Nothing Simple About This Simon

Published: Friday, April 07, 2006 Online-Casinos.com

NOTHING SIMPLE ABOUT THIS SIMON

Relatively unknown player beats out hundreds of contestants to take home over a million dollars

A relatively unknown poker tournament player took the title and the money at this week's Reno Hilton World Poker Tour (WPT) World Poker Challenge Championship.

Mike Simon, outplayed 592 players, including a number of top pros, to take first place and its prize of over $1 million in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship.

Prior to his current win, Simon's top tournament finish was at the 2003 New England Poker Classic at Foxwoods, where he collected $639 for placing 22nd in the $200 Limit Hold'em event.

Final table play began in mid-afternoon at the Hilton Reno Resort & Casino in Reno, Nevada. Top pros who finished in the money in the Championship tournament include Barry Greenstein, Liz Lieu, Carlos Mortensen, Chau Giang, Gavin Smith, and David Plastik. But it was Simon who prevailed at a final table and winnings that looked like this at the close:

1st Mike Simon $1,052,890

2nd Jason Stern $529,300

3rd Tom Schneider $256,115

4th Greg Mueller $142,285

5th Jonas Norman $113,830

6th Barry Greenstein $85,370

In addition to his $1,052,890 cash prize, Simon gets a $25,000 seat to the WPT World Championship at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas next month.