Kevin the Snake Fangs EO!
Kevin "the Snake" Blakey, a pro formerly in the construction business,
slithered to a win in the 21st event of Legends 2005, EO: Omaha hi-lo and 7-stud
hi-lo.
Through most of the event, he had had trailed Eric Plunkett, a poker/blackjack
dealer with an EO win at the Bike earlier this year. Then, late in an Omaha
round, he outran Plunkett's Broadway straight with a full house to take the
lead which he kept until the four finalists made a chip-count deal.
The final table got there after Thor Hansen busted out ninth. In an Omaha round,
he raised all in with Ac-5c-7-9. The Snake called blind with K-Q-J-3, and filled
on a board of A-K-Q-5-K. The finalists started out playing $800-$1,600. Plunkett
had 40,300 chips, twice as many as anybody else. After 17 minutes without much
happening, the action returned to stud, with $1,000-$2,000 limits, $200 antes
and a $300 low-card bring-in.
On hand 12, Hieu "Tony" Ma was left with $4,500 when Patrick Schulze
scooped him with deuces and 7s. Ma tried to hang on, playing a very controlled,
tight game, but slowly got ground down until it looked like he would be first
out. But he got breathing room when he chopped a pot, and eventually outlasted
two players.
Jason Newitt, a software developer, got low-chipped when Vegas pro Adam Spiegelberg
scooped him with two pair. Then came hand 21. After Plunkett re-raised with
a strong low starting hand of (4-7)2, Brian "Frost" Foster went all
in with (2-2)3, and then Newitt followed holding (Q-Q)6. The cards were dealt.
Foster picked up a low draw but missed. Newitt couldn't help his ladies. Plunkett,
meanwhile, made a surprise high with 6s and 4s and scooped both opponents out
of the tournament. Foster, who was first out in an earlier hold'em final table,
was first out tonight while Newitt, with more chips, cashed out seventh. Plunkett,
meanwhile, increased his chip lead to a bit over $50,000.
Ma gave up the ghost six hands later. He went all in for his last few chips
with (Q-Q))J against Plunkett's (9-9)6. Ma paired a 10 on the river, but it
was of no importance because Plunkett had somehow managed to make a 9-high straight,
and Ma departed in sixth place.
Plunkett then lost some chips in a three-way pot, but still had the lead when
Omaha returned, with limits of $1,500-$3,000. In early Omaha action, Spiegelberg
took a hit when he had a great starting hand of A-2-4-5 against Andy Ozkan's
A-5-8-J, but got quartered when the board showed Q-4-2-8-6. He was counterfeited
and tied for low while Ozkan took high with a paired 8. On hand 35, Schulze
went all in, but survived when his A-3-10-Q turned into a wheel.
On the next deal, Spiegelberg, who finished second at a Palms tournament, finished
fifth tonight in a hand that infuriated him. He went all in with A-A-4-7 from
the small blind. Plunkett, in the big blind, called with a very weak 2-5-7-9.
The board came 10-5-5-K-9, giving Plunkett a full house. "Oh, God, are
you kidding me?" Spiegelberg cried out in understandable disbelief as he
flung his cards down. Welcome to Omaha.
As the Omaha segment ran down, everything turned around. Blakey, starting with
a king and 10 in his hand, flopped trip 10s. Plunkett, with A-Q-J-6, made a
straight on the turn with a redraw to a low. Then a river king gave Blakey a
full house and the lead.
Shortly after that, a chip-count was called for. It was: Blakey, $46,700; Plunkett,
$37,400; Schulze, $27,000; and Andy Ozkan, $12,400, and the deal was made.
-Max Shapiro
BIOGRAPHY
Kevin Blakey, wearing shades decorated with a snake, says he got his nickname
because he always managers to slither in and out of bad situations. He owned
an air-conditioning construction business before turning to poker full time
two years ago. He plays mostly cash games, $40-$80 and $100-$200 limit hold'em,
but also has a pot-limit tournament win at the Bike and a couple of final tables
at Commerce.
Blakey describes himself as a super-aggressive player. He's just returning to
action after taking a four-week break because he was dissatisfied with his game,
and wanted to study and achieve more self-discipline. Tonight he carried with
him a set of hand-written rules, including, "Paint rule...muck. Get
off hand early. Don't fall for ½ pot, and, play like a machine."
It must have worked. Tonight, Blakey said he was short for hours, and ended
up picking up most of his chips in Omaha rounds. |
