EVENT #84/29 to 4/30/97
WORLD SERIES OF POKER
OMAHA HIGH-LOW SPLIT (Eight or Better) $2,000
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY - $430,000 PRIZE MONEY TO DATE - $3,909,500
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT - 215 TOTAL ENTRIES TO DATE - 2,093
Daily Report Final Table
1. Scotty NguyenLas Vegas$156,950
2. Mike MatusowLas Vegas81,700
3. Ted ForrestLas Vegas40,850
4. Volker BeyerBurbank, CA27,950
5. Lindy ChambersBaton Rouge, LA19,350
6. Jack CulpPhoenix, AZ15,050
7. Dan HeimillerLas Vegas10,750
8. Brent CarterOak Park, IL8,600
9. Joel KrepsMiami, FL6,880
10.Brian NadellLas Vegas5,160
11.Philip KlevmoenRiverdale, ND5,160
12.Tom JacobsLas Vegas5,160
13.J. Mitch MillerCanton, OH4,300
14.Andre BoyerLas Vegas4,300
15.Tam HoReno NV4,300
16.Dale SaxtonLovington, NM3,440
17.Avishy SchmidtPacheco, CA3,440
18.Bob FeduniakLas Vegas3,440
19.Frankie HavardPascagoula, MS2,580
20.Ken BuntjerMilwaukie, OR2,580
21.Chris SontumOslo, Norway2,580
22.Blair RodmanLas Vegas2,580
23.Sang Wook LeeDowney, CA2,580
24.Larry ParkerHouston, TX2,580
25.Frank HendersonHouston, TX2,580
26.Joe MunroBeverly Hills, CA2,580
27.James RichburgCulver City, CA2,580

Daily Report
Las Vegas, April 30, 1997. Another sunny and beautiful spring day in Las Vegas with a high temperature in the eighties.
Smoking Survey: Scotty Nguyen was the only smoker at the final table. He also won the best dressed prize, looking very sharp in what I would term a modern version of the old Zoot suit of the 40's, complete with gold neck medallions. I was talking with his wife, Dawn, before the tournament, and she said that he was "dressed for success" , which proved to be right on. Scotty parlayed the proverbial "chip and a chair" at the final table to ultimate victory.
Binion's still had some of their 1997 WSOP commemorative coins ($20 + tax) available today. As long as they are available, I will purchase a coin(s) for anyone who will pick them up COD from me in Las Vegas sometime in the near future. I don't want to get into the mailing business though. They were down to only a about a dozen coins in the main gift shop. Could be some more in their other outlet.
Lindy Chambers the Cajun from Baton Rouge made his second appearance at a final table this year and brought some more of his witticisns with him:

"I never told a lie at a poker table in my life."

After he was all in and took 3/4 of the main pot - "If I'd had some more chips, I woulda got a lot more, and he wouldn't have got none".

After losing to Kings full - "I didn't think my nines full were any good, but I just couldn't figure out a way to throw them away".

The web site for the live WSOP TV feed (www.wsop.com) is still on a maybe next day basis, and I don't think that Binion's Las Vegas web site is up yet either.
Mike Matusow, the big chip leader through most of today's final table action was celebrating his 29th birthday. He wasn't able to give himself quite as big of a birthday present as he would have liked.
They had been running 10 handed single table, no limit (I think) $220 evening satellites in the tournament area with the winner receiving $2,000 in tournament chips plus $100 cash, and tonight they had upped them to $320 buy ins with the winner getting $3,000 in tournament chips plus $100 cash.

The $220 no limit super satellites with $200 rebuys during the first hour have been averaging about 12 tables, pay nine places and have been averaging 4 or 5 people getting $10,000 seats each night.

