BY TOM SOMACH

Phil “Poison” Ivey narrowly missed winning his sixth career World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet when he came in second in the $5,000 buy-in, seven-card stud tournament at the 2007 WSOP in Las Vegas.

The tourney, WSOP Event #11, featured 180 entrants, a total prize pool of $846,000 and a final heads-up battle between representatives of America’s top two gambling meccas, Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

The event was won by Chris Reslock of Atlantic City, N.J., USA, who took home $258,453 for his victorious effort.

Ivey, of Las Vegas, who is favored by many to win the WSOP main event next month, earned $143,820 for his runnerup finish in this tournament.

Johnny “The Orient Express” Chan, who has won the WSOP main event twice and appeared as himself in the poker film “Rounders,” finished in 18th place in this tournament, garnering $8,460.

He is originally from China and now lives in Cerritos, Calif., USA.

WSOP Event #12, a $1,500 buy-in, six-handed, no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament, had 1,427 participants and a total prize pool of $1,947,855.

It was won by Jason Warner of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, who earned $481,698 for the victory.

Finishing in second place was David Zeitlin of New York, N.Y., USA, who took home $269,778.

WSOP Event #13 was lucky for Allen Cunningham of Ventura, Calif., USA.

He earned first-place money of $487,287 in the $5,000 buy-in, pot-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament that featured 398 players and a total prize pool of $1,870,600.

Coming in second in the event was Jeffrey Lisandro of Salerno, Italy, who took home $294,620.

Notable names who finished in the money in the tourney were ESPN clown prince Humberto Brenes of Miami Lakes, Fla., USA, who finished third and garnered $197,348; Gavin Griffin of Darien, Ill., USA, who finished seventh and earned $58,924; and former WSOP main event winner Chris “Jesus” Ferguson of Pacific Palisades, Calif., USA, who finished 13th and took home $19,641.

WSOP Event #14 was a $1,500 buy-in, seven-card stud tournament with 385 entrants and a total prize pool of $525,525.

It was won by Michael Keiner of Braunfels, Del., USA, who took home $146,987 for his victory.

The runnerup was Nesbitt Coburn of Minneapolis, Minn., USA, who earned $80,879 for coming in second.

Well-known poker pro Barry Greenstein of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., USA, finished in fourth place in the tourney, earning $33,698.

Greg “Fossilman” Raymer, the Stoningham, Conn., USA, patent attorney and paleontology buff who won the WSOP main event 2004, proved he’s not a fluke by coming in sixth and winning $19,680.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)