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28 - 36 $1835
Red Bull Manager Felix Bernal Runs
Through Field in 250k No-Limit Event
After a dizzying series of chip-lead changes at the final table, Felix Javier Bernal, a chain development manager for Red Bull, charged into an tremendous lead with a river straight. When the field down to three 11 hands later, he had 354,000 chips, and a chip-count deal ended play. He got $102,909 for Cal State's event 12, $300 no-limit hold'em, 250k guaranteed.
Harvey Goldson, executive vice president of a company designing and manufacturing interiors for companies like McDonald's, had 215,000 chips and collected $75,469. Goldson has been playing poker for 50 years and the game financed his college education. An Tran had 63,000 chips and picked up $45,462. (Not An 'The Boss' Tran; this one's a medical resident.)
This is the first tournament win for Bernal, who's had a couple of other final tables. And he got through a field of 511 with no rebuys
Kevin 'the Snake' Blakey, playing super aggressively and catching cards, came to the final table with an impressive chip lead of 202,000. In the prior 10 minutes, he estimated he raked in about 100,000 chips. Once he got to the final table, however, his wild-man tactics did not serve him well. Trying to play terminator against a succession of all-in players, he plummeted rapidly and finished a disappointing sixth. Still, with three final tables and one win, the Snake expanded his points lead to 134 and seems a cinch to take first place in the all-around race, worth $22,500.
Only nine players reached the the final table. The Snake got one of the two simultaneous kills when, rather than call and check down an all-in player, he moved in with king-high, got heads-up, and won with just the king.
Opening blinds were $1,500-$3,000 with $500 antes, 28:15 remaining. Goldson, well below average in chips, said he needed to pick some up and came out swinging. On hand six, with a flop of A-3-3, he moved in for 47,000 with pocket 10s. Norman Cruz, with A-Q, called all in for 45,000. Goldson hit a set on the river to leave Cruz, a system consultant, ninth.
The Snake got stomped the first time on hand eight. Bernal moved in for 64,000 with pocket 10s. The Snake called with 7-7 and lost.
Poker player Hoang Ta tried an all-in move from the small blind with A-5. He ran into Bobby Firestone's pocket aces and cashed out eighth.
Blinds now were $2,000-$4,000 with $200 antes. The Snake lost another 14,000 when Kasey Nam moved in with Q-9 and Blakey called with Jd-8d.
The Snake finally got lucky on hand 23. He moved in for 86,000 with A-9. Stuart Krasne, a retiree, called for 24,000 with K-Q and flopped a queen. But the Snake bit him and left him in seventh place when an ace hit the river.
Right after that, however, the Snake opened for 16,000 with K-Q, and called when Nam moved in for 56,000 with A-K. The board came 10-10-4-5-4, and suddenly the Snake was in last place with about 70,000.
On hand 41, Goldson more than accomplished his goal of building his chips. After Bernal moved in with As-9s, Goldson called with pocket queens, doubled through and took the lead with about 170,000.
On the next hand, the Snake moved in with As-9s. Bernal called with Ah-Jh, and after the board came K-J-5-7-8, the Snake was left thrashing with less than 20,000 left. His last chips were bet two hands later with A-3. Nam's pocket 5s held up, and we were down to five.
An eyeball count showed Tran in the lead with about 160,000, followed by Goldson, 140,000; Nam, 130,000; Bernal, 115,000; and Firestone, 80,000. Tran, who started second-highest in chips with 92,000, hadn't been involved in any big pots, but kept building with a series of small raises that were not called.
Blinds became $3,000-$6,000 with $1,000 antes. Not long into the new level, Bernal moved in with Kc-Js and Firestone called all in for about 80,000, way in the lead with Ad-Kd. He had the bad luck to see four clubs hit the board to give Bernal a flush and the chip lead with around 180,000, as Firestone, a sales executive, cashed out in fifth place.
Things turned around again on hand 73. Tran, with As-4s, flopped two pair. Two clubs gave Nam, with Ac-9c, a nut flush draw. He hit it on the turn, moved in after Tran bet 20,000, and suddenly had the lead with close to 240,000.
Here's a question for the class. A few hands later, Nam had pocket queens and won with queen high. How is this possible? Answer at the end of this write-up.
Nam lost a lot of chips when Goldson made a river straight, then got them back in a hand against Tran. He had As-Ks to Tran's Q-J and flopped a flush. Tran was down to 15,000, but managed to double through on the next two hands.
With $6,000-$12,000 blinds, a huge pot developed. With Q-10, Nam made two pair on a flop of 10-9-4. Bernal had just J-4, but a queen and 8 gave him a straight. He moved in for 151,000, Nam called, and now Bernal had about 400,000 of the 632,000 chips in play
A lot more hands went by, and it took 69 deals from Firestone's exit to lose another player. Nam, in the cut-off seat, had A-6 and moved in for 38,000. Goldson had Q-Q. The board came K-8-6-4-K and Nam, a trader from Korea, finished fourth.
The three-handed deal was now quickly agreed to, and the tournament was over.
Oh, yes, how can pocket queens win with queen high? Easy: when four 4s hit the board
. —Max Shapiro |
