WPT World Poker Challenge Final Table Bios

Lifetime winnings: $805,473

2008 Player of the Year (POY) points: 0

— Zachary Hyman Takes a Pot off Phil Ivey

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi has the button in seat 2, Phil Ivey raises from middle position to 23,000, Zach Hyman calls from the cutoff, and Chau Giang calls from the big blind. The flop comes A K 5, Giang checks, Ivey bets 50,000, Hyman raises to 105,000, and Giang quickly folds. Phil Ivey has about 200,000 behind, and it's 55,000 more to him. He thinks for about two minutes before he calls.

The turn card is the 9, and both players check. The river card is the 4, and Ivey thinks for a full minute before he checks, and Hyman quickly checks behind. Hyman shows A 10 for a pair of aces, and Ivey mucks. Zach Hyman takes the pot.

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Lifetime winnings: $0

2008 POY points: 0

Hometown: Redmond, Washington

Prior WPT experience: None

Poker accomplishments: None

— Jeff DeWitt Survives

Zach Hyman has the button in seat 1, Michael Mizrachi raises from the small blind to 20,000, and Jeff DeWitt calls from the big blind. The flop comes 10 5 2, Mizrachi bets 26,000, and DeWitt thinks for about 20 seconds before he moves all in for 112,000. Mizrachi goes into the tank for about a minute before he folds, and Jeff DeWitt takes the pot.

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Lifetime winnings: $7,245,573

2008 POY points: 2,070 (ninth place)

Hometown: Cerritos, California

Prior WPT experience: Final Tables: Season VI Legends of Poker (second), Season V World Poker Challenge (third), Season III Festa al Lago (third), Season III World Poker Finals, Season I L.A. Poker Classic (fourth). Cashes: 10 total ($1,761,064).

Poker accomplishments: David "The Dragon" Pham is the 2007 Card Player Player of the Year, and he also won the award in 2000, making him one of only three players (Pham, Men Nguyen, and T.J. Cloutier) to win the award more than once. Pham also has two World Series of Poker bracelets, in a $2,000 S.H.O.E. event in 2001 and a $2,000 no-limit hold'em shootout event in 2006. He has cashed 23 times at the WSOP, including eight final tables, to make $923,653. Pham began 2008 by making his first European Poker Tour final table in early January at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, he finished in fourth place at that table and took home $600,000.

Pivotal World Poker Challenge hands (pulled from live updates):

— Chau Giang vs. David "The Dragon" Pham

In the last hand before the break, Chau Giang raises from the button to 12,000, David "The Dragon" Pham reraises from the big blind to 38,000, and Giang moves all in. Pham asks for a count, and it's 152,900 more -- barely covering Pham's stack.

Pham goes into the tank for more than three minutes as the break starts, eventually folding his cards into the muck. Giang drops his cards, and Pham asks if he'll show. Giang gives him permission to look, so Pham turns them over to see J J. Pham seems satisfied with his fold.

— David Pham Eliminates Steve Conigliaro

David Pham raises to 24,000 and Conigliaro moves all in for 17,000 more. Pham calls showing A 10 and is up against Conigliaro's 4 4. The board comes J 10 8 A 8, and Pham eliminates Conigliaro in 11th place.

— David Pham Doubles Up Through Bryan Devonshire

Bryan Devonshire has the button in seat 7, David Pham moves all in from late position for 178,000, and Bryan Devonshire calls from the button with 8 8. Pham shows Q J, and he needs to improve to stay alive.

The flop comes 6 4 3, and Pham picks up a flush draw to go with his two overcards.

The turn card is the Q, and Pham takes the lead with a pair of queens. Devonshire needs an eight on the river to bust The Dragon here.

The river card is the A, and David Pham wins the pot with a pair of queens, doubling up to 396,000.

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Lifetime winnings: $208,392

2008 POY points: 0

Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Prior WPT experience: None

Poker accomplishments: Potter finished in 31st place at the 2008 Aussie Millions. He won a preliminary event at the World Series of Poker Circuit stop at Caesars Indiania to take home $52,987. He also finished in third at a preliminary event at the 2007 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic to take home $90,000.

Pivotal World Poker Challenge hands (pulled from live updates):

— Jason Potter Eliminates Jordan Rich

Zach Hyman has the button in seat 6, Jason Potter raises from early position to 16,500, and Jordan Rich calls from the big blind. The flop comes K 9 3, and Rich moves all in. Potter calls with 9 9 for a set of nines, and Rich shows J 10 for a gutshot-straight draw. The turn is the 5, the river is the 8, and Jason Potter wins the pot with a set of nines.

Jordan Rich is eliminated in 15th place, earning $37,466.

— Jason Potter Doubles Up Through David Pham

Bryan Devonshire has the button in seat 7, David Pham raises from late position to 37,000, Jason Potter moves all in from the cutoff for 278,000, and Pham thinks for nearly a minute before he calls with J J. Potter shows A A, and he's in position to double up here.

The board comes 10 7 4 Q K, and Potter's pocket aces hold up to win the pot, and he doubles up to about 585,000 in chips. David Pham drops down to about 90,000.

— Jason Potter Eliminates Pat Poels

Lee Markholt has the button in seat 8, Jason Potter raises from late position to 41,000, Pat Poels moves all in from the small blind for about 60,000, and Potter calls with A 9. Poels shows 3 3, and he'll need the pocket pair to hold to stay alive.

The board comes J 6 6 5 J, and Potter wins the pot with the higher two pair on the board, playing his ace kicker.

Pat Poels is eliminated in ninth place, earning $56,198.

— Jason Potter Wins a Huge Pot Off Bryan Devonshire

Zach Hyman has the button in seat 1, Jason Potter raises from middle position to 32,000, and Bryan Devonshire calls from middle position. The flop comes A 6 3, Potter bets 46,000, and Devonshire calls. The turn card is the 7, Potter bets 82,000, and Devonshire calls.

