Event 49 - $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. | 2009 World Series of Poker

06-29-2009 23:13 UTC-12

Final Table Seating Assignments and Chip Counts

[user22113]

Cards in the air at 2:00pm.

Seat 1: Ville Wahlbeck - 645,000
Seat 2: Erik Sagstrom - 3,675,000
Seat 3: John Hanson - 1,700,000
Seat 4: Huck Seed - 1,380,000
Seat 5: Vitaly Lunkin - 2,490,000
Seat 6: David Bach - 2,345,000
Seat 7: Erik Seidel - 965,000
Seat 8: Chau Giang - 1,075,000

06-30-2009 09:17 UTC-12

H.O.R.S.E. World Championship Final Table Set To Commence

[user67765]

Welcome back to the Rio Hotel and Casino here in Las Vegas for one of the most eagerly anticipated final tables of the entire World Series of Poker.

In its short history, the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. has cemented its place as one of the most coveted poker titles on the planet. The winner carries the prestige and honor of being considered one of the greatest all-around players of our time.

The players are taking their seats and unbagging their chips, with the usual TV production circus likely to delay the restart for a few more minutes.

Stay tuned to PokerNews.com for our live coverage as our final eight play for the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy!

06-30-2009 09:19 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: Ville Wahlbeck – Seat 1 (645,000)

[user67765]

Ville Wahlbeck is a 33-year old professional poker player from Helsinki in Finland who rose to prominence during this year’s World Series of Poker. Today’s cash is Wahlbeck’s sixth of the series, and incredibly all have come in different poker disciplines. He proved to the world his mixed game prowess with his bracelet win in the Mixed Event World Championship, and in his five other WSOP cashes his lowest finish was 13th place. Wahlbeck asserted himself during Day 3 of the H.O.R.S.E. World Championship to be amongst the chip leaders, but enters this final table with some work to do as the short stack of the field with 645,000 chips.

Tags: Ville Wahlbeck

06-30-2009 09:20 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: Erik Sagstrom – Seat 2 (3,675,000)

[user67765]

Swede Erik Sagstrom enters our final table as a commanding chip leader after a huge day 4 yesterday, and all eyes and pressure will be on the 26 year old to capture his first WSOP bracelet. Sagstrom found online poker at the age of 17 and since that time has gone on to be one of the most successful online players in the world as “Erik123”. However this is Sagstrom’s biggest ever live cash result and his first WSOP cash. He’ll no doubt have the support of the fanatical Swedes on the rail to cheer him home.

Tags: Erik Sagstrom

06-30-2009 09:20 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: John Hanson – Seat 3 (1,700,000)

[user67765]

John Hanson is based in New York and in a short time has already established himself as one of the premier mixed game players in the country. Hanson is best known for his 3rd place finish in the 2007 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship which was one by Freddy Deeb. Hanson secured $852,480 and since that day hasn’t managed another WSOP cash result until now. He’ll be looking to go a couple of places further here today as he starts in fourth chip position with 1.7 million chips.

Tags: John Hanson

06-30-2009 09:20 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: Huck Seed – Seat 4 (1,380,000)

[user67765]

It’s hard write a bio of one of the greats of the game and squeeze it into just one paragraph. Las Vegas’ own Huck Seed is best known as being the 1996 World Champion in a career spanning two decades and with 36 WSOP cashes and 4 bracelets, he brings a great deal of experience to this final table. Seed’s well-rounded game has brought him bracelets in Omaha, Hold’em and Razz (twice) during his career and he secured a 5th place finish in the Mixed Event World Championship during this year’s WSOP. Just to complete the resume, Seed also won the NBC National Heads-Up Championship earlier this year for a $500,000 score, so it appears Seed has all bases covered. Seed currently sits in the middle of the pack with 1.38 million chips and will be a genuine threat here this evening.

Tags: Huck Seed

06-30-2009 09:20 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: Vitaly Lunkin- Seat 5 (2,490,000)

[user25067]

Vitaly Lunkin has turned in one of this year's most exceptional performances in the World Series of Poker, winning his second career bracelet in the elite $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em event and followed it up with a runner-up finish in the $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha event. Now, with a final table appearance in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E., he has more than proven himself to be one of the world's finest all-around players. Lunkin is already the top money earner at the 2009 WSOP by a large margin, with $2.3 million in earnings and enters play today second in chips.

06-30-2009 09:21 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: David Bach - Seat 6 (2,345,000)

[user25067]

David Bach came tantalizingly close to making the final table of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. last year, ending his run in 11th place. The Athens, GA native is a familiar face around the tournament circuit, this being his twelfth WSOP cash and his fifth final table, his best finish at the series coming in 2007 when he made a runner-up finish in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better event. Bach also made the final table of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic in 2007, finishing in 6th place, and has made four final tables at the Aussie Millions. Bach comes into play today third in chips.

06-30-2009 09:21 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: Erik Seidel - Seat 7 (965,000)

[user25067]

Erik Seidel is the proud owner of a staggering eight WSOP bracelets and is sixth on the list of all-time WSOP cashes with 56 in-the-money finishes. Also a WPT titleholder with his victory at the 2008 Foxwoods Poker Classic, he finished runner-up to Alexander Kostritsyn at the 2008 Aussie Millions Main Event. Seidel has over $9.4 million in career tournament earnings and should he win here today, he would tie Johnny Moss with nine WSOP bracelets.

06-30-2009 09:21 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: Chau Giang - Seat 8 (1,075,000)

[user25067]

Chau Giang arrived in the United States with $10 in his pocket and has transformed into one of the most successful and feared cash game players in the world. A regular in the "Big Game" in Bobby's Room at the Bellagio, Giang regualrly plays mixed games at the highest limits. Despite focusing most of his energy on the cash games, Giang has still earned over $3.3 million in tournaments, made 50 WSOP cashes (five already this year), and will be looking to win his fourth bracelet today.