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| Seat
# |
Player |
Chip
Count |
|
1 |
Greg Mascio |
$113,500 |
|
2 |
Jim Bucci |
$44,500 |
|
3 |
Chad Brown |
$86,000 |
|
4 |
Dan Heimiller |
$94,500 |
|
5 |
Ken Cui |
$7,000 |
|
6 |
Perry Friedman |
$66,500 |
|
7 |
Hans Pfister |
$40,500 |
|
8 |
Paul Rowe |
$26,500 |
|
9 |
Philip Ivey |
$3,500 |
|
10 |
Dan Kim |
$26,500 |
I'm glad I arrived on time because when hand #2 began Ken Cui was
standing at the podium collecting his tenth place money of $5,850.
Observing the starting chip counts, I had expected Cui or Phil Ivey,
one of poker's best young players, to be active early as their short
stacks begged for a quick goose. When Maryland's Jim Bucci won the
high card race for the button with the blinds at $1,500 and $3,000
(we would be playing at the $3,000/$6000 limit for another one hour
and two minutes) Cui accepted the temptation to commit under the
gun. He raised to $4,500. Dan Heimiller was game and pushed the
pot by an additional $1,500. After the others folded Alex, our Ohio
dealer, flopped Q-7-5. Dan decided to put Cui all-in. After Ken
complied, Heimiller showed K-9-6-6. His pair was good enough to
win the pot when Ken's nut low draw missed and he couldn't muster
a better high hand.
While focused on Ivey's dilemma, I was anxious to see if anyone might attempt to get control of the table. Well, that became an easy observation after Dan H. raised the first three pots. But, Jim Bucci wasn't about to play slowly. He re-raised in hand #4, led at the flop and won. Paul Rowe mucked disappointedly. Rowe's name might be familiar to you. He came within a good laydown of making the final table at the WSOP championship event in 1999 (Noel Furlong won that year). Paul owns a prestigious gold bracelet that he won in a big brother of this event, the $3,000 buy-in tourney, in 1998 when he defeated 112 players and cleared $130,000. In hand #5 Phil Ivey came within a $500 chip of going all-in, but surprisingly kept his lone chip eschewing large pot odds. He must have totally missed the high oriented flop (Q-10-10). Sensing the table might be waiting for a leader, Perry Friedman, the reigning Roshambo world champion (you know... paper, rock, and scissors), fired successfully at the turn card in hand #5. This five-way pot would be the first of many pots for Perry tonight.
Ivey
waited until Hand #6 to get all in. Professional poker player Greg
Mascio raised to $6,000 and Chad Brown, an actor by trade, re-raised.
They looked at a diamond flop... K-6-4. The five of diamonds came
on the turn. Chad kept firing and Greg gave way. Chad tabled A-A-2-8
for the nut flush and nut low. Ivey had nowhere to go, but to the
podium where Bonnie Damiano will hand him $7,640.
While some players were more eager to get involved early on, there
were many different winners and the chips were moving around the
table, but not mounting in front of anyone. As we moved into double
digits by my unofficial hand count, Friedman became our aggressor.
After raising his way to a win in hand #10, he mixed it up with
Chad Brown and Bucci in hand #11. His A-3 fit perfectly with a board
of 2-4-5/J-2.
Forty-five minutes into play Perry hooked up with Dan Heimiller, now on the button. After Dan raised his small blind, Perry called and bet the flop of Qh-Qd-3h. Dan raised. Perry made it three bets. Dan called quickly. When the nine of hearts turned, Perry bet and Dan called. The same action occurred on the river after the eight of hearts was dealt. Perry showed the nut flush (Ah-Kh) and revealed the Qc-8c. So, he flopped trips and turned a flush. Note his excellent redraw hand. In addition, Perry appeared to be more fearless on the flop versus Dan than he would have been if he were going up against a tighter player. Dan is an excellent, but very aggressive opponent who can raise with a third nut hand or a big draw on the flop, especially when he has position.
