Judah Wins in Max-Bet Finale
Another unusual ending marked tonight's $500 7-card stud event. With three players left, the money was chopped, but there was still the matter of who got the win. Mel Judah wanted the trophy, but he slightly trailed retiree Kevin O'Malley. Tournament rules and points considerations would not let it be taken by anyone but the chip leader, and suggestions for one showdown hand or reversion to no-limit were also turned down. In the end, the players agreed to simply bet and raise the max straight through. One hand was played, Judah won with jacks-up, and that gave the well-known pro the lead, the trophy and one more win to add to his impressive resume.
Even more amazing was Kevin O'Malley's story. This was his first time he had played stud. His only game had been hold'em until a friend convinced him he needed to expand his poker repertoire. And, as the hours at the final table dragged on, he groaned and disclosed that he was also recuperating from an operation 10 days ago. 'I thought I needed to get out,' he said. 'What a mistake.'
The final table started play with 100 antes, a 200 low-card bring-in and limits of 600-1,200, 18 minutes left. Kevin 'The Snake' Blakey was chip leader with 31,000. This was the reptile's second final table in one day. Earlier, he finished ninth on day two of the $1,500 no-limit event.
On the first hand, Bicycle Casino host Robert 'Chip Burner' Turner, arriving with only 2,600, was immediately all in with pocket 7s and lost to the Snake's pocket aces. On hand 13, blinds went up to 800-1,600, with 100 antes and 200 bring-in. Five hands later, Roger Watson, a home builder, got involved in a hand with Stephan Borrero. Watson, pairing an ace on fourth street, hung in even though Borrero was raising and betting non-stop. Watson went all in on the river with the same aces while Borrero, starting with rolled-up 10s, filled on the last card. 'I didn't have many chips, so I had to go with my pair,' Watson said as he cashed seventh. 'Or maybe I was just tired.' Borerro, meanwhile, now enjoyed a comfortable chip lead.
Randy Holland hadn't been able to do much, and his starting stacks of 15,800 steadily shrunk. On his last hand he got involved with Borrero, who was running as hot as Holland was cold. On fourth street, Holland was all in with (9-5)9-10. Borrero had (3-6)6-8 and caught a third 6 on sixth street, as Holland finished sixth. A few hands later the Snake cooled Borrero off a little. Borrero had open kings. The Snake, with 9-K-10-Q showing, turned over A-A-J for a Broadway straight. Later, the snake bit Borrero again with trip 3s to pull roughly even, then slithered into the lead with pocket aces against Judah.
As the hands dragged on, Borrero kept the table laughing with his quips and dialect impersonations. By the next break, he had moved back into the lead with about 30,000, while the Snake was now low man with about 18,000, while the other three players were all in the mid-20s range. Limits were now 1,500-3,000 with 300 antes and a 400 bring-in. Despite the somewhat uneven chip distribution, the five players made a friendly agreement to play for $5,000 each, with the winner getting an additional $2,720.
It turned out to be a good deal for Blakey, because midway through the level he busted out. He started with pocket kings and made kings-up. Meanwhile, Bill Sheppard, another retiree, started with (9-10)J, caught an 8 on fourth street for an open-ender, and hit his straight on the river..
When limits went up again, to 2,000-4,000, O'Malley, who had already gone all in twice and escaped, was lowest-chipped. As play continued, Borrero took a big hit as Judah made a set of 7s and moved into a sizeable lead with about 60,000. But not long after, O'Malley, who had picked up a couple of pots, beat Sheppard with kings, and now he had a slight lead. Finally, the trio agreed to chop the $2,720 and play one hand of 'cap the bets.' --Max Shapiro
BIOGRAPHY
Mel Judah, born in Australia, moved to the UK and was a London hairdresser before coming a ful-time poker player. He has two WSOP bracelets in stud, was the Legends/WPT champion in 2003, and along with many other wins, had back-to-back stud wins at the Bike two years in a row at Diamond Jim Brady, just missing the hat trick the third year when he had a second-place finish. He also has a couple of LAPC stud wins. 'I should play stud more often,' he says. 'I also enjoy high-low and mixed games.'
He won tonight's tournament, he explained, by playing a patient, waiting game, picking his spots, and being able to lay down big hands. He was struggling for much of the evening. The breakthrough for him came when he refused to be pushed out of a pot, played his two nines against Blakey, pulled in a lot of chips, and went on from there.
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