Erik Seidel moves top of all-time money list
Erik Seidel has now won more money playing poker than anyone else in history
| by The Suited Connector |  March, 7th 2011 |
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![Erik Seidel is top of the all-time poker money list [Pic: NBC]](http://www.pokerjolt.com/img/pictures/451/525.jpg)
Above: Erik Seidel is top of the all-time poker money list [Pic: NBC]
Erik Seidel moved to the top of the all-time poker money list yesterday after winning the 2011 Heads-Up Poker Championship.
The 51-year-old defeated Chris Moneymaker in Las Vegas to pocket the $750,000 winners cheque and overtake Daniel Negreanu in the all-time rankings.
His career winnings are now an astonishing $14.6 million, comfortably ahead of of Daniel Negreanu with $14.2 million and Phil Ivey with $13.9 million.
Afterwards, Seidel said: "I’m loving it right now. I kind of expect it [being top of the money list] will be a temporary thing, but I’m happy to be there now."
He added: "It’s a great feeling to win this tournament. Any time you win, you don’t have that lingering ‘what did I do wrong?’ or ‘Maybe I should have done something different.’”
Seidel has gone from 11th to 1st in the all-time money list in just two months after landing the $250,000 Super High Roller tournament at the Aussie Millions in January and another high roller tourney at the LA Poker Classic last month.
Seidel, famously the runner-up to Johnny Chan at the 1988 World Series of Poker - a moment depicted in the cult movie Rounders - won the first two matches in the best of three format to defeat 2003 WSOP champion Moneymaker.
In the first game all the money rapidly went in on a board of J,9,4 rainbow. Seidel had top pair with J,6 and managed to avoid any nasty surprises as Moneymaker, with Q,10, missed his straight draw.
The next game lasted longer, but had the same result when Moneymaker tried an ill-advised bluff. Holding king high he moved in on a 5,5,9 board - only to get looked up by Seidel, who hade made his set of fives.
A clearly disappointed Moneymaker said: "I tried everything. "I tried to check-raise, I tried to bluff him, I tried to trap him. He’s just a true champion.”
Moneymaker, who himself is enjoying something of a comeback year after finishing 11th at the PCA in January, took home $300,000 for second place.
A total of 62 players were invited to take part in the tournament, which was broadcast on NBC.
