Event 26 - $1,500 Razz | 2008 World Series of Poker

Level: 18

Blinds: 0/0

Ante: 0

06-15-2008 15:09 UTC-7

Shuffle Up and Deal!

[user40108]

The cards are in the air.

06-15-2008 15:06 UTC-7

Play To Begin Soon

[user40108]

The final preparations are being made and the cards should be in the air momentarily.

06-15-2008 14:45 UTC-7

Barry Greenstein was the first player to arrive today. He casually strolled up to the final table area, a copy of Ace On the River in hand, and found his seat. Coming into the day 2nd in chips, we'll see how his experience advantage affects the outcome of today's razz finale.

06-15-2008 14:38 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 1, Chris Viox (359,500)

[user40108]

From Glen Carbin, IL, Chris Viox comes into the day as our chip leader. He has over $257,000 in lifetime earnings with his biggest chunk of change coming from the $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em event at the 2006 WSOP where he took home $85,904 for his 3rd place finish.

Most recently, Viox picked up $11,748 when he placed 9th in the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em Six-Handed event at the 2008 Aussie Millions.

06-15-2008 14:37 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 2, Joseph Michael (155,000)

[user40108]

Joseph Michael has over $14,000 in career tournament earnings, all of which came at last year's WSOP.

The Austin, Texas, native's biggest cash came in the $2,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better event in which he finished 24th and collected $5,879.

06-15-2008 14:36 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 3, Archie "The Greek" Karas (113,000)

[user40108]

In seat 3 is one of the legendary gamblers in the history of Las Vegas! According to Jack Binion, "Archie Karas is the biggest and most dangerous gambler I've ever faced."

Archie ran $50 into more than $40,000,000 shooting pool, playing heads up poker against the likes of Stu Ungar, Chip Reese, and Johnny Chan among many others in 1993/94 time period, mostly playing $8,000 and $16,000 limit, and $10,000 and $20,000! After accumulating a fortune of $17,000,000 no one would play him heads up poker much at those high limits, and he started shooting dice, where he amazed the world running his great run up to $40,000,000!

As told on the E! True Hollywood story this week on TV, he lost it all back by 1995, mostly in dice and baccarat.....not poker.

He has now made three Razz tables at the WSOP, as he has been most famous for big time cash games, playing the highest limits in the world back then!

He is here to begin his comeback at the 2008 WSOP, and says If he wins today 1st place for $157,000...............he'll be 157,000 steps closer to get his $40,000,000 back!

06-15-2008 14:36 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 4, Brandon Leeds (206,500)

[user40108]

Brandon Leeds of Phoenix, AZ, comes into this razz final table with $9,000 in tournament earnings. His biggest payday came when he placed 35th in the $1,000 S.H.O.E. event at the 2007 WSOP earning him $4,185.

06-15-2008 14:35 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 5, Chris Klodnicki (105,000)

[user40108]

With over $98,0000 in lifetime winnings, Chris Klodnicki from Voorhees, NJ, is no stranger to tournament poker.

He's gone deep in multiple events including, most recently, a 10th place finish at the 2008 Borgata Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em Tournament in Atlantic City where he took home $20,150 for his 10th place finish.

Chris's biggest cash came in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, where he finished 35th and pocketed $32,000.

06-15-2008 14:35 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 6, Mike Wattel (74,000)

[user40108]

Mike Wattel not only has a WSOP gold bracelet, but almost $1,000,000 in career earnings. Hailing from Phoenix, AZ, Wattel's poker resume dates all the way back to 1994.

His most recent payday came at the L.A. Poker Classic this February, where he placed 49th and picked up $26,170. Still, though, his biggest score came at the $25K WPT Championship in 2007 when he placed 6th and took home $309,405.