Final Results-Event#2 2006 WSOP-$1500 No Limit Hold'em

Final Results
Event #2
$1,500 No Limit Hold'em,
2006 World Series of Poker
(WSOP) June 29

2006 World Series of Poker
Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino – Las Vegas
Official Report

Event #2
No-Limit Hold’em
Buy-In: $1500
Number of Entries: 2,776
Total Prize Money: $3,789,240
Defending Champion (2005):
Allen Cunningham

Final Results:

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276.
277.

Brandon Cantu
Phong Ly
Dr. Drew Rubin
Lee Padilla
Brent Roberts
Don A. Zewin
Ronald E. Stanley
Mark Swartz
Juan Carlos Mortensen
Tom Nguyen
Jennifer Harman
Jack Rosenfeldt
Ali Eslami
Chad Burum
David Baker
Adam N. Smith
Steven Hohn
Stuart Krasney
Jorge R. Walker
Paul Smith
Young V. Phan
Ronnie Jackson
Kyle Burnside
David "Devil Fish" Ulliott
Michael LaBonte
Michael Bertolini
Kent Roman
Christopher Larue
Rick Burke
Ali Zargari
Tam Hang
Paul Darden, Jr.
Mark Schaech
Jeffery Peterson
Albert Krux
Rohn Schutsky
Vaughan Machado
Motoyuki Mabuchi
Ryan Even
Bill Gazes
Tony "Pokerthug" Lay
Arsenio Javier
Don Leone
Michael Miller
Ty Takishita
Phil Gordan
Paul Gratsch
Trent Schuler
Erik Seidel
Emmett Burns
Bernard "BeeNO" Ko
Preston Ritchie
KenKoski
Greg Noren
Scott Lychwick
Michael Kim
Danny Fuhs
Shane Stephenson
Reza Zand
Chris Henchcliffe
Bill Chen
Danny Adelson
Greg Raymer
Gorden Smith
Unknown
Christpoer Budak
Phil Helmuth, Jr.
Derek Neumman
William Lin
Ben Boyd
Tad Jurgens
Paul Tran
Nick Guagenti
Sam Chung
Tuan Le
Bill Maguire
Charles Gambino
Jim Bechtel
Mike Ngo
Dan Nemec
Dan Nguyen
Cathleen Tran
Tom Slater
Bob Rasmussen
Carl Olson
John Bonetti
Darryl Oauenhauer
Victor Demolo
Richard Talerico
Nick Voyatzis
Armen Kara
Dom Auzzi
Brian Taylor
Bruce Yamron
Jordan Rich
Matt Holtzclaw
Keith Seradzki
Eric Froelich
Brett Cuccarelli
Blair Rodman
Rigo Vangarelli
Adam Green
Robert Sweedler
Sagar Patel
Frank Senipoli
Fred Yazber
Casey Kastle
Jim Gentry
James Weston
Tom Pniak
William Shanks
Gregory Whiting Jr.
Michael Copener
Bruce Leyser
Eric Mellott
Arms Yongyuth
Derrick Ho
Darrell Stoner
Dave Chaput
Dave Fisher
Tom Noble
Richie Wong
Zachary Fritz
Adam Friedman
Chris Campochiard
Nevio Nicolich
Tanhdah Tran
Chad Wiedenhoeft
Chaechon Yim
David Byer
Larry Rossland
David Mann
Greg Higginsbotham
Todd Reynolds
Kenneth Johns Pitchford
Michael Hill
Bradley W. Anderson
Patrick Poels
Michael Ruth
Thomas Sanduski
John Yahnig
Andy Miller
Kenneth Brosnahan
Michael Rohland
Jason Akay
Ryan Buckholtz
Chris Odle
Rodney Johnson
Abraham Iannous
Ryan Harrington
Burelle Almaello
Hung Na
James Kilaryian
Neal Matthews
Walter J. Davis
Brandon Leeds
Jason Strasser
Unknown
David Siegel
Roger Houston
David Wells
Angie Tran
Peter F. Horn Jr.
Thomas Carrion Jr.
Jose Rosenkrantz
Unknown
Benjamin Lin
Raed Abdulfihat
Dustin Goff
Jason Howard Gutherie
Johathan Little
Stephen Grockett
CJ Hammett
Alex Baldwin
Alexander Porter
Michael Davis
Ehren Ezzel
Joseph Shukys
Joseph Cordi
Benedicto Cruz
Douglas Gladstone
Zvi Groysman
Pierre Bergeron
Dawna Wilson
Rob Goetschins
Michael Kennedy
Noah Kelley
Jason Farkas
David Unketer
Todd Bourgault
Robert Tyburski
Russell Giorgianni
Michael Epstein
David Skinner
Evan Paushter
Kenneth Meier
Stephen Gin
Jethro Horowitz
Aaron Price
Troy Kidwell
Jeremy Lux
Gerald Johonnot
Andrew Wade
Sammy Lewis
Daniel John Stanton
Adam Zinn
Richard Wilcox
Ahavle Lehr
Randy Campbell
Steven Wegel
Jason Hodges
Richard Paulsen
Duane Capes
Edward Piper
Joseph Sorren
David Doyen
Unknown
Amis Naderi
Brendan Taylor
Isabelle Mercier
Jason Gonong
Howard Elkins
Robert Dacleb
William Mietz
John Roveto
Michael Rutherford
Scott Moore
Peter Bell
Wendeen Eolis
Neil Channing
Joseph Cutri
Kirk Heflin
Jeffery King
James Mercurio
Michael Brittan
Unknown
John Winslow
Hyon Chun
Matthew Shell
John Fagerile
Elio Reyes
Hassaw Assaheuri
Clonie Gowen
Kristy Gazes
Joseph Zewin
Daniel Hill
David Hatfield
Daniel Bakker
Bret Tannenbaum
Hamberto Brenos
Richard Aquino
Jon K. Weekly
David Sands
Robert Neyorayan
Joe Pharo
John Gill II
Jean Gluck
Brian Tracy
Richard Abbamonto
James Burns
Unknown
Bryan Griggs
Danny Jensen
Paul E. Kroh Jr.
Charles E. Swell
Joshua Nordmark
Isaac E. Khalil
John Burk Nugent
Rodney Clements
Kathy Koon
Juan Carlin
Anthony Girouard
Claudie Holland
Richard Grisalva
Cody Way
Brian Swinford
Stefeno Cancellwil

