WSOP Main Event Final Concludes TodayRussia, South Africa, Vietnam, America, Canada, and U.K. Represented |
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Jon Kalmar is a 34-year-old professional poker player, who plays mostly in clubs located in the north and the Midlands region of England. He is married with one child. Among his prior accomplishments, Kalmar was once the lead singer in a punk rock band.
Lee Childs is a 35-year-old aspiring poker professional from suburban Washington, DC. He is married with no children. Childs holds a BBA in computer information systems from James Madison University, in Virginia. Just two months ago, he voluntarily took some time off from a high-tech position with a firm affiliated with the National Geographic Society. He worked on "The JASON Project," which is an educational foundation for students dedicated to scientific expeditions and research founded by the person who first located the Titantic. Childs has been on his own for a few months - and is pursuing one of his dreams, which is to play in the World Series of Poker. He says that he would not be here without the love of his incredible wife, dad, and all the support of his family and friends. His is currently fifth in the chip count. 
Philip Hilm is the chip leader coming into the final table of the 2007 World Series of Poker. He is a 31-year-old online poker pro. Hilm is a native of Denmark, but currently lives in England. Family is very important to Hilm. He spent two years living in Poland to get to know his mother's side of the family before moving on to England. Ten years ago, Hilm earned a degree in economics from the Copenhagen Business School. He formed a company with 12 employees, but eventually went bankrupt. Just four years ago, Hilm was at his lowest point, selling coffee machines at grocery stores to make Christmas money so he could buy presents for his family. Then, Hilm discovered poker on the Internet. Before long, he was earning enough money to make a decent living. And now, he is the largest stack at the final table of the main event.
Raymond Rahme is the first person ever to appear at the final table of the main event from the continent of Africa . At age 62, he is also the senior participant at the final table. He is married to his wife Teresa, and together they have six children. Prior to his retirement, Rahme owned and operated a bed and breakfast inn. Although he played stud for three decades, Rahme has been playing the game of hold'em for only about two years. Yet, Rahme has already enjoyed significant tournament success. He's taken first and second place at major events held in South Africa. He also took fourth place in the All Africa Poker Championship recently, which was the largest poker tournament ever held in Africa. As part of his prize, he received a travel package to Las Vegas and an entry into the 2007 main event. And now, he is ranked fourth in the chip count at the start of the final table. 
Tuan Lam was born in Vietnam on New Year's Day in 1966, during the war. He eventually immigrated to Canada at the age of 19. He now lives in the Toronto area where he plays poker professionally. Prior to turning pro, Lam worked as a general laborer for a metal company. Then, he learned how to play poker from friends and has made it all the way to the final table of the 2007 main event. This is his third year to attend the WSOP. His prior cashes were 46th place in an event last year and 78th place in a WSOP tournament held in 2005. He is married with two children. Lam arrives at the final table ranked second in the chip count.
Alex Kravchenko is a 36-year-old businessman originally from Archangel, in the former USSR. He has been playing poker for about eight years. He is married and has two children. Kravchenko became the first Russian citizen in history to win a WSOP gold bracelet when he was victorious in the $1,500 buy-in Omaha eight-or-better championship at this year's WSOP - in what was the largest Omaha eight-or-better field in history. 
Lee Watkinson is a 40-year-old poker pro, businessman, and animal rights activist from Cheney, Washington. He is one of only two players at the final table who currently owns a WSOP gold bracelet. In 2006, Watkinson won the pot-limit Omaha world championship. He owns a few businesses as well, including a record company and a clothing line - which were started exclusively with his poker winnings. The Washington State native holds a degree in economics, which perhaps explains why Watkinson is so astute as an investor and poker professional. Yet, often when he is interviewed Watkinson is quick to shift everyone's attention to a greater, more humanitarian purpose. Watkins and his fiancé Timmi DeRosa share a commitment to rescuing and retiring captive chimpanzees, many of which have been used in everything from movies to research laboratories.
Hevad "Rain" Khan is a 22-year-old professional poker originally from Poughkeepsie, New York. He attended college at the State University of New York-Albany. He has since moved around the country, living in both the San Francisco bay area and Las Vegas. Khan's claim to fame before arriving at this final table was his extraordinary ability to play multiple poker games simultaneously. In what can only be described as a prodigal Bobby Fischer-like capability, Khan has played in as many as 43 poker games all at once on his home computer. Today, he must play in just one poker game - the biggest and most glamorous event in the world - for the world championship. Khan arrives eighth in the chip count at the start of the final table.
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