When the World Series of Poker left the Rio to wrap up the remainder of the No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em poker action in the main event in Binions it went to the landmark casino for the last time.  Originally the move to the Rio was to accommodate the influx of new players. most online poker qualifiers, created by the Chris Moneymaker inspired poker boom.  The World Series thought they could solve the capacity problems Binions suffered under by opening things up at the Rio.  Then after the field had been pared down to a manageable size they’d return to play it out at Binions like the good ol’ days.

While that worked for the players what they didn’t count on was the increased media attention the event was garnering as well as fan interest.  Once again, Binions was busting at the seams this time not from rows and rows of players but rows and rows of media and fans.  Suddenly, watching poker had become a hot ticket and they simply did not expect it.  As mentioned in part one 2005 was probably the last year of transitioning to the new age of poker.

It was fitting that Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson captured bracelets but the passing of the torch that began earlier in the decade was almost complete.  2005 the mid-year in the decade was also the close of the old world of poker.  A theme in the decade had been the Main Event portending the rest of the decade.  Moneymaker, an online qualifier, won and ushered in the herds of online qualifiers. 

In 2005 Joe Hachem would win the Main Event, bringing a mini-poker boom to Australia and predate the international boom of players.  As the decade moved along more and more foreign born players joined the Americans in the World Series, perhaps inspired by Hachems success as Joe Sixpack in the U.S. had Moneymaker’s success to aspire to.

In 2005, there was another everyman convincing the average man that anybody could go deep. Steve Dannenmann who was caught on tape bragging on his cell phone about bluffing Howard Lederer looked completely out his element yet he kept surviving.  Only in heads up play did it appear his inexperience caught up with him in the final hand (we’ll get to that).

Dannenmann was one of the 5,619 entrants that signed up and his dreams of winning might have been just as unlikely as any of them, yet it was he that went further than any American poker player (or for that matter all but one poker player).  One site alone had 1116 online poker qualifiers.   Greg Raymer’s attempt at a back to back run, the first since Johnny Chan (who’s loss to Phil Hellmuth prevented him from winning three in a row) ended at 25th spot.  Raymer a big stack suffered a horrenduos beat and then got bounced when his short stack couldn’t multiply.

In 2004, Greg Raymer a noted contributor of an online forum, the  poker school of its time, which advance the thought and strategy of the game, won the Main Event.  In 2005 he was running just as good again until his bust out.  In ‘04 he had a memorable clash with then chip leader Mike Matusow.   In ‘05, deja vu all over again, Matusow also was going deep.  This time Matusow had his bust upwith Shawn Sheikam, but Shawn gave as good as he got. 

Phil Ivey was on everybody’s minds as he lasted until 20th.  Another deep run for Ivey in the Main Event, even as the fields were doubling in size.  Tiffany Williamson was the last woman standing winning 400k for 15th.  The Final Table was notable for everybody making it winning one million dollars.  Matusow was the first one out and predictably ran bad at the wrong time. 

After Tex Barch, Arron Kanter, Andrew Black (whose massive stack imploded as well), Scott Lazar, Daniel Bergsdorf, and Brad Kondracki went out 3rd to 9th.  Dannemann and Hachem  got to heads up play as Hachem turned his small stack into the chip lead and they were buddy buddy friendly.  Dannemann raised with A3 o/s and Hachem called with 73.  Hachem flopped a straight 456.  Dannemann bet his straight draw with his ace high.  Hachem raised him. 

Danneman called and a terrible card hit the turn, an A.  Hachem, a 97% favorite to win, bet 2 million.  Dannemann raised him 3 million.  Hachem probed with some chatter to see how relaxed or how good Dannemann thought his hand was.  When he knew he could get a call he interupted Dannemann and went all in.  Dannemann called and the tournament was over.  No seven came for a chop.