The river card is the 2, Potter bets 181,000, and Devonshire says, "I call." Potter shows A 7 for two pair, and Devonshire mucks. Jason Potter picks up a huge pot worth 718,000, moving into the chip lead.

After the hand, Devonshire smiles and says, "Nice turn, lucky." Potter replies, "I knew that when it hit."

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Chips: 1,137,000

Lifetime winnings: $1,681,668

2008 POY points: 0

Hometown: Eatonville, Washington

Prior WPT experience: Cashes: 13 total ($521,447). Five of those cashes have come during season VI on the WPT. Markholt narrowly missed the final table at the Borgata Poker Open in 2004 when he finished in seventh place, taking home $75,500. Markholt also finished 18th in this event last year.

Poker accomplishments: Markholt has cashed 11 times at the World Series of Poker for a total of $340,199 in prize money. He has made four WSOP final tables (two in 2006), but has yet to claim his first gold bracelet. The biggest win in Markholt's consistent career came when he won the Professional Poker Tour event at the Five-Diamond World Poker Classic in 2005. He took home $225,000 for the win.

Pivotal World Poker Challenge hands (pulled from live updates):

— Lee Markholt Doubles Up Through Chris Back

Lee Markholt raises 12,000 from the cutoff, and Chris Back makes the call from the big blind. The flop rolls out 5 3 2, and Markholt bets 24,000. Back goes into the tank. He then raises an additional 60,000, and Markholt makes the call. The turn brings the K, and Back bets 180,000. Markholt makes an all-in call for 170,500 and turns up Q Q. Back shows 6 3, and the river is the 7. Markholt doubles up to 570,000, and Back is knocked down to 150,000 after the hand.

— Lee Markholt Eliminates Phil Ivey

Bryan Devonshire has the button in seat 7, Lee Markholt moves all in from the small blind, and Phil Ivey calls all in from the big blind for about 75,000 with J 10. Markholt shows A 8, and Ivey needs to improve to stay alive.

The flop comes 7 6 3, and Markholt retains the lead with ace high. The turn card is the 10, and Ivey takes the lead with a pair of tens, while Markholt has an overcard (the ace) and a gutshot straight draw (he needs a nine).

The river card is -- the 9.

Lee Markholt wins the pot with a 10-high straight, and Phil Ivey is eliminated in 10th place, earning $46,832.

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Lifetime winnings: $319,606

2008 POY points: 90 (1,172 place)

Hometown: Henderson, Nevada

Prior WPT experience: Cashes: 2007 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic (74th, $46,410)

Poker accomplishments: Bryan Devinshire broke out on the poker scene when he finished runner-up at the $500 no-limit hold'em casino employees event at the 2006 World Series of Poker. He followed that up with another runner-up finish at the 2007 WSOP, this time in a $1,500 Omaha eight-or-better event. That finish gave him his largest cash to date, $140,366.

Pivotal World Poker Challenge hands (pulled from live updates):

— Stephen Ladowsky Eliminated in 23rd Place ($18,733)

Zack Hyman raises to 11,500 from the cutoff, and Stephen Ladowsky moves all in for his last 55,800 from the button. Bryan Devonshire then moves all in from the small blind, and Hyman gets out of the way. The player turn up their cards:

Ladowsky: 8 8
Devonshire: A A

The board comes Q Q 9 A 8, and Ladowsky is eliminated in 23rd place.

— Bryan Devonshire Busts Ron Linden (18th) and Don Dooley (17th)

Bryan Devonshire has the button in seat 7, he raises to 14,500, Don Dooley calls from the small blind, and Ron Linden calls from the big blind. The flop comes 10 9 6, Dooley bets 15,000, Linden moves all in for about 100,000, Devonshire moves all in over the top, and Dooley calls all in. It's a three-way all-in situation, and they flip over their cards.

Bryan Devonshire: 10 10 - set of tens, 85% to win
Don Dooley: 7 6 - gutshot-straight draw, 13.4% to win
Ron Linden: 5 5 - pair of fives, 0.1% to win

Devonshire has the most chips and the best hand. Linden is the shortest stack, and he needs a miracle. His best hope is a running straight on the board to chop the pot (1.3% chance). Dooley has outs to a gutshot-straight draw, and he's looking for an eight.

The turn card is -- the 8! Dooley fills his straight to take the lead. Devonshire needs the board to pair (10 outs), while Linden needs a seven to chop the pot (three outs). Dooley will double up with any other card.

The river card is -- the 8! Devonshire leaps out of his seat and cheers, "One time!" Devonshire fills up on the river, winning the pot with tens full of eights and busting two players on the same hand.

Ron Linden is eliminated in 18th place, and Don Dooley is eliminated in 17th place. (Dooley had more chips at the start of the hand, so he receives the higher finish.) Both players earn $28,099.

Bryan Devonshire now has about 455,000 in chips.

— Bryan Devonshire Eliminates Erik Seidel (16th Place)

Chau Giang has the button in seat 1, Bryan Devonshire raises from the cutoff to 13,000, and Erik Seidel calls from the big blind. The flop comes A Q 6, Seidel checks, Devonshire bets 18,000, Seidel moves all in, and Devonshire calls with A J, for a pair of aces. Seidel shows Q 6 for two pair, queens and sixes, and he'll need it to hold to stay alive.

The turn card is the -- A! Devonshire catches trip aces to clinch the pot, because Seidel is drawing dead. The meaningless river card is the J, and Devonshire wins the pot with a full house, aces full of jacks, increasing his stack to more than 600,000.

Erik Seidel is eliminated in 16th place, earning $28,099.