WORLD SERIES OF POKER The Mouth silenced first

LAS VEGAS - When the chips settle at the World Series of Poker's main event sometime early Saturday morning, one player at the frenzied final table will win the grandest prize in the game - $7.5 million, accompanied by unrivaled poker fame.

Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, the most well-known of the final nine players, and, in some circles, the most hated professional player, was the first of those nine sent to the rail in the Texas Hold 'em championship Friday night at Binion's in downtown Las Vegas.

Matusow lost about half of his stack on hand No. 2 Friday, when his three kings lost to production assistant Scott Lazar's ace-high flush, which he made with four community cards showing on the board.

Less than two hours later, Matusow had pocket 10s vs. mortgage banker Steven Dannenmann, who had an ace and jack. The board (community cards) were 5-3-2-4-9, giving Dannenmann a straight, eliminating Matusow, who picked up a check for $1 million.

"I played six days of the best poker of my life," Matusow said, "and I'm gonna go to bed happy."

About an hour later, law student Brad Kondracki was eliminated in eighth place, earning $1.15 million, leaving seven players at the table.

As of the dinner break, which was to last until nearly 1 a.m. New York time, Irishman Andrew Black was the chip leader with about $18.2 million, followed by poker pro Aaron Kanter ($10.6 million), beer garden owner Tex Barch ($10.4 million), Dannenmann ($7.1 million), Lazar ($5.3 million), Swedish truck driver Daniel Bergsdorf ($2.9 million) and Australian chiropractor Joseph Hachem ($2.4 million).

Friday's final group of nine emerged from a staggering field of 5,619 players who bought into the event for $10,000 each.

On Thursday, Kanter busted out six players, including Phil Ivey. He also crippled Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, the 2004 champ, who finished 25th. Also Thursday, Barch eliminated the last woman in the field, Tiffany Williamson, who went out 15th.

News Added: 16 July, 2005

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