A Man for All Seasons:
Jerry Reed tops field of dreamers and wins his first WSOPC championship
Every successful person endures failure -- whether it's in business, athletics, or even relationships. In fact, failing is part of life's process. Anyone who hasn't failed at some point in his life has probably not accomplished anything, either. The measure of achievement is not in how many times one has failed, but how many times he has rebounded and tried again and again.
Meet Jerry Reed. He was a pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels farm system in the early 1960s. However, Reed was released before he could make it to the majors. Nights spent in hotel rooms in the minor league system did gradually lead to another competitive passion - poker. 'I used to play poker with the other ballplayers players at night,' Reed said. 'We used to make odds on who would be released the next day. I used to always be the favorite. Sure enough, one morning, I was cut.'
After leaving baseball, Reed started and owned a successful video production business. His recreational interest in poker led to game development and a brand new advanced concept - a video poker table. In the late 1970s, Reed developed a multi-player poker table with video graphics. He was inspired to develop the new high-tech table because many poker games (including all games in California) were self-dealt and riddled with problems.
Reed's video poker table assured accuracy, randomization, and fairness to all players. He introduced the game in California. Unfortunately, legal authorites were confused by the 'video poker' tag and thinking it was a slot-related device, they pulled the plug. Reed's mistake was that he was too far ahead of his time. Note: Other video poker tables have been developed since then, and at least one is in the testing phase.
Reed's 'failures' were, in fact, learning experiences which motivated him to try new things and develop alternative ideas to the status quo. Now age 67, he is promoting a new poker venture, and playing in major tournaments.
Lake Tahoe's $500 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament, attracted 182 entries competing for $88,270 in prize money. Day One resulted in the elimination of 173 players. The nine finalists returned on Day Two, with Jerry Reed holding a commanding chip lead over the field. Finalists arrived with the following seat positions and chip counts:
SEAT 1 Keith Rahman Bend, OR 25,100
SEAT 2 Bobby 'Turbo' Martin Austin, TX 38,500
SEAT 3 Paramjit Gill Diamond Bar, AZ 22,900
SEAT 4 Josh Ewing S. Lake Tahoe, CA 29,300
SEAT 5 Jerry Reed Palo Alto, CA 86,700
SEAT 6 Don Mullis Mooreseville, NC 17,700
SEAT 7 Steve Schicchitano Pleasanton, CA 32,500
SEAT 8 Mike 'Shoes' Gambony Scottsdale, AZ 20,000
SEAT 9 Dan Owen Napa, CA 1,400
Players were eliminated as follows:
9th Place - The final table started out with a bang. Steve Schiccitano was dealt pocket aces, flopped trip aces, and still lost the pot. Dan Owen had K-J, flopped a made-straight, and also had a royal flush redraw. The straight held up and Owen had avoided elimination, at least for the moment. Unfortunately, that would be Owen's only bright moment of the finale, as he was knocked out a few hands later when his ace high failed to pair. Dan Owen, a retired business executive, collected $1,764 for 9th place.
8th Place - Bobby 'Turbo' Martin (second in chips) took a beat and then doubled up twice, putting him back into the race. Meanwhile, it took an hour before the next player was eliminated. Don Mullis was short-stacked throughout his stay, and finally went 'all in' with second pair (9s), losing to Jerry Reed's top pair (aces). Mullis has enjoyed a fabulous Lake Tahoe tournament, to date. This marked his fourth final table appearance, in six tries. Mullis, a classy North Carolina-based retiree who is traveling around the country in a mobile home, also won Event #4. Eighth place paid $2,650.
7h Place - Keith Rahman made an 'all in' raise from the button with A-9 and was called instantly by 'Turbo' in the blind with A-K. Rahman failed to make a pair and went out in 7th place. The private security manager from Oregon locked up $3,530.
6th Place - Josh Ewing was making his second final table appearance. The 24-year-old Lake Tahoe local was blinded down to felt and ultimately took $4,415 for 6th place.
5th Place - Bobby Martin, a.k.a. 'Turbo' ordered a kamikaze (shot) and true to his maniacal image, moved 'all in' for the fifth time in ten minutes. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong time to be hyper-aggressive. Jerry Reed looked down and saw A-K and called the raise in a flash. Both players flopped an ace, but when a king fell on the turn, Turbo was drawing dead. Turbo finally ran out of gas, but did pocket $5,295 as the 5th-place finisher.
4th Place - Mike 'Shoes' Gambony, a former professional pool player who has converted to poker playing, went out next. The native Texan now living in Scottsdale, AZ won the Iowa State Poker Championship in 2001 and has also made three WSOP final tables. But his shot at victory in this event hit the rail. Fourth place paid $7,060.
3rd Place - That left three players remaining, with Jerry Reed holding a better than 3 to 1 chip lead versus both opponents. However, if Reed thought the final stretch would be easy, he was in for a battle. The trio played for 90 long minutes before Steve Schicchitano finally had to commit his final chips on a draw. Schicchitano was dealt 9-8 and watched as the flop came 10-10-7. An outside straight draw led Schicchitano to move 'all in,' which was called by Reed with A-7. The second pair held up, and Schicchitano, a business agent from Pleasanton, CA was out with third place prize money -- $8,825.
