Final Table At WPT Champs Reached

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Growth of this event has been spectacular

There's a world of difference, but only five years separation between the first World Poker Tour championship held June 1 2002 and the big event now nearing its climax at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. That first event attracted 146 entrants, whilst the 2007 championship signed up 639. Back then the winner, Gus Hansen picked up a winner's check for $500 000 - this year almost $4 million will boost the winner's bank balance.  The WPT is second only to the World Series of Poker for action, interest, prize-pool and entrants.

With the 2007 Championship nearing the final denouement, all eyes were on Day 5 and the 27 survivors still remaining. Although he had dropped down the chip stack roll significantly, Phil Hellmuth was still hoping to break records by being the first player yet to hold both WSOP and WPT championship titles, but it was not to be - after a clash with Thomas Wahlroos he went to the rail in 18th position.

Roland de Wolfe, who finished 4th last year went before that, in 26th position having been eliminated by JC Tran. Paul Wasicka was another casualty, going out at 24th to a devastating play by Kirk Morrison. Other solid players to leave were Jim "KrazyKanuck" Worth (16th place), Sorel "imper1um" Mizzi (15th place), David Levi (13th place), and Can Kim Hua (12th place).

By late afternoon and after well over 5 hours of tense poker the field had been narrowed down to 10, with Paul Lee still holding on to a significant chip lead, but the pack all well over the million in chips. From here on in it became a real battle, taking another 5 hours or more to eliminate 4 more players and reach he final table six.

Tran was the first of the last casualties, kicked out at 10th place by Paul Lee and picking up a consolation check of $185 645 for a great effort. He was followed after some time by Tommy Vu, nailed by Carlos Mortensen at 9th position and earning himself $216 585.

8th place went to Scott Fischman, taken down by Morrison and leaving with $247 525. Just after a break and around 11.00pm, the aggressive young Finnish player Thomas Wahlroos fell to Paul Lee and collected a 7th position $247 525 payout on his way home. In doing so, the final table's six opponents were decided as follows:

Seat 1. Kirk Morrison - 4 194 000
Seat 2. Guy Laliberte - 4 690 000
Seat 3. Carlos Mortensen - 6 501 000
Seat 4. Mike Wattel - 2 887 000
Seat 5. Paul Lee - 11 828 000
Seat 6. Tim Phan - 2 162 000

Tim Phan is the only finalist this year to have paid the $25 500 buy-in, it appears. Laliberte, Morrison, Mortensen,and Wattel all won their seats in satellites, while Paul Lee earned his entry by winning a $2 000 no-limit hold'em preliminary event earlier this month.

Between them, the six finalists have four WSOP bracelets and three WPT Final Tables, and taken collectively they have over $7.25 million in previous poker tournament winnings.