Annie Duke, Ellix Powers, and Jim McManus at the same table

[Vee Quiva]

[ QUOTE ]
Soon after that I was moved to a table with Annie Duke one seat to my left, and Ellix Powers two seats to my left. A few players commented on the somewhat heated exchange Ellix and I had at last year's final table in this event. Ellix and I have smoked a peace pipe since then, and whatever verbal fireworks that went on in the last half hour took place between Annie and Ellix. Not that she can't take care of herself at a poker table, but for backup she had her huge older brother, Howard Lederer, standing behind her, along with her male companion, a large, bearded, muscular cowboy in a sleeveless shirt.



[/ QUOTE ]

This is from McManus' poker journal in the NY Times. I would have loved to hear the conversation at that table.

[sexypanda]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/sugarjames/

That site has a little commentary from the table.

[Meatmaw]

Who is this Ellix Powers? I don't know anything about him but the livejournal makes him out to be pathetic.

[daryn]

i like to put him in a rare and exclusive category:

high-stakes gambling bum.

he's the kind of guy that could be broke or have a half mil tomorrow.

if you told me he had X dollars, where X was between $0 and $100K right now, i'd believe you

[Meatmaw]

I did find this in a desc of a 2004 event:

[ QUOTE ]
7th ? Ellix Powers ? The most incredible ?rags to riches? story at this year?s WSOP (and arguably in the 35-year history of the tournament) was Ellix Powers, who once was a homeless man living on the streets prior to cashing in big on the tournament trail. Powers raised a small stake, started playing low-limit poker, entered a few tournaments, and went on a massive rush that continues to this day. He won six-figures at a major tournament in California and came to this WSOP with enough of a bankroll to play in the biggest events in poker. Powers was up front about his impoverished past, and made a number of references to his religious faith ? which he says helped him arise from poverty to final table appearances at the World Series. Powers played like a maniac most of the day, often raising without looking at his cards. This made him extremely dangerous and unpredictable to opponents. Powers finally lost his connection when he was eliminated by Hennigan. Powers told an ESPN interviewer, ?I?ve been a poor man all my life. The ($40,040 in prize money) is cool. There?s always tomorrow. God bless all of you.?

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess he could simply be on a rush that the other 50,000 people with his past failed to survive past, but I've never seen him play or know anything about his skills. Sounds like he could use a muzzle if that live journal is true. Although, admittedly, it might be fun playing at a table with him. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[felson]

There was a thread some time after the WSOP event in which someone said he saw Powers wandering around a casino, playing 3/6 and looking for backers into satellites.

[augie00]

This LJ is interesting...is it yours?