Thang Luu Wins $1,500 Omaha Hi Lo Event at 2008 WSOP

2008 World Series of Poker
Event #6 Final Report
$1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo
8 or Better

Thang Luu Wins $1,500 Omaha
Hi-Lo Event at the 2008 World
Series of Poker at Rio

Tournament Notes:

Another WSOP record has been shattered. This was the largest Omaha High-
Low Split tournament in poker history. This year's $1,500 buy-in Omaha High-
Low Split championship attracted 833 players, which created a prize pool
totaling $1,137,045. The previous record turnout was for last year's $1,500
buy-in tournament, which attracted 690 players. This marked a 17 percent
increase over last year's number.

This was the first of three Omaha High-Low Split events on the 2008 WSOP
schedule. On June 8th, a $2,000 buy-in event is offered. The $10,000 buy-in
Omaha High-Low Split world championship will take place on June 19th.

Omaha High-Low Split has been offered at the WSOP every year since 1990.
Omaha (high) was first seen at the WSOP back in 1983. The game phased its
way onto the annual schedule as draw poker and lowball began to fade in
popularity. All WSOP Omaha events played between 1983 and 1989 were
Limit (high) and Pot-Limit. Now, Pot-Limit Omaha and Omaha High-Low Split
are the most popular forms of this poker game. Omaha High tournaments are
now rare. It was last played at the WSOP in 2003.

Omaha High-Low Split is also called 'Omaha Eight-or-Better.' This means the
low hand must be an 'eight or better' qualifier to split half of the pot.

This was the second non-ESPN final table of the 2008 WSOP. The final table
was played adjacent to the main stage, which featured Event #5, the $1,000
buy-in No-Limit Hold'em with Re-Buys event in what was an overlapping time
slot. While the crowd was not as large for this finale, several players brought
friends and relatives which created a more intimate atmosphere.

The winner was Thang Luu. He is a 33-year-old professional poker player
from Las Vegas, NV. Luu was born in Vietnam. He arrived in the United States
at the age of 17. Prior to becoming a poker pro, Luu worked as a table
games dealer in Las Vegas. He is single, and is also known as 'Tiger Luu.'

This victory was especially gratifying to Luu since he finished second in the
$2,000 buy-in Omaha High-Low Split event at last year's WSOP (to Frankie
O'Dell). Despite the $147,726 payout, Luu was determined to get back to the
final table and achieve victory.

Luu was the chip leader when play at the final table began. A few rivals got
close in chips at various times, but Luu achieved a wire-to-wire win.

Luu is primarily a cash game player. He plays regularly in the $80-160 limit
range at various casinos in Las Vegas. Luu doesn't play tournament poker
very often, but does try to play in most major Omaha High-Low Split
tournaments, which he enjoys. He says his favorite poker game is Badugi.

Luu collected $243,342. This was his first WSOP gold bracelet. Luu has now
has four career cashes at the World Series. He states that he intends to
return to Vietnam and take a few months of vacation, where he will visit
members of his family.

Following his win, Luu was interviewed at tableside. He had the following
comments: I like to play every hand. I don't miss any hands, especially when
I am playing heads up. I might check in a few spots. But I play every hand
(and try to keep my opponent guessing). Winning a World Series of Poker
title is very special. You know, now they look at your differently. Everyone
knows who you are. This is just the start. I have to play again Sunday (in the
next Omaha High-Low Split event). I am running pretty good in Omaha right
now.

Pro's versus Amateurs: Through Event #6 at this year's World Series, poker
professionals have won 4 gold bracelets. Amateurs have won 1 victory. One
event was still undecided at press time.

The tournament was played over three days. The final table clocked in at
slightly over seven hours. It began at 4 pm and ended at 11:35 pm.

The runner up was Spencer Lawrence, from London, England.

George Guzman took third place. Last year, he placed 36th in this event.

James Pritchard finished in fourth place. Now 23-years-old, Pritchard played
college football for four years at the University of Tennessee-Martin.

The sixth place finisher was Greg Jamison. This was his second consecutive
year to make it to the final table in this event. Last year, he took fifth place.

Scott Clements has become one of poker's most promising young stars. The
26-year-old poker pro from Mt. Vernon, WA has won two WSOP gold
bracelets and one WSOP Circuit gold ring. However, he could do no better
than ninth place in this event.

Several former gold bracelet winners cashed in this tournament. They
included Mark Gregorich (10th place), Denis Ethier (24th), Linda Johnson
(25th), Perry Friedman (46th), and Robert Mizrachi (61st).

Mark Gregorich is widely-respected as one of Omaha High-Low Split's best
players. The Las Vegas poker pro plays in both tournaments and cash
games, and specializes in Omaha. This was his sixth time to cash in an
Omaha event at the WSOP.

Linda Johnson, who cashed 25th, is the former owner of Card Player
magazine. She was inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame as part of
its inaugural class earlier this year.

Allyn Shulman took 26th place. She is a former prosecutor who has since
become one of the poker industry's leading legal consultants on Internet
gambling.

Last year's winner was Alex Kravechnko. He did not enter this year's
tournament.

The 2008 World Series of Poker championship gold bracelets are designed
and manufactured by Corum USA. For more information and specifications,
contact Knych Keller: kkeller@corumusa.com
_________________________________

World Series of Poker Commissioner – Jeffrey Pollack

Director of Sponsorship and Licensing -- Ty Stewart

Director of Broadcasting and New Media – Craig Abrahams

Director of Communications – Seth Palansky

Regional Vice President of Specialty Gaming -- Howard Greenbaum

Tournament Director – Jack Effel

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Photo Provided By: IMPDI for the 2008 WSOP