|
Ken Goldstein Hits River Flush to
Outrun Straight and Win No-Limit
This was as dramatic and entertaining a final table as you could hope for. No surprise, when it included the likes of Antonio 'The Magician' Esfandiari and Sam 'The Mighty' Grizzle. And it ended with a suitably theatrical flourish.
Jeff York, a computer programmer, had the chip lead at one point, got down to the cloth twice, made two comebacks and finally got heads up with Ken ('My full name is Ken the little brother of Stan') Goldstein. On the final hand, York moved in with Ks-Qh and Goldstein called with Ad-Qc. The board came 10d-9d-3h-Jd to give York a straight. But then a river 2d gave Goldstein a flush and a $78,597 victory in the 12th event of LAPC XIV, $970 no-limit hold'em. It was his first tournament win in over two years. His biggest win is $120,000 for finishing third in a World Series Omaha/8 event.
Opening blinds were $800-$1,600 with $200 antes, 28:15 left. When two players were eliminated in six hands, it looked like a fast night, but it would go on for some 174 hands, 92 from the time it got three-handed.
First to go on hand two was pro Steve Hohn who moved in with K-6 and was picked off by Joe DeNiro's Q-Q. Four hands later Seattle engineer Ahn Dang put in his last 15k with K-Q and lost to the A-Q held by retiree Alan Smurfit.
Blinds were now $1,000-$2,000 with $300 antes. Grizzle was slowly building his stacks with five uncalled raises of 6k or 7k. Then he knocked out Smurfit, who moved in for 17k with K-4. Grizzle thought for a long time, finally called with Qs-Js. Smurfit still had the lead when the flop came K-J-8, until Grizzle made two pair when a queen turned. Next out, on a brutal beat, was Agop 'Jack' Boghossian. He moved in for 15k with A-A. Esfandiari, a poker player/magician who won last year's LAPC championship event, called with Q-10. Boghossian was a 94.4 percent favorite on a flop of K-8-6, until the magician pulled a runner-runner 7-9 out of his hat. His 10-high straight left a stunned Boghossian in seventh place.
When blinds went to $1,500-$3,000 with $500 antes, Esfandiari held the lead with about 80k. Binh Do had earlier been all in with 8-8 against York's J-J and escaped with a river 8. 'It's not gonna happen again,' York vowed when he had Do all in again with pocket kings versus As-Ks. Do nearly got a split when four hearts hit, but no flush came and he ended sixth. York now led with about 135k.
The table got four-handed when deNiro's Qd-9d lost to York's As-Qs.
Four-handed, York still led with about 135k to 85k for Esfandiari, 75k for Goldstein and 30k for Grizzle.. 'Four white guys take on a Persian,' exulted Esfandiari. This prompted Grizzle's trademark barbed humor, such as asking Esfandiari how many humps a camel had, and asserting that Persians ate the whole camel, including the hide.
Grizzle then asked about a deal, and when York said no, he muttered, 'I hope you get what you deserve.'
'That's all I want,' York replied.
'Grizzle is a great player, but I won't let him intimidate me,' York later said. Although he plays high-limit cash games, York has far less experience than the veteran pro Grizzle.
Blinds were now $2,000-$4,000 with $1,000 antes. York lost a lot of chips, first 27k to Esfandiari, who went all in with 7-7, which held up against York's AQ-6, then another 45k to Grizzle, who moved in with A-Q. York called with J-10, losing when the board came 6-5-3-Q-8. After retaking the lead again in a hand against Grizzle, York mused that perhaps he should have taken a deal.
'You should have,' Grizzle sneered. 'You couldn't play dead in a cemetery.'
Esfandiari departed on hand 83. He called Grizzle's all-in bet with his last 34k, and his Kh-7h lost to Grizzle's A-J.
On hand 9, Grizzle, with pocket 10s, called when York opened for 20k with A-5. The flop came A-10-4. When York bet 12k, Grizzle put on an act of weakness, seeming to call reluctantly. 'How big is your kicker?' he asked. When York bet 30k on the turn, Grizzle moved in for 39.5k with his set. York called, lost, and was now down to 20k.
York fought back with three successive all-in, uncalled bets. On hand 103, he had pocket 8s to Grizzle's Kc-Jc, and he raised all in for 58k. A board of K-8-7-J-8 gave him quads. He and Goldstein now were in the 130k range, while Grizzle was down to 63k. By the time blinds moved up to $3,000-$6,000 with $1,000 antes, York had the lead again with 137k to 116k for Goldstein and 79k for Grizzle.
Another 23 hands went by, and York was back down to 35k when his A-3 lost to Goldstein's pocket 9s. Once again York clawed his way back up with five uncalled all-in raises.
Play continued until hand 160, which was Grizzle's last. He moved in for 38k with K-Q. Goldstein called with A-Q and won when the board came Q-J-5-6-8. As Grizzle left, he complimented Goldstein for playing well.
Heads-up, Goldstein enjoyed about a 2-1 lead. York managed to narrow the gap, but 14 hands later, it was all over. Goldstein opened for 20k with his Ad-Qd, and York moved in for 133k with his Ks-Qh. Then came the dramatic showdown where York turned a straight and Goldstein rivered a flush, and this memorable tournament was over.
-; Max Shapiro
|
