October 19, 2005

A poker player from Bermuda gave some of the top names in the high stakes poker game a run for their chips when he made it to the final table of the US Poker Championships.

Chris Furbert finished in sixth place in the No Limit Texas Hold'em event held in Atlantic City - winning a whopping $76,387.

He was one of nine poker players to survive from the starting field of 225 who were all playing for a first prize of $831,532.

Lady Luck seemed to be on Mr. Furbert's side as he took seat number three at the final table on October 9 with a starting chip count of 443,000.

But despite some spirited poker play, he was knocked out by the eventual tournament winner, James Caporuscio.

Both Mr. Furbert and the eventual winner went "all in" before the flop while each holding Ace-King.

Mr. Furbert and Mr. Caporuscio looked set to split the pot until the final card, "the river", was turned and Caporuscio hit a flush.

Before heading to the final table, Mr. Furbert told ESPN correspondent Steve Rosenbloom he had won a $225 satellite poker event at the Trump Taj hotel to get into the event.

Mr. Furbert also told ESPN it was the first time in five tries that he had got into a $10,000 buy-in poker event.

Mr. Furbert shared the final table with several well known poker pros including Men "The Master" Nguyen, who finished in the fifth spot, and John Juanda, who finished eighth. The poker tournament will eventually be broadcast on ESPN TV.