The heads-up duel between Jerry Reed and Param Gill began with Reed holding a formidable 222,000 to 52,000 chip advantage. On the first hand of play, Reed was dealt A-A and raised, which caused Gill to fold. That hand would pretty much define the closing chapter of the tournament. Gill managed to survive six hands before the odds ultimately caught up with him and he was eliminated.
Reed was dealt 9-5 versus Gill's Q-4, which amounted to two ugly hold'em hands. But the worst hold'em hand can sometimes be a thing of beauty. Reed thought the flop was beautiful, when 7-7-5 put him into the lead. Successive rounds brought two blanks, and Reed was the latest WSOPC champion.
Runner-up Param Gill was born in India and now lives in Arizona. He won an event at the California State Poker Championship last year and hopes to do well enough in tournaments to eventually play poker full-time. Second-place price money amounting to $16,065 will surely help Gill's path to poker glory.
'Everything was going my way tonight,' said Reed following his victory. 'It seemed like whatever I was doing ended up right. Even the last hand when I was a dog, I had things go my way.'
Jerry Reed is working on a new project. He is creating a $100,000 buy-in poker tournament to be called the 'World Heavyweight Poker Championship,' a novel concept which includes a series of heads-up matches which would be televised. He expects to get 100 players committed to play in the event and hopes it may come about as early as December 2005.
You win some. You lose some. Whatever happens to Jerry Reed and his ambitious ideas, you can be certain he will continue to keep swinging for the fences. On this night, an unseasonably cold night in the Sierra Nevadas, Reed stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park.
Report by Nolan Dalla - World Series of Poker Media Director
World Series of Poker Circuit Director - Ken Lambert
World Series of Poker Tournament Director - John Grooms
Harveys Poker Room Manager - Vince Contaxis
Harrah's Full Service Games Manager -- Steve Schorr
On a misty cloudy day, the best thing I can think of to do is play a good game of poker, and a good game Event 8 will be. Before we get started, I want to tell you about a name to be watching for now and in the future. I have written about him three times already in these WSOP Lake Tahoe Circuit Events. His name is Don Mullis. He has played 6 tournaments and has made the final 4 of those, winning one outright. You might think that is pretty
cool, but the absolute crazy part about it is, Don has been playing poker for only 7 months. Not only do I want to share his success with you, but I want everyone to know, it can be done. Rarely, but, it is possible for any of us put our nose to the grindstone and be a winner at tournament poker.
And we're off...In seat 8, Mike Gambony wins the button. The blinds start with 500/1000 and the ante 200. The bet comes around to Steve Schicchitano and he is raises. Dan Owen decides that he is ready to risk his 1,400 chips on the first hand out of the chute and pushes all in. Steve has Ac Ah and Dan the Kc Jc. The flop is utterly amazing. The Qc Ad Tc giving Dan a straight on the flop and a draw to the royal. If the Ac comes, that would give Steve quads vs the royal. However, nothing quite as extraordinary took place. Regardless, the short stack doubled up and was relieved to stay alive.
Unfortunately, after a few minor encounters among other players, Dan Owen wagers all his chips again. The chip leader, Jerry Reed, played sheriff and called. Don held Ac 3c and Jerry showed 7c 8s. The killer landed on the turn with no help on the river for Dan. The 4 K 2 8 3 sent Dan to put on his jacket and collect his winnings of $1765 for 9th. Jerry showed up to contend today in a gorgeous gold kimono. Of course it is topped off with a ball cap
with some sort of gold writing promoting something poker related. I guess if you are chip leader, anything goes.
Don Mullis has found his groove and despite his less than outstanding chip count, he is all smiles and comedy tonight. Well, I guess so. He has a pocket full of cash and a WSOP ring on his hand! The man is already my idol.
And just as I say that, Don has raised from early position and it is a fold fest until the big blind where Paramjit Gill raises all in. Don calls and the board didn't bring the goods for Don leaving him with 3,000 chips to his name. So, the next hand he gets involved with a 3-way pot and takes it down with Q Q bumping him back up to 13,500. Behind that hand, in the big blind, he raises 4,000 and takes the antes and small blind to add to his cache.
I don't know who Turbo is, but he is quite a character. He is a handsome man with quite the air of confidence. Having two kamikazes sitting in front of him and has ordering more he chugs them and they are gone.. Interesting... He has sunglasses on and a flossing stick in his mouth. He appears to stay in a good mood, joking and entertaining the table so far.
OH Nooo....looks like Don has finished for today. He got caught up in a 5-way pot. The flop shows an A 2 8. Jerry Reed bets 5,000 when it came back around to him. After a great deal of contemplation, he looks at Jerry Reed and says 'I don't think you have the Ace. I don't have enough to play with, so, I'm all in.' Jerry calls. That fateful move took Don all out. The turn and river broke his run by dropping a 5 and 3 to finish it off. He takes home $2650. Unbelievable week Don!
