Blair Rodman Wins $2,000 Buy-in
No-Limit Hold'em World Championship

"Rodman co-authored "Kill Phil", telling how to beat the best poker players"

The winner of the $2,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em championship was Blair Rodman, from Las Vegas, NV. Rodman, age 53, is a longtime professional gambler. This was his first victory at the World Series of Poker.

Rodman gambles professionally -- mostly on golf, sports, and poker. In fact, his first love is golf. He has been active on the local Las Vegas scene most of his adult life. He has been playing in the WSOP since 1982.

Rodman earned a B.S. degree in business. Aside from gambling, Rodman co-authored the popular book, "Kill Phil" which explains counterstrategies designed to beat the best poker players in the world. Rodman is married. He is originally from Troy, NY. The winner is also active on the Ultimate Blackjack Tour, a televised "21" tournament.

Rodman arrived at the final table relatively low on chips. He was sixth out of the final nine players. However, Rodman managed to survive and eventually took a decisive chip lead at one point when play became two-handed. His opponent then regained the lead, and in a see-saw battle Rodman eventually won the last pot of the nigh. Heads-up play lasted for three hours.

In an odd twist of fate, Rodman almost missed this event. He was knocked out of the Omaha High-Low tournament held on the previous day and departed the Rio passed midnight. Rodman almost skipped the next day's event because he was exhausted. However, he joined with 2,038 entries who participated in this tournament. "I got eliminated on late on the second day in Omaha," Rodman explained in a post-tournament interview. "I almost didn't play (in this tournament). If I would not have been knocked out of that Omaha High-Low event, I would not have been here. So, I guess getting busted in that event was a good thing!"


by Nolan Dalla