The Final Table
Card by Card and Bet by Bet
WSOP Event #8: $2,000 Omaha High-Low Split
215 Entries, $430,000 Total Prize Pool and chips in play

Final Table chip position:
1.[D] Dan Heimiller - Las Vegas$81,5005
2.[M] Mike Matusow - Las Vegas76,0006
3.[L] Lindy Chambers - Baton Rouge, LA69,5008
4.[T] Ted Forrest - Las Vegas67,0003
5.[V] Volker Beyer - Burbank, CA39,5007
6.[J] Jack Culp - Phoenix, AZ38,5001
7.[B] Brent Carter - Oak Park, IL26,5002
8.[S] Scotty Nguyen - Las Vegas16,5004
9.[K] Joel Kreps - Miami, FL15,5009

Standard Abbreviations:
Bet [b]Big Blind [bb]
Bring in [bi]Call [c]
Check [ck]Fifth Street [5:]
First In [fi]Flop [fl]
Fold [f]Fourth Street [4:]
River [rv]Seventh Street [7:]
Sixth Street [6:]Small Blind [sb]
Show Down [sd]Third Street [3:]
Turn [t]Winner [w]
    Standard Flop Game Notations

    [K] Kevin Song Seat #1
    [Y] Yvan Lanvin Seat #2

    96. sb K - c K - ck Y - fl 9s 5h 7h - ck Y - b K - f Y - w K

    Interpretation: On hand #96 in heads-up play, Kevin Song had the small blind on the button, Kevin called and Yvan checked. The flop was the 9s 5h 7h. Yvan checked, Kevin bet and Yvan folded. Kevin won the hand.

    Standard Stud Notations

    [B] Peter Brownstein Seat #1
    [L] Linda Johnson Seat #2

    170. 3: 4h 9s - bi L 9s - c B 4h - 4: Ad Kc - b B - f L - w B

    Interpretation: On hand #170 in heads-up Razz play, the doorcards on third street in seat order were the 4h for Peter and the 9s for Linda. Linda's 9s made the bring-in bet and Peter called. On 4th street Peter got the Ad and Linda got the Kc. Peter Bet. Linda folded. Peter won the hand.

    Cards were in the air at 4:08 PM with Jack McClelland and Jim Albrecht presiding. The blinds were $1,500/3,000 and the limits were $3,000/6,000 with 4+ minutes remaining at this level.

  1. sb M - cc V - fi c L - c B - fM - ck V - fl Js 3s 9s - all ck - t 8d - ck V - b L - r B - f V - c L - rv 4h - ck L - b5500 B all in - c L - B shows As Ts 4c 6h - L shows Ac 2h 7d Kh - split pot B + L
  2. sb V - bb L - fi c T - r D - f V - c L - c T - fl Qc 8s 9d - b L - f T - c D - t Th - b L -c D - rv 6s - ck L - b D - c L - D shows Ac 9c Ac 3s - L shows As 5s Qd Qh - split pot D + L

    *** New levels at 4:13. $2,000/4,000 blinds and limits are $4,000/8,000.

    S wins $3,000 in the $500 chip race off

  3. sb L - bb K - fi r B - c D - c M - f L - f K - fl 5c 9c 4s - ck B - ck D - b M - c B - c D - t Qh - ck B - ck D - b M - f B - c D - rv Qc - b D - c M - M shows Ac As Ks 8d - D mucks - w M
  4. sb K - bb J - fi r D - c L - f K - f J - fl 9c 4c Ks - b D - r L - r D - c L - t 5h - b D - c L - rv 4s - b D - c L - D shows Kc Kd 4h 3s - L shows Ac 2c 9d 9s - w D
  5. sb J - bb B - fi r T - c K - f J - f B - fl 2c Ah 8h - c T - b1000 K all in - c T - T shows Ad 5s Ts Jh - K shows As 4s 9s 2d - t 7h - rv 8d - split pot T + K
  6. sb B - bb T - fi r M - c L - f B - f T - fl Js 7c 5d - b M -c L - t As - b M - c L - rv 5c - b M - c L - M shows Ac Ah 5h 8d - L shows Ad 4s 3s 4d - split pot M + L
  7. sb T - bb S - fi c L - c K - c T - ck S - fl 7d Tc 4h - b S - c L - c K - f T - t 9s - b S - c L - c4000 K all in - rv Ts - b3000 S all in - c L - S shows 5s 8s 6c Jh - all muck - w S

