Kevin 'The Snake' Blakey Slithers to
Win in Event # 9, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo
Kevin 'The Snake' Blakey got his nickname, he explains, from 'slithering in and out of bad situations.' Tonight he put most of the bad situations on his final table opponents. Midway through the final table, hiding under a harmless-looking board, he suddenly sprang from his hole, uncoiled a full house, bit two players dead, swallowed up a commanding chip lead and glided from there to an impressive victory in Cal State's ninth event, $500 7-card stud hi-lo.
Blakey, wearing his trademark snake-decorated glasses, once owned an air-conditioning construction company. A poker player for 20 years, he began studying and improving his game and two years ago felt confident enough to turn pro. His other victories include the E. O. (7-stud eight or better and Omaha hi-lo) Championship at Legends of Poker this year and a 7-stud hi-lo victory at Cal State two years ago, along with four other final tables at the Commerce and Bike.
There were 91 entrants for this tournament. Any event with fewer than 100 players plays through the same day, and this was our first one-day event. Final-table action started at 11:45 p.m. with $100 antes, a $300 low-card bring-in, limits of $1,000-$2,000 and 16:30 left. Ken Steinberg, a retiree with a couple of tournament wins, had the lead with 26,200, close to twice as much as his closest competitor, Norai Khodadian.
Rocky Enciso was low man with 2,100, but managed to double through on the first hand with aces-up. John Hoang was second-lowest with 2,400 and much less lucky. On the second hand he had pocket aces, went all in with a re-raise after Norai Khodadian completed with a door-card 6. Khodadian turned up a 4-5. 'You cracked my aces once before,' Hoang said, instructing him not to do it again. Khodadian must not have been listening. He caught a 7 and then an 8 on the river for a straight.
A very upset Hoang, who had made aces-up, departed in eighth place, flipping up a card which hit a dealer. Hoang, a top pro who got $222,187 for winning a $2,000 no-limit event at the Jack Binion Open in January, tonight earned $1,324 and a suspension.
In addition to a reptile, we also had a bear at this table. Teddy 'Goodbear,' who is both a pro player and stock options trader, went all in a couple of times in early action, surviving with a kings-up scoop one time and a split another. On his final hand he went all in for 600 with split 10s, couldn't improve and lost Khodadian, who had aces along with an 8-low. The Bear lumbered off with $1,765 for his seventh-place finish.
After limits went to $1,500-$3,000 with 200 antes and a 500 bring-in, Enciso survived two more all-ins. Then Blakey, sinking to his lowest point tonight, himself went all in two times, chopping once with an 8-low, then scooping Phoenix physician James Ferrel with a 6-high straight.
As the level was winding down, the pot of the night came down. Enciso, showing 7-8-10-3, was all in on fifth street. Then Blakey, showing 3-J-4-A, bet the river.
Ferell, starting with a promising (3-6)2, paired his deuce on fourth street, and that's as far as he got. The chances that his two lowly 2s might win high were infinitesimal, but he called all in anyway, explaining that he had no choice, since he had only 800 left, and the pot was huge.
His deuces were buried. Enciso, starting with pocket kings, made a set. Worse, Blakey caught a 4 on the river to turn two pair into a full house and jump into the lead. Ferrel, with more chips, finished fifth and took home $2,648, while Enciso was paid $2,207 for sixth.
Limits went to $2,000-$4,000, with $300 antes and a $500 bring-in. On the first hand, the Snake beat Khodadian with queens and increased his lead.
Steinberg was next out. He missed a draw to a straight flush and Blakey did what Ferrel could not - win high with a pair of deuces. As Steinberg started to walk away, he realized he had made an 8 low. Not much good, he was informed. The Snake had made a 6-low to go with his deuces. Fourth place was worth $3,089.
Andy Sacino is a heavyweight in the world of poker. He is an executive host at Hollywood Park who once owned the old Gardena Casino. He has several tournament wins including the $1,000 World Championship of Lowball at Legends of Poker.
Tonight he got low-chipped against Blakey. He started with (A-5)8 and ended up with just a pair of 5s. The Snake started with a great (6-7)5. All he could make was a pair of 6s, but that was all he needed to leave Sacino in bad shape.
Soon after, Sacino raised all in with a promising (6-7)5 and ended up with 7s and 6s. Khodadian had buried 10s, caught two queens, and Sacino checked out in third spot, which paid $5,296.
Heads-up, Blakey had about 60,000 chips to 30,000 for Khodadian. A few hands later, Khodadian showed Q-J-10-9 on board, but gave it up when he couldn't hit his straight. He was now down to 8,000.
On his final hand, Khodadian had a terrific draw on fourth street (4-5)2-3 and went all in for 100 on fifth street, after getting a king. But instead of hitting a baby straight, or any low at all, he ended up with two kings. Blakey made 7s and 3s, and the Snake, ending a memorable evening, said 'fangs' for the memory.
-Max Shapiro |
