| Places 19th - 27th $565
Teacher Gives Poker Lesson
When tonight's $300 no-limit hold'em event got heads-up, it was a showdown between two women, Jenny Kang, a pro, and Meda Lubliner, a retired school teacher. It wasn't much of a contest. Lubliner had totally dominated the table, knocking out six of the eight players thus far, and now enjoyed a better than 3-1 chip advantage. In four hands it was over, and Lubliner had her biggest cash-out ever.
Final table action opened with blinds of 1,500-3,000 and 500 antes, 14:18 left. The genial ex-teacher came to the final table at the head of the class with a big lead, holding 158,500 of the 565,000 chips in play, and in early action, quickly sent two players to the principal's office.
On hand seven, Rocky Enciso put in his last few chips with Jd-10d. Lubliner called with K-Q and busted him when all rags came. One hand later, Mike Roche, a musician/artist, pushed in for about 30,000 with A-K. He had the best of it when Lubliner called with As-8s, until an 8 turned, and Lubliner expelled him too.
Two hands later, Lubliner suffered a 56,500 setback when Raz Mael moved in with pocket 9s, which stood up after Lubliner called with pocket 8s. She still maintained her lead, though.
Blinds became 2,000-4,000 with 500 antes. Everyone was still in by the next level, though Kenny Ha, very low on chips, had a couple of all-in close calls. Just before the break, Mael made an unusual move. He announced a raise to 9,100, which would be good trick, since there were no 100-value chips on the table. His bet was reduced to 9,000, nobody called, and a disappointed Mael showed pocket kings.
Players returned to 3,000-6,000 blinds and 1,000 antes. Lubliner still led with 145,500, while Mael had 101,000. Ha, with A-2 went all in for the last time on hand 35. Kang, in the small blind, had him covered in both chips and cards with A-J, winning easily by making two pair.
'It's by far the best hand I've seen all night, poker player Ken Goldstein said when he later moved in for 21,000 with pocket deuces. 'I knew it wasn't that good,'he amended, when Lubliner called with pocket 5s. The board came J-8-4-A-10, and Goldstein was seventh.
Hand 52: Lubliner opened for 18,000 and Mael called from the big blind. The flop was A-6-4. Mael moved in for 49,000 and Lubliner instantly called. He had 6-3, she had A-7, and her paired ace easily beat his paired 6. Libiner after her fourth kill, had increased her lead to about 275,000.
A hand later, after Sean Slattery, a student, opened for 20,000, Kang moved in. Slattery called, and it was a coin-flip, his pocket deuces against her A-10. The vivacious Kang let out a whoop when she won the pot after a 10 flopped, as she doubled through to about 110,000. On the next hand, though, her cry was one of anguish and frustration. Slattery moved in for 28,000, and after Caesar Natividad called with A-J, Kang folded. The board came K-6-10-Q-K, giving Natividad a straight and leaving Slattery in fifth place. Kang, meanwhile, had decided not to overcall with K-Q, which would have given her a full house.
Blinds now were 4,000-8,000 with 1,500 antes. Richard Kim, another student, was making his second straight final table. On hand 61 he tried an all-in raise of 43,000, and once again Lubliner stepped in. 'Good call,'he said, as he turned up Q-8 to her Qd-9d. The board came 9-8-3-K-2, and Kim finished fourth. Lubliner now had about 350,000 chips and seemed unstoppable. Six hands later, Natividad raised to 20,000 and Lubliner moved him in for about 28,000 more. She had him dominated, A-6 to A-4, and the board couldn't rescue him.
With about 138,000 to Lubliner's 423,000, Kang suggested a deal, but Lubliner declined. 'Women are really stubborn,'she said. Four hands later Lubliner moved in with A-K and Kang called with pocket 9s. As happened throughout the final table, Lubliner got what she needed when the board came K-Q-4-J-J, and she sealed her impressive victory.
-Max Shapiro
BIOGRAPHY
Meda Lubliner taught high school English for 35 years in a special school for gang members. 'It's hard to intimidate me,'she says. Coming from a card-playing family, she was introduced to poker at an early age, and has been playing in casinos for 25 years, starting in women's tournaments. She has one prior major win, with a chop at a Hollywood Park no-limit event. Last year she played in three WSOP tournaments and cashed in the ladies and seniors.
Tonight she played patiently. In early going, she played two separate full rounds without playing a hand. Later she says she really got lucky. In one hand she was all in. An opponent made a straight, and she filled on the river. She also plays poker at home for play money with her children and grandchildren. She smiles describing how one of her grandkids, 14, pulled off a bluff and was so proud he had to show it.
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