    *** Joel Kreps finishes 9th at 4:27 PM.

  8. sb S - bb D - fi r T - all fold - w T
  9. sb D - bb M - fi r L - c D - f M - fl 4h Js Td - b D - r L - c D - t Kd - b D - c5000 L all in - D shows Qh Qc 3d 3h - L shows Th Ts 3s Ad - t 8d - w L
  10. sb M - bb V - fi c L - r B - f M - c V - c L - fl 8s 6h Ah - b V - f L - c3000 B - V shows Ad 8h 4h Jh - B shows Ac 2d 9s 6 s - t Tc - rv Qs - w V

    *** Brent Carter finishes 8th at 4:34 PM.

  11. sb V - bb L - fi c T - r S - f V - c L - c T - fl 8c 8h 9h - ck L - ck T - b S - all fold - w S
  12. sb L - bb J - fi r M - all fold - w M
  13. sb J - bb T - fi r L - c J - f T - fl Qc 4c 7c - all ck - t Js - all ck - rv 8s - b j - c L - J shows Ad 2d 6d 5c - L mucks - w J
  14. sb T - bb S - fi r M - r L all in - f T - c S - c M - fl 4d 4c 3c - b S - c M - t Td - ck S - b M - rv 8c - ck S - b M - c S - S shows Ad 3d 5h 2c - M shows Kc Qc Tc 2s - split side pot S + M - L shows Ac 7c Qs 2d - split main pot S 1/4 + L 3/4
  15. sb S - bb D - fi r M - f S - c D - fl Jc 3h 9s - b D - r M - r D - r M - c D - t Jh - ck D - b M - c D - rv 7s - ck D - b M - c D - M shows 3d 3c Ah Qh - D mucks - w M

    *** Approx chip count: J 50K T 50K S 60K D 35K M 150K V 55K L 30K

  16. sb D - bb M - fi r L - f D - c M - fl Qd Jc 2h - ck M - b L - cm - t 6h - ck M - b L - c M - rv 5s - ck M - b L - c M - L shows Ac 5c 3s Qh - M mucks - w L
  17. sb M - bb V - fi r D - f M - c V - fl 3c 6d 4s - b V - f D - w V
  18. sb V - bb L - fi r D - f V - c L - fl 4d Qc 3c - ck L - b D - c L - t 8c - both ck - rv 4h - ck L - b D all in - c L - D shows 4s 7c Kd Kh - L shows 2d 7d 3h Qd - split pot D + L
  19. sb L - bb J - fi r S - f L - c J - fl 9d 7h 8d - ck J - b S - f J - w S shows A 3 5 6
  20. sb J - bb T - all fold to bb - w T
  21. sb T - bb S - fi r T - f S - w T shows A 2
  22. sb S - bb D - fi r M - c L - f S - f D - fl 9h 5s 4d - b M - c L - t 8c - b M - c L - rv 9d - b M - c L - M shows Ah Kh 2c 9s - L shows Ad 2h 3c Qh - split pot M 3/4 - L 1/4
  23. sb D - bb M - fi r L - all fold - w L
  24. sb M - bb V - fi r D - r M - f V - c D - fl 2d Ks Kc - both ck - t Th - both ck - rv 5c - b M - c3000 D all in - M shows Ad 5s 7c 3h - D shows 3c 8c 2h 7h - w M

    *** Dan Heimiller finishes 7th at 4:59 PM.

  25. sb V - bb L - fi r S - f V - c L - fl 4s 3h 4h - ck L - b S - c L - t Jc - ck L - b S both ck - rv Th - ck L - b S - f l - w S shows T
  26. sb L - bb J - fi r L - c J - fl - Ah 4c 4d - b L - c J - t As - both ck - rv Kc - b L - f J - w L
  27. sb J - bb T - fi r V - c J - f T - fl As 9h Kh - b J - r V - c J - t Td - ck J - b V - c J - rv Kc - ck J - b V - f J 2000 left shows Ah Th Qh 2s - W V shows A A Q J
  28. sb T - bb S - fi r M - c2000 J all in - f T - c S - fl 7h Jh Jd - both ck - t 2d - both ck - rv Kd - both ck - M shows Ah 2c 9s 6c - S shows 8s 9s A 3 - w M side pot - J shows As Ks Td Th - w J main pot
  29. sb S - bb M - r J all in - c T - c M - fl Kd Td Ks - b M - f T - M shows 6d 6c 9s Kh - J shows Ac 3h Qd 5s - t 3h - rv 4c - w M

