The L.A. Poker Classic offered the biggest first prize in the short history of the World Poker Tour, and the event was won by Alan Goehring. The former junk bond trader, who plays professional poker for "fun", scooped the $2.4 million first prize!
Alan Goehring is one of those poker pros who is very well respected and even feared by other tournament players but who is not a "celebrity" in the eyes of the general poker public. He has finished second in the World Series Of Poker Main Event - in 1999, when the tournament was won by the ultimate loose cannon, Noel Furlong.
Goehring used to have a reputation in professional poker circles as one of those guys who always finished second but couldn't crack a big win. He dispelled that myth once and for all when he won the WPT Tournament of Champions event in 2003. He will now have the opportunity to try and win that event again in April of 2006.
Goehring joins a famous list of previous winners of the L.A. Poker Classic including "The Magician" Antonio Esfandiari and "The Grinder" Michael Mizrachi.
