New Talents

Name: Eric Feld

Achievements: Youngest player to take part in the 2006 WSOP Main Event

Prize Money: $7,875 1274

Eric Feld , 21, was initially an accounting student from Florida State University. If everything goes accordingly at the WSOP, he probably might never have to balance anyone’s books, but his own. Feld cruised his way through Bodog poker team. Though, he couldn’t make a mark for himself in Main Event. His wonderful performance attracted everyone’s attention and considered him as one of the next generation's young guns.

He is not an experienced campaigner, but will have to face many tough players at WSOP. However, this didn’t bother him. I don't think age really has anything to do with it. There have been people from every age group to win the WSOP says Feld. As the youngest player maybe people won’t want me to knock out because I have just had my 21st birthday. Maybe they’ll take it easy on me.

Name: Eric Froehlich

Achievements: Winner of $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha with Rebuys Event

Prize Money: $299,675

Sherkhan Farnood in the end raised 36K, and Eric Froehlich then called off. The flop turned out to be 1075. Sherkhan bet the pot and again Froehlich raised. Finally, Farnood decided to move all-in, and in the end Froehlich called. The table displayed :

Eric Froehlich Q776
Sherkhan Farnood KK63

The last 2 cards were JJ, and Froehlich won the hand -- and the bracelet -- with a full house (7 jacks). Sherkhan Farnood ended up at 2 winning $165,274. Eric Froehlich won the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha with Rebuys event earning $299,675 and his 2nd WSOP bracelet in 2 years.

Froehlich was topping a tough field of 160 players and won $299,675 in the Pot-Limit Omaha Championship.  After nearly 150 players have been eliminated, the final 9 people took a tough game.  This includes 2 former gold bracelet winners Chau Giang and Rafi Amit, etc.

Ayaz Mahmood, a Pakistani-born poker was the first to go out with A-J-9-6 to his opponent's 7-7-5-4. Finally, the board showed 9-6-3-Q-5 giving O'Donnell a straight. Israeli’s Rafi Amit was the next one to go. His 8-6-5-2 lost to A-7-4-3 when the final board showed J-4-2-4-3 leaving Amit at 8th position. Then, Richard 'Knucklehead' Freire was exchanging a few words with rivals, but none could save him when his Q-5-3-2 was hammered by Chau Giang's Q-Q-6-4. It was Matt Overstreet’s turn next when his Q-Q-9-3 was came over by Giang'ss K-K-J-5.. Overstreet settled at 6th position winning $45,405.

Soon, Bruno Fitoussi was crushed out when his K-8-7-5 lost to Kevin O'Donnell's A-J-8-3, as the board was showing J-9-5-6-4 against 3 diamonds to 2 diamonds. Fitoussi, however, he did receive $54,486 for 5th place. Kevin O'Donnell was enjoying the chip lead, but certainly not before he suffered terrible blows, which knocked him over. O'Donnell was in a mood to make a move with a good straight flush. When hE decided to re-raise all-in, the turn with K-Q-J-2 resulted in the board showing 10-8-7-4 with 2 clubs. Sherkhan Farnood again went for a big raise assuming a very vulnerable straight (A-9-6-5), which held up, but O'Donnell finished at 4th earning $72,648.

The Vietnamese-born poker pro, Chau Giang, was eventually knocked out when his A-8-4-2 was surpassed by Eric Froehlich's 10-7-6-4. Giang took $90,810. Sherkhan Farnood ended as a runner-up. He deposited $165,274 for 2nd place. Meanwhile, Eric Froehlich took center stage for the second time in 2 years.

Froehlich reminisced back to last year's win. 'The first one is sweeter,' Froehlich admitted. When asked if the second WSOP win puts him into the same class with similar youthful champions such as Ivey, Negreanu, and Cunningham, Froehlich was more modest. 'They are all great players,' he said.