    *** Jack Culp finishes 6th at 5:11 PM.

  30. sb M - bb V - fi c L - f M - ck V - fl 8h 2s 9s - ck V - b L - f V shows all picture cards - w L
  31. sb V - bb L - fi r M - f V- c L - fl 8s 2h Kc - ck L - b M - c L - t 4s - ck L - b M - f L - w M shows Ah 6h Ac Js
  32. sb L - bb T - fi r M - c L - f T - fl Qc 4c 8s - ck L - b M - c L - t Kc - ck L - b M - f L - w M shows As Qd 2c 9c

    *** New levels at 5:16 PM. $3,000/6,000 blinds and $6,000/12,000 limits.

    Approx chip count: T 35K S 80K M 195K V 85K L 35K

  33. sb T - bb S - fi r M - all fold - w M shows As Ts J 8
  34. sb S - bb M - fi r L - c T - c S - c M - fl Kd 3c 5c - all ck - t 5h - ck L - ck T - ck S - b M - f L - c T - f S - rv 9c - b M - c9000 T all in - T shows Ac Tc Ks Qh - M mucks - w T
  35. sb M - bb V - fi r L - all fold - w L
  36. sb V - bb L - fi r T - f V - c L - fl 9c 9d 8s - both ck - t 6d - b L - c T - rv 5c - b5000 L all in - c T - L shows As 2c 3h Qh - M shows Ad Qd 7c Jc - split pot 3/4 L + 1/4 T
  37. sb L - bb T - fi r M - f L - c T - fl 3d 6c Ks - ck T - b M - c T - t Kh - both ck - rv Ah - ck T - b M - c T - M shows 2d 5c 8c Ac - T shows Th Qh Ad 2s - split pot T + M
  38. sb T - bb S - fi r M - all fold - w M shows Ah Kh Qd Td
  39. sb S - bb M - r L - f S - c M - fl 6d 4h Qc - b M - c L - t 3s - b M - c L - rv Jd - both ck - M shows As Ts 5d Qh - L shows 3h 5h 9h Ah - split pot 3/4 M = 1/4 L
  40. sb M - bb V - fi r L - f M - c V - fl Qd 9h 6h - b V - c L - t Tc - b V - f L - w V
  41. sb V - bb L - fi r M - f V - c4000 L all in - L shows 5c Qc As Th - M shows As Ts 7s 8h - Board Ad 8d 5h 6s Ks - w M

    *** Lindy Chambers finishes 5th at 5:34 PM.

    Approx chip count: M 220K V 90k T 70K S 50K

  42. bb T - all fold to bb - w T
  43. sb T - bb S - fi r T - c S - fl 8c Qc Js - b T - f S - w T
  44. sb S - bb M - all fold to bb - w M shows A 2 3 K
  45. sb M - bb V - fi r T - all fold - w T shows A 2 3 5
  46. sb V - bb T - folded to bb - w T shows A 3 5 T
  47. sb T - bb S - fi r M - all fold - w M shows Ah 3h Tc Kd
  48. sb S - bb M - fi r S - c M - fl Th Td 9s - ck S - b M - f S - w M
  49. sb M - bb V - all fold to bb - w V
  50. sb V - bb T - fi r S - f V - c T - fl 6h Jd 8c - b T - c2000 S all in - T shows As 3c 6c Qd - S shows Ac Jc 4s Kd - split pot T + S

    *** Approx chip count: T 95K S 15K V 85K M 235K

  51. sb T - bb S - fi r V - all fold - w V
  52. sb S - bb M - fi r3000 S - c M - S shows Ah Ad 2d 7s - M shows 4h 6h Jh 4c - Board 9d 3d Qh 8c 7d - w S
  53. sb M - bb V - fi r S - all fold - w S shows A A 2 K
  54. sb V - bb T - all fold to bb - w T shows A 2
  55. sb T - bb S - fi r M - r S - c M - fl 7d Kh 4c - b S - c M - t Qd - b5000 S all in - c M - S shows Ad Ac 7c Th - M shows 2c 3d 9s 9h - rv 4s - w S
  56. sb S - bb M - fi r T - f S - r M - c T - fl Kd 7s 9h - b M - f T shows A 2 2 J - w M
  57. sb M - bb V - fi r T - f M - c V - fl 3s Qs 6s - both ck - t 8c - b V - f T - w V
  58. sb V - bb T - fi r M - all fold - w M shows Ad 2c 7c Kc
  59. sb T - bb S - fi r M - all fold - w M
  60. sb S - bb M - fi r S - f M - w S

