Gulf Coast Poker Championship
WPT Season 6

WPT Event Day 1 -- September 6
It meant a lot to people in Biloxi, MS to have a major poker tournament at the Beau Rivage. The casino/hotel was one of many places devastated by Hurricane Katrina that cameback to life. There was millions of dollars of damage to be taken care of, but what has been rebuilt reflects the pride and determination of the people involved in the reconstruction. An absolutely beautiful room was filled with 256 top poker players to battle it out for big money. Names like Mike Matusow, Barry Greenstein, Shannon Shorr, Tony Cousineau, Peter Feldman, Kenna James, Josh Arieh, John Gale and Mimi Tran. After close to 9 hours of play, Tournament Director Johnny Grooms said let's call it a night. There were 135 left for Day 2.

1. Thomas Ballan -- 122,225 chips
2. Hank Sitton -- 100,450 chips
3. Vanessa Rousso -- 100,050 chips
4. Bill Elder -- 99,975 chips
5. Terry Jennings -- 94,100 chips
6. Joe Pharo -- 88,450 chips

WPT Event Day 2 -- September 7
$2,433,536 was the size of the prize pool with money going to the top 27. Here are the payouts for the final table to be seen on GSN:

1. $778,737
2. $428,302
3. $219,018
4. $170,348
5. $146,012
6. $121,677

1. Jonathan Little -- 502,000 chips
2. Hank Sitton -- 461,000 chips
3. Lyle Vincent -- 363,000 chips
4. Surinder Sunar -- 285,000 chips
5. Bob Cole -- 281,500 chips
6. Flecher McKinney 270,000 chips

WPT Event Day 3 -- September 8
Today had local talent with top pros going at it to see who would make the final table. Blinds began with $3,000/$6,000 and a $1,000 ante at noon PDT. Lee Markholt and Chad Brown were among the first to bust out of today's play. Brown went out pretty bad as L.D. Williams went all in on a flop of K 9 8 and was immediately called by Brown with pocket A's. Williams with Q 10 got the J on the turn and made his straight, sending Brown to the sidelines. He was followed by Haralabos Voulgaris, T.J. Cloutier, Bob Slezak, Bernard Lee, Vanessa Rousso, Surinder Sunar and Tim Hebert.

But the amazing story of the tournament was Bill Elder who was beaten down to two $1,000 chips at one point. Naturally he was all-in on the next hand, but he won it. Then he tripled up with a set of Aces and just steamrolled through the day to end up over 1 million in chips and a seat at the final table. We will find out how he does tomorrow, as if Elder wins this one it will be the greatest comeback in WPT history. Here are the final table players:

1. Tom Franklin -- 1,040,000 chips
2. John Davidson -- 1,011,000 chips
3. Bill Elder -- 1,005,000 chips
4. Hank Sitton -- 846,000 chips
5. David Robbins -- 727,000 chips
6. Tim Frazin -- 499,000 chips

WPT Event Final Table -- September 9
The fans in the stands were ready for action, and when things got started by 2:30 p.m. PDT, they got what they were looking for. Blinds were at $15,000/$30,000 with a $4,000 ante. By the 4th hand, chip leader Tom Franklin was busted in 6th place! He went all-in after a flop of 8 5 5 with pocket Q's and lost to David Robbins's pocket A's. (We think the jerk comment of Tim Frazin asking how much did he buy his gold WSOP bracelet for on Ebay, may have gotten to him.) The poker gods did not take kindly to such sarcasm as Tim busted out in 5th behind Franklin 8 hands later. Elder busted John Davidson out in 4th and David Robbins won all of Hank Sitton's pile sending him home in 3rd.

The heads up between Bill Elder an David Robbins began with Elder at 1,945,000 chips and Robbins at 3,285,000. Blinds were at $40,000/$80,000 with a $10,000 ante. Eighteen hands into the heads up, Bill Elder doubled up on Robbins, leaving him with only 230,000 chips left. On the next hand Robbins shoves his 230K into the middle in the dark. Elder looks at his cards and calls. By the time the dust clears, Elder ended up with a full house 10's/A's and takes home his first WPT championship win.

1. Bill Elder -- $778,737 Champion
2. David Robbins -- $428,302
3. Hank Sitton -- $219,018
4. John Davidson -- $170,348
5. Tim Frazin -- $146,012
6. Tom Franklin -- $121,677