2003 World Series of Poker

{{Infobox sports competition event

|event=2003 World Series of Poker| competition = 2003 World Series of Poker

| location = Binion's Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada

| dates = April 15 – May 23

|competitors=839| champion = {{flagicon|USA}} Chris Moneymaker

|prize_money=$7,802,700| prev = 2002

| next = 2004

}}

The 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was a poker tournament held at Binion's Horseshoe. The tournament is seen as a turning point in the history of competitive poker, as amateur Chris Moneymaker's victory in the main event despite no prior tournament experience was widely regarded as bringing with it a surge in public interest and popularity in the game, known as the Moneymaker effect, or the Poker boom.{{Cite web |last=Levy |first=Don Riddell,Glen |date=2021-11-17 |title=The Moneymaker Effect: Meet the man who helped change the fortunes of poker overnight |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/17/sport/chris-moneymaker-wsop-poker-espn-fortunes-spt-intl |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{cite web |last=Pataskowski |first=Mark |date=2023-08-02 |title=Chris Moneymaker After the Poker Boom: 20 Years Later |url=https://www.pokertube.com/article/chris-moneymaker-after-the-poker-boom-20-years-later |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=PokerTube}} Moneymaker entered the tournament from a ticket won in an online PokerStars table.{{Cite web |orig-date=17 November 2021 |title=PokerStars Big 20 – 2003: Chris Moneymaker wins WSOP, sparks ‘poker boom’ |url=https://www.pokerstars.uk/poker/learn/news/pokerstars-big-20-2003-chris-moneymaker-wins-wsop-sparks-poker-boom/ |url-status=live |website=PokerStars}}

Events

There were 35 preliminary bracelet events at the 2003 World Series of Poker.{{cite web | title=2003 World Series of Poker Tournament Schedule | website=World Series of Poker | url=https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/schedule/?groupID=5| access-date=2024-11-26}} Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth all tied Johnny Moss's career bracelet record with their ninth. Men Nguyen finished runner-up in two events in this World Series.

class="wikitable sortable"

!Date

! bgcolor="#FFEBAD" | Event

!Entries

! bgcolor="#FFEBAD" | Winner

! bgcolor="#FFEBAD" | Prize

! bgcolor="#FFEBAD" | Runner-up

!Results

|April 15, 2003

| $500 Casino Employees Limit Hold'em

|208

| David Lukaszewski (1/1)

| $35,800

| Paul Trieglaff

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1758&grid=5 Results]

|April 16, 2003

| $2,000 Limit Hold'em

|422

| Mohammed Ibrahim (1/1)

| $290,420

| Jon Brody

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1759&grid=5 Results]

|April 17, 2003

| $1,500 Seven-card stud

|177

| Toto Leonidas (1/1)

| $98,760

| Rallis Peter Tanagiotias

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1760&grid=5 Results]

|April 18, 2003

| $2,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split

|175

| Chris Ferguson (1/4)

| $123,680

| Barry Bindelglass

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1761&grid=5 Results]

|April 19, 2003

| $2,000 No Limit Hold'em

|407

| Jim Meehan (1/1)

| $280,100

| Guy Calvert

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1762&grid=5 Results]

|April 20, 2003

| $1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em

|212

| Prahlad Friedman (1/1)

| $109,400

| Bernd Rygol

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1763&grid=5 Results]

|April 21, 2003

| $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split

|190

| Minh Nguyen (1/1)

| $106,020

| Bob Mangino

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1764&grid=5 Results]

|April 22, 2003

| $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha

|117

| Erik Seidel (1/6)

| $146,100

| Men Nguyen (0/4)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1765&grid=5 Results]

|April 23, 2003

| $2,000 H.O.R.S.E.

|113

| Doyle Brunson (1/9)

| $84,080

| Brian Haveson

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1766&grid=5 Results]

|April 24, 2003

| $2,000 1/2 Hold'em, 1/2 Seven Card Stud

|89

| Chris Ferguson (2/5)

| $66,220

| Diego Cordovez (0/1)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1767&grid=5 Results]

|April 25, 2003

| $2,500 No Limit Hold'em

|259

| Phi Nguyen (1/1)

| $222,800

| Jim Miller

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1768&grid=5 Results]

|April 26, 2003

| $2,500 Limit Hold'em

|194

| Phil Hellmuth (1/8)

| $171,400

| Young Phan

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1769&grid=5 Results]

|April 27, 2003

| $2,500 Seven Card Stud

|103

| Michael Saltzburg (1/1)

| $95,580

| Mimi Tran

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1770&grid=5 Results]

|April 28, 2003

| $5,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw

|28

| O'Neil Longson (1/2)

| $147,680

| Allen Cunningham (0/2)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1771&grid=5 Results]

|April 29, 2003

| $5,000 No Limit Hold'em

|127

| Johnny Chan (1/8)

| $224,400

| Surinder Sunar

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=6&grid=5 Results]

|April 30, 2003

| $1,500 Limit Omaha

|120

| Eddy Scharf (1/2)

| $63,600

| Dave Colclough

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1772&grid=5 Results]

|May 1, 2003

| $1,500 Limit Hold'em

|346

| John Arrage (1/1)

| $178,600

| Kathy Liebert

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1773&grid=5 Results]

|May 2, 2003

| $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split

|135

| Layne Flack (1/4)

| $119,260

| Men Nguyen (0/4)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1774&grid=5 Results]

|May 3, 2003

| $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em

|214

| Mickey Appleman (1/4)

| $147,280

| Brian Plona

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1775&grid=5 Results]

|May 4, 2003

| $1,000 Seniors' No Limit Hold'em

|378

| Ron Rose (1/1)

| $130,060

| Ron McMillan

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1776&grid=5 Results]

|May 5, 2003

| $2,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split

|140

| John Juanda (1/2)

| $130,200

| Shawn Sheikhan

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1777&grid=5 Results]

|May 6, 2003

| $1,500 No Limit Hold'em

|531

| Amir Vahedi (1/1)

| $270,000

| Cleve Haley

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1778&grid=5 Results]

|May 7, 2003

| $2,000 S.H.O.E.

|135

| Daniel Negreanu (1/2)

| $100,440

| Jim Pechac

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1779&grid=5 Results]

|May 8, 2003

| $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha

|85

| Johnny Chan (2/9)

| $158,100

| Emmanuel Sebag

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1780&grid=5 Results]

|May 9, 2003

| $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout

|220

| Layne Flack (2/5)

| $120,000

| Annie Duke

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1781&grid=5 Results]

|May 10, 2003

| $3,000 Limit Hold'em

|154

| Tom Jacobs (1/1)

| $163,000

| Jan Sjavik

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1782&grid=5 Results]

|May 11, 2003

| $5,000 Seven-Card Razz

|30

| Huck Seed (1/4)

| $71,500

| Phil Ivey (0/4)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1783&grid=5 Results]

|May 11, 2003

| $1,000 Ladies' 1/2 Hold'em, 1/2 Stud

|112

| Barb Rugolo (1/1)

| $40,700

| J. J. Liu

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1784&grid=5 Results]

|May 12, 2003

| $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split

|259

| Frankie O'Dell (1/1)

| $133,760

| Bill Schonsheck

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1785&grid=5 Results]

|May 13, 2003

| $3,000 Pot Limit Hold'em

|218

| Charles Keith Lehr (1/1)

| $225,040

| Chris Ferguson (0/5)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1786&grid=5 Results]

|May 14, 2003

| $5,000 Seven Card Stud

|96

| Men Nguyen (1/5)

| $178,560

| Mel Judah (0/2)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1787&grid=5 Results]

|May 15, 2003

| $3,000 No Limit Hold'em

|398

| Phil Hellmuth (2/9)

| $410,860

| Daniel Negreanu (0/2)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1788&grid=5 Results]

|May 16, 2003

| $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha

|120

| John Juanda (2/3)

| $203,840

| O'Neil Longson (0/2)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1789&grid=5 Results]

|May 17, 2003

| $5,000 Limit Hold'em

|143

| Carlos Mortensen (1/2)

| $251,680

| Mark Gregorich

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=5&grid=5 Results]

|May 18, 2003

| $1,500 Ace to Five Triple Draw Lowball

|78

| Men Nguyen (2/6)

| $43,520

| Charles Keith Lehr (0/1)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=1790&grid=5 Results]

|May 19, 2003

|$10,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event

|839

|Chris Moneymaker (1/1)

|$2,500,000

|Sam Farha (0/1)

|[https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/results/?aid=2&tid=7&grid=5 Results]

Main Event

There were 839 entrants to the main event.{{cite web | last=Berman | first=Marc | title=Chris Moneymaker’s Inspiring Story: From the 2003 WSOP to Now | website=Programming Insider | date=2022-10-06 | url=https://programminginsider.com/chris-moneymakers-inspiring-story-from-the-2003-wsop-to-now/ | access-date=2024-11-12}} Each paid $10,000 to enter, with the top 63 players finishing in the money. It was the largest poker tournament ever played in a brick and mortar casino at the time. Many entrants, including the overall winner Chris Moneymaker, won their seat in online poker tournaments.{{cite web | last=Lee | first=Bernard | title=The life and legacy of Chris Moneymaker, 15 years after his WSOP title changed poker | website=ESPN.com | date=2018-05-24 | url=https://www.espn.com/poker/story/_/id/23594337/world-series-poker-life-legacy-chris-moneymaker-15-years-2003-wsop-main-event-win-changed-world-poker | access-date=2024-11-27}} Moneymaker defeated professional Sam Farha heads-up with two pair, which improved to a full house on the river, over Farha's pair of jacks.{{Cite web |last=Wilgoren |first=Jodi |date=2003-05-25 |title=A Player Called 'Money' Wins World Poker Title |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/25/us/a-player-called-money-wins-world-poker-title.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=The New York Times}} The 2003 Main Event was the first tournament to pay out at least $2,500,000 to the winner. Dan Harrington made the final table and looked to win his second Main Event championship, but fell short in third place.{{cite web | title=Web players’ success raises stakes on poker scene | website=Baltimore Sun | date=2004-06-20 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2004/06/20/web-players-success-raises-stakes-on-poker-scene/ | access-date=2025-03-07}}

=Final table=

class="wikitable sortable"
Name !Number of chips (percentage of total) !WSOP Bracelets* !WSOP Cashes* !WSOP Earnings*
\|{{flagicon\|USA}} Chris Moneymaker \|2,344,000 (27.9%) \|0 \|0 \|0
{{flagicon\|IRN}} Amir Vahedi \|1,407,000 (16.8%) \|1 \|4 \|$314,950
{{flagicon\|USA}} Sam Farha \|999,000 (11.9%) \|1 \|2 \|$193,140
{{flagicon\|USA}} Tomer Benvenisti \|922,000 (11.0%) \|0 \|0 \|0
{{flagicon\|USA}} David Singer \|750,000 (8.9%) \|0 \|8 \|$93,115
{{flagicon\|USA}} Jason Lester \|695,000 (8.3%) \|0 \|11 \|$128,200
{{flagicon\|USA}} Dan Harrington \|574,000 (6.8%) \|2 \|7 \|$1,325,858
{{flagicon\|USA}} Young Pak \|360,000 (4.3%) \|0 \|4 \|$33,819
{{flagicon\|USA}} David Grey \|338,000 (4.0%) \|1 \|7 \|$306,664

class="wikitable sortable"

Name

!Number of chips
(percentage of total)

!WSOP
Bracelets*

!WSOP
Cashes*

!WSOP
Earnings*

|{{flagicon|USA}} Chris Moneymaker

|2,344,000 (27.9%)

{{flagicon|IRN}} Amir Vahedi

|1,407,000 (16.8%)

|$314,950

{{flagicon|USA}} Sam Farha