    *** approx chip count: M 220K V 90k S 65K T 55K

  61. sb M - bb V - fi r S - all fold - w S
  62. sb V - bb T - fi r S - all fold - w S
  63. sb T - bb S - fi r M - c T - f S - fl Kh 9c 5d - b T - f M - w T
  64. sb S - bb M - fi r T - all fold - w T
  65. sb M - bb V - fi c M - r V - c M - fl 8h 5h 8d - b M - v R - r M - f V - w M shows 8
  66. sb V - bb T - fi r S - all fold - w S
  67. sb T - bb S - fi r V - f T - c S - fl 3s Kd 7s - ck S - b V - c S - t Tc - ck S - b V - c S - rv 6s - b S - c V - S shows As 5s 4d 8d - V mucks - w S
  68. sb S - bb M - all fold to bb - w M shows Ac Tc As Jd
  69. sb M - bb V - fi r M - f V - w M
  70. sb V - bb T - fi r M - all fold - w M
  71. sb T - bb S - fi r1000 V - f T - c S - V shows Kd Kh 3s 7d - S shows 4d 4h 9s 9c - Board Th Ks Jc Jd Tc - w V
  72. sb S - bb M - folded to bb - w M

    *** Break at 6:16 PM. No deal discussions probable.

    M wins 5k in $1,000 chip race off - Chip count: S 105K M 255k V 15K T 55K

    New levels are $5,000/10,000 blinds with $10,000/20,000 limits

  73. sb M - bb V - fi r S - c5000 V all in - S shows As 2d 3d 5h - V shows Jd Jc 8s 7d - Board 9h Ts 6d 7h 7c - w V
  74. sb V - bb T - fi r M - c V - f T - fl Jh 9d 4s - b V - r M - c5000 V all in - V shows Ac 2s 6s 9h - M shows 2h 6h 3s Qd - Board Jh 9d 4s 5d 7h - split pot M + V
  75. sb T - bb S - all fold to bb - w S
  76. sb S - bb M - all fold to bb - w M
  77. sb M - bb V - fi r M - c V - fl 6d 7s 9s - b M - f V - w M
  78. sb V - bb T - fi r V all in - c T - V shows Ah 2h 3d Ts - T shows Td Jd Ac 8s - Board Tc Js 7d Qc 4c - w T

    *** Volker Beyer finishes 4th at 6:37 PM. Break for a deal discussion. Chip count: M 280K S 90K T 60K

    I wondered why M would want to deal, and asked Jack Culp who had finished 6th and is a high limit and tournament player, for his opinion. Jack said "If I was M, I wouldn't even talk deal, I'd keep the other guys on the rope".

    Very probable deal. Cards are back in the air at 6:50 PM.

  79. sb T - bb S - fi r T - c S - fl As 4d 7d - b T - r S - c T - t Kd - b T all in - c S - T shows 2d 8d 3h Kh - S shows Ah Th 2s Jd - split pot T + S
  80. sb S - bb M - fi r S - c M - fl Kc 9h 8s - ck S - b M - r S - c M - t 2s - b S - f M - w S
  81. sb M - bb T - fi r M - f T - w M
  82. sb T - bb S - all fold to bb - w S
  83. sb S - bb M - fi r S - c M - fl 5s 5d 3d - both ck - t 6d - b S - r M - c S - rv 2h - both ck - S shows 2c 6c Ad Th - M shows Jh Js 3s 8d - split pot S + M
  84. sb M - bb T - all fold to bb - w T
  85. sb T - bb S - all fold to bb - w S
  86. sb S - bb M - fi r T - all fold - w T
  87. sb M - bb T - all fold to bb - w T
  88. sb T - bb S - fi r T - c S - fl 5c 5s Td - both sk - t 9h - ck T - b S - f T - w S
  89. sb S - bb M - all fold to bb - w M
  90. sb M - bb T - fi r S - c M - f T - fl 7c 9h 8d - b M - c S - t Td - b M - c S - rv Qs - b M - c S - M shows Ad Td 3h Qc - S mucks - w M
  91. sb T - bb S - fi c T - ck S - 6h Qs Qd - both ck - t Jd - both ck - rv 7h - ck T - b S - c T - S shows Jc 9s 3s 4h - T shows 2d 5d 3h Jh - w S
  92. sb S - bb M - fi r S - f M - w S shows A A 3 5
  93. sb M - bb1000 T all in - c S - c M - fl 9s 7d As - both ck - t Qh - both ck - rv Js both ck - S shows Kd Ks 4d 8c - M shows 3h 3c 5c Kc - T shows 2c 7c 3d 4s - w S

