Hi all, Here it is. The official 2000 Report. The 7th TARGET event was held at the Sahara.
The pre-TARGET craps game got off to a bad start. My plane was delayed an hour causing me to be 15 minutes late for the game. I ran up to the Horseshoe and saw a group of RGP people. I shouted out "Presto!" and was warmly greeted by the group.
We settled in at a $3 craps table. We won the first bet and then the table went ice cold. The big bettors were down $100 to $200 right away. Beth got the dice and made some passes and then Frank (NutZ) did some great shooting to put us all back in the win column. I think Alan was the big winner. Frank, Dean, Chuck, Chris, Jerrod, Beth and I also posted wins.
We played a little more at the Plaza. The table was a little cold. Dean and I gutted it out and posted wins. He won $60 or $70. I won $1.
Anyway, back to poker...
Sandi and I got to the Sahara at 10 a.m. I rushed around to find the souvenir coins. The cage wouldn't sell them. I went to the slot machine to try to win one. Luckily, a woman had just won two and was willing to sell me one for $10.
About 20 of us gathered at the poker room at 10:30 and then went to the buffet for brunch. I thought the food was a lot better this year.
Back to the Sahara poker room. Keith Bronson had the tables all set.
I break out the random seating assignments. Once again, my computer has put me at what I consider to be the toughest table.
Keith Bronson ran the tournament and recorded all of the bust-outs. It was nice to have 30 minute rounds.
12:05 p.m. We are under way!
The tables:
Steve Daniels, Jeff Okamoto, Frank Brabec, Paul Stine, Devin Moss, Patti Beadles, Chuck Emerling, Mike Guzaldo, Jim Geary.
Roger Park, Mark Sadusky, Chuck Bradley, Tom Gorman, John Davis, Clark Olson, Lee Jones, Ross Poppel.
Robert Sadowski, Jerrod Ankerman, JP Massar, Alan Bostick, Dave Trinidad, Russ Fox, Jeff Roberts, Chris Colby.
Patri Friedman, Ming Lee, Bill Chen, Ken Kubey, Abdul Jalib, Kevan Garrett, Steve Gray, Chuck Weinstock.
We each have T2000. Blinds are T25-T50.
A few hands in, I get my road hand (KK). Ming makes a small raise. I pop it up to T500. Ming calls. I put him on a huge hand. One of AA, AK, or QQ.
Flop is A-X-Y and we both check. Turn is a Q. He bets big. I fold face up. Maybe I got bluffed, but I really think I was beaten.
Alan Bostick is the first one out. He received two prizes.. A $10 silver souvenir Sahara gaming token and a bag a Life Savers. Alan had a free-roll-plus in TARGET with the money he had won the night before.
Several players bust out. Jerrod and Steve Daniels both are busted on the same hand. Jerrod has KK, Steve has JJ, and it looks from the notes that AKo won the pot with an A on the flop.
My sister (Linda) and my mother (Joan) arrive to watch me play.
I was the BB with A5o. Frank limps in, Bill calls. I check figuring that Frank probably has a big hand. The flop is A-Q-5 with two spades. I check, Frank bets. Bill raises to T1000. I only have T800 left and call all-in. I think I have Bill beat, but I'm a little worried that Frank has a set of Q's. He folds. Whew! Bill says "Uh oh." when I call, so I figure I'm way ahead. But Bill has the flush draw and hits the flush on the river to send me packing. I later tell Bill that he better win the whole thing.
Later we took a break for birthday cake. Sandi had arranged for a cake as it was my birthday weekend. Linda helped serve. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to me and you guys actually sounded pretty good. I was also give a cute card that was signed by the whole group. Thanks all!
Frank gets taken out with JJ against J8s that makes a straight. Patri goes out with 66 against 77. Abdul goes out with 72. Abdul played 72? Please tell me he was a blind! Patti raised with AQ on the button, but ran into AA and KK in the blinds. Mike Guzaldo went out in 10th place and we were down to nine.
The final table:
Tom Gorman, Roger Park, Rob Sadowski, Chuck Weinstock, Paul Stine, Lee Jones, Bill Chen, John Davis, Chris Colby.
I announce that there is and extra $40 in the prize pool due to late entry fees. I give the group the choice of adding it to 5th place or giving it to 6th place. 6th it is.
John was the first out. Lee limped in with KK. The flop brought a 10 and a straight draw for John's JT, but the pair of kings held up.
Roger Park played great, but had a serious shortage of cards late. He took A4 against Lee's AJ. An ace flops, but a J on the turn seals the deal and Roger is out.
Chris loses a big pot on the turn with 66 against Paul's KQs. On the next hand, Chris jams with AK. Big stack Bill calls with K3s and flops a 3. No Q for Chris and he is out in 7th.
We take a break. Chip counts:
1. Tom Gorman 500
3. Robert Sadowski 6,500
4. Chuck Weinstock 2,000
5. Paul Stine 13,000
6. Lee Jones 19,500
7. Bill Chen 24,500
Tom is all-in on the BB, but hits a straight on the river to survive. Chuck stays alive with AA. Tom again is all-in, but makes a runner-runner flush against Paul's Q's. Yet again Tom is all-in on the blind. His 62o runs into Bill's 86o. The 6 pairs and the 8 plays. Tom is out in 6th place, but is now on the TARGET all-time money list with $40.
Chuck is forced all-in on the BB. Lee raises with A7s. Chuck has K6o. No help for either hand and Chuck is out in 5th for $290.
Paul is low on chips and limps all-in with AQ. Lee calls, Rob checks in the BB. The board is 3s-5c-4c-2d-3h and the hand is checked down. You'd figure that Paul would survive with the straight, but Rob has a 6 for the higher straight. Paul takes 4th and $500.
4 hands later, Rob makes it T7000. Lee raises all-in, Rob calls. Lee has A8o, Rob has KTs. The flop is A-J-T. Lee is ahead, but Rob has 9 outs. Rob picks up the flush draw on the turn and now has 17 outs. The river is a lovely queen for Robert.
Lee is out in 3rd place and received $1010.
I sit there for a second before I realize that the tournament is over.
Rob takes first place for $2070 and a TOC qualification. Bill takes second place and also got $2070.
Rob and Bill both received very nice trophies from Keith and a round of applause from the RGP crowd.
Lee played in four satellites that night. He finished 4th in one $220. He also finished 3rd in another $220 and a $330 satellite narrowly missing possible deals or a seat in a WSOP event.
Rob played in the $2000 NLHE WSOP event the next day. He outlasted about 340 other players and was ahead with AJ pairing a J, but was taken out by Presto! (55) hitting a set on the river.
Bill played in the $2500 Stud WSOP event the next day and went pretty far before his wired aces were drawn out on.
Thanks to everyone who played in TARGET and a big Thanks to all of the folks that sent checks in early. That really helps me a lot.
This year's TARGET went very well. Keith did an excellent job running the tournament. Everyone I talked to said they had a good time.
I'd also like to thank Jeff Okamoto for taking such good notes at the final table.
I'll be sending out a survey soon.
I hope everyone had a good time during the TARGET weekend. TARGET will be held in April or May again next year. I'll get the word out as soon as I can. Can't wait for TARGET 2001 :-)
Ken Kubey kubey@engr.sgi.com QB (650) 933-3536