WSOP Announces Main Event Rematches in Made for TV Event

Back in 2003, Chris Moneymaker changed history when he was the first player to ever win the WSOP Main Event via  an online satellite.  He took down the title after defeating Sammy Farha heads-up, kicking off the poker boom.  Many players have wondered whether Farha would beat Moneymaker if given another crack at him.  Now they will find out.

This "made for TV" event will feature some of the greatest heads-up matches ever.

The WSOP announced on Wednesday that they will be holding a series of WSOP Main Event rematches during the 2011 WSOP.  The featured event is the rematch between Farha and Moneymaker from the 2003 WSOP.  The match will feature a best of three round series.  The first match will see the two players start with the same amount of chips they started with at the beginning of heads-up play in 2003.  The 2nd match will swap those starting stacks, and if a third match is needed, they will start with event stacks.

The Moneymaker-Farha rematch is not the only rematch on the schedule.  The 2nd match will feature a rematch from 1989 when Johnny Chan takes on Phil Hellmuth.  Going into the 1989 Main Event, Johnny Chan had won the prior two Main Event’s and was looking to set the record with three Main Event tournament wins.  Hellmuth stopped Chan heads-up and the “poker brat” was born.  This match will be a single match with both players starting with the same amount of chips.

The final match-up will be determined by popular vote on the WSOP’s Facebook page.  Fans can choose from the following:

1988 Main Event – Johnny Chan vs. Erik Seidel

2004 Main Event – Greg Raymer vs. David Williams

2006 Main Event – Jamie Gold vs. Paul Wasicka

2010 Main Event – Jonathan Duhamel vs. John Racener

All three matches will kick off on June 2nd from the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.  The matches will all be played on the ESPN set in the Amazon Room.  ESPN will then broadcast these matches on July 26th in back-to-back WSOP episodes.