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The Players to Watch at the
World Series of Poker |
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 TJ Cloutier is the outright favorite
for the World Series of Poker Championship event, the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em
with a $1.5 million dollar first prize. TJ might be the best in the world at
that particular event. With a second, third and sixth in recent World Series
final events, TJ is a threat whenever he has chips. The only other player with
Championship results like that is Erik Seidel, who just always seems to
be there. Two time Champion Johnny Chan is too talented to ever be
counted out, as is Phil Hellmuth. Bracelet winners Donnachea
O'Dea and Chris Bjorin are two of Europe's best hopes in the limit
events as well as the big one. |
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| The
Contenders |
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Padraig
Parkinson Results have seen this Irish player always giving himself a great
chance to win big tournaments. An impressive string of finishes in European
majors highlighted by a third in the 1999 WSOP plus dead on recent form will
make Padraig a threat in all the pot limit and no limit Hold'em tourneys. And
if he ever catches some cards, he's liable to quit playing.
 Noel Furlong This Irish businessman doesn't
play poker very often, but when he does watch out. In his first ever WSOP he
came sixth in 1989 to Phil Hellmuth and Johnny Chan in a situation he described
as "I had all the chips." So when he got another final table chance in only his
fourth World Series attempt in 1999, Noel Furlong took the gold bracelet,
pointedly knocking out former world champion Huck Seed from a final table that
also included Erik Seidel, Padraig Parkinson, Chris Bigler, and George
McKeever. Furlong is also a three time Irish Open champion.
Dave
"Devilfish" Ulliot The Devilfish plays too good to ever be out of anything.
Only missed out on another bracelet last year when his aces got cracked heads
up. With multiple final table appearances and a history of upping his game for
the money, the Devilfish looks to be there.
Ben Roberts Ultra
solid Brit with Iranian decendents. Probably the best Holdem player around for
money, pretty good in a no-limit tournament situation as well.
Ed.
Huck Seed Young winner in 1996. Technically
proficient having first started as a pro in the Backgammon world where bad
beats make poker stories look childish. Clearly a smart head on his shoulders,
but is it as strong as Helmuth's? Ed.
Danny
Negreanu This young Canadian now transplanted to Las Vegas is firing on
every cylinder. For the last four months, he's figured in just about every
tournament he's been in, littering the leaderboards with his name. An easy tip
to take home some kind of bracelet from the 2001 WSOP.
 Phil Ivey This player got hot at
last year's World Series and hasn't let up since. Phil beat Amarillo Slim heads
up for the bracelet in the big pot limit Omaha competition, besting a final
table that contained some of Europe's best Omaha players. Phil Ivey grew up in
Philadelphia and honed his game at the Trump Taj Mahal in the cash games in
Atlantic City. In the past year he's had a slew of final table appearances in
major tournaments around the USA and looks to be among the favorites in any
tournament he plays in.
Alan Betson The winner of the big
hold'em tournament in Paris this year, Irishman Alan Betson is clearly in the
zone.
Ian Dobson "The Reindeer" finished third in the Poker
Million and made a final table in Atlantic City. The limits to Brit Ian's game
have yet to be tapped. Watch out if he gets a hold of any chips.
Surindar Sunar One of the best tournament players in the world. This
Midlands player is deadly when he's on his game.
Simon Trumper
Former Late Night Poker Champion won the World Series Trial in Vienna. Is
focused.
Barney Boatman They call him "The Humor", this member
of the Hendon Mob has a style of play that produces big results like in last
year's final event, when he was the highest placed British finisher.
Hamish Shah Winner of a recent tournament in Atlantic City to
add to a title he took at the Orleans in Vegas last year, this Londoner is
primed to make a mark in the World Series of Poker. Strong at Omaha.
David Colclough This British player had an impressive run last year,
with a second and a sixth in WSOP tournaments. He figures big in the pot limit
events.
Pascal Perrault This Frenchman joked that he had
qualified for the World Series of Poker this year in Las Vegas. He said he had
"the right to pay". But Pascal has been in stride, with a victory in London
plus top finishes in Amsterdam and Paris.
Richard Tatalovich
This American is hot. He won the big one in Atlantic City and was always
dangerous in the Isle of Man.
"Syracuse" Chris Tsiprailidis
Chris the Greek from Syracuse, New York, broke through with his first WSOP
bracelet last year after many years spent honing his game on the tournament
trail. Several big finishes since then all over America make this player a
threat whenever he's laughing.
Asher Derei is a top tournament
player. With firsts in every corner of the world, this Israeli player may
figure in the 2001 World Series of Poker.
Cristof Haller -
Experience is a question talent is not, for this young German player who has
won titles all over Europe. Will he break through at the World Series? Men
Nguyen, Jack Keller, Mickey Appleman, and Allen
Cunningham, who is rated very highly by the Luma Kid, also figure to be
dangerous. |
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