Jonathan Cheramie, from nearby La Rose, LA won the fifth event at this year's World Series of Poker Circuit held at Harrah's New Orleans. The tournament attracted 443 entries, each putting up a $500 entry fee. It took 13 hours to eliminate 434 players, leaving the final nine to take the stage inside the Harrah's New Orleans Showroom at the final table on day two.

Jason Su, from Austin, TX started off as the chip leader. He began with 133,500, although Rodney Guidry and Raul W. Robert were both close behind with over 100,000. The shortest stack belonged to Jay Childress, hanging on with just 18,000. Cheramie, the eventual winner, was relatively low on chips from the start - with just 46,000.

Blinds started at 2,000-4,000. Players were eliminated as follows:

9th Place - Nearly an hour passed before the first bust-out. Desperately low on chips, Jay Childress hoped to double-up. On his final hand of the night, he was in the lead with top pair (queens) on the turn, but ended up losing when his opponent rivered a king. Childress later stated this was his first-ever live tournament experience. Making the final table was quite an accomplishment for the rookie. He collected $4,297.

8th Place - Jay Franklin Benjamin has been playing poker seriously since 1989. The longtime card player from the Houston area went out next when all his chips were committed with A-6 after a flop of Q-6-4. Unfortunately, his opponent flopped a queen for a higher pair and Benjamin failed to improve. Jay Franklin Benjamin received 64 "Benjamin Franklins" -- $6,446 to be exact.

7th Place - This was not Rodney Guidry's day. Second in chips at the start, Guidry wasn't able to generate much momentum at the final table and ended up going out in seventh place. On his final hand, Guidry was dealt pocket sevens against Jason Su's A-Q. Su caught and ace and Guidry - who coaches softball during his free time - struck out in the tournament. He did earn $8,594 in prize money.

6th Place - Despite growing legions of female players everywhere, Bridget Fredericks was the first lady to make a final table appearance in an open event at this year's tournament. She admittedly had some bad luck in this same tournament last year, as poker pro Howard Lederer called her 'the Bubble Girl,' after finishing in tournament poker's worst possible spot - just one place out of the prize money. This time, Fredericks did much better, making it all the way to the final tale. One her final hand, Frederick's A-5 was flattened by pocket jacks. Sixth place paid $10,743.

5th Place - Tony Hatley took a few bad beats and busted out next. On his final hand, his A-Q looked to be in good position to double up in chips, but his opponent caught a pair on the river and dragged Hatley's last chip. Hatley, who won the Southern Classic in Biloxi, MS, pocketed $12,891.

4th Place - Jason Su was the chip leader for most of the way. If his name sounds familiar here in New Orleans it is because Su won the $1,000 buy-in championship at the Bayou Poker Challenge in 2005. It looked like Su might capture his second gold ring in as many years, but the cards were unmercifully foul on the final hand. Su was dealt pocket jacks and was thrilled to be all-in against Jonathan Cheramie after the flop came 8-6-3. But Cheramie had 8-6 and flopped two-pair. All the money went into the pot. Su failed to improve. Jason Su ended up at the fourth-place finisher and took home $15,040.

3rd Place - A monetary deal was reportedly made between the three finalists. That affected the way players proceeded from that point forward. After Su's elimination, Jim Moran, a.k.a. "The Poker Man" moved all-in and was steamrolled when Cheramie flopped a straight. Moran, the son of U.S. Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) and the owner of nine restaurants scattered throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, 'officially' earned $17,188 in prize money.

2nd Place - On the very next hand, Raoul W. Robert busted out and the tournament was over. Throwing caution to the wind, Robert moved in with the less than stellar 6-9 against Cheramie's Q-9. Cheramie, with a commanding chip lead and hand domination all but ended Robert's last gasp when the flop came Q-10-10. Robert failed to connect and officially finished as the runner-up, receiving $34,377.

Raoul W.Robert has been playing poker for more than 20 years. He made it to a final table at the 1984 World Series of Poker - finishing seventh. However, he quit poker in 1987 because of the demands of running a private business. Just two years ago, Robert decided to start playing again and has since placed high in the money at several tournaments in New Orleans and throughout the South.

The winner, Jonathan Cheramie officially collected $66,600. He works full-time as an advertising sales manager for a local newspaper. He also plays poker on the Internet and once a week in a home game. Cheramie, age 34 is also married and has two children, with a third on the way.

"This prize money will sure come in handy," he said.

-- By Nolan Dalla