AbsolutePoker Pro Mark Seif Takes Lead at 36th Annual World Series of
Poker Winning Back-to-Back Championships and Beating Defending World Champion
Greg "Fossilman" Raymer
Seif Tops 2,013 Players, the Third Largest Field in WSOP
History
Las Vegas (June 27, 2005) – AbsolutePoker (http://www.absolutepoker.com/main.asp?host=a_77a_5391b_2711) pro Mark Seif
became the first person at this year's World Series of Poker (www.worldseriesofpoker.com) to win
two championships this year, placing him second in the money and first in the
running for the WSOP's "Player of the Year" award. He is also currently ranked
10th in the World according to CardPlayer (www.cardplayer.com).
He won his first gold and diamond WSOP bracelet in the $1,500 Limit Hold'em
Shootout Friday June 17 for $181,330 and collected his second bracelet last
Friday in the $1,500 NL Hold'em event where he bested 2,013 players, the third
largest field in WSOP history. Seif's victory, which included beating defending
world champion Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, netted him $611,145. Earlier in the
month he placed 53rd in the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em winning $7,475 bringing his
2005 WSOP winnings to date to $799,950.
Seif said, "This has been one of the most thrilling experiences of my life --
it's really just starting to sink in that I've done so well. For the last five
years, I've been trying to win a bracelet at the WSOP so this is a significant
accomplishment for me. It's also a big deal for my mom who maybe will start
saying I'm a pro poker player instead of a lawyer. When I told her I'd won the
first event, she reminded me that my sister Christina just graduated from
college and was off to Harvard Law School. I guess you could say it was all
around a great week for the Seifs!"
Seif, who graduated in the top 10 percent of his class at Loyola Law School
and became an expert trial lawyer in sexual harassment law for national Newport
Beach firm Fisher & Phillips, switched to playing poker professionally in
May 2001. "I had been playing high-stakes poker in public card rooms for many
years when I won more than a half a million in cash games at the 2001 WSOP. That
pretty much made my decision for me."
According to Gian Perroni, AbsolutePoker's poker room manager, "Mark's
back-to-back wins place him in an elite crowd. While the records are being
verified, this may be all-time first in WSOP history and certainly no one has
won back-to-back titles in fields this large. If he wins again, he'll become the
third person in history to win three bracelets in one year. Mark is one of the
best players out there and word is out that he is the one to beat. We are proud
to have him as part of Team AbsolutePoker."
Nine players competed In Friday's event to win the WSOP bracelet and the
$611,145 top prize.
- Mark Seif, Incline Village, NV $611,145
- Minh Nguyen, Lake Elsinore $329,975
- Bill Gazes, Miami, FL $202,790
- Webber Kang, Dallas, TX $175,010
- Peter Lee, Queens, NY $147,230
- Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, Stonington, CT $119,450 (Defending World Champion
- Steve Carter, Frisco, TX $91,670
- Steve Rassi, Morton, IL $63,895
- David "DevilFish" Ulliot, Hull, U.K. $47,225
According to Nolan Dalla, WSOP media director, "Mark Seif has paid his dues
in this game. For years Mark has done it all. He's won several tournaments, made
several final tables and finished high in the money several times. Up to now,
the only thing that has eluded him has been the gold bracelets at the WSOP. Mark
has not only fulfilled that dream, but he did it twice. He now joins an elite
group of poker players who have won twice. It is an honor well deserved."
CardPlayer Magazine posted the game's progress and the following is the
play-by-play from the log for final and winning hand number 184:
"Nguyen has the button, he limps, Seif raises to $100,000, Nguyen raises to
$600,000, Seif pushes all in, and Nguyen calls. Nguyen shows Ad-10d, but Seif
has pocket kings (Kc-Kd). Nguyen is the shorter stack, facing possible
elimination on this hand. The flop comes Kh-7h-4c, and Seif has flopped a set of
kings. The only way Nguyen will survive is if he catches a jack and a queen on
the last two cards for a straight. The turn card is the 9c, and Nguyen is
drawing dead. Minh Nguyen is eliminated in second place, earning $329,975.
"Mark Seif wins Event #22 ($1,500 No-Limit Hold'em), earning $611,145 and his
second World Series of Poker bracelet this week."
About Absolute Poker
Absolute Poker http://www.absolutepoker.com/main.asp?host=a_77a_5391b_2711 with thousands of
active players at all times, is the fourth largest online poker
destination. Driven by proprietary software, Absolute Poker was created to offer
the most comprehensive, interactive online poker room, while always delivering
superior customer service and a personal touch to each online poker player.
Players Worldwide can access an Absolute Poker online poker game 24 hours a day,
7 days a week and experience the best multi-player online poker the industry has
to offer. Established in 2003, Absolute Poker is licensed and regulated in
Canada.
Media Contact: Karin Olsen, AMAZONpr, 310-497-0052, karin@amazonpr.com and Gina Magee,
AMAZONpr, 310-413-3130, gina@amazonpr.com