The next fatality is Keith Rahman from Bend Oregon. Keith ends up bumping against Turbo and Turbo seems to be on a roll. Keith had an Ad 9d and Turbo big slick. The flop smashed Keith's dreams when it displayed 2 4 K followed by a 3 and an A. Keith is a private security manager, is 59 years young and has been playing this sport we call poker for 35 years. He wins 7th for $3530.
News flash, two more kamikazes have arrived for the Turbo man. No chugging quite yet, but, I'm watchin'. He has made move after move stealing blinds galore. Obviously he loves to gamble.
The next to fall is S. Lake Tahoe native, Josh Ewing. He too runs up against Turbo. His hand was anything but powerful, but it did hold the suited connectors, 7h 8h. Turbo had higher cards and took Josh to the cleaners leaving him in 6th for $4415. Josh has also made a showing at another final table this week.
Two hands later, Turbo guzzles a kamikaze and says 'all in' for the 40th or so time. The chip leader calls. Turbo has Ah Td with Jerry holding the As Kd. Bobby Martin 'Turbo' met his match this time. A 2 8 left him behind Jerry, then the K hit the turn leaving 'Turbo' completely out of gas. He wins 5th for $5295. He slugs down his final kamikaze, smiles, hugs a few of the players at the table and leaves as happy as he came. Cool guy.
About 2 hands later Mike and Paramjit got all in on one of the weirdest conflicts to date, for me at least. Mike didn't really have a stack to speak of, so, he found the whole thing funny. He had 3c 6s and Param had 2s 6s. They chop....Duh. The next hand wasn't quite so funny as Mike got tangled up with Steve Schicchitano. To add to the list of the fallen, Mike, 'shoeman' Gambony took the fall by having A Q against Steve's Q Q. Needless to say, big slick failed yet another all in player leaving him with a 4th in this event and $7060.
The final three gear up for battle. Jerry Reed leaves Param and Steve in the dust with 163,300 in chips to 52,000 and 58,000 respectively. The blinds are 1000/2000 and Jerry starts this round with the button. The table seems so quiet now, so serious. All the laughter and kidding around seems to have been stashed somewhere outside of this poker room. Or maybe it was putting the 'ring' is on the table that mellowed the players, making it more real now. Something tells me this is going to be a much longer game than yesterday.
This one-hour round just completed and the gentlemen will be facing an increase to 1500/3000 blinds in addition to the 500 ante. Steve and Param have a meeting of the minds in the next hand. Param raises to 6000 and Steve comes over the top to 16,000. Param asked Steve for a chip count, slowly makes about six stacks of 5000 each, contemplates a bit longer, and passes. An Oscar was dutifully awarded.
Param says it looks like a mountain of chips when he looks over at Jerry, as the 1000 chip is the same color as his kimono. Param puts on his shades to avoid the glare of gold. Param has created a short stack situation for Steve. Param is the button, and raises the blinds to 8K. Jerry folds and Steve calls the 8K. The flop is massive, As Jc Qd. Param makes an all in move and Steve makes a call. To Steve's dismay, Param announces he has flopped the stone cold macadamias showing the K T and Steve showing a naked Ace. This took Steve down to about 27,000 and in a world of hurt.
After at least 35 hands of shuffling cards and chips, we finally have a skirmish. Param is the button, Jerry raises about the size of Steve's stack and with very little hesitation, Steve calls. Steve flips over an 8 9 off and Jerry shows the power of As 7s. The flop brings T T 7 with one spade. It leaves Steve a load of outs, but the turn comes the Ks making a nice flush draw for Jerry while taking out some of Steve's outs. The river is a Kh and Steve Schicchitano bows out in 3rd place acquiring $8825 for his two days of play.
This heads up play will either be the come back from hell, or it should be over soon. Jerry Reed towers over Param with 220,000 to 50,000 making it almost a 4.5 to 1 chip lead for Jerry. I don't think Param is ready to give up the ghost, but I fear that after this break, Jerry is going to become the sledgehammer. The blinds are now 2000/4000 and 500 antes.
First hand up, Param is the button and raises half his stack. Jerry has no issue with going all in on Param. Param shows a 5d 6d and folds. He asks Jerry, 'how come you never show your cards', and Jerry obliged turning over pocket Aces. Param hurt himself with that bet, but at least had the presence of mind not to call the all in by Jerry. It's looking really bad for Param right now. After a few all ins and a double up for Param the two meet for the final hand of the evening. Param is laughing and joking and telling Jerry he has to go and play a super satellite, and tries to hand him the ring, basically conceding. He said 'I'm all in every hand now.' Jerry had a 9 5 and Param held Q 4. The flop was 5 7 7 giving Jerry a pair and the turn and river was bad news for Param. Laughter abounded and hand shaking began. Param was happy to win 2nd and $16,055 while Jerry took down the gold and $29,125 for 1st.
Jerry said he never looked back when he arrived as the chip leader today. It was one of those days that everything was going his way. He and John Pham should get together. I have never seen the like as the luck that followed both these men. Congratulations Jerry!
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