EVENT #19: TEXAS HOLD'EM (No Limit) $5,000
TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: $596,550
ENTRIES IN THIS EVENT: 123
PRIZE MONEY TO DATE (3/28-4/14): $2,561,964
TOTAL ENTRIES TO DATE (3/28-4/14): 3,001
Report by Don Larrimore
Ron Williams, 55, an antique car restorer who has played tournament poker for just three years, captured the No Limit Hold'em Championship event at the Jack Binion World Poker Open, in the climax of the biggest poker tournament ever held in the American south.
"This is un-un-unbelievable," enthused Williams who said he had never had anywhere near such an exalted finish in a tournament. He has played poker seriously for 10 years and is also an avid golfer, former successful pool player and photographer of leading poker players.
"It's exciting," Williams said. "Anyone with the heart and perseverance can win a tournament with the idea of never giving up. After my pocket jacks were beaten by pocket nines and I was taken down to $20,000, I just used patience and staying poker." He recalled the famous poker dictum attributed to former World Cup Champion Jack "Treetop" Strauss, "If you have a chip and a chair you can win."
Williams survived four all-in moves during the four hours of final table action before he got down to heads-up with Todd Brunson, who had a chip advantage of $337,000 to $278,000.
But in just 15 minutes Williams, raising aggressively after his opponent bet out, had taken the chip lead which he held for the 45 remaining minutes in the tournament. The final $594,000 pot, with Brunson all-in and Williams almost so, saw a flop of 7c-6c-3s. Both players liked it: Brunson with 8c-7h went all-in. Williams, holding Jc-4c, quickly called with his flush and gut-shot straight draw. The 5 of diamonds on the turn made his straight, and Brunson missed a higher straight when the Q of diamonds fell on the river.
Said Brunson, 30, who has won five major tournaments in nine years as a poker professional, "I had top pair. I thought I had him beat. I guess I could have waited for a better spot."
Brunson, who raises and sells dingos (coyote-type canines), says he did not learn poker from his father, Doyle, two-time World Champion and author of a seminal book on poker. "It was a tough final table," Brunson said. "Eleven times people went all-in and survived. I went down from $150,000 to $50,000, deep in last place and I was in pretty bad shape. But I played the best I could, I think I played solidly. When I lost with pocket aces, I decided I wouldn't let it bother me. Overall, it was fun, and a great tournament."
Mike Laing, 47, a wellknown tournament player who has a World Series bracelet, 10 other money finishes at the WSOP including three in the World Championship event, and about a dozen major victories on the circuit in 11 years as a pro, took third place after holding the chip lead or second place for much of the final table.
"I played great, I just didn't win," Laing said later. "Everything that could go wrong did go wrong at the final table. I had two kings beaten by A-3 offsuit. I feel good, but I had higher expectations. That's card playing." He was eliminated when he went all-in with Ks-Qc against Brunson's Ac-Kh. The flop came Ad-8c-3c, followed by the Kc which left Laing drawing dead. The heart seven fell on the river.
Fourth place went to Steve Kaufman, 54, professor of ancient Near Eastern studies at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, OH and a member of a Dead Sea Scrolls academic team. He has been a "recreational and tournament player" for three years, and this was his best-ever finish. He got into the tournament through the last single-table satellite held.
"It's very exciting to make the final table at a major," Kaufman said. "It shows that even if you haven't played a lot of poker, you can start practicing, with all the card rooms opening and all the small tournaments being held, and learn to play at a high level. It won't be a free education, but if you stick with it it can be very worthwhile and rewarding."
Jason Viriyayuthakorn, a 24 year-old former student and car dealership business manager who has recently become a poker pro, finished fifth when he went all-in with pocket fours for his last $45,000 and was called by Brunson who held pocket nines. The flop helped neither player. "I gave it my all," the young competitor said. "I felt that I had a shot. I played solidly aside from one mistake, maybe two. I love cards. If you can win money playing cards, that's the best thing in the world, working only two days a week and playing golf, etc. the rest."
It took two and a half hours of dogged final-table play before Steve Melton, 42, a poker pro for 17 years and owner of a house-painting business, was eliminated. Melton was all-in with A-Q against Brunson's pocket queens, losing the $156,000 pot when the board came 9-8-2/9-10. "I felt I had a good chance," said Melton, who has had one major tournament win, one money-finish in the World Championship and a 15th place in the $5000 No Limit Hold'em event at the WPO. "It feels pretty good to make some $20,000 from a $120 super satellite," Melton said.
The Final Table Chip Standings & Seat Positions:
| Seat Position/Player | Chip Count |
| Seat 1: Ronnie Williams (Lawton, OK) | $69,500 |
| Seat 2: Mike Laing (Franklin, PA) | $213,500 |
| Seat 3: Steve Melton (Noble, OK) | $59,500 |
| Seat 4: Jason Viriyayuthakorn (Hamilton, NJ) | $53,500 |
| Seat 5: Todd Brunson (Las Vegas, NV) | $149,000 |
| Seat 6: Steve Kaufman (Cincinnati, OH) | $69,500 |
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