DENMARK’S JAN SORENSEN SHOOTS AND SCORES AT THE WSOP $5,000 STUD EVENT

Without a doubt, writer Hans Christian Andersen is the most famous person from Odewse, Denmark. However, the residents of Odewse are cheering on a new hero, Jan Sorensen, after he won his first World Series of Poker bracelet. The former professional athlete beat the reigning world champion, Joe Awada, along with a field of 192 players, all of whom competed for a prize pool of $902,400 in Event #23 $5,000 Seven-card Stud.

The event started a little late because the ESPN cameramen took extra time to get more of the poker table in their shots for better coverage of the player’s cards during a rare televised Seven-card Stud tournament.

Here is the final table including starting chip counts:

1 John Phan (Los Angeles, CA) $198K
2 Gerard Rechnitzer (Beverly Hills, CA) $71K
3 Keith Sexton (Dayton, Ohio) $135K
4 Joe Awada (Las Vegas, NV) $126.5K
5 Steven S. Diano (Las Vegas, NV) $58.5K
6 Chip Jett (Las Vegas, NV) $206K
7 Jan Sorensen (Odewse, Denmark) $140K
8 Tom McCormick (Fargo, ND) $25K

Here are some random facts about the final table players:

* Jan Sorensen used to be professional soccer player in Europe before he started playing poker. He won a bracelet in Pot-Limit Omaha in 2002 and has made two final tables at the WSOP.

* Chip Jett has made two final tables prior to this event. His hobbies include building, breaking, and fixing things. His favorite game is Stud 8 or Better. He is a graduate of the University of Margaritaville.

* Steve Diano is a professional gambler and has one cash in this year’s WSOP in a Stud event. He admitted that he will paint his Cadillac pink if he wins a WSOP bracelet.

* John Phan is originally from Vietnam. His nickname is “The Razor” and he enjoys traveling. He made the final table in the WPT Championships at the Bellagio.

* Keith Sexton is a home builder and professional poker player with three kids. He took 2nd place in a 1992 WSOP Stud event.

* Gerard Rechnitzer is a real estate investor. He once beat Mike Caro to win a Stud event at the Commerce Casino in 2000.

* John McCormick is a president of a road construction company in North Dakota. He has five kids and loves golf. He has made 9 final tables in his WSOP career. Limit Hold’em is his best game and he’s finished in 3rd twice in Limit WSOP events.

* Joe Awada was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He is the CEO and President of a gaming entertainment company. He often brings pictures of his seven children to the poker table. Joe Awada returns to the final table to defend last year’s title.

Joe Awada knocked out the first player at the final table. Tom McCormick was short stacked and had to move all in. By fourth street McCormick showed a King high with three clubs and he was drawing dead by the time Awada picked up a full house on fifth street. Tom McCormick finished in 8th place and won $27,070.

Joe Awada appeared to be on a rush after he knocked out Gerard Rechnitzer. Joe Awada’s two pair Kings & Jacks were better than Gerard Rechnitzer’s fives & sixes. Gerard Rechnitzer finished in 7th place and won $36,095.

John Phan knocked out Steven Diano in 6th place. By sixth street, Phan was ahead with two pair (aces up) and Diano only had two jacks and a gutshot draw. He missed it on the river and Phan scooped the pot. Diano finished in 6th place and won $58,655.

Joe Awada’s attempt to repeat in this event came to a halt when he was knocked out in 5th place. Joe Awada moved all in and lost to John Phan who caught a straight. Last year’s champ, Joe Awada won $58,655 for fifth place. Jan Sorensen moved into the chip lead. Chip Jett had the small stack. John Phan held onto his short stack for a while, but eventually was knocked out in 4th place by Keith Sexton. John Phan won $72,190 for 4th. Keith Sexton moved into a huge chip lead after that pot.

Chip Jett was eliminated in 3rd place by Keith Sexton and his quest for his first WSOP was over. Jett pushed all in with a pair of sixes while Sexton showed a pair of Queens, which was good enough to win. Chip Jett won $99,265 for third place. We reached heads up play between Keith Sexton and Jan Sorensen. Sexton had the most chips.

Jan Sorensen slugged it out with Keith Sexton for over two and a half hours of some intense heads up play. Jan made a final table two years ago and finally broke through this year to win his first WSOP bracelet when his full house was good enough to bust Keith Sexton. Jan Sorensen won $293,275 for first and Keith Sexton won $162,430 for second place.

Indeed, all of Jan’s friends back home in Denmark are celebrating his victory as we speak. Congrats to Jan.