Vancouver
Los Angeles, CA
Hollywood, FL
Modesto, CA
Staten Island, NY
Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, NV
Phoenix, AZ
Las Vegas, NV
Reno, NV
Las Vegas, NV
Hobrq, Denmark
Van Nuys, CA
Novato, Canada
Katy, TX
Mansfield, TX
Overland Park, KS
Tustin, CA
Cerritos, CA
San Diego, CA
Irvine, CA
Henderson, NV
Somerset, MA
Hull, England
Richfield, WI
Las Vegas, NV
Wyandotte, MI
Mantica, CA
Chicago, IL
Las Vegas, NV
Seattle, WA
Las Vegas, NV
Baltimore, MD
Corona, CA
Fayetteville, NY
Freehold, NJ
Red Bank, NJ
Osaka, Japan
Henderson, NV
Miami, FL
OK City, OK
Fullerton, CA
Greendale, WI
Northridge, CA
HI
Las Vegas, NV
Cocoa, FL
Springrfield, OH
Las Vegas, NV
Fort Worth, TX
Chino Hills, CA
New Orleans, LA
Howell, MI
Phoenix, AZ
Gilbert, AZ
New York, NY
Las Vegas, NV
Pittsburg, PA
Henderson, NV
Olympia, WA
Lafayette Hill, PA
Los Angeles, CA
Raleigh, NC
Tool, TX

