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Jerry Simon: Hero of Event 2
Jerry Simon, a retired Air Force colonel and dedicated poker player, was the crowd favorite in the second event of Winnin' o' the Green 2006, getting the most applause and cheers from the throng of spectators. Then, in the final hand, he got a thunderous ovation from fellow players as well as onlookers when he knocked out Larry Brooks, the only player at the table who had been refusing a chip-count deal to that point.
When the $200 no-limit hold'em event came to a sudden stop, Simon had the lead among the five remaining players, with 378,000 chips, and collected $30,660. Second, with 245,000, was Brian Confer, who got $21,885. Grady Talbot had 238,000 and earned $21,525. Fourth was John Berkson, who had 136,000, worth $14,795. And Guy Rahamim, with 94,000 chips, won $12,025.
This first open event, following yesterday's casino employees tourney, had a $50,000 guarantee and drew a huge crowd of 728 players who generated a prize pool of $145,600. Action started with 2,000 antes and blinds of 5,000-10,000, 29:54 remaining. Brooks, a roofer, arrived with a very big lead with 274,000 chips, more than twice the 134,000 held by Talbot, a retired attorney in second chip position. It was a lead that Brooks would hold until nearly the end of the tournament.
This event would not be notable for finesse, with someone moving in nearly every one of the 33 dealt hands. It took only three hands to lose our first player. Rene Borbon, a businessman, started lowest chipped with 46,000. Second to act, he moved in with A-4. Confer, who is in sales, called with As-Js, and the jack kicker was the decider when the board came A-K-Q-9-7. Tenth place paid $1,600.
On hand five, Simon moved in for 80,000 with Jh-Jd and was called by Brooks with Q-J. With the board showing Ah-4h-4d-3h, a spectator called for a queen. A queen obediently came, but it was a queen of hearts, giving Simon a flush as he doubled through and took a good chunk out of Brooks' stacks.
Three hands later, Makram Merhom went out on a bad beat. He moved in for 53,000 holding A-7. Brooks called with 10s-5s. Merhom was still in the lead on a flop of Jc-Js-Qc. Then runner-runner spades came to give Brooks a winning flush, and the Egyptian-born pro finished ninth, settling for $2,185.
Just four hands later, we had another casualty. David Tran pushed in for 33,000, and Brooks called. 'I'm sure you have two overcards,' Tran said, turning over pocket deuces. It was the understatement of the night. Brooks had two aces, and a board of Q-4-4-K-K couldn't rescue Tran, who took home $2,910 for eighth.
The seven remaining players now discussed a chip count deal. Brooks asked for a flat $40,000, with the other players going by chip count. It was vetoed, and play continued. Four hands later, the players again discussed a deal. At this point, Brooks still was in front with 265,000 chips, which would have been worth $23,860 by chip count. Behind him were Simon, 231,000 ($21,250); Confer, 199,000 ($18,890); Berkson, 142,000 ($14,525); Talbot, 134,000 ($13,915); Rahamim, 90,000 ($10,540); and Robert Cramer, 30,000 ($5,940). Brooks was the hold-out, and play resumed.
Blinds now went to 8,000-16,000 with 2,000 antes. One hand into the new level, Cramer, a retired attorney, moved in from the cut-off seat holding 10-9. Once again, Brooks took on the role of terminator and called from the button holding A-3. Cramer took the lead when a 9 flopped, but Brooks knocked him out with a freak straight when the board came 9-6-4-5-7. Seventh place paid $3,640.
Play continued with the usual wild abandon, with 11 all-ins in the next 13 hands. On hand 113, Brooks lost his chip lead after Talbot pushed in with pocket 4s, flopped 4s full, and took 118,000 chips from Brooks, who had called with Ah-5h. Simon now was the front man.
Three hands later it was all over. Brooks, now down to 100,000, moved in with pocket 4s, and Simon had an easy call with pocket queens. The board came A-K-2-5-10, and Brooks got $4,370 for sixth place, instead of the $23,860 he would have gotten had the seven-way chip-count deal gone through.
'Let's give a big hand for Jerry,' someone in the audience called out, and for the beaming Simon, it was almost like Academy Award night.-Max Shapiro
BIOGRAPHY
Jerry Simon spent 28 years in the Air Force, rising to lieutenant colonel. He was a 'top gun' commander and weapons controller at various bases, and then was sent to Tehran as an adviser to the Shah of Iran. Things didn't turn out well for the Shah, who was toppled, but they worked out better for Simon, because that's where he met his wife of 34 years.
Simon has played poker since 1998. A resident of Temecula, he learned the game at the nearby Pechanga Casino. The Bike is where he says he's had good luck, making a number of final tables, and also winning three Poker Cruise seats. He also played two World Series events, cashing twice. Online, he plays sit and go events. Simon calls himself a conservative player, aggressive when he has cards. Tonight he was very low chipped at the second table before doubling up a couple of times. He found the final table difficult because of the frequent all-in bets, forcing him to sometimes lay down big hands.
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