Celebrities add to poker title hunt

Tuesday, May 12, 1998 | 9:55 a.m.

The first day of the World Series of Poker finale presented an interesting profile of two actors from different ends of the earth trying to make a name for themselves in the world of Las Vegas high stakes gambling.

While dozens of film crews and news photographers gathered around the table where Academy Award-winner Matt Damon was playing, very little of the media spotlight fell on acclaimed French actor and pop singer Patrick Bruel as action in the four-day event got underway Monday.

They were among a record field of 350 gamblers vying for a shot at the $1 million first prize in the $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas hold 'em event -- the game that determines the world champion of poker -- at Binion's Horseshoe.

While much of the American movie-going public is quite familiar with Damon and his recent hit motion picture "Good Will Hunting," in which he co-wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay and starred, a great many Americans are quite unfamiliar with Bruel's work, which includes the 1995 film "Sabrina."

And while Damon, who will star in the upcoming gambler movie "Rounders," is untested on the poker circuit, Bruel has proven during the first three weeks of the 29th annual granddaddy of all gaming tournaments to be a stellar player.

On Saturday night, Bruel won the $5,000 buy-in limit Texas hold 'em title and $224,000. He also placed fourth in an earlier event. Damon's experience at the World Series was limited to a Super Satellite -- an event that gives players a shot at a buy-in for the big game at a percentage of the cost -- Sunday night, which he lost.

On Monday, Damon drew a seat at the same table as Poker Hall of Famer and two-time world champion Doyle Brunson, who had first, second, third and 10th place finishes in events at this year's World Series.

Brunson, 64, played in the first World Series of Poker several months before Damon was born on Oct. 8, 1970, and has played in every one since then.

In fact, had Damon not been a recognizable film star, the 28-year-old celebrity probably would have been carded because of his boyish features. The legal age for gambling in Nevada is 21.

The youngest-ever world champion was Phil Hellmuth Jr., at age 24 in 1989. He too was in the field Monday.

In addition to Hellmuth and Brunson -- the 1976 and '77 champion -- 10 other former world titlists competed: Amarillo Slim Preston (1972), Bobby Baldwin (1978), Tom McEvoy (1983), Jack Keller (1984), Berry Johnston (1986), Johnny Chan (1987, '88), Hamid Dastmalchi (1992), Jim Bechtel (1993), Dan Harrington (1995) and Huck Seed (1996).

Missing from action was last year's world champion Stu Ungar, who also won the title in 1980 and '81.

"Stu called in shortly before the start of the event and said he was too ill to compete," longtime World Series Tournament Coordinator Jack McClelland said.

Round two was to get underway at noon today. The marathon event concludes Thursday.

While cameras flashed and videotape rolled in front of Damon's table in the main room, Bruel drew a seat at Table 13 in the satellite pit, far from the news camera's eye.

Had the game been played in Paris, the focus of media attention undoubtedly would have been different for Bruel has been appearing in European films dating back to his 1983 debut in "Le Grand Carnaval." He also appeared in "Le Jaguar" in 1996 and this year's "The Misadventures of Margaret."

Bruel's hit European pop albums include "Alors Regarde" (1989) and "Bruel" (1994).

After a Sun photographer shot photos of him at the poker table Monday, Bruel asked that he not sell them to European publications. His concern was somewhat confusing as there was an element of overseas news media in attendance for the tournament which features a number of European entries.

In fact, a day earlier, Rainer Gottlieb of the Stuttgarter Nachrichten, a German publication, nosed out David Friendly of the Los Angeles Times to win the news media no-limit Texas hold 'em title.

After winning the limit hold 'em event three days ago, Bruel said: "I don't play poker for money but for fun -- for the competition which I love."

He didn't have much fun Monday. It was Bruel's second year competing in the big game and it was the second year he was eliminated on a heartbreaking hand.

Last year, Bruel held pocket kings -- the second best starting hand -- and lost. On Monday, he went all-in with a pair of aces -- the best starting hand -- and they also didn't hold up.

Damon also exited Monday, but his demise was far more dramatic. He went all-in with a pair of kings in the hole. Brunson turned over a pair of aces to win the large pot.

"It was a real adrenalin rush -- I went out as I would have wanted to go out," Damon said. "I got to go head-to-head with the best player in the world. It was a dream come true."

Damon's upcoming film "Rounders" is about a college student torn between his determination to finish school and become a lawyer and his desire to drop out and become a high-stakes gambler.

His other movie credits date back to a 1988 film debut in "Mystic Pizza" and include "Chasing Amy," "The Rainmaker," "Courage Under Fire" and "School Ties."

Other recent results from the World Series of Poker:

* Event 19: $5,000 buy-in limit Texas hold 'em -- 1. Patrick Bruel, Paris, France, $224,000. 2. Bob Redman, Liberty, Mo., $112,000; 3. John Cernuto, Las Vegas, $56,000. Entries: 112. Prize pool: $562,000. Money paid to 18 places.

* Event 20: $1,000 buy-in women's limit 7-card stud -- 1. Mandy Commanda, Ontario, Canada, $40,000; 2. Jerri Thomas, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., $20,000; 3. Phyllis Meyers, Las Vegas, $10,000. Entries: 100. Prize pool: $100,000. Money paid to 16 places.