Other Paid Places
19th - 27th $1935
Plastics Maker Wins 145K!
In a pot that had more than 700,000 of the 774,000 chips in play, Alex Shin turned A-3 into a wheel, left David 'The Dragon' Pham (who had pocket queens) in third place and then nailed down a $145,125 no-deals victory a few hands later. It was the second tournament victory for the plastics manufacturer.
Day 2 of this $1,500 no-limit event started with 21 players left. We reached the final table after Susan Trabue's A-Q lost to Steven King's A-K, which became kings-full. Blinds were $800-$1,600, $200 antes, 26:15 remaining. The Dragon was breathing fire with a chip-leading $311,900.
Meanwhile, 'Miami' John Cernuto, who had twice taken beats when his pocket queens were beaten by A-J, arrived with the proverbial chip and a chair. After one hand he had neither when his K-2 lost to Danny Pourat's A-7.
Phuoc Nguyen busted on deal six. He moved in for about $20,000 with A-J. Shin called with A-K and nailed it with a river king. As play continued, Pham lost 74,000 chips to Keith Tilston, a student/online player. Tilston opened for $10,000 with pocket kings, Pham made it $25,000 to go with 6-6, Tilston moved in for $49,000 more and won with the bigger full on a J-J-2-J-2 board.
With $1,000-$2,000 blinds, Ruth Turobiner put in her last $3,700 with A-K. Shin called with 7-7. Turobiner had 10 outs on a flop of J-10-4, but lost after Shin turned a set.
Pourat, a ladies clothing designer, departed on hand 24. He moved in for $30,000 with pocket 10s and Shin made a loose call with Qh-9h. Shin flopped a queen, went on to make a flush, and now was chasing down Pham with about $212,000. 'Did you just pop a pill?' asked Russ Floyd.
Suddenly, Tilston surged ahead in three hands. On hand 25, Delmiro Toledo moved in for $30,000 with pocket kings. Tilston called with 8-8 and flopped a set to knock him out. Next, Tilston beat Shin in two pots. The first time, Shin bet $20,000 into a $30,000 pot with a board of A-K-J-J. Tilston check-raised him $40,000 more and Shin folded, showing an ace. Two hands later Tilston won again with pocket queens and now had the chip lead.
At the break, the count stood: Tilston, $258,000; Pham, $226,500; Shin, $153,000; King, $68,500; and Floyd, $68,000. Blinds were now $1,500-$3,000 with $500 antes. Six hands into the new level, Pham opened for $25,000 with pocket 7s and Steven King, a contractor, moved in for $34,000 more with pocket deuces. The board came J-8-8-8-Q, and we were down to four.
A hand later it was three as Floyd, winner of event #20, lost on a bad beat. After Shin opened for $9,000 with 10c-9c, Floyd moved in for $48,000 more with Ac-4c, and Shin called with his 10-high. The board came K-Q-7-4. 'No 9 or 10,' Russ called out. He forgot to request no jack, which gave Shin an inside straight, and Floyd finished fourth.
On hand 55, Shin began to turn everything around. On a flop of 10-6-5, Tilston, with 10-3, made a small bet. Shin, with K-10 moved in for $124,000 more. Tilston called and was left with about $65,000 when he didn't help. Then, on the next hand, Tilston opened for $20,000, Shin moved in with A-3 for about $360,000, and Pham, with Q-Q called all in for about $240,000. Tilston, after long thought, folded his K-Q and saved himself $71,595 after a board of 4-4-2-8-5 gave Shin a miracle wheel.
Shin picked up Tilston's last chips a few hands later when he moved in with Ks-10s and Shin, with Jd-8d, made a flush.
-Max Shapiro
BIOGRAPHY
Alex Shin imports and manufacturers plastic houseware items. He's been playing poker for just two or three years and divides his time about equally between cash games and tournaments. In live action he plays no-limit games, $600 buy-ins at one casino, and either $500 or $1,000 at another. He's had no prior live-action tournament win, in a $500 Heavenly Hold'em event, and has another win in an online tournament.
He said he was in good shape throughout this two-day event. His style is to play a lot of hands and see what the flop brings, rather than to move in a lot. Tonight he played a lot of suited connectors, which paid off a lot for him. When he arrived for day two he had about $90,000 in chips, arrived at the final table in second position with $182,000, and was never in any difficulty after that.
|