Cypress, TX
Palo Alto, CA
Bothell, WA
Denver, CO
Los Angeles, CA
Phoenix, AZ
Houston, TX
Westerville, OH
Las Vegas, NV
Los Angeles, CA
Robstown, TX
Brooklyn, NY
Gilbert, AZ
New Orleans, LA
Menomonee Falls, WI
San Jose, CA
Irvine, CA
Danville, CA
Seattle, WA
Seattle, WA
Houston, TX
Laughin, NV
Sarasota, FL
Brookshire, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Brea, CA
Bronx, NY
Macon, GA
Naples, FL
Portland, OR
Elk Grove, CA
Blontown, NJ
Washington DC
Modesto, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Acworth, GA
Reston, VA
Portland, OR
Morton Grove, IL
Hollywood, FL
Semi Valley, CA
Chicago, IL
Vancouver, WA
Stanhope, NJ
Las Vegas, NV
College Park, MD
Philadelphia, PA
Phoenix, AZ
Los Angeles, CA
Woodland Park, Co
Carlsland, CA
San Jose, CA
Orlando, FL
Brookeville, MD
Buffalo, NY
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV
Gananna, OH
Granada Hills, CA
New York, NY
El Monte, CA
Whitewater, WI
Kent, WA
Las Vegas, NV
Mandan, ND
Long Beach, CA
Janesville, WI
Holtsville, NY
Sutton-In, Ashfield, England
Wiesbaden Germany
Fresno, CA
Mesa, AZ
Schenectady, NY
Las Vegas, NV
Louisville, KY
Abilene, TX
Marietta, GA
Downey, CA
Honolulu, HI
San Diego, CA
Middletown, De
Mechanicsville, VA
Henderson, NV
Portland, OR
Honolulu, HI
Manhatten Beach, CA
Moneta, VA
Colorado Springs, CO
Las Vegas, NV
Phoenix, AZ
New York, NY

Calabasas, CA
West Minister, CA
Toledo, OH
Houston, TX
Acworth, GA
Fairfield, CA
Miami, FL

Rockville, MD
Kyle, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Parrish, FL
Pensacola, FL
Costa Mesa, CA
Katonah, NY

Tucson, AZ
Norcross, GA
Austin, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Indian Wells, CA
Freemont, CA
San Francisco, CA
Thornhill, Ontario
Quebec, Canada
Teton Village, WY
Westlake, CA
Surprise, AZ
Eugene, OR
Oak Creek, WI
Arlington, TX
Fair Haven, MA
Henderson, NV
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV

Pittsburgh, PA

Double Bay, South Wales
Barsto, CA
Austin, TX
Shelbyville, IN
Las Vegas, NV
Adrian, MI
N. Las Vegas, NV
Northfield, IN
Henderson, NV
Danville, CA
Bossier, LA
Villa Park, CA
Wedowle, AL
Las Vegas, NV
Weburn, MA
Rochelle, IL
Mogador, OH
Flagstaff, AZ
West Hills, CA

Santa Monica, CA
Henderson, NV
Victoriaville, QC
Dallas, TX
Hendersonville, NC
Vallejo, CA
Littleton, CO
Snellview, GA

Arroyo Grande, CA
Marina Del Ray, CA
New York, NY
London, UK
Southhampton, PA
Kansas City, MO
Colochester, CT
Los Angeles, CA
Englewood, NJ

Dallas, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Farmington, MN
Orting, WA
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV
Sache, TX
N. Hollywood, CA
Las Vegas, NV
State College Park, PA
Federal Way, WA
Branson, MO
Delray Beach, FL
Miami, FL
Kearney, NJ
Denver, CO
Bozman, MT
Sherman Oaks, CA
Scottsdale, AZ
San Bernaraino, CA
Alhambra, CA
St. Louis, MO
Lakewood, CA
Murfressberd, TN

New Cast
Arvada, CO
Battle Mountain, NV
Oklahoma City, OK
Sciota, PA
Las Vegas, NV
Spokane, WA