Hand #29: Perry battles Dan from the small blind once again. The flop is 7d-5h-8h. The turn is the three of hearts. The ace of diamonds is our river card. Perry leads the betting on every street. Dan thinks for 54 seconds, tells us the river hurt, but calls. Perry shows the nut low and a flush (9h-4h). Dan is looking at the cards resignedly. He finally mucks. Three hands later Perry raises to $6,000. All fold. He has established command thanks to strong play and good cards. Hand #34: We move to $4,000/$8,000. At 3:36 p.m. Bucci goes all in (for the third time) from the button. Heimiller (with a few more chips) also goes all in. Will we see a double knockout? Yes. A high only board comes with a five and king on the turn and river. Rowe has both ranks. His backdoor two pair hand is good for a scoop. Jim and Dan H. rise simultaneously and dejectedly. With these two very aggressive players eliminated, despite the fact that our combatants are now six-handed, play is more conservative than before. We go 25 minutes before experiencing a lively skirmish. In hand #44 we see the horrors of Omaha. Rowe v. Brown is going all Brown's way... flush draw, made nut low, and straight draw. Rowe's straight is the current high. Will Chad scoop with a diamond or split the pot? There are two horror cards for him (the black deuces). Either will counterfeit his low while promoting Rowe's A-3 to the nut low. The river card is the dreaded (for Chad) deuce of clubs. Chad is a calm, focused player, but his resolve was severely tested in this hand. Rowe was lucky and jubilant. Kim's chances are diminished in hand #52 when Brown flops a small full house after each puts in four bets pre-flop (our first four-bet hand). Chad bets the hand strong all the way and no low comes for Kim. Chad slips into the chip lead at this point. Kim slips away from us a few hands later. Rowe's good fortune ends in hand #65 as his assorted low cards are no match for Brown's two pair when the board comes with four high cards. He leaves with fifth place and $21,500.
For
more than an hour the chips move back and forth and the lead changes
hands three times with Brown, Mascio, and Friedman alternating at
the top of the heap. Have you noticed we haven't heard from Hans
Pfister yet? After taking three quarters of a large pot early on
the nattily dressed European representative at our final table has
been involved in many split pots, but hasn't won or lost a substantial
scooped pot. But, he has been folding to raises and draining chips
(down to $19,000). Hans leaves us shortly before we move to $6,000/$12,000
at 5:25 p.m. Perry has crossed the $200,000 mark.
In hand #106 Perry and Greg hook up. Friedman prevails when Greg
folds. Friedman has nearly $240,000 in chips with Chad and Greg
splitting the remaining $269,000 somewhat evenly.
At
this point the contest became predictable. The player on the button
would inevitably raise. He would be called by both players nearly
50% of the time; one player 30% of the time; and win uncontested
the remaining 20%. The players seemed content with this pattern.
In addition, the action slowed on the later streets with many check,
check situations. The players needed better hands. I needed a pillow.
But, just when I had been lulled into checking out the cocktail
waitresses a barrage of betting broke out. In hand #121 each moved
$18,000 in pre-flop. Our dealer gave us flop... 4c-4h-6d. Perry,
betting from the small blind, drove Greg away, but Chad called the
flop and the turn (2s). The river was a three. Now, that was a hot
card. But, both check. Chad quartered Perry with a higher two pair
and the same low.
In
the next 12 hands, six are scooped, but the chips go back and forth
as each player wins twice.
Hand #133: Chad, now the short stack, predictably raises to $12,000
from the button. Perry mucks, but Greg is game. The flop is 10h-9d-7s.
Greg leads into the raiser and Chad calls. They eye the turn card...
the jack of spades. Greg fiddles with his chips left-handed. His
right hand holds his cards. Now he checks. That reminds me, these
players are uniformly quick to act 90% of the time (not much Hollywood
stuff going on here). Chad bets $12,000. Greg folds. Perry has stretched
his lead ($310,000), Greg is second ($120,000), and Chad has enough
chips ($79,000) to play solid.
Three hands later Chad Brown, dressed nicely in brown clothing, once again raises from the button. The flop is As-5s-10h. Perry fires $6,000 and is raised by Greg. They see the turn card (7s) two-handed. Perry bets $12,000 and is raised by Greg. He calls immediately. Another spade (the nine) comes on the river. Perry fires, Greg thinks, then calls. This was a gutsy call as he had two pair. He takes high and Perry's nut low takes the other half. While I said I'd avoid discussing chops, Mascio made a winning, crying call staring the spades down in this hand.
