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 Paul McKinney becomes oldest WSOP winner in history 80-year-old poker pro wins Seniors World Poker Championship
Age is a state of mind -- Anonymous
If this week at the World Series of Poker has taught us anything, it is that poker is a game that can be played by people of all ages. Two 71-year-old poker players won open events within the past few days O'Neil Longson (Event #30) and Doyle Brunson (Event #31). This might not seem like momentous news, but what other game allows a 71-year-old senior citizen to compete in a fair and equal environment with a 21-year-old college kid other than a poker tournament?
It was to be expected that an elder player would win Event #34 at this year's World Series. After all, the Seniors World Poker Championship is only open to players aged 50 and up. What is remarkable is that this event was won by someone that is 80-years-old. Paul McKinney was born on January 6, 1925. He thus became the oldest winner ever in World Series history. At 80 years, 5 months, and 28 days he eclipses the late Johnny Moss who won his eighth gold bracelet at age 76.
McKinney is a throwback to a bygone era, when poker was played in smoke-filled backrooms. The cigar-chomping West Virginian rarely speaks and prefers to let his cards do the talking. Paul McKinney is the antithesis of the nevou-riche poker celebrities who have blossomed into the collective conscious through the magic of television. Paul McKinney doesn't have an agent or a publicist. Paul McKinney reminds us of what poker once was before the revolution.
This was the largest seniors' event in WSOP history. A record 825 players paid $1,000 each to enter. That created the largest prize pool in the history of any seniors' event at three-quarters of a million dollars.
The nine finalists returned for the final table after a long Day One. McKinney arrived third in the chip count (with 86,500). The chip leaders were Bob Hume (with 179,500) and Paul Fischman (with 167,000). Players were eliminated in the following order:
9th Carol Bollinger, is a retiree from New Orleans. She was getting low on chips and tried to make a move with K-5. But Bob Hume decided to call with K-J and flopped a jack. That put Bollinger out quickly, in 9th place good for $15,015.
8th Daniel Klein, who was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and now lives in London went out next. He was dealt A-Q and flopped top pair with and ace. But Charles Zeghibe caught two pair (Ks and 8s) and Klein hit the rail. $22,525 was paid out for 8th place.
7th After Paul McKinney seized the chip lead, Peter Vilandos made a move at the pot with A-7 which was dominated by Zeghibe's A-9. Neither player made a pair, and Vilandos was out high-carded. The Greek-born Houstonian who has won many major tournaments (and has one WSOP gold bracelet) picked up $30,030 for 7th place.
6th Louis Barkoutsis was the next player to depart. The Greek-born New Yorker who owns a car wash was cleaned out when his 7-7 was crushed by Paul McKinney's A-Q after an ace flopped. Barkoutsis was paid $37,540 for 6th place.
5th Charles F. Zeghibe knocked a few players out, then suffered the same cruel indignity. He was blinded down to the short stack, and made a move with A-4 suited. It was a bad time to get creative as Paul McKinney was dealt K-K. The cowboys held up and Zeghibe, who is a retired teacher, was graded with $45,045 for fifth.
4th Robert Redman went out next. With McKinney still the chip leader, Redman took A-Q up against Bob Hume's J-J. The hooks held up and Redman, a management consultant from Missouri, was the 4th-place finisher. Redman has made it to several final tables at the WSOP (his best finish was 2nd in $5,000 Limit Hold'em event a few years ago). He collected $52,555.
3rd Paul Fishman has one of the most interesting backgrounds of any player in the tournament. The retired psychiatrist who now lives in Florida is nicknamed 'Catfish.' He certainly wasn't the fish at this final table. In his first-ever WSOP tournament, he finished 3rd and won $60,060. Fischman was backed by some friends at his home in Florida and decided to come to play at this year's World Series. He credited (1983 WSOP champion) Tom McEvoy with teaching him how to play poker tournaments. Fischman was busted by McKinney's nut flush on his final hand. Still, it was quite a two days for Dr. Fischman.
2nd Place When heads-up play began, Paul McKinney had a marginal chip lead over Bob Hume 520,000 to 305,000. It took over two hours to decide the seniors' championship. Two hands essentially decided the match. Hume tried to make a move at the pot on the first key hand, and was re-raised 'all in' by McKinney. Hume quickly folded without showing his hand. But the damage had already been done. Down by about 4 to 1 in chips, Hume tried to make another move at the pot with A-4 before the flop and was re-raised by McKinney with A-J. Hume had not idea his hand was dominated and called. Both players flopped an ace, but the Hume needed a miracle. He failed to catch a four, and the tournament was finally over.
Bob Hume is a 52-year-old professional poker player from Orlando, FL. He has made several final table appearances in recent years at major tournaments. He has also developed quite a reputation as a satellite specialist. He has already won five mega-satellites at this year's WSOP. Quite a feat. As the runner-up, Hume received $106,230.
1st Place Paul McKinney was quite philosophical about his record-setting tournament victory and first gold bracelet. He shared his secret for success by saying, 'I like moonshine whisky, big cigars, and young women.'Â
Official Report by Nolan Dalla World Series of Poker Media Director
World Series of Poker Circuit Director of Operations Ken Lambert World Series of Poker Tournament Director John Grooms Rio Poker Room Manager Michael Matts Rio Poker Tournament Director Robert Daily
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