Chicago, IL
Laredo, TX
Las Vegas, NV
Fayetteville, NC
Las Vegas, NV
Amarillo, TX
Rantoul, IL
Bowmanville, OWT

$757,839
$416,816
$226,597
$176,579
$151,570
$126,940
$107,614
$88,668
$71,617
$56,081
$51,155
$46,987
$43,197
$39,408
$35,619
$31,830
$28,040
$24,251
$20,462
$20,462
$20,462
$16,673
$16,673
$16,673
$13,641
$13,641
$13,641
$11,368
$11,368
$11,368
$11,368
$11,368
$11,368
$11,368
$11,368
$11,368
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$9,094
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$7,578
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$6,063
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$4,547
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$3,410
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$2,274
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299
$1,299

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Tournament Report

Cantu Can Do!

Brandon Cantu Wins Second-Largest Live Poker Tournament in History!

25-year-old Las Vegan wins a whopping $757,839 in prize money

Las Vegas, NV – Each and every poker player needs a little luck. Just ask
Brandon Cantu. Sure, poker is a game of skill. But luck can also carry a good
player a very long way.

On June 28, 2006 Cantu, a 25-year-old semi-professional player from Las
Vegas, was competing in his biggest poker tournament ever. With 64 players
still contending in the tournament on the second day, Cantu found himself
nearly all-in with most of his chips in the pot and drawing slim against none
other than Greg “Fossilman” Raymer, the 2004 World Series of Poker
Champion. With Cantu’s tournament life hanging in the balance, Raymer had
the best hand, by far. But luck sometimes appears when least expected.
The angels of mercy resuscitated Cantu with two near-miracle diamonds to
complete a flush, which eliminated the poker superstar and stunned those
who witnessed the decisive moment. That pot ignited a flame in Cantu that
would never extinguish. In fact, as it turned out, that crucial hand made
Cantu three-quarters of a million dollars in extra prize money.

In Event 2, Cantu burned through a record-field of 2,776 players – an
astonishing number in size and scale. Consider that the $1,500 buy-in no-
limit hold’em event was the second-largest poker tournament ever in history.
Already on pace to shatter every previous poker mark ever recorded, the first
open event of the 2006 World Series of Poker was a complete sell-out. Only
the 2005 WSOP main event attracted more participants (with 5,619). The
total prize pool amounted to $3,789,240. There were 277 players who
collected prize money.
After two long days of play, the final table was set. ESPN was on hand to film
the finale for later broadcast. When the first hand was dealt out in front of a
standing-room only crowd packed inside the Rio Convention Center, the
seating positions and chips counts were as follows:

The first player to be eliminated was a bit of a surprise. In fact, the final
stages of the tournament were an absolute nightmare for Carlos Mortensen,
the 2001 world poker champion. Towards the end of play on Day Two, the
superstar Spaniard (who was actually born in Ecuador – a little-known fact)
was sitting comfortably, with an impressive chip lead. Given Mortensen’s
aggressive style, he was clearly a favorite to go far. Many poker observers
began speculating that Mortensen might be on his way to a third WSOP gold
bracelet. Then, everything began to unravel. Mortensen lost about half of
his chips late on the previous night, and then proceeded to lose the other
half within an hour at the final table. The final dagger came quickly. On his
last hand, Mortensen was getting perilously low on chips and moved all-in
with pocket fours. Phong “Mark” Ly was in the blind and called. Ly caught a
queen on the turn to make a higher pair, which dashed Mortensen’s dreams
of victory. Mortensen, a.k.a. “The Matador” got to play the ill-fated role of the
bull in this event, and was dragged out of the ring in ninth place good for
$71,617 in prize money.