Finally, we lose Chad just before we reach the $10,000/$20,000 limit. He has drained down to $54,000 when he gets tangled up with Perry and loses full house over full house hand when the board pairs on the river. Friedman had been pushing his made nut straight with a nut flush draw and made a full house on the river (J-J-J-6-6). Unfortunately, the six gave Brown (6-6-6-J-J). Had the cards been reversed we might have played for a long time. But, that was not the case and Chad seemed resigned to third place at this point. His fear was founded when he committed in the big blind and his opponents decided to take two shots at him... they both called. The board came 7d-10c-Qh/4h-Jd. While I expected Perry and Greg to check the hand down, Perry bet the river. Oh, I see, he made the dead solid nuts, a broadway straight. Chad realized immediately, stood and shook the hands of the players who would finish ahead of him. The twosome took a break with Perry holding a lead of almost 4-to-1 in chips.
Friedman, no stranger to a final table at a WSOP event having taken third in stud (his best game) a few years ago, was playing well and aggressively with his big lead. Strangely, Greg who had shown a reluctance to give in to pressure betting, began tightening up. Of course, this could have been due to receiving unsuited hands such as 9-7-Q-2.
Perry capitalized on what must have been Greg's run of poor starting hands. On the positive side, Greg knew a streak of three or four good hands could bring him back at $10,000/$20,000. But, his cards never improved and he finally succumbed. He began the final hand with $30,000. Greg raised to $20,000, but Perry wanted all the money in before the flop... which came 3s-2s-3d. Perry showed Ah-4h-5h-3c. Greg had two kings, a six, a seven, and trouble. When the jack and eight of hearts came on the turn and river, Greg reached to shake our new champion's hand.
Standing
5'7" and weighing all of 140 pounds, Perry Friedman, our 33-year-old
chief scientist and tournament specialist, conquered a WSOP
record Omaha high-low field tonight to capture the coveted gold
bracelet and become a current champion in two disciplines, Poker
and Roshambo. I know he's proud of both titles.
WSOP Event #3
Omaha Hi-Lo $1,500
339 Entrants
Prize Pool: $477,990
Official Results
|
Place |
Player |
Home |
Prize |
|
|
1 |
Perry Friedman |
Redwood City, California |
$176,860 |
|
|
2 |
Greg Mascio |
Brea, California |
$90,820 |
|
|
3 |
Chad Brown |
Margate, Florida |
$45,400 |
|
|
4 |
Hans Pfister |
Switzerland |
$28,680 |
|
|
5 |
Paul Rowe |
Coronado, California |
$21,500 |
|
|
6 |
Dan Kim |
Laguna Niguel, California |
$16,720 |
|
|
7 |
Dan Heimiller |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
$11,940 |
|
|
8 |
Jim Bucci |
Hollywood, Maryland |
$9,560 |
|
|
9 |
Phil Ivey |
Atlantic City, New Jersey |
$7,640 |
|
|
10 |
Ken Cui |
Cupertino, California |
$5,850 |
|
|
11 |
Ralph Perry |
Henderson, Nevada |
$5,740 |
|
|
12 |
Steve Hohn |
Overland Park, Kansas |
$5,740 |
|
|
13 |
Jerry Simon |
Temecula, California |
$4,780 |
|
|
14 |
Matt Lefkowitz |
Brookline, Massachusetts |
$4,780 |
|
|
15 |
Chris Tsiprailidis |
Liverpool, New York |
$4,780 |
|
|
16 |
Dick Turner |
Redmund, Washington |
$3,820 |
|
|
17 |
Charles DeValliere |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
$3,820 |
|
|
18 |
Lindy Chambers |
Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
$3,820 |
|
|
19 |
Edward Fishman |
New York, New York |
$2,860 |
|
|
20 |
Tony Vermiglo |
Green Valley, Arizona |
$2,860 |
|
|
21 |
Dean Miller |
Jackson, Wyoming |
$2,860 |
|
|
22 |
Alejandrino Gambon |
San Jose, California |
$2,860 |
|
|
23 |
David Brody |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
$2,860 |
|
|
24 |
Ken "Skyhawk" Flaton |
Henderson, Nevada |
$2,860 |
|
|
25 |
Leonard St. Germain |
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida |
$2,860 |
|
|
26 |
Vince Burgio |
West Hills, California |
$2,860 |
|
|
27 |
John Juanda |
Alhambra, California |
$2,860 |
|
FUN AND FROLIC AT THE WORLD SERIES
Last year readers e-mailed Andy requesting some of the fun and flavor of the Series away from the final tables, so from time to time he and (for today) I will be reporting on the action and happenings in and around Binion's bingo room. Yes, during the World Series of Poker - (WSOP) bingo players must look elsewhere for their action on B-11 and N-35. Yesterday, I watched a friendly pot limit Omaha high-low game with $25/$75 blinds. I wonder about the stack size a player feels comfortable with in these games. Some recommend having the most chips/cash ($100 bills play) in order to maximize your best hands. Others say, "Play short if you are a player who can be pushed around by loose, aggressive types." Well, apparently, the three players in the hand I'm about to describe weren't from the school of conservatism because they each had stacks of blacks and C-Notes piled in front of them when they became embroiled in this substantial pot:
Player A (unknown to me) limped in from early position (usually "big hand" scary or low card oriented hoping for a player or two to chop up).
