| Param Gill Overtakes Paul Darden
To Take Stud/8, His First Major Win
Param Gill, a part-time accountant and familiar face at local tournaments, had a great 2004, with some 40 cash-outs and a number of wins at smaller events. But until tonight he had never won a major. He took care of that when he finished on top after a three-way deal that ended the 13th event of LAPC XIV, $970 7-card stud hi-lo.
Connecticut pro Paul Darden had been running over the table with constant raises, especially after he built a sizeable chip lead. Gill's strategy was to not get involved until he had a strong start.
He gradually built up his stacks, took the lead when his two pair beat Darden's jacks and held it until a deal was made just before limits went to $3,000-$6,000. At that point, Gill had 90,500 in chips to 69,500 for Darden and 26,500 for Brian Goddard, a retired aeronautical engineer and record-holding race car driver who is now a Las Vegas land developer.
Gill, who loves all split games, had been down to $150 in chips with five tables left. All in, he scooped a four-way pot and after that never looked back.
Today was a madhouse. Besides the second-day final table for stud, and the first day of the two-day limit hold'em event, the Professional Poker Tour was staging one of its five $500,000 freeroll events in the same ballroom, with a soundstage and TV cameras and soundmen swarming all over..
About 200 top pros were invited to the PPT event, and 181 showed up. In an interesting twist, today's final table was switched from the usual 7 p.m. starting time to 5 p.m., when the PPT had its dinner break. Darden and Scott Fischman, playing in both, requested the change so that they could play at the final table while PPT was on break.
The final eight started with $200 antes, a $300 low-card bring-in and limits of $1,000-$2,000, with 27 minutes remaining Fischman had the lead with 61,200 chips. There were several all-ins and mainly chops, with all eight finalists still around when limits went to $1,500-$3,000, with $200 antes and a $500 bring-in.
Three hands into the new limits, Gill scooped a three-way pot with two pair and now was about tied with Fischman, who had been giving a lot of action.
Four hands later, Darden began to move up. In three-way action, he started with split 4s, made two pair, scooped, and knocked out Alex Papachatzakis, who missed his low and collected $2,408 for finishing eighth.
Two hands later, two-bracelet holder Fischman had a scoop to eliminate Steven Metzger. The New York investor showed A-2-7-4 and bet all in on the river with aces-up. Fischman, showing 2-5-8-6 with three diamonds, had made his flush on sixth street, and regained the lead with about 60k. Metzger picked up $3,608 for his seventh place finish.
Next to hit the bricks was Ken Steinberg, who is self-employed with couple of tournament wins. He made aces-up, but race card driver Goddard ran over him with a set of 7s. Sixth place paid $4,811.
Darden now went into high gear, scooping a three-way pot with trip 7s and picking up a stream of pots with raises and betting. 'You're stealing left and right' Gill observed, as Darden moved into the lead with about 65k, then kept up the pressure as he climbed to about 85k.
By now the PPT dinner break was over. Would Fischman and Darden return to the 500k freeroll, where they both had about double their initial 10k in chips, or stay here? Not even close.
They were playing for real money here, and were long shots at PPT, where blinds were still a modest 100-200, so they opted to be blinded off there.
When the stud limits went to $2,000-$4,000 with $300 antes and a $500 bring-in, the rough count was: Darden, 82.5k; Goddard, 36k; Fischman, 35k; Gill, 25k; and George Sharezay, 6k.
Sharezay was next to hit the bricks. He started with split queens and made two pair, not nearly good enough against Goddard's flush. His fifth-place finish was worth $6,016. At this point, Darden, with a still-comfortable lead, walked off for a couple of hands, perhaps to play in the PPT for a bit.
He returned in time to relieve Fischman of the decision about where to play. Showing 2-5-2-K, the young pro moved in with three deuces. Darden showed A-4-10-2 with two hearts. 'Unbelievable,' Fischman exclaimed as Darden turned up three more hearts. Fischman was out in fourth place, collected $7,938 and jumped back into the PPT action. Darden now had close to 100k, which would be his high point in this tournament. Gill had a bit over 70k while Goddard was down to 12k.
Goddard began making a comeback, first with aces-up, then with a wheel, the only one in this tournament. He slow-played it against Gill but got no action when Gill missed his draw.
After Gill picked up a couple of hands and moved into the lead, the three talked deal. Darden was agreeable because he would have second locked up and could return to the freeroll. The three shook hands and Gill had his first major trophy. Max Shapiro |
