The Final Table
SEAT 1: Anthony Longoria
HOMETOWN: McAllen, TX
CHIP COUNT: 118,000
Anthony Longoria is a 34-year-old trial attorney. He is making a motion to win today’s event – which would be his biggest final settlement ever. Anthony is no stranger to playing in big-time poker tournaments. He cashed in the main event at the 2005 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. When it comes to giving out poker advice, Anthony says that whenever he faces a tough decision, he tries to think about what poker legend Chip Reese would do. That is very good advice indeed.
SEAT 2: David Fox
HOMETOWN: Coram, NY
CHIP COUNT: 400,000David Fox is a 30-year-old professional poker player from Coram, NY. He has been a pro for about three years. Fox has numerous cashes and high finishes in his tournament resume, including 7th place in the main event at Caesars Atlantic City. He also won the East Coast Poker Championship at Turning Stone Casino in upstate New York last year. This is his first time to play in New Orleans. Fox hopes to use his poker winnings to eventually write and direct feature films. Look out Stephen Spielberg – your days are numbered.
SEAT 3: David McLeroy
HOMETOWN: Raleigh, NC
CHIP COUNT: 384,000
David Longoria is a 34-year-old self-described “Poker Wannabe.” He is certainly pursuing a well-thought out game plan for his new career. David sold off his business a little over a year ago, which was a company that made and installed electronic doors at supermarkets and shopping malls. He is opening his own new door today with this final table appearance. This is his third time to cash at a WSOP Circuit event. He is married to Sondra and has six children – Joshua, Jonathan, Brent, Jordon, Kristin, and Lacy.
SEAT 4: Bobby “Wiz” Wisiak
HOMETOWN: Queens, NY
CHIP COUNT: 206,000
Bobby “Wiz” Wisiak is a 40-year-old commodity trader. He has played in over 50 major events and has won poker tournaments at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and Borgata in Atlantic. “Wiz” has also been active on the New York City underground poker circuit for over 20 years. Most interesting of all however is that “Wiz” says he is engaged to the same woman for 15 years. Her name is Sherry. Should he win this tournament today with a top prize of over half a million, poor “Wiz” will no longer be able to give the excuse that he can’t afford the wedding.
SEAT 5: J.D. Estilette
HOMETOWN: Lafayette, LA
CHIP COUNT: 377,000
J.D. Estilette is quite a character. The Louisiana Cajon is a 67-year-old real estate broker. He’s the babe in the woods at this final table—since he just started playing poker 18 months ago. J.D. has three children, 7 grand children, and five great grand children. He also says no one can understand his accent when he talks. “Every time I get pulled over by the police,” he says – “they think I’m drunk when I start talking.”
SEAT 6: Lou Esposito
HOMETOWN: Howard Beach, NY
CHIP COUNT: 326,000
Lou Esposito is a 31-year-old business owner. He has owned a pizzeria, vending machines, and a cell phone store. Remarkably, Lou started playing poker only about two years ago and has already competed in over 40 events. He defeated 650 entrants in a tournament at the Borgata in Atlantic City earlier this year, and has made it to final tables at WSOP Circuit events, as well. Lou will definitely be a player to watch at this final table today.
SEAT 7: Scott Mitchell
HOMETOWN: Pensacola, FL
CHIP COUNT: 177,000
Scott Mitchell has perhaps the oddest former job of anyone to make it to a WSOP Circuit final table. He used to be a professional rodeo clown. He is now 40-years-old and books bands and entertainers. Scott finished 41st in this event last year and has certainly improved on that performance in this tournament. You have to root for Scott – his wife is eight months pregnant with a boy on the way. He got into this tournament in the most unimaginable way possible. After busting out last Sunday’s super satellite event, he went out and played three-card poker in the casino and was dealt a straight flush – which paid $5,400. He used that money for the $5,000 buy-in, and now here he is.
SEAT 8: Phil Gordon
HOMETOWN: Las Vegas, NV
CHIP COUNT: 1,167,000
Poker pro and celebrity Phil Gordon appears well on his way to achieving his biggest cash ever in tournament poker. The popular author and television personality was the chip leader at the end of the first day. He is the chip leader at the start of the final table. Mr. Gordon appeared at the final table of the World Series of Poker championship event back in 2001 – where he finished fourth. He has also made five WSOP final tables, and is widely-considered to be one of the best poker players not to win the coveted gold bracelet – at least yet. His lifetime tournament winnings total $2.3 million. However, he is perhaps better-known for his numerous contributions as a writer, teacher, and television analyst. Gordon penned “The Little Blue Book,” a best-seller and primer on poker – which is a sequel to “Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book.” He is one of the founders and member of the popular site Full Tilt Poker. He was the host of the BRAVO channel’s “Celebrity Poker” during its first two seasons. Aside from poker and writing, Gordon is even more committed to his tireless charity work. He co-founded “Put a Bad Beat on Cancer,” a largely poker-player supported charity which raises public awareness and lots of money for cancer research.
SEAT 9: Clint Schafer
HOMETOWN: Baton Rouge, LA
CHIP COUNT: >327,000
Clint Schafer is a 37-year-old manager of a building supply company. This is his fourth consecutive year to make a final table tournament appearance in New Orleans. His best finish was sixth at the Cajon Classic back in 2004. Clint has been proudly married for 17 years. He has five daughters ranging in ages from 9 to 16. So the half million dollars for first place will certainly come in handy just in time for college, times five.
Note: Play resumes tomorrow at 2 pm CST. Complete free coverage of the final table, with hole cards, will be broadcast on a one-hour delay at: www.worldseriesofpoker.com
Nolan Dalla
Dieser Artikel erschien auf PokerOlymp am 23.05.2007.
