| Chef/Poker Player Airy Phanhyaseng
Comes from Behind to Win No-Limit
Airy Phanhyaseng, a chef/poker player who says he's still learning to play no-limit, played well enough to win the 10th event of LAPC XIV, $970 no-limit hold'em. Phanhyaseng, who lives in Philadelphia is originally from Laos.
He won the title and trophy, but not the most money, because when a four-way deal was made for 90 percent of the prize pool, he was lowest chipped with 84k to 242k for Loi Phan, 195k for Amir Vahedi and 90k for Chuck Pacheco.
Phanhyaseng, who plays $20-$40 no-limit cash games, says stud is his best game. He follows the tournament circuit and his final tables include Harrah's and the Trump Classic. He credited his win tonight to his strategy of setting up and trapping 'a lot of players,' though he also felt that he needs to play more aggressively.
It was a wild final table. In early going, Vahedi powered into the lead and it looked like he would crush the table. Next, the smart money was on Loi Phan after he took down a monster pot of more than 200k to take a big lead. Finally, Phanhyaseng came from behind and took the lead for good when he knocked out movie producer Chuck Pacheco, who was being sweated by Tobey 'Spiderman' Maguire.
Blinds were $1,000-$2,000 with 48:32 remaining when the final table started. Phan led with 105,600 in chips, with Phanhyaseng and Amir Vahedi close behind in the low 90k range.
Kin Lee, a Canadian transit employee, transited out on hand five. The flop was Kd-9d-7d. Vahedi, with 10d-7h, bet 7k on his bottom pair and flush draw. Lee, with 10h-9c, moved in with middle pair. Vahedi missed his flush but settled for a third 7 on the turn.
Just three hands later, Aram Zerounian, an electronics manufacturer, went out. He had 5-2 in the small blind. He made a full house on the turn, and moved in for 16k on the river with a board of 9-9-2-2-5. But he had been drawing dead to a fourth deuce because Phanhyaseng, slow-playing, had a bigger full with A-9.
The players took a short break after hand 16. At that point, Vahedi had taken the lead with $133,000, while Phan and Phanhyaseng both had a bit over 100k.
A few hands after blinds went to $1,500-$3,000 with $500 antes, Mike Joon Lee opened for 13k from the button with A-6. Phanhyaseng put him for 9k more and knocked him out with pocket jacks. At an earlier table, poker player Russ Hendricks had pocket kings and failed to knock out Wayne Chang, who outdrew him with a straight. Hendricks was gunning for him at the final table and was overjoyed when he finally nailed him. After Hendricks raised to 8k with 9-9, Chang moved in for 31k with A-J and couldn't catch anything.
When blinds went to $2,00-$4,000, Vahedi had a small lead with 144k, while Hendricks and Phan were close behind. Two hands later, Vahedi pulled off a bluff. Phan had opened for 14k, then bet 15k into a Jh-6h-4c-Jc board. Amir, with Ac-5c, called with his flush draw. When a blank hit the river, he bet 20k and advertised by showing his cards when Phan folded. He now had close to 190k.
On a roll now, Vahedi moved up to 235k by knocking out Cuong Huynh on hand 47. After Huynh raised to 10k with Qd-9d, Vahedi popped it 25k more with Ad-Qh, put him all in on a board of K-10-4, then turned a straight when a jack hit.
Phan's big hand came nine deals later. Hendricks raised 6kk from the cut-off seat. The flop came Jh-10h-4h. Phan bet 30k with Qh-Qc. Hendricks, with Jc-8s, made it 50k to go. When a 10c turned, Phan moved in and Hendricks called all in for 46k. A river 10 gave Phan a filly, a $210,000 pot and the lead with 234k. Vahedi had 227k, while Phanhyaseng had 108k and Pacheco, 41.5k.
Hand 68 was made for TV. Phan had A-7, Amir A-4. The flop was A-10-7. Vahedi bet 12k, Phan raised 25k with aces-up. Another ace turned, giving Vahedi trip aces and Phan aces full. Phan bet a modest 25k. Vahedi studied him, but Phan stared ahead impassively. Finally, in big trouble, Vahedi called. A river 7 then saved Vahedi by giving both players aces full of sevens. Vahedi checked, hoping Phan would bluff-bet, and when Phan moved in, they split. Vahedi later said he wouldn't have called with a weak kicker had a different card fallen (luckily for him not a 4).
The players now made their 90 percent deal and play continued with blinds of $3,000-$6,000 and $1,000 blinds. Phan then pulled ahead of Vahedi by a 2-1 margin when his K-4 made two pair to outrun Vahedi's K-8. 'He's been holding over me all night,' Vahedi complained.
Pacheco began picking up chips with several raises, but finally went out on hand 88 when he moved in for 106k with pocket 7s and lost to Phanhyaseng's pocket 10s.
Three-handed, Phanhyaseng had about 290k to 220 for Phan and 100k for Vahedi.
Two hands later, Vahedi went out. He had 9h-7h and raised all in for 75k when Phanhyaseng, holding Q-10, bet 20k into a board of Ks-8h-5s-10h. He missed his flush and straight draws and finished third.
Phanhyaseng now had 375k to 236 for Phan. The match lasted only three hands. Phan tried an all-in move with A-9 and ran into Phanhyaseng's pocket jacks. A jack on the river gave Phanhyaseng a set and the win. Max Shapiro
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