Player B (a European pot limit expert) immediately raised the maximum from his immediate left.
Player C (a fearless, excellent high stakes American player) silently pushed $1,000 into the pot.
Player A waited for the blinds to fold. He announced, "Let's play for something" and counted out $2,000. After brief hesitations, both adversaries called.
The dealer placed the Qh, Jd, 8h on the felt.
Player A led quickly with $6,000.
I considered the vast possibilities: a straight, a set, top pairs, a flush draw, and the added value of a backdoor low draw for one or more players. This was truly an action oriented flop and the out of position bet screamed "huge hand" ... but, what type of top tickets?
Player B wanted to find out. He called.
Player C remained in the hunt.
The dealer burned and turned the 5h. Oh, my! I hope you used your best Dick Enberg imitation. This multi-purpose card would surely inspire action.
Player A announced he was betting, but sat still for nearly 15 seconds (contemplating and counting his adversaries available resources). Finally, he picked up packets of bills amounting to $16,000 and declared that amount.
Player B went into the think tank and came out with $16,000.
Player C gently pitched his cards to the alert dealer.
I studied Player A. He seemed buoyed by the fact that he was now headsup. His attention was focused on a spot where the river card would fall. Neither player was interested in a one or two alternative river card decision (often used to hedge outcomes in pot limit play).
The river card was a second jack. Low flew out the window. The nut flush was no longer the nut hand. Was this card better for the bettor or the caller? I sensed Player B got there on the river. But ...
Player A once again announced he was coming forward. This time he moved all in with a whopping $51,600. To put this bet into perspective, it is an amount many families work years to accumulate.
Player B gave no indication of any sort. He didn't seem happy or upset with the river card or the size of the bet. He looked up briefly and caught his opponent's eyes. There was no tell forthcoming.
As time passed, I wondered what the players held. I wondered whether we would ever know. Player B counted and recounted his resources. My guess was $45,000 (give or take a few grand). He silently replayed the hand (I'm sure) for more than two minutes. Nobody was going to call for a clock. Spectators were now "rail-birding" into me and asking what was going on. Finally, Player B indicated he was calling.
Player A showed Ah-2s-Jh-8s... jacks full of eights.
Player B casually, but triumphantly, placed a queen and the remaining jack under his middle and index fingers at the same time dropping the king and ten of hearts behind his key cards.
What do you think of the way the two combatants played the hand? If you were Player B could you have called $16,000 on the turn with second nut flush and a full house redraw which might not yield the nut full house? Could you have called the huge river bet after Player A represented pocket queens? Could you have risked your stack as Player A by value betting your full house on the river... a holding that might only be called by a player with a better hand? These decisions are part of what goes on away from the final tables and, if you enjoyed this hand (let Andy know), we will bring you more as the WSOP heats up and, incredibly, the games get bigger!
That's a wrap up for today. I enjoyed filling in for Andy and hope you enjoyed the report. Now, back to my $4-$8 hold'em game.
Comments & Contact
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