WSOP report: Event #34, Seniors World Poker Championship, July 4, 2005

If this week at the World Series of Poker has taught us anything, it is that poker can be played by people of all ages. Two 71-year-old poker players won open events within the past few days - O'Neil Longson (Event #30) and Doyle Brunson (Event #31).

It was to be expected that an elder player would win Event #34 at this year's World Series. After all, the Seniors World Poker Championship is only open to players aged 50 and up. What is remarkable is that this event was won by someone who is 80. Paul McKinney became the oldest winner in World Series history. At 80 years, 5 months, and 28 days he eclipses the late Johnny Moss. who won his eighth gold bracelet at age 76.

This was the largest seniors' event in WSOP history, with a record 825 players paying $1,000 each to enter. That created the largest prize pool ever in any seniors' event - at three-quarters of a million dollars.

The nine finalists returned for the final table after a long Day One. McKinney arrived third in the chip count (with 86,500). The chip leaders were Bob Hume (with 179,500) and Paul Fischman (with 167,000). Players were eliminated in the following order:

9th Place: Carol Bollinger, $15,015
Carol Bollinger was getting low on chips and tried to make a move with K-5. But Bob Hume decided to call with K-J and flopped a jack. That put Bollinger out in 9th place.
8th Place: Daniel Klein, $22,525
Daniel Klein went out next. He was dealt A-Q and flopped top pair with and ace. But Charles Zeghibe caught two pair (Ks and 8s) and Klein hit the rail.
7th Place: Peter Vilandos, $30,030
After Paul McKinney seized the chip lead, Peter Vilandos made a move at the pot with A-7, which was dominated by Zeghibe's A-9. Neither player made a pair, and Vilandos was out high-carded.
6th Place: Louis Barkoutsis, $37,540
Louis Barkoutsis was the next player to depart. The New Yorker was cleaned out when his 7-7 was crushed by Paul McKinney's A-Q after an ace flopped.
5th Place: Charles F. Zeghibe, $45,045
Charles F. Zeghibe knocked a few players out, then suffered the same cruel indignity. He was blinded down to the short stack, and made a move with A-4 suited. It was a bad time to get creative as Paul McKinney was dealt K-K. The cowboys held up and Zeghibe went out in fifth.
4th Place: Robert Redman, $52,555
Robert Redman went out next. With McKinney still the chip leader, Redman took A-Q up against Bob Hume's J-J. The hooks held up and Redman went out in fourth. Redman has made it to several final tables at the WSOP (his best finish was 2nd in $5,000 Limit Hold'em event a few years ago).
3rd Place: Paul Fishman, $60,060
Paul Fishman played very well in his first-ever WSOP tournament. He was busted by McKinney's nut flush on his final hand.

Runner up: Bob Hume, $106,230
When heads-up play began, Paul McKinney had a marginal chip lead over Bob Hume - 520,000 to 305,000. It took over two hours to finish the seniors' championship. Two hands essentially decided the match. Hume tried to make a move at the pot on the first key hand, and was re-raised all-in by McKinney. Hume quickly folded without showing his hand. But the damage had already been done. Down by about 4-to-1 in chips, Hume tried to make another move at the pot with A-4 before the flop and was re-raised by McKinney with A-J. Hume had no idea his hand was dominated and called. Both players flopped an ace, but Hume needed a miracle. He failed to catch a four, and the tournament was over.

Bob Hume is a 52-year-old professional poker player from Orlando, FL. He has made several final table appearances in recent years at major tournaments. He has also developed quite a reputation as a satellite specialist. He has already won five mega-satellites at this year's WSOP.

1st Place: Paul McKinney, $202,725
Paul McKinney was philosophical about his record-setting tournament victory and first gold bracelet. He shared his secret for success after his victory: "I like moonshine whisky, big cigars, and young women."

View final results.

Tournament reporting by Nolan Dalla / worldseriesofpoker.com