Seat 5:  Raymond Rahme
Hometown:  Johannesburg, South Africa
Chip Count:  16,320,000
Raymond Rahme is the first person ever to appear at the final table of the main event from the continent of Africa.  At age 62, he is also the senior participant at the final table.  He is married to his wife Teresa, and together they have six children.  Prior to his retirement, Rahme owned and operated a bed and breakfast inn.  Although he played stud for three decades, Rahme has only been playing the game of hold’em for about two years. 

Yet, Rahme has already enjoyed significant tournament success.  He’s taken first and second place at major events held in South Africa.  He also took fourth place in the “All Africa Poker Championship” recently, which was the largest poker tournament ever held in Africa.  As part of his prize, he received a travel package to Las Vegas and an entry into the 2007 main event.  And now, he is ranked fourth in the chip count at the start of the final table.