EX-PHOTO FINISHER FINISHES
1ST IN HIS FIRST TOURNAMENT
Playing in his first tournament ever, Manuel Nacrur, who once owned a photo-finishing business, won the fifth event of 2006 LAPC, $500 7-card stud. The retiree, who plays $20-$40 stud side games, attributed his win to age and experience.
The most dramatic hand came near the end of the first day. It included a spectacular last-card draw-out, a massive turnaround in chip count giving Nacrur the lead, and a debatable remark by one of the players.
Final-table action got underway with 500 antes, a 1,000 bring-in and limits of 3,000-6,000, eight minutes remaining. Nacrur had a big lead with 132,000 chips. Randy Holland, who has three LAPC wins, along with two World Series bracelets, was looking for his fourth horse trophy, but instead quickly found himself all in. He survived with kings..
Soon after, Nick Cavacini, a Vegas pro with a win at the Mirage Poker Showdown in $1,000 no-limit, busted out. All in with split 7s against Franco Brunetti's split 10s. he couldn't help, while Brunetti caught two queens.
As play continued, 'Lucky' Larry Kantor and Moon Chang both escaped all ins. Holland, meanwhile, announced that he needed to move up a notch so his wife could quit work. Keep your nursing job, Laurene. Holland, never with many chips, broke when he missed a straight draw, while Brunetti paired an ace on sixth street to win with aces-up.
Soon after, Brunetti, a real estate developer, took a big pot from Bob Golick, a high-limit Commerce casino host with a final table in 7-stud at the WSOP. Showing 2-4-A-9, Golic threw his hand away after Brunetti, with a 2-4-A-9 board, turned up A-10-10. Brunetti now had the lead with about 120,000 chips.
A few hands later, Nacrur regained the lead. Brunetti, with 10d-Q-h-Ad-Qd-Kd, had a tremendous drawing hand, but was puzzled when Nacrur had check-raised on fourth street showing only 4-2. Nacrur won with trip deuces and now had about 125,000 to 85,000 for Brunetti.
Limits went to 6,000-12,000, with 1,000 antes and a 2,000 bring-in. On the first hand, Golick, starting with (K-7)7, made two pair and pressed on, despite Nacrur's four board spades. All in, Golick finished sixth when Nacrur flushed.
At the table was Joe Brandenburg, a retired mathematician/engineer with numerous tournament wins and three WSOP cashes. He built up his stacks against Nacrur, winning a huge pot. He showed 4-K-5-5, and turned up pocket kings for a filly.
Brunetti was next to make a full house, also against Nacrur, who folded on the river. 'I'll take it,' Brunetti said, explaining that his 4s-full were no lock, and he was satisfied that Nacrur did not call. Now Brunetti had the lead again.
Moon Chang, who won a 7-stud event at LAPC three years ago, finished fifth on a bad beat. He made a queen-high spade flush on the first five cards, only to see Brandenburg catch a jack of diamonds on the river to make an ace-high flush.
Not long after, Kantor looked good when he was dealt diamonds on his first four cards. But he missed, gave up his last chips and finished fourth.
Brandenburg now had the lead with about 190,000. Brunetti had around 120,000, and Nacrur, down to about 40,000, soon recovered with aces.
Now came that memorable hand. Brunetti showed 5-6-K-5. Nacrur had 5-9-10-2. The pot had grown huge. 'I'm being a gentleman, Brunetti said, advising his opponent that he was 'way behind.' Nacrur was startled, but still called for the last card. At that point, Brunetti indeed was well ahead, with aces-up to just pocket 8s for Nacrur. But Nacrur snagged a third 8 on the river, leaving Brunetti with only about 35,000. A tournament staffer was asked what would happen if a player had protested Brunetti giving out hand information. 'A gray area,' was the reply, but probably resulting in a warning, anyway. Later, Nacrur was asked if Brunetti's remark had affected his calling. 'I planned to, but that made me certain,' he replied.
Limits were now 8,000-16,000, with 3,000 antes and a 1,000 bring-in. A few hands later, 3:30 a.m. arrived. Nacrur, having grabbed the lead with his set of 8s, now had 144,000. Brunetti had recovered to 103,000. Brandenburg had 99,500.
Action resumed the next day. After eight hands, Brunetti was down to 46k after folding on sixth street when Brandenburg's board showed trip 10s. On the next hand, Brunetti started with (Q-10)Q, went all in and caught another 10. Brandenburg started with (A-4)4, caught a second ace, and we were heads-up.
Another 28 hands went by with not much action. Then Nacrur won a 100k pot with trip 6s to take a better than a 2-1 lead. On the 45th hand heads-up, Brandenburg showed kings, Nacrur queens. Nacrur made two-pair. Brandenburg, down to 11,000, couldn't recover. Two hands later, it all ended when Nacur's two 8s beat Brandenburg's two 6s, and the photo man had developed his first win. —Max Shapiro
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