,000+350 (about $20,842) for their chance at history.

September 17

Annette Obrestad Wins WSOP Europe Main Event
Becomes youngest ever bracelet winner just shy of 19th birthday and takes home largest WSOP prize ever (about $2,013,733).

£10,000 World Championship No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #3, began 9/10)

Winner: Annette Obrestad ($2,013,733)

Entries: 362 (36 paid)

WSOP.com | Hendon

November 18

Chris Ferguson Wins Record Third Circuit Ring
Defeats field of 142 in $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em at Harvey's Lake Tahoe for the record-setting ring and $203,649, giving him the career Circuit winnings lead. [Ferguson still holds the money lead 15 years later.]

December 4

Chip Reese d. 2007 [age 56] (b. 3/28/1951)
Three bracelets: 1978 $1,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo ($19,200), 1982 $5,000 Seven-Card Stud ($92,500), & 2006 $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. ($1,716,000). Named Most Valuable Player of 1991 WSOP. Poker Hall of Fame 1991.
Obituary | Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon

{ Data is current through January 1, 2023. }