MARK AWALT IS
CROWNED CHAMPION!
The 2006 World Poker Finals $1200 Limit Hold'em Championship went to West Enfield, ME,
resident, Mark Awalt. Mark was able to overcome the strong competition from the final table and the
field of 135 players to take the title. Mark has played three tournaments and finished in the money
twice; he placed #107 in the 2005 WPF Main Event. He was not the seasoned veteran at the final table
but his take from today's prize pool of $146,955 for 1st Place was a tidy $58,782!
Louis Russo of Brooklyn ,NY, fresh off a 7th place finish in the WPT Main Event at the Borgata, was in 10th
place today. Lou, the table short stack, pushed all-in with pocket 7's; Casey Peters called with K10 and with QJ4AA on the
board, Casey had a straight and Lou had $3,673. Michael 'The Grinder' Mizrachi had pocket K's and Paul Paris had pocket
10's. Four spades on the board and one in Paul's hand left Michael with $10K in chips. He was all-in with pocket 7's but
Paul had 9's and again hit a flush to leave 'The Grinder' in 9th position with $4,042 to take home to Hollywood, FL.
Ethan Foulke was all-in for his last $5K with 78; Casey Peters of Brick, NJ, had him covered by $5K and called
with A9. A Q1029J gave Ethan the straight. Casey lost the next hand to Andrew Weinstein's pair of A's and finished in 8th
position good for $4,408. Ethan, a former resident of Westfield, MA, who now lives in Las Vegas, was able to regain a few
chips but was soon all-in with AQ. His tournament was over when Paul turned over pocket 6's and he couldn't hit a pair.
Ethan took 7th and collected $5,144 for his efforts. Paul Paris of nearby Norwich, CT, had earlier nicknamed Mark 'the
flopmaster' for taking a good portion of his stack in several hands. Mark did not need a flop as his pocket 10's held against
Paul's A4; Paul was in 6th position which was worth $6,613.
Now down to the last five players, the table chip leader by far was Mark Awalt. The limits were $10K/$20K and
large position changes were possible. However, the only change was that Mark accumulated all the chips. David
Rubenstein demonstrated great perseverance to come back from the second shortest stack. David of East Hampton, NY, bet
all-in with his last $60K with J9; Mark called with K4. The flop was J98 and gave David two pair; but a 4 on the turn and
another on the river gave Mark trips and left David in 5th place with $8,082. Horace York of Limington, ME, finished 6th
in $600 7-card Stud and improved to 4th in today's event. He went all-in with his last $20K and paired his A on the turn but
Mark caught a river flush and Horace had winnings of $10,654.
Sirous Jamshidi of Broomall, PA, and Andrew Weinstein of Falls Church, VA, both had less than $100K in chips.
Sirous survived several all-ins before losing with 2's to Mark's 10's. Sirous collected $16,166 for 3rd. Andrew was all-in
with K6 after a K appeared on the flop. However, Mark turned over pocket A's and Andrew was in 2nd place. He had
$29,391 to take back to Virginia.
Mark Awalt was the 2006 $1200 Limit Hold'em Champion and the winner of the Championship crystal trophy,
commemorative leather jacket and $58,782!
Reported by Jeffrey A Toth for Foxwoods Resort Casino | 
