Brian Kleinhenz Wins the 2015 Chicago Poker Classic Main Event; Eddie Ochana Records 3rd Top 3 Finish in 4 Years

Brian Kleinhenz is the winner of the 2015 Chicago Poker Classic Main Event, after beating the defending champion, Eddie Ochana, in heads-up action, to claim the first prize of $274,595 and a seat in the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Brian Kleinhenz has won the 2015 Chicago Poker Classic Main Event, but these fingers keep racing over the keys E.D.D.I.E O.C.H.A.N.A.

Ochana’s form in the Harrah’s Horseshoe Casino, and the Chicago Poker Classic, in particular, is something else. He finished 3/360 in the 2012 Main Event for a $108,268 score, he beat 745 entrants on his way to victory in the 2014 Main Event, and Kleinhenz stopped him from repeating that feat just days ago. You’re not supposed to remember the guy who finishes second. We’ll make an exception for Ochana.

But Ochana didn’t win.

That honor went to 32-year old Brian Kleinhenz of Ohio, who entered the heads-up phase, against Ochana, with a 4:1 chip advantage – that’s one way of beating a local legend.

“Sure, he’s played a lot of tournaments, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t played a lot of poker.” Kleinhenz told the WSOP.

There were doubters. After all, Ochana went into the final table with over $1.4m in cashes, whereas Kleinhenz had recorded less than $10,000.

“I’ve been playing poker for many, many nights a week for 10 years in a row now. I’m very comfortable at a poker table. It’s my environment. I wasn’t going in {heads-up} thinking I was outmatched or feeling intimidated. I just wanted to show up and play my best poker.”

And he did.

Kleinhenz had a few scares. It happens. In the end he was delighted with the $274,525 first prize, and $10,000 seat into the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. The Horseshoe gave away six of those bad boys during the 10-tournament festival.

“I don’t know if the money is going to change me much,” Kleinhenz said of his big win. “It’s more of a nice little nest egg. I have a very serious girlfriend and we want to settle down soon. {The money} helps. It goes a long way.”

The seventh annual series created $3m in prize money, attracted over 8,000 participants, and handed out $250,000 in added prizes including a brand spanking new Lexus. Matthew Lushin walked away with the keys after defeating 1,658 players in Event #9.

Final Table Results

1st. Brian Kleinhenz – $274,525 + $10,000 WSOP Main Event Seat

2nd. Eddie Ochana – $169,596

3rd. Brad Sailor – $111,311

4th. Alexander Doroshko – $77,257

5th. Chris Karambinis – $56,552

6th. Todd Breyfogle – $43,546

7th. Danny Hannawa – $35,188

8th. Steve Nuzzrallah – $29,771

9th. Kenneth Auker – $26,318