Event 45 - $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship | 2008 World Series of Poker

06-29-2008 15:35 UTC-7

Play To Begin Soon

[user40108]

Tournament Director Jack Effel is handling the introdcutions and it's standing room only here in the Milwaukee's Best Light final table area. The cards should be in the air soon.

06-29-2008 15:22 UTC-7

As you may know, David Singer made the final table of the first two WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournaments. Singer finished 6th in both the 2006 and 2007 events. Singer receives considerable accolades for this accomplishment, as he certainly should.

As the 2008 final table gets underway however, another notable story is emerging.

Barry Greenstein has cashed in each of the three tournaments that have been held (including the one in progress) and has made the final table in two of them. The Bear finished 12th in 2006 and 7th in 2007.

Should Barry take home the title here today, it would have exciting implications beyond the obvious. Greenstein will catapult himself to the top of the WSOP Player of the Year race and will have had arguably one of the best showings in WSOP history.

06-29-2008 15:02 UTC-7

It's Heating Up In Here

[user40108]

Figuratively and literally. The crowds are starting to gather here in the Milwaukee's Best Light final table area. Between the extra people, and the various electronics and overhead lights, the temperature has noticeably risen in the last few minutes. Most of the players are in the final table area getting a few last words of wisdom from their friends and family members. Introductions should begin soon... Stay with us.

06-29-2008 14:46 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 8, Erick Lindgren (3,680,000)

[user37786]

One of the most recognizable names and faces in poker, Erick Lindgren crossed his name off the “Best Player To Never Win a Bracelet” list earlier this month when he won the $5,000 Mixed Hold’em event. This is the third final table for “E-Dog” at this year’s World Series and should he finish fifth or better today Lindgren would take over the lead in the race for World Series Player of the Year. Which would nicely bookend the World Poker Tour Player of the Year award he won in 2004. The Las Vegas resident comes into play today as the chip leader.

Tags: Erick Lindgren

06-29-2008 14:45 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 7, Michael DeMichele (905,000)

[user25067]

This is 22-year old Michael DeMichele's second WSOP final table this year, his first coming earlier this month when he finished fourth in the $10,000 Mixed Event for a nearly $140,000 payday. DeMichele started playing poker at age 18 in the $1-$2 NLHE cash games at the Turning Stone casino. From there he moved to online play, where he began multi-tabling limit hold'em and built a bankroll. He moved on to play at Foxwoods and Atlantic City, where he learned non-hold'em variants and found great success in the $200-$400 mixed games. In 2006, DeMichele came in third at the U.S. Poker Championships and banked $215,000 for his finish. Though he considers himself a live cash-game player, DeMichele cashed twice at last year's WSOP, in the $2,500 H.O.R.S.E. and the $3,000 stud 8-or-better.

Tags: Michael DeMichele

06-29-2008 14:45 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 6, Barry Greenstein (1,955,000)

[user40108]

Barry Greenstein, from Rancho Pal0s Verdes, CA, brings the experience of three WPT titles and three WSOP gold bracelets to today's final table. Often referred to as "The Robin Hood of Poker," Greenstein is notorious for donating a majority of his tournament winnings to various charities, the primary of which is Children, Incorporated.

Greenstein has a degree in computer science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was engaged in the information technology industry with Symantec before retiring at age 36 to play poker for a living. He has also written a critically acclaimed poker book, Ace on the River.

Greenstein has almost $6 million in career tournament earnings, and is remembered fondly by the poker media for dedicating his win in the 2005 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha WSOP event to Charlie Tuttle, who died of cancer a few days later.

Greenstein enters today's final table as one of two players who can, with a strong finish, take the lead in the Milwaukee's Best WSOP Player of the Year standings.

06-29-2008 14:45 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 5, Scotty Nguyen (3,535,000)

[user25067]

One of two Main Event champions at this final table, Scotty Nguyen came tantalizingly close to repeating that feat last year, when he finished in 11th place. He admits that missing the final table in that event absolutely devastated him, though coming back and winning his fifth bracelet here tonight would certainly cushion that blow. With $7.7 million in career tournament earnings, Nguyen has made five televised final tables on the World Poker Tour, winning his first WPT title at the Gold Strike World Poker Open in 2006. This is his 36th cash at the WSOP and his 17th final table.

Tags: Scotty Nguyen

06-29-2008 14:44 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 4, Lyle Berman (1,430,000)

[user40108]

Lyle Berman is a Minnesota native whose career highlights extend beyond the realm of poker. With a degree is business administration from the University of Minnesota, Berman has not only served as the President and CEO of multiple companies, but he has also co-founded an organization whose mission was to bringing gaming establishments beyond Las Vegas at Atlantic City.

Berman has six first place finishes which includes his three WSOP bracelets. With 14 WSOP cashes to his credit, Berman's most recent payday came in the $10,000 World Championship Heads Up No Limit Hold'em tournament where he finished 5th and took home $54,144. With over $2,000,000 in career earnings, Berman's biggest score came when he finished 5th in the 2005 World Poker Finals in Mashantucket and pocketed $345,000.

Berman currently resides in Plymouth, Minnesota and has four children. In his spare time Berman collects Red Wing Stoneware which is clay pottery made in the Minnesota city that bears its name.

06-29-2008 14:43 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 3, Patrick Bueno (695,000)

[user37786]

Patrick Bueno is the only non-professional at today's final table. Not that Bueno doesn't have an impressive World Series resume--this is Patrick's third WSOP final table and his third cash of 2008--he finished 24th in this year’s Pot-Limit Hold’em/Omaha event and 28th in the $5,000 Limit Hold’em World Championship. One of the top limit cash-game players in his native Paris, Bueno is the short stack entering play today with 695,000 chips.

06-29-2008 14:43 UTC-7

Final Table Bios: Seat 2, Huckleberry Seed (1,200,000)

[user25067]

Look up at the wall of champions along the circumference of the Amazon Room and you'll find Huckleberry Seed's 20-foot high photo looming at you from along the south wall. Seed won the 1996 WSOP Main Event and made the final table again three years later, finishing 6th. With a total of four WSOP bracelets-- two in razz and one in pot-limit Omaha-- Seed has over $3.8 million in career tournament earnings. Most recently, Seed came in 3rd at the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Championships and won the Canadian Poker Open less than a week later. This his 20th WSOP final table and his 35th cash.

Tags: Huck Seed