Hachem Biggest Tournament Money Winner in 2005The Wealth was Spread, With 63 Players Winning $500,000 or More |
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More money has never been given away on the tournament poker circuit than in 2005 and it wasn't just because the World Series of Poker's main event attracted 5,619 people. Big buy-in events, that's is, events that cost more than $10,000 to enter, consistently attracted many players, boosting prize pools and making more people millionaires than any other year.
In 2004, tournament poker saw 22 people win a million dollars or more. Last year, helped by the fact that every player who made the final table at the World Series of Poker's main event won $1 million, 34 players took home a million dollars or more. Also, 2005 had 11 people win $2 million or more, four more than in 2004. Heck, the top four finishers at the WSOP's main event all won $2 million or more.
Those who finished under a million dollars didn't do that shabby, either. Not counting the 34 who made seven figures, another 63 players won $500,000 or more at poker tournaments in 2005, which is almost doubles the number for 2004 (32 people won a half million or more).
For players who are determined to finish the year as a top money winner, the path is simple; just finish at least fifth at the WSOP's main event. By taking first and second in the main event, Hachem and Dannenmann finished 2005 as the top two money winners. First place paid Hachem $7,500,000 and Dannenmann won $4,250,000 for being runner up.
Phil Ivey vaulted to third on the money list for 2005 after he won $1.6 million in back-to-back tournaments in Monte Carlo. Ivey won $3,333,426 at tournaments in 2005. He made five final tables.
Poker pro Tuan Lee finished fourth in the money rankings thanks to a victory at the $25,000 buy-in Five-Star World Poker Classic in April that paid him $2,856,150. His tournaments winnings for the rest of the year totaled $7,280.
John "Tex" Barch made one final table in 2005, but it was the one that counted the most. By taking third in the WSOP's main event, he won $2.5 million. He won another $28,805 at three different tournaments throughout the year, good enough to move him into fifth on the money list for 2005.
Michael Mizrachi took a much more difficult route to get into the top 10. He finished in the money in 18 different tournaments, made the final table six times, won the L.A. Poker Classic (for $1,859,909), and finished second in two WSOP circuit events. His $2,472,439 was good for sixth on the list.
Michael Gracz followed the same road as Mizrachi to get to seventh with $2,292,271 in tournaments winnings. He cashed in 11 tournaments, won two of them ($1,525,500 for the Party Poker Million IV and $594,460 and a WSOP bracelet at the $1,000 buy-in no limit event at the WSOP), and made two other final tables.
Nick Schulman outlasted 783 people at the $10,000 buy-in World Poker Finals in November for $2,167,500. He also took fourth and $74,495 at a WSOP circuit tournament in December, letting him finish the year with $2,241,995, which was the eighth most in 2005.
Rehne Pedersen won $2,078,185 by winning the Five Diamond World Poker Classic in December. He won $34,015 in two other tournaments, which was good for ninth on the money list with $2,112,200.
Mike Matusow made two final tables, including the one at the WSOP's main event where he finished ninth for $1 million. He won another million when he finished first in the WSOP Tournament of Champions in November, giving him $2,009,225 in tournament winnings for the year and cementing his place in the top 10 in tournament poker winnings for 2005.
Top Tournament Money Winners of 2005
Joe Hachem $7,614,022
Steven Dannenmann $4,350,000
Phil Ivey $3,333,426
Tuan Lee $2,856,150
John "Tex" Barch $2,528,085
Michael Mizrachi $2,472,439
Michael Gracz $2,292,271
Nick Schulman $2,241,995
Rehne Pedersen $2,112,200
Mike Matusow $2,009,225
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