WSOP History (2006): Chip Reese Finishes On Top

News / Chris Edwards / 27 June 2008 / Leave a comment

Back in 2005 the professional players were getting frustrated by the increasing number of amateurs playing the Main Event. 'It's a huge lottery. We just have a few more tickets than the rest of them' said Doyle Brunson. In an effort to give the pros a prestigious event that would attract few amateurs, the $50,000 buy-in HORSE tournament was introduced in 2006. With the high buy-in and mixed game format, it attracted just 143 entrants.

The final table of the 2006 HORSE event has been named one of the toughest final tables in tournament poker history.

1. Chip Reese

2. Andy Bloch

3. Phil Ivey

4. James Bechtel III

5. T.J. Cloutier

6. David Singer

7. Dewey Tomko

8. Doyle Brunson

9. Patrik Antonius

Reese eliminated Patrik Antonius when Bechtel raised with 10h 9h and Reese made the call with pocket 8's. Antonius with little over the raise amount flat called with A4o. On a flop of J 3 4 Patrik moved all and Bechtel made the call as it was only 1k with the pot at over 90k. Sensing weakness, Reese made an isolation raise folding out Bechtel. Patrik could not improve his hand and finished in 9th place.

Reese would also eliminated David Singer after calling Singers all in pre-flop raise with JJ, defeating Singers As10s.

Probably the most well known hand from the final table happened when Doyle Brunson raised pre-flop with QQ and Reese smooth called with KK. David Singer also called on the button with 66. On a flop of 2 3 7, Doyle made a big bet and Reese made a minimum raise (which was huge by this point). Brunson quickly thinks and declares 'I knew you had some kind of pair, I didn't know which pair it was' before folding. 'Good laydown' Reese declared. Singer also folded.

Reese would finally beat Andy Bloch heads up when his AQ held up against Bloch's 98. The final heads up battle was the longest in WSOP history, lasting over 7 hours. Add this to the 5 hours already taken for the final table and it was an tough day of poker. This does not come close to the previous day when they played for 20 hours straight. Asking how he was going to celebrate his win, Reese simply responded 'By sleeping'.

Reese would not fair well in the 2007 HORSE event, failing to make it past the first day, with this sadly being his last chance as he passed away later that year. WSOP commissioner Jeffery Pollack stated 'Chip the greatest cash-game player who ever lived, but he was also a World Series of Poker legend'.