After Mark Swartz was eliminated in eighth place (good for $88,668) two
more long-time poker veterans were eliminated. Ron Stanley, perhaps best-
known for his close encounter with poker legend Stu Ungar at the 1997
WSOP final table, moved all-in with A-9 suited after Lee Padilla opened for a
raise. Don Zewin, who has been playing in WSOP events for 25 years, re-
raised all-in with 8-8. Padilla was pot-committed and made a tough call with
A-J of spades. Remarkably, Padilla caught three spades – good for a flush.
Within mere seconds, Padilla had knocked out two consummate professionals
and the tournament was suddenly down to just five players. Ron Stanley, a.
k.a. “The Carolina Express” (1991 WSOP gold bracelet winner), was derailed
at the seventh-place finisher, good for $107,614. Don Zewin -- who finished
third in the 1989 main event (losing only to Phil Hellmuth and Johnny Chan) --
collected $126,940 for sixth.

That big hand put Padilla up over 1,000,000 in chips for the first time -- only
15,000 behind Cantu in the chip-count. That would be as close as he would
get.

Brent Roberts, a college student from Staten Island, NY, arrived at the final
table as a player primed to make history. Roberts, who turned 21 only three
weeks ago (Note: The legal age to enter the WSOP is 21), would have been
the youngest World Series winner in history, eclipsing Eric Froehlich’s mark
set last year. But it was not to be. Roberts took 7-7 up against Lee Padilla’s
A-Q and lost when a queen fell. One must now wonder where Roberts will
go from here. Winning $151,570 in his first WSOP tournament ever is quite a
benchmark of accomplishment. (Note: It is believed that Roberts is the
youngest player in WSOP history ever to make it to a final table)

Lee Padilla’s last hour was a complete disaster. He went from a million in
chips down to the felt in what can only be described as a disappointing series
of bad hands and unfortunate breaks. Padilla, an almond farmer from
Modesto, CA, went out fourth when his A-3 was cracked by Mark Ly’s A-10.
Fourth place paid a very respectable $176,579.

Mark Ly was the only player to knock Cantu from his chip perch at any point.
Ly hit the 2,000,000 chip-mark when he won a monster pot with A-Q versus
Cantu’s 6-6. But Cantu wasn’t fazed. Soon thereafter, Dr. Drew Rubin was
eliminated when his A-6 lost to Cantu’s 8-8. Rubin, a clinical psychologist
from Hollywood, FL, was diagnosed as the third-place finisher and billed the
prize pool for $226,597 – which came to about $7,500 an hour for his time.

Down to heads-up play, Brandon Cantu enjoyed a 3 to 2 chip lead over Mark
Ly, about 2,400,000 to 1,760,000. The final outcome did not take long. Ly
lost most of his chips when he overplayed his hand holding J-4, after the turn
showed A-J-6-7. Ly re-raised all-in holding second pair. Big mistake. Cantu
called instantly with A-K – good for top pair, top kicker. The river failed to
rescue Ly, who went out just two hands later.

Phong “Mark” Ly a Vietnamese-born 27-year-old professional poker player,
was the runner up. Ly, who is married with two children, now resides in Los
Angeles. He received $416,816

In his first major final table appearance, Brandon Cantu won an astounding
amount of money -- $757,839 for first place. He also received the coveted
gold bracelet, traditionally presented to each and every WSOP winner.

“I have no skills in life other than poker,” Cantu joked afterward when asked
why he decided to turn pro. “That’s it for me, maybe I’ll retire.”
But Cantu also admitted to having at least one goal, which he has not yet
achieved. “I still have not won our home poker game tournament,” he said.
“It has a $20 buy-in. They all keep making fun of me that I never win. When
I win that one, my life will be complete.”

Report by Nolan Dalla

Overall Tournament Statistics (through end of Event #2):

Total Entries to Date: 4,008

Total Prize Money Distributed: $ 4,343,640

World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack

Director of Sports and Entertainment Marketing (Licensing) -- Ty Stewart

Director of Sports and Entertainment Marketing (Communications) – Gary
Thompson

Vice President of Specialty Gaming -- Howard Greenbaum

WSOP Tournament Director – Robert Daily

WSOP Tournament Director/Director of Poker Operations for Harrah’s
Entertainment – Jack Effel