Bob Liller Of Pasadena Wins Seat at WSOP by Winning Invitational Poker Tournament

Bob Liller's cardiologist advised him not to travel to Las Vegas. However, he had a good reason to go.

Liller was one of the players invited to play in the Invitational poker tournament, where he would have to test his poker skills against 299 other players. The prize for the tournament was $15,000 plus the chance to participate in the world series of poker 2007.

"I just wanted to see how far I could get," Mr. Liller said. "You don't get that many chances in a lifetime."

"I played tight. I played good hands," he said. "I happened to call guys when they would bluff me. It was more luck than skill." Liller's wife, Annette, was present at the tournament along with two of their friends.

"He wanted it so bad," she said. "It was neat it really was." Liller says that he is excited to meet poker stars like Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, and Mike Matusow when he returns to Vegas in June for the WSOP.

"If I win big I'll take care of my friends and family and I'll buy a house on the bay," he said. He said he'd also like to buy a house in Aruba, one of his and Annette's favorite vacations spots.

"It's the opportunity of a lifetime," Annette said, "It's his dream."

December 03, 2006
Jeremy Evans