    *** Ted Forrest finishes 3rd at 7:11 PM.

    Chip count: M 270K S 150K

  94. sb and button M - r M - c S - fl 9h 2h Jc - ck S - b M - c S - t Jh - ck S - b M - f S - w M shows A A 5 8
  95. sb S - r S - f M - w S
  96. sb M - r M - f S - w M
  97. sb S - r S - f M - w S
  98. sb M - r M - c S - fl Qc 9d Th - both ck - t 9s - both ck - rv 9c - both ck - S shows Ks Js 4d 6d - M shows As jh 3s 4h - w S
  99. sb S - c S - c M - fl 2d Ts 6d - ck M - b S - r M - c S - t 9s - b M - f S - w M
  100. sb M - r M - c S - fl 6h 9s 3c - ck S - b M - c S - t 7s - both ck - rv 2s - b S - c M - S shows Ah Kh Ts 7c - M shows 9h Th Jd As - split pot
  101. sb S - r S - f M - w S
  102. sb M - r M - c S - fl 8h Qh Jd - both ck - t 3h - b S - c M - rv 4d - b S - c M - S shows 2h Jh 3d 5s - M shows As 6s 4h Kc - w S
  103. sb S - c S - ck M - fl 8c Th 6s - ck M - b S - c M - t 7c - both ck - rv 2c - b M - f S - w M
  104. sb M - c M - r S - c M - fl Ts As Ks - both ck - t Tc - ck S - b M - r S - r M - c S - rv 4s - both ck - S shows Th 6h 2d 5c - M shows Td 3c 3s 2h - w S
  105. sb S - r S - f M - w S
  106. sb M - r M - f S - w M
  107. sb S - c S - ck M - fl 9d Ah Ks - b S - f M - w S
  108. sb M - r M - c S - fl Kd 9d Ts - ck S - b M - c S - t Qd - both ck - rv Td - b S - f M - w S shows A J J X
  109. sb S - c S - r M - c S - fl 7d Td 7h - b M - c S - t 9c - b M - c S - rv 8c - ck M - b S - c M - S shows 7s Ks 6c 8d - M mucks - w S
  110. sb M - f M - w S
  111. sb S - r S - c M - fl 7s Ah 4d - both ck - t 4c - ck M - b S - c M - rv 3h - b M all in - c S - S shows 3d 5d 6d 6s - M shows 4s 7s 2h 3c - split pot
  112. sb M - r M - c S - fl 3s 4d Qd - ck S - b M - c S - t Qc - b S - c M - rv Tc - both ck - S shows Td 9s 2d 2s - M shows As 3c 7c 6d - w S
  113. sb S - bb M all in - S shows 6d 9d 3h Js - M shows 7c 8c 7s 2h - Board Kc 2s 5d Ad Ts - split pot
  114. sb M - c M all in - M shows Ad 4d 2h Qs - S shows 6s 9s Ts Ks - Board 9d Kh 2s Jc 7c - w S

    *** Mike Matusow finishes 2nd and Scotty Nguyen wins the $2000 Omaha Hi-Low Split WSOP Championship at 7:36 PM.

Final Table Chip Standings - Seat Positions

Missing Picture Riding an extraordinary comeback rush, Thuan "Scotty" Nguyen surged to victory over a record field in the $2,000 buy in Omaha High-Low Split event. The ebullient Vietnamese-born poker professional collected $156,950 and a 14-karat gold World Series bracelet of which he said, "It's always been my dream to win one. It's just great!" As he accepted congratulations, the 34 year-old former busboy and poker dealer declared, "I promise you, this year I'll be the first Vietnamese to win the million dollar championship." He left his native country as a teenager in 1979. In the past ten years he has won three major tournaments and has eight other first-place trophies.

"I just love the World Series," Nguyen said. "It's every poker player's dream to be a part of it." He said he would use his prize money to buy a new home for his wife and children. Having dressed in one of his favorite suits ("which I wear when I take my wife out"), because he felt he might win, he said he was even more confident after winning a raceoff for extra chips, the first time he'd ever done that.

His victory at first seemed anything but assured: after going all in and surviving an hour into final table play, he scooped the next pot and announced to the table, "I'm not a quitter." When he was finally heads up against Mike Matusow, who had dominated play throughout, Nguyen had $160,000 in chips -- $110,000 fewer than his opponent. But the cards almost immediately started running over Nguyen, with Matusow exclaiming to the onlookers, "He's hitting every hand in the deck...he's rivering me every time!"

Finally all in with A-Q-4-2 against Nguyen's K-9-6-4 of spades, Matusow was eliminated when the board showed K-9-2/J-7.

That made today, Matusow's 29th birthday, only a partial success. "You can't overcome the luck of the cards," he said. "But I'm completely ecstatic to get so far -- until one week ago I'd never played any high-low poker in my life." Also a former poker dealer, Matusow has devoted his life to playing the game for the past six years, joining the tournament circuit only three months ago. His runner-up finish, the first time in the money at the WSOP, was worth $81,700. Also optimistic, he declared, "I'll be back, I'll win one of these tournaments."

The average age of the final four competitors was just over 30, almost certainly setting a World Series of Poker youth record.

Third place went to WSOP star Ted Forrest, 32, whose $40,850 brought his total winnings to $429,873. It was his eighth finish in the money, including three titles at the 1993 World Series and a second place last year. "It was a very tough field," Forrest said. "Mostly, everyone showed good raising hands. Yesterday a tremendous rush of cards got me to the final table. Today Mike had a big rush. He and Scotty are both excellent players."

Forrest echoed a frequently expressed sentiment when he said, "I like the new pavilion here at the World Series." He also suggested that "it would be nice to speed up the tournaments in the initial stages and slow down increases in the blinds at the final table."

Forrest was eliminated by Nguyen's pair of kings when his four low cards were not helped by the board.

Volker Beyer, 28, a German-born former real estate salesman who came to the U.S. eight years ago, took fourth place and $27,950, his largest tournament win in his five years as a poker player. He said he was "happy to win some money," but disappointed about his key hand against Nguyen when he had a high-low scoop on the turn but lost to a nut flush and a better low on the river. Loss of that $110,000 pot crippled Beyer who was knocked out by Forrest soon thereafter.

Lindy Chambers, 64, a retired amusement industry executive, collected $19,350 for fifth place, his second finish in the money so far this WSOP. Three years ago he was runner-up in the $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha event here. He had an adventurous final table, losing dramatic hands and then coming back. "It was fun. I enjoyed it," he said. "Poker is a hobby. I've played all my life. Unless I win, of course, I'm never happy. I've been coming to the World Series for five or six years and I always have a real good time."

Sixth place went to Jack Culp, his 8th time in the money at the WSOP where his earnings now total $113,145.

He was preceeded out by Dan Heimiller, who placed third in this year's opening $2,000 Limit Hold'em event and has now won $114,110 at the World Series. The chip leader at start of final table action, Heimiller ran into familiar high-low Omaha blues -- best pre-flop hands losing out and, he said "a couple of mistakes and that was it."

Eighth place went to tournament veteran Brent Carter, his second time in the money this WSOP and his 23rd overall, during which he has amassed $824,039. Carter has two gold bracelets and finished third in the 1995 $10,000 World Championship.

Joel Kreps, lowest final table stack, finished ninth, his third placing in the money at the WSOP.


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