AbsolutePoker Pro Mark Seif Takes Lead at 36th Annual World Series of Poker Winning Back-to-Back Championships and Beating Defending World Champion Greg "Fossilman" Raymer Seif Tops 2,013 Players, the Third Largest Field in WSOP History Las Vegas (June 27, 2005) – AbsolutePoker (www.absolutepoker.com) pro Mark Seif became the first person at this year's World Series of Poker (www. worldseriesofpoker.com) to win two championships this year, placing him second in the money and first in the running for the WSOP's "Player of the Year" award. He is also currently ranked 10th in the World according to CardPlayer (www.cardplayer.com). He won his first gold and diamond WSOP bracelet in the $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout Friday June 17 for $181,330 and collected his second bracelet last Friday in the $1,500 NL Hold'em event where he bested 2,013 players, the third largest field in WSOP history. Seif's victory, which included beating defending world champion Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, netted him $611,145. Earlier in the month he placed 53rd in the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em winning $7,475 bringing his 2005 WSOP winnings to date to $799,950. Seif said, "This has been one of the most thrilling experiences of my life -- it's really just starting to sink in that I've done so well. For the last five years, I've been trying to win a bracelet at the WSOP so this is a significant accomplishment for me. It's also a big deal for my mom who maybe will start saying I'm a pro poker player instead of a lawyer. When I told her I'd won the first event, she reminded me that my sister Christina just graduated from college and was off to Harvard Law School. I guess you could say it was all around a great week for the Seifs!" Seif, who graduated in the top 10 percent of his class at Loyola Law School and became an expert trial lawyer in sexual harassment law for national Newport Beach firm Fisher & Phillips, switched to playing poker professionally in May 2001. "I had been playing high-stakes poker in public card rooms for many years when I won more than a half a million in cash games at the 2001 WSOP. That pretty much made my decision for me." According to Gian Perroni, AbsolutePoker's poker room manager, "Mark's back-to-back wins place him in an elite crowd. While the records are being verified, this may be all-time first in WSOP history and certainly no one has won back-to-back titles in fields this large. If he wins again, he'll become the third person in history to win three bracelets in one year. Mark is one of the best players out there and word is out that he is the one to beat. We are proud to have him as part of Team AbsolutePoker." Nine players competed In Friday's event to win the WSOP bracelet and the $611,145 top prize. Mark Seif, Incline Village, NV $611,145 Minh Nguyen, Lake Elsinore $329,975 Bill Gazes, Miami, FL $202,790 Webber Kang, Dallas, TX $175,010 Peter Lee, Queens, NY $147,230 Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, Stonington, CT $119,450 (Defending World Champion Steve Carter, Frisco, TX $91,670 Steve Rassi, Morton, IL $63,895 David "DevilFish" Ulliot, Hull, U.K. $47,225 According to Nolan Dalla, WSOP media director, "Mark Seif has paid his dues in this game. For years Mark has done it all. He's won several tournaments, made several final tables and finished high in the money several times. Up to now, the only thing that has eluded him has been the gold bracelets at the WSOP. Mark has not only fulfilled that dream, but he did it twice. He now joins an elite group of poker players who have won twice. It is an honor well deserved." CardPlayer Magazine posted the game's progress and the following is the play-by-play from the log for final and winning hand number 184: "Nguyen has the button, he limps, Seif raises to $100,000, Nguyen raises to $600,000, Seif pushes all in, and Nguyen calls. Nguyen shows Ad-10d, but Seif has pocket kings (Kc-Kd). Nguyen is the shorter stack, facing possible elimination on this hand. The flop comes Kh-7h-4c, and Seif has flopped a set of kings. The only way Nguyen will survive is if he catches a jack and a queen on the last two cards for a straight. The turn card is the 9c, and Nguyen is drawing dead. Minh Nguyen is eliminated in second place, earning $329,975. "Mark Seif wins Event #22 ($1,500 No-Limit Hold'em), earning $611,145 and his second World Series of Poker bracelet this week." About Absolute Poker Absolute Poker (www.absolutepoker.com) with thousands of active players at all times, is edit again please fourth largest online poker destination. Driven by proprietary software, Absolute Poker was created to offer the most comprehensive, interactive online poker room, while always delivering superior customer service and a personal touch to each online poker player. Players Worldwide can access an Absolute Poker online poker game 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and experience the best multi-player online poker the industry has to offer. Established in 2003, Absolute Poker is licensed and regulated in Canada. Media Contact: Karin Olsen, AMAZONpr, 310-497-0052, karin@amazonpr. com and Gina Magee, AMAZONpr, 310-413-3130